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It didn’t take long for TJ Linta to select an agent for a potential pro football career.“After an exhausting search L.J. Collier Jersey , I finally settled on JLSPORTS,” he says with a laugh.The agent there is one Joe Linta, TJ’s father.And also his coach in high school.Joe Linta doesn’t have a huge NFL clientele, but he’s one of the most respected people in the field because of his background as a coach and scout. It certainly didn’t hurt TJ that Joe Flacco is one of his dad’s clients, and the younger Linta happens to be a quarterback.Not a quarterback high on the radar considering he played at Brown and, after graduating last May, spent his final season at Wagner , both FCS schools. TJ didn’t get to throw the ball a ton at Wagner, of the Northeast Conference, in part because of an early-season finger injury that cost him two games, and also because the Seahawks had an All-America running back, Ryan Fulse.The 6-foot-3½, 232-pound Linta was not invited to the NFL combine in Indianapolis, but he was at a regional combine at Kansas City, an important step in his uphill battle to get noticed.“The biggest challenge for me mostly involves being the underdog in this draft class,” he says. “I wouldn’t want it any other way, though; it pushes me harder to prove myself every day.”He’s proven himself enough to some prominent NFL coaches and talent evaluators that 17 teams sent scouts to Linta’s pro day at Columbia, his father notes.“Let’s look at the plays on film, he plays like a real quarterback,” Joe Linta says. “He has the arm strength and the brain and the physicality, doesn’t flinch in the wake of getting blasted in the pocket.”Then Linta stops his evaluation, recognizing he needs to make it clear he is talking from a football knowledge standpoint http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/marquise-blair-jersey-authentic , not a familial one.“Yeah, it’s a little weird when calling a general manager or personnel director and talking about your kid,” he says. “But I’m not going to be apologetic. It’s 99 times out of 100 the most important grade for a player is my own; I’ve been doing it for 100 years. In this case, because of the nepotism, I wanted to make sure I did not have beer goggles on. Am I seeing what I think I am?“There are the traits there with TJ: toughness and intelligence, quickness in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, arm strength and accuracy.”Two keen observers of quarterbacks, former Browns coach Chris Palmer, who was Eli Manning’s position coach when the Giants won the 2008 Super Bowl, and former NFL QB Jim Miller, liked what they saw of TJ enough to identify him as a genuine pro prospect.Palmer saw “a very strong arm comparable to some of the players I worked with in the NFL. I would say his arm strength is a seven out of 10.” The highest mark Palmer ever gave in that category is a nine.“In this throwing session he displayed good accuracy, he carried the ball at chest height with no windup to the delivery,” Palmer adds. “Mechanically, he is very solid, showed very good quickness to catch and throw on slot screens. He clearly displayed a pro level arm.”Miller, now a host on SiriusXM NFL Radio and a knowledgeable evaluator of the position cites TJ “always gets his feet in balance when possible to make an accurate pass. Made off-balance throws accurately when necessary.”“I thought he read coverages quickly to get to the right guy,” Miller adds of highlights against such opponents as Syracuse and Montana State. “He’s oblivious to the pass rush, which you have to be, and reacted when necessary and sturdy in the pocket taking hits.”There are many drawbacks that small-school players, particularly QBs, carry when NFL teams consider whether to draft them or pass and then bring them in for OTAs D.K. Metcalf Jersey , minicamps or training camp. Level of competition is among the biggest negatives; only one non-FBS quarterback was invited to Indy, and that was Easton Stick of FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.TJ Linta acknowledges that can be a difficult obstacle to hurdle. He simply doesn’t think that way.“One of my strengths is I don’t see things like that, being intimidated,” he says. “One of my good traits is I don’t really get rattled. One of the most important days of my life, I know, was at the regional combine, but you can’t think like that. I am what I am and here’s what I am.”Like most players on the bubble of getting drafted, Linta might have other avenues to the NFL. With the Alliance of American Football in its first season, which concludes at the end of April, and the XFL launching next year — plus the CFL, of course — there are additional proving grounds.His dad recognizes those — Joe Linta has represented plenty of players who’ve not immediately made the NFL — and also that TJ could see seven rounds of the draft go by without hearing his name.“What I want is for him to have his chance, he deserves a chance to compete and I would like to see him live his dream, as a father. But the pro signs are there,” he says. “Scouting is a very inexact science.”Although Miller isn’t a scout, he looks at film of hundreds of potential NFL players each year. Miller believes Linta could get drafted.“He should be in a camp,” he says. “I would take a flier on him in later rounds.” DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback David Fales has been on the bubble for his entire five-year NFL career, so he almost sounds convincing when he says Thursday’s exhibition finale at Atlanta is just another game.Waived four times and released from a practice squad twice, Fales will likely be awarded the No. 2 job for the first time if he plays well against the Falcons.If he plays poorly, he might be cut.In his latest battle to stay in the league, Fales is competing with Brock Osweiler for Miami’s backup job.“You can’t put too much weight on one game,” Fales said. “I’m going to approach it the same way I have every preseason game and every game. You can’t put too much pressure on yourself. Otherwise you’re going to be forcing stuff and trying to do crazy stuff http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/cody-barton-jersey-authentic , and it’s not going to help you.”It’s the oddest thing about these preseason finales the week before the season — they’re poorly attended and mostly meaningless, but for players fighting to make the roster, the pressure’s perhaps greater than in a playoff game.So Dolphins coach Adam Gase will see how Fales and Osweiler fare under pressure. Gase seeks a successor to the departed Matt Moore, Miami’s backup quarterback since 2011.Osweiler and Fales haven’t looked like keepers much since training camp began, but Gase said he’s comfortable with his options at backup quarterback — an important role given doubts regarding the durability of starter Ryan Tannehill, who’s coming off knee surgery and missed the entire 2017 season.Miami might decide to keep both Osweiler and Fales, but the fourth quarterback on the roster, Bryce Petty, is a long shot to make the team. There has also been speculation the unimpressive camps by Fales and Osweiler might prompt the Dolphins to go quarterback shopping before the season.Gase said he’s certain his No. 2 QB will be either Fales or Osweiler. The reason for his comfort level?“I’ve called games for both of them,” Gase said.Fales won praise from Gase after his first career start in last year’s season finale. He threw for 265 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Buffalo.Osweiler, a seventh-year veteran, was a backup with the Denver Broncos and played in 13 games when Gase was an assistant coach there.The two contenders for the No. 2 job did little to help their cause in Saturday’s exhibition game against Baltimore. When Miami was outscored 24-0 in the second half, each threw an interception and finished with a passer rating under 36.0.Gase blamed poor protection by second- and third-team linemen.“I think Brock’s temper is better than it used to be,” Gase said with a slight smile. “He took a couple shots there. It’s not on him.”For the entire preseason, Osweiler is 25 for 41 for 174 yards with one interception and six sacks. Fales is 14 for 27 for 184 yards with two interceptions and one sack. Neither has thrown a touchdown pass.Like Fales, Osweiler tries to characterize the exhibition finale not as a winner-take-all battle for No. 2, but just another day in the ongoing competition to stay in the NFL.“It doesn’t really matter what spot you’re labeled in,” Osweiler said. “You need to come to practice every single day and get better. Otherwise someone will take your job.”