Carlins Platel signs with Pittsburgh Steelers
His path to the NFL was the one less traveled, but then again that’s nothing new for former South Carolina defensive back Carlins Platel .
After going undrafted and and working out for a pair of teams, Platel has informed Gamecock Central that he has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It’s surreal,” said Platel, moments after signing his first NFL contract. “It’s a dream come true. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid but it’s gotta be short lived because I gotta keep working to make that 53 (man roster).”
Platel first earned a mini-camp invite by the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite not being signed by the team, it’s there where he impressed a scout from a different NFL team.
“It was only a two day (mini-camp) but I did really well over there and was making plays. They didn’t offer me a contract but thankfully a Steelers personnel was in attendance and he called me the next day and invited me to the Steelers mini-camp.”
Being one of nearly a dozen defensive backs that were invited to Steelers mini-camp this weekend and one of seven who are there for a tryout, Platel made the most out of his opportunities.
“Coming out of high school, I’ve always been overlooked. But I always had in my mind that I knew I wanted to go to the NFL and I knew I could do it.”
Starting his collegiate career at DII Assumption University in Massachusetts, Platel was named to the NE10 All-Conference First Team. In his three season at Assumption, he recorded seven interceptions, 96 tackles, and 30 pass breakups. His play earned him recognition as a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, which honors the Nation’s top Small College Defensive Player of the Year.
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”One of my defensive coordinators at Assumption he was really the one who instilled in me that I could actually make.”
With one year of eligibility left, Platel transferred to South Carolina this past season over schools such as Mississippi State and Coastal Carolina. He appeared in 12 games for the Gamecocks but as the season went on he cracked the starting lineup and started seven games at nickel.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity South Carolina gave me. For coach (Shane) Beamer, coach (Clayton) White, coach (Torrian) Gray, everybody on that staff. They believed in me, a small kid from Everett Massachusetts from Assumption University to come down to the SEC and play. When I got here I wanted to prove them right. I’ll always be grateful for them.”
Platel finished the season with 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, two pass break ups and registered a sack against Tennessee. He was selected by the Carolina coaches as one of four Overcoming Adversity Award winners.
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