Lowell Rose
Lowell Rose, a 2008 Culver City High graduate, has signed a contract to play cornerback for the Miami Dolphins.
Rose has taken a circuitous route to the NFL, but his dream of playing in the NFL has finally come true. He was deflated when he was recently cut by the San Diego Chargers on August 25 but His agent, Jason Chinn, called and said, "You did a good job during the time you were in (with the Chargers), and you should be hearing from some teams."
On the nest Tuesday when he cleared waivers Rose became overjoyed when the Dolphins wanted him to fly out that night on a red eye. After working out Wednesday morning in front of the general manager and safety and corner coaches he felt good about his workout.
The Dolphins brought in three other players to work out, then called his agent and gave him the news that Rose was on the practice squad.
The NFL recently expanded the practice squad from 8 to 10 players. When his agent called to give him the news, he was asked what his reaction was. Rose quickly said, "I was excite. It is my time."
Rose did not have time to celebrate with family and friends because he had to fly out immediately that night on a 10 pm red eye.
Rose played on the 2007 Culver City High team that had numerous Division 1 players including Darius Banks, who was the best quarterback in the history of the school. The defensive backfield that Rose played in at the time all had earned Division 1 major college scholarships.
Rose played safety and running back at Culver City in 2007 and had received an offer to the Air Force Academy before the season started. Rose played well that season, but he was slightly disappointed as he only received a few offers from Division 1AA programs. Although he was very fast, his 6 ft 1in, 175 lbs frame probably hurt him in the eyes of the Division 1 recruiters. After careful consideration with his family and coaches, he decided to walk on at his dream school, UCLA. After Rose's redshirt freshman season in 2008, he found out that the new defensive back coach was going to be Culver City and UCLA and NFL All - Pro Carnell Lake who was hired to coach the secondary.
Greg Goodyear, a Culver City assistant coach, called Lake, who was a friend after he was hired and told him about Rose and told him to take him under his wing.
Rose blossomed under Lake and between fall 2008 and his spring year Rose's weight blew up after he went to UCLA and was a chiseled 192 lbs. He had a great spring and Lake was projected that he would be the starter or at least in the rotation.
Unfortunately, he hurt his shoulder at the end of spring ball which required surgery. He didn't become healthy until midway through the
2009 football season, and Lake suggested that he should not come back to play to take a chance to hurt it any further.
Rose prepared hard after the season ended knowing that he would have a good shot at being the starter. However, Lake resigned. The new DB coach from UCLA gave Rose very little love and he decided to transfer. Coach Goodyear called around the country and obtained a scholarship where Rose became a three-year starter at Tulsa.
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