In February, former Carmel High student Andrew Franks received the call of a lifetime: the Miami Dolphins had contacted him in the seventh round of the draft to train with their special teams coordinator in March.
Franks has been kicking since seventh grade, and through the dedication of his family to perfecting his craft, the years of hard work have paid off. Looking ahead, the free agent is just trying to make the best of every opportunity, and is excited to be in the training camp.
“I’m not really looking at any long-term goals right now,” says the 2011 CHS graduate. “For me, it’s just taking every day one day at a time.”
CHS head football coach Golden Anderson says it is not surprising that Franks became the athlete he is today, as his work ethic and determination was as strong as you could get in a high school player.
“He was a stud shortstop, stud soccer player and stud kicker,” Anderson says in regard to the three-sport athlete.
Franks was able to carry his efficiency and dedication to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., where he got the opportunity to star on a small team in a small college.
Though he may have been playing in a Division-III college, Franks’ powerful kickoffs were no small feats, averaging an impressive 63.3 yards. But after making a remarkable 51-yard field goal in his senior year, his reputation in the college realm skyrocketed even further.
With an outstanding college career, which earned him the Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year in two consecutive years, it is no wonder that the Miami Dolphins, along with other organizations, kept constant tabs on Franks’ growth as an athlete.
“Andrew has a ‘grinder’ mentality and gives his best every day, regardless of the situation,” says Rensselaer special teams coordinator Sean Conerly. “I have no doubt that Andrew will be successful in whatever path his future takes, whether it’s biomedical engineering or the NFL.”
By all accounts, the 6-foot-1 kicker has a bright future ahead of him—and this new NFL opportunity is just another stepping stone toward a successful career.
-Lennie Rodriguez
