Former Highland offensive lineman Tristen Hoge signs with New York Jets as undrafted free agent | Highland

As the seventh and final round of the NFL Draft came to an end on Saturday, the New York Jets began flooding Tristen Hoge and his agent’s phone. For a moment, it seemed like the Jets were taking over the former Highland and BYU offensive lineman. New York’s attacking line coach even told Hoge that he was fighting for the Jets to take him with their final pick.

Instead, a few minutes after the draft was completed, the Jets signed Hoge as an unoccupied free agent.

“It was a whirlwind one day, that’s for sure – I just play the waiting game all day,” said Hoge. “(Thanks) to the jets who took a risk for me and wanted to win me over for the opportunity. So that’s all I basically asked for is this opportunity. Now that it has come up, it’s big time.

×

The story continues below the video

“It’s pretty satisfactory, that’s for sure. At the end of the day, work is only beginning now and now it’s moving on to the next big thing trying to create that roster. That’s the only thing I think about. “

Many in Pocatello remember Hoge for what he did as Ram and have etched his name among the great football players of all time in Gate City. The 6-foot-6 offensive lineman became the first player to win Idaho Gatorade Football Player of the Year twice, was invited to the U.S. Army’s All-American Bowl, and helped Highland to an undefeated championship season as a senior.

Hoge initially chose Notre Dame, where he stayed for a year before moving to BYU. Hoge started all 13 games in Provo during his sophomore season but suffered a leg injury that stopped his junior season after just five games. Lots of Cougar fans gathered around Hoge this season after testing positive for COVID-19 before contracting pneumonia. The illness kept him away for a few weeks before returning to his post at the BYU Right Guard.

A four-star contestant, considered by many outlets to be the country’s top 100 players, Hoge was one of the most highly recruited players in Pocatello history – speaking to Highland colleagues Taysom Hill and Tommy Togiai, who run the Cleveland Browns had been selected in the fourth round of Saturday’s draft.

“People ask me what my favorite team is. I have three of them now, ”said Highland coach Gino Mariani. “In the same year, a child from this team from 2014 was drafted and one was signed by a team. Call me any other Idaho team that did that – damn it. “

Hoge’s path to an NFL squad is a bit of an uphill ride. On average, about one vacant free agent per team makes up the 53-man squad. But it’s possible. Taysom Hill is proof of that. And like Hill, Hoge was a hard worker and an exceptional talent who was unable to demonstrate his full abilities due to injuries in college. Maybe that’s why Mariani is so confident in his old player.

“He has a chance of making it. He’s good enough. He’s stubborn enough, ”he said. “As a run blocker and pass blocker in high school, there was no one better.”