Great catch by the Post-Gazette's Sam Werner yesterday that noted former Pitt quarterback Tra'Von Chapman has resurfaced at Division II Ashland University in Ohio. There's even message board chatter (so take it for what it's worth, obviously) that he's already getting first-team reps.
Chapman wanting to stay close to home isn't a huge shock. Still, I was a bit surprised he didn't end up at a higher level. It may have been difficult to find a D-I school to take him on, but as a former four-star recruit, it wouldn't have been surprising, either. Chapman not even ending up in I-AA, though, was what was really surprising. Again, I'm guessing this was more about finding a good fit close to his home in Ohio, but at the FCS level, he may not have been so 'buried.'
A large volume of I-AA players don't reach the NFL with great regularity, but they do make it. And in the case of Joe Flacco, some even turn into stars. The NFL will find talent no matter where it is in college football, but if Chapman's goal is to play as a professional some day, it's interesting that he dropped another step down.
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