Cade Peterson, a graduate of Glen Lake and Grand Valley State University, inked a deal with the Detroit Lions Monday.
Peterson will showcase his skills at their Rookie Mini Camp in May.
“I owe a lot to my parents and brothers. I owe a lot of the success I had at Glen Lake to get to Grand Valley. I owe a ton to Grand Valley and just the way that the program operated,” Peterson said. “It wasn’t something that I necessarily believed I was going to have a shot to play at GVSU. The coaches trusted me when I first started my full season in 2021 ... It just feels so good to be able to have the support system that I had all the way from people at home and people at Grand Valley and all my family and friends.”
Peterson went undrafted in the NFL Draft but had quite the college career.
Peterson won back-to-back GLIAC Player of the Year awards racking up 8,500 yards and 87 touchdowns during his career with the Lakers.
Peterson becomes the first Leelanau County prep football player to sign with an NFL organization.
“It was awesome (getting the opportunity). First of all, I grew up a Detroit Lions fan. When I heard that it was happening it was like a dream come true,” Peterson said. “I hadn’t been sleeping great just kind of waiting to see if I’m going to get a shot.”
Peterson recalls drinking his morning coffee by himself and all of sudden getting a call from his agent saying that he’s been accepted to the Detroit Lions Mini Rookie Camp.
“I was ecstatic .... It’s an opportunity that not a lot of people get and I’m super excited for it,” he said.
Peterson reports to camp a week from today for the four-day mini camp. If he performs well enough there, the Lions will invite him back for the summer for another camp to battle for a chance to compete at the Detroit Lions official training camp.
“You’ll have to go down there and prove yourself,” he said. “My mentality is to first have fun with it. This is what every kid dreams of is to have a shot at the NFL. Everybody plays better when they are having fun ... I truly believe I belong there and that they wouldn’t just hand this to me that it’s for a reason. There’s no excuses now. It’s time to get the job done and you know, just do everything in my power to make that happen and let the cards fall with how they do. There’s a lot of stuff in this process that is out of my control. But there’s some that are in my control and it’s about just controlling the things that I can and enjoying the ride while it lasts.”
After Peterson finished his senior season at GVSU, he sign with US Sports Management agent Robert Walker based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Peterson spent a couple months training for the GLIAC pro-day hosted at Saginaw Valley State University.
After performing well at the pro-day, Peterson received interests from several NFL organizations.
Peterson participated in the Grid Iron Showcase down in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas during a three-day event before the pro-day.
He made his first impression and received interest from several NFL organizations including the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs as well as Canadian Football League (CFL) teams.
After the pro-day, he talked with the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
He has been back home in northern Michigan, training, and waiting to hear his name during the three day draft that was in Detroit. The Colts and Cincinnati Bengals reached out to gather tape and he was on the phone back-and-forth with his agent over the past few days.
Peterson is the son of Tim Peterson who has been watching develop into a man and a football player ever since he was 4 years old on the sideline.
“I think it a testimony to his preparation and growth and development through a number of years,” he said. “It’s incredible to see a young kid mature to a player of that caliber.”
Tim admits it’s a little nervewracking as a parent seeing his son going through the process.
“As a parent we want him to fulfill and chase his dreams. As a parent that all we want for our kids.”
As a youngster, Tim saw Peterson have unique talent at a young age.
His advice is, “continue what he’s been doing. He’s a worker and a blue collar guy ... We just want him to chase his dreams.”
