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Missouri receiver Emanuel Hall of Franklin says he's signing with Chicago Bears

Jessica Bliss
The Tennessean

Former Centennial High and Missouri receiver Emanuel Hall was not selected in the NFL Draft, but he tweeted he has signed with the Chicago Bears.

Hall watched all seven rounds of the draft with his family and close friends at his mom's house in Franklin. He never expected to become an undrafted free agent.

"I take it personal, very personal," Hall said Saturday, as he learned his fate. "It just is what it is. It motivates me though. And honestly, for me, I work best under pressure. And this is a lot of pressure. I'm going to have to go to camp and I'm going to have to show out."

Hall, who is from Franklin, set out to make 2018 the season that would make him an NFL Draft pick. He tallied six touchdowns and 828 receiving yards — 22.4 per catch — as quarterback Drew Lock's top target.

But his season was abbreviated.

Then the worst happened. A lingering groin injury sidelined Hall and his father — the man with whom he spent endless hours practicing routes and catching passes — died unexpectedly. Hall persevered.

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound wideout launched himself 11 feet, 9 inches in the broad jump at the NFL Combine in early March. The distance was the best ever by a wide receiver and tied for second-best in combine history, by any player at any position.

As he has healed both physically and emotionally, he's had some fun along the way.

Last week, Hall did something no other pro football player ever has — he created his own Goo Goo Cluster. The sweet confection, featuring his favorite Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, is the first celebrity creation to be sold in stores.

 

Hall had top-30 visits with the Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bears, and the Houston Texans. He also met with the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. He had planned to workout for the Tennessee Titans, but strep throat caused him to cancel.

He never expected to fall out of the draft completely. The circumstance left him angry and ready to fight for his future.

"For me, I've dealt with a ton, and I think this is just a part of it all," Hall said Saturday, as he learned his fate. "And there's nothing I can do about it, this decision is out of my hands.

"But one thing I do know is what kind of player I am, and if I wasn't motivated before, you best believe I'm motivated now. This is a chip I will remember forever."

Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-347-8364 and jbliss@tennessean.com or on Twitter @jlbliss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-259-8253 and jbliss@tennessean.com or on Twitter @jlbliss and please support local journalism.

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