By Bill Kipouras
Sean Stellato is finding out that doors shut quickly if you're a football agent and have a client who is a free agent.
Case in point: Gloucester native and wide body tight end, Jonathan Loyte, who wasn't offered a contract after appearing at Tampa Bay's rookie orientation camp. He has the size (6-foot-5, 268 pounds) and speed and came out of Boston College after starting out at Vanderbilt. Prior to his college career, Loyte had a great four years at St. John's Prep.
Stellato, a Salem native and former wide receiver and defensive back at Marist, kicked around the Arena Football League2 for five years. He knows it's not easy to get a prospect into a camp, mini or otherwise. He fully appreciated Tampa Bay's invitation.
"Bob Casullo, the tight end coach, told me it was strictly a numbers games. They signed four rookie free agents, but none were tight ends. Casullo feels Loyte can play. He couldn't believe that Jonathan wasn't invited to the Combine Camp in Indianapolis and said that's what hurt him in the draft," Stellato said.
Loyte didn't start at BC, but Casullo did say his blocking was impressive.
Stellato said that Casullo told him he could use the coach as a reference when calling other clubs.
"I tried a few more today, one was the Bears, who said they'd keep him in mind. The Patriots weren't interested in anybody, they said. Miami said no room at this time. Casullo thinks Jonathan will find his niche, that he can catch on somewhere," Stellato said. "Meanwhile, Jonathan has to stay in the best of shape and keep pushing hard."
