Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Ex-local prep football stars get NFL deals

Coronado High graduate Tysson Poots looks for yardage after a catch during his college career at Southern Utah. Poots recently signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

Coronado High graduate Tysson Poots looks for yardage after a catch during his college career at Southern Utah. Poots recently signed a free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

Two former Southern Nevada high school football stars signed undrafted free agent contracts Tuesday with NFL teams.

Wide receiver Tysson Poots of Coronado High signed with the Dallas Cowboys, and offensive lineman Mike Smith of Palo Verde inked with the New Orleans Saints. Neither was drafted in April and had to wait out the NFL labor dispute before landing a professional opportunity.

Poots is the most decorated receiver in Southern Utah University history, finishing his four-year career with 282 receptions for 3,970 yards and 43 touchdowns. In his final three years, he had more than 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in each season.

Smith, who saw his career at Nebraska cut short last year with a knee injury, was projected to be mid- to late-round selection in the draft before the injury. Smith had options, also being selected by the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

Additionally, three others from Las Vegas will be in their first NFL camps — Bishop Gorman’s DeMarco Murray was a third-round selection of the Dallas Cowboys, Quinton Carter of Cheyenne was picked in the fourth round by the Denver Broncos and Western product Lawrence Guy was a seventh round pick of the Green Bay Packers.

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