There have been a few additional transactions involving snappers in the last few days.  The Falcons waived Scott Albritton, leaving them with veteran Joe Zelenka, first year snapper Corey Adams and rookie Josh Harris on the roster.  Another rookie, Bryce Davis, signed with the Bengals, while first year snapper Derek Chard signed with the Jets.  Finally, rookie snapper Chris Pousson will tryout for the Bucs.

The smoke has started to clear from this weekend’s NFL Draft and the free agency frenzy that occurs right after for undrafted college talent.  The undrafted route is the way most snappers make it to the NFL and this year is no exception.  To date, seven rookie snappers have signed contracts, specifically, Josh Harris (Falcons), Charley Hughlett (Cowboys), Aaron Brewer (Broncos), Matt Camilli (Eagles), Nick Guess (Chargers), Travis Tripucka (Rams) and Beau Brinkley (Titans).  The Ravens were the only club to add a street free agent snapper, as they signed Patrick Scales who was in training camp with them last season for all four pre-season games.

A number of other rookie snappers will receive tryouts in mini-camp over the next two weekends, including Kyle Wojta (Bears), Casey Casper (Packers), James Winchester (Chiefs) and Cody Nutter (Bucs).

Once again this year, no long snapper was selected in the Draft.  Titan snapper Jake Ingram was the last snapper taken when he was drafted by the Patriots in the Sixth Round in 2009.  However, a number of the top college snappers have either signed contracts or being invited to mini-camp on a tryout basis.

The rookie snappers associated with teams that I am aware of are Josh Harris (Falcons), Nick Guess (Chargers), Matt Camilli (Eagles), Beau Brinkley (Titans), Aaron Brewer (Broncos), Charley Hughlett (Cowboys), Travis Tripucka (Rams), Kyle Wojta (Bears) and Casey Casper (Packers).  There are likely a few other moves pending that will be announced in the next few days.

Last week, the Giants quietly extended the contract of long snapper Zak DeOssie.  DeOssie is now under contract until 2015.  Picked in the Fourth Round of the 2007 NFL Draft as a linebacker out of Brown, DeOssie has made snapping his niche with the Giants.  This is the second contract extension of his career.

Since Longsnap.com began in 2000, the most popular question I get from experienced aspiring long snappers is how to get exposure to NFL teams.  I thought a detailed blog post would be a good way to finally capture the best advice I can offer after working with NFL teams and snappers for almost 20 years.

For snappers that are Draft eligible, there is a chance that one of the two NFL scouting services, National Football Scouting or BLESTO, may have scouted you during your junior year and that can help get you on the radar of NFL clubs.  In addition, during your senior year, NFL scouts visit almost every college campus where there are pro prospects to scout players, including snappers.

Once the season ends, additional exposure is possible through college all-star games, of which the premier game, the Senior Bowl, now dedicates roster spots for snappers on each squad.  The best snappers can also earn an invite to the NFL Combine in February in Indianapolis.  In March, snappers can display their skills on campus for scouts at a Pro Day and can also help their cause by sending a DVD of their long and short snaps to each NFL team.  I recommend sending the DVD directly to each NFL special teams coach since, in my experience, many of them will review and evaluate snapper film.  Another option for seniors is to attend paid workouts, such as the NFL Regional Combine events,  or those run for Draft-eligible prospects by former NFL special teams coach Gary Zauner or former NFL specialists Michael Husted and Louis Aguiar.

For snappers past their Draft year that either did not get an opportunity in the NFL, or are looking to get back on the radar of teams, options include returning to a campus Pro Day, the NFL Regional Combine or, for more direct exposure, attending the free agent version of the Zauner or Husted/Aguiar combines.  The advantage of the free agent combines are that they offer the opportunity to snap in person for special teams coaches and pro personnel for NFL teams.  Rookies in their Draft year cannot snap live for scouts in these programs.

Free agent snappers have already benefited from these opportunities this Spring. Matt Overton was signed by the Colts after snapping at the Zauner camp and a number of snappers were invited to a Jets workout recently after being scouted at both the Zauner and Husted combines.  One free agent snapper, Jake Feit, was invited to the NFL Super Combine in Detroit by being one of the best snappers at one of the NFL’s Regional Combine events.  Over the past few seasons, free agent snappers like Tanner Purdum (Jets), Jonathan Weeks (Texans) and Justin Drescher (Saints) have secured snapping jobs by first impressing at these free agent camps.

With just 32 potential jobs available for a snapper and a small handful of those truly open for competition each year, securing a shot in an NFL training camp is a very difficult task.  However, by maximizing exposure in college during a snapper’s Draft year or performing well at a free agent camp, a snapper can increase the odds of reaching their dream.

The Indianapolis Colts have added long snapper Matt Overton to the roster.  Overton was originally signed by the Seahawks in 2007 as a rookie free agent but was released.  He signed with the Seahawks again in 2010 and recently spent time in the UFL.  Colts snapper Justin Snow has been with the team since 2000 and been unchallenged since winning the job in his rookie season.

Former NFL special teams coach Joe Avezzano died today while in Italy where he was serving as the head coach of an Italian Football League team.  Avezzano served as special teams coach for the Cowboys and Raiders and won three Super Bowl rings during his service with the Cowboys.  Avezzano was 68.

Cole Mazza, a high school snapper from California, has already received a full scholarship offer from UCLA and Washington State despite being only a junior.  Mazza has been a student of long snapping instructor Chris Rubio and was a finalist for the first annual Herbalife Chris Rubio Award given to the top high school snapper.  Mazza earned a 5 star rating from Rubio last year during his National Snapping Event in Las Vegas.

The NFL free agent market has been open for awhile but it took some time for it to impact the snapping position.  Free agent snappers rarely change teams and that trend has continued so far this year, as unrestricted free agent snappers Don Muhlbach (Lions), Joe Zelenka (Falcons) and, most recently, Mike Leach (Cardinals) have all re-signed with their teams.  Leach was the only snapper to sign a deal for more than one season, as his new deal is for three years.   The remaining unrestricted free agent snappers are Ken Amato (Titans), Matt Katula (Vikings) and Chris Massey (Bears).

Former NFL special teams coach Gary Zauner recently concluded his third annual Senior Specialist’s Combine in Arizona.  The goal of Zauner’s Combine is to give senior kickers, punters and snappers that were not invited to the NFL Combine exposure.  Zauner will conduct a Free Agent Specialist’s Combine on March 20th for approximately 60 players that have previously been qualified by him, with pro personnel directors and special teams coaches in attendance.

A total of 64 specialists attended this year’s Zauner Senior Specialist’s Combine and, from that group, Zauner concluded that 21 of them have NFL potential, including nine long snappers.  The snappers are Beau Brinkley (Missouri), Matt Camilli (UTEP), Casey Casper (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Tom DeTemple (Cincinnati), Caleb Johnson (Baker), Cameron Kastl (Arizona State), Chris Pousson (USC), Jesse Smitherman (Texas Tech) and Travis Tripucka (University of Massachusetts).