By Alex Goff (James Aldridge in his Notre Dame days.)
The crossover train keeps chugging and USA Rugby 7s head coach Al Caravelli will have more possibilities at his next camp.
Already it is clear that former Brown football standout Mile Craigwell is in with a shot at the national team. Craigwell showed well for NYAC at the National Club Finals and also with the Northeast at the National All-Star Championships. No one pretends he is a finished product, but with pace, illusiveness and especially his physicality, he has enormous potential.
Craigwell laid in several tackles during the NASC that evoked admiring nods from players and coaches - and a yellow card from the referee.
Also in with a shot is young James Aldridge. Aldridge has been playing rugby all of two weeks, and got some injury-replacement time at the NASC. He was a running back at Notre Dame, rushing for 463 yards in 2007 and 357 yards in 2008. After that season, he volunteered to switch to fullback, severely cutting his numbers (and his NFL potential). He received much praise from his coaches for his unselfish move.
At 23, Aldridge was cut by the Miami Dolphins and is now under Caravelli's wing. The coach is hosting Aldridge, Craigwell, and quite possibly a few more of their friends at an impromptu camp near Caravelli's home where they will work on contact skills.
"I am looking not only for athletes, but athletes with heart and the right character," Caravelli said. "I can teach them a lot of things, but if they don't have that desire - especially the desire to make tackles - I can't put that in them."
If Craigwell and Aldridge make the USA camp they will join Leonard Peters and Tommy Saunders among recent NFL hopefuls now playing within the USA 7s program.