When the football slipped through Tony Romo’s hands Saturday night in Seattle he botched the Dallas Cowboy’s chances at a miracle Super Bowl run.

But that miscue did nothing to derail the dreams of Eastern’s football team’s 17 seniors that look to Romo as an inspiration, a Panther that did the impossible and continued his career in the NFL.

Romo, the 2002 Walter Payton Award winner (the I-AA equivalent to the Heisman Trophy) as the Panthers’ starting quarterback, was not taken in the NFL draft following his senior season.

Instead, the Cowboys signed him to a free agent contract a few days after the draft.

This is a path many players take – I-A and I-AA alike – to try and earn a spot on an NFL roster.

Four seniors, safety Tristan Burge, running back Vincent Webb Jr., guard Jon Rueter and outside linebacker Lucius Seymour have the best chance at earning a free-agent contract or hopefully, a late-round draft choice.

Seymour said his best chance at playing professionally would be to switch from linebacker to strong safety. Although he has started making the change, the 5-foot-10 Delray Beach, Fla., native is not worried about it in the short term.

“Right now I’m just working out, getting ready for the (NFL) combine,” Seymour said. “I’m trying to get on a team playing special teams first and then I can worry about the position change later.”

Reuter had a chance to compete at the second annual Magnolia Gridiron Classic in Jackson, Miss. during winter break and got the first chance to display his abilities before pro scouts and compete in combine drills. The MGC is an all-star game that pits small-school I-A players against I-AA athletes.

Webb is working out in his hometown of St. Louis trying to improve his measurables. Webb and his agent laid out performance benchmarks – a 4.4 second mark in the 40-yard dash and 20 bench reps at 225 lbs. – that will get him noticed by pro scouts.

“Those marks will help me reach the next level,” said Webb. “I will get the opportunity to showcase my talent and the work I have put (in) it.”

Webb said Burge, who was selected to three All-American lists after the season, is also working out with an agent to improve his speed and strength.

Burge and the other seniors will get a chance to work out before scouts at Eastern’s pro day, which is usually held during spring break, and a variety of camps and independent combines. The NFL combine, held in late February at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, is by invitation only.

Last season Eastern alums Kory Lothe and Pascal Matla were given free agent deals by the St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints, respectively. Lothe was cut in the Ram’s first week of training camp and Matla survived multiple cuts only to be dropped prior to the start of regular season. Signing a free agent deal after the draft is actually a leg up on most seniors graduating from small programs like Eastern’s.

Seymour said pro scouts often want to see I-AA athletes prove themselves against better competition before giving them a shot in the NFL.

“We shouldn’t be treated like that,” Seymour said. “But that’s the way it is. Look at Tony Romo; he was the Walter Payton Award (winner) and still had to sign as a free agent.”

That ‘better competition’ is usually in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League. Both are avenues players have successfully taken to the NFL. But sometimes the CFL and the AFL are not the entry level for players, but a step up on the ladder to the NFL.

Justin Midgett, a Florida transfer who was deemed academically ineligible at Eastern before he took a single snap, is currently the backup quarterback for the Arena2 Florida Firecats. The Arena2 is one of many small semi-pro football leagues in the country where players can prolong their playing careers while earning a small paycheck.

Both Seymour and Webb said they will look at all options to continue playing the sport they love, but the ultimate dream is to be on the same stage as Romo, front and center in an NFL playoff game, regardless of the outcome Saturday night.

“I just want to keep playing football,” Webb said. “I want to continue playing the sport as long as I can.”