Sports

Chiefs Draft Lake Catholic Graduate Ricky Stanzi

Iowa quarterback selected in fifth round

NEW YORK, NY – Mentor native Ricky Stanzi was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft, No. 135 overall.

The University of Iowa quarterback and Lake Catholic High School alum was the third Hawkeye selected in the draft.

“I am just very excited to be on an NFL team, especially the Chiefs with their great tradition,” said Stanzi in a post-draft conference call. “I am just excited to be a part of the team and I am ready to go to work. I just want to come in, work hard, do what the coaches ask of me and earn the respect of all the players and the coaching staff and the whole organization.”

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At Lake Catholic, he was named the 2005 Ohio Division III Offensive Player of the Year and was the MVP of the Ohio North-South All-Star game.

He grew as a passer at Iowa, where he was 26-9, won a bowl game in his last three seasons and threw for 3,004 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior.

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In Kansas City he’ll be reunited with Iowa teammate Tony Moeaki, who is entering his second season as a tight end.

Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli said Stanzi comes in with an edge on the learning curve having worked in a spread offense at Iowa.

“Ricky has a lot of things that we like as a staff and try to develop,” he said.

Stanzi joins Joe Jurevicius as the second NFL player to hail from Lake Catholic.


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