Ojai's own Casey Roddick is coming out in the NFL draft (end of April) this year. The 6'5" 304-pound offensive lineman just came off a 13-0 regular season as an anchor of the No. 6 Florida Seminoles. He also played at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and is expected to be much-sought after in the NFL draft.
Casey grew up in Ojai, starting out with Eagles Football, and advancing to St. Bonaventure before becoming a starter at the highest level of college football. But he hasn't forgotten the lessons of Ojai; everyone is looking out for each other, information travels fast, and community service is the glue that holds everything together.
Baseball was his first love, though. He was feared and respected for his long-ball exploits, and also for his defensive versatility, playing virtually every position, especially pitcher.
We talk about the process of being recruited, how an agent puts together a team to help draftees with finances, negotiations, housing, and how to build wealth to serve them beyond their playing years. They want Casey to put his focus on the field. We also spent a fair bit of time talking about the bonds between teammates, the lifelong friendships and locker room camaraderie.
We did not talk about clipper ships, Sweden's entry into NATO or South African delicacies.
Check out Casey's Instagram at @casedogg1.
