There will be 262 players who will realize a dream when they hear their name called over the three days of the NFL Draft. However, the story doesn't end there. There are hundreds of prospects who went through the pre-draft process and won't be selected in any of the seven rounds. When pick No. 262, better known as Mr. Irrelevant, is announced on Saturday, that is when they will hope that their phone will ring with some good news.

One of the players looking for a chance to make it into an NFL training camp either as an undrafted free agent or getting an invitation on a tryout basis is former University of New Haven defensive stalwart Khalim Cisse (Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro).

Cisse was able to take part in the pro days at Columbia and Rutgers.

The native of Willingboro, New Jersey was able to train alongside some players who will soon be drafted. Only time will tell if he did enough for an NFL team to give him the chance he is looking for.

"It's been a great experience, it feels like you are training for track more than football," said Cisse, a 6-foot, 235-pound linebacker who led the Northeast-10 champions with 15.5 tackles for loss and eight quarterback sacks during the 2021 season. "There is a lot of technique, you have to be ready and meticulous about what you do, every step counts."

Cisse had a vertical jump of 36 inches, he went 9-10 in the broad jump, 24 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press and had a time of 7.28 in the 3-cone drill.

Among the people he was training with at TEST was former University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is expected to be selected in the first round. There were some prospects out of Rutgers and other Division I schools. Cisse showed that he belonged among the impressive group of players eyeing a future in professional football.

"Training with them, it was like training with somebody else on the team," Cisse said. "Everybody was on the same page and everybody was on the same level. I didn't feel like I was behind athletically at all.

"TEST is a great program, they know exactly what they are doing. They were working with me as an athlete. I was working every day, it was like a 9-to-5 job."

Offensive lineman Harry Boatswain, a fifth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1991, was the last player out of UNH to be selected in the NFL Draft.

Some NFL personnel has been in to check on the next batch of New Haven players like quarterback Connor Degenhardt (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy), defensive back Khyon Fitzpatrick (Union, N.J./Paramus Catholic) and receiver Dev Holmes (Troy, N.Y./Troy).

"He is fighting an uphill battle coming from a little place, he is fighting an uphill battle because of his size," New Haven football coach Chris Pincince said. "I am hoping that somebody watches the film, is around the kid and gives him an opportunity. I think if anybody gave him a chance to put him in a camp they would try to keep him around as long as they could."

It isn't easy for non-Division I players to open the eyes of scouts, but there are some that could be selected this year.

Cisse knows that if he didn't give this a try, it is something he would always regret. Now, he is able to walk away from this experience with no regrets.

"When I first started [playing football], it was always a consideration and it was always in the back of my head," Cisse said.

"As time went on, I was like 'why not.' If I don't try, I am going to look back on this but I have no regrets."

Cisse played 41 games at New Haven. He earned honors for his play on the field and also appeared on the Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll on multiple occasions.

"It was really special," Cisse said of his time with the Chargers. "I was able to develop as an athlete, I was able to develop as a person and find my way. If I didn't come here, I wouldn't be on the path I am on today."

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday with the first round. The second and third rounds are on Friday with rounds 4-7 taking place on Saturday.