People laugh at Alex Hall when he tells the story. They don't think it's true.

They look at the 6-foot-5, 248-pound defensive end, sculpted as if "free weights" were his nickname, and say, "There's no way you had one scholarship offer coming out of high school."

Hall, who on April 27 became the third St. Augustine's football player in school history drafted by an NFL team, laughs, too, at the memory.

It's easier for the senior to laugh now, especially after attending rookie camp last weekend with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him in the seventh round (231st overall).

It's an opportunity for Hall to once again defy the odds. Making an NFL team will prove challenging for the rookie, yet at every juncture, despite his reserved demeanor, Hall has shown a fiery competitive spirit in seizing opportunity.

As a senior at C.H. Flowers High in Springdale, Md., the 6-4, 190-pound defender was overlooked by college scouts who defined his skills as ordinary and his future as limited. He had earned qualifying grades and test scores, and several NCAA Division I programs invited him to try out as a walk-on, but he declined.

Hoping to garner other interest or at least discover a school he could attend as a student, he asked his aunt to drive him to the Pigskin Jamboree, an annual recruiting fair in Fort Washington, Md.

"I wasn't banking on anything," Hall recalled.

But, like the plot twist of any good suspense movie, the unexpected happened to the unsuspecting. Hall walked by St. Aug's coach Michael Costa, and his size made an impression. His quiet passion for football seeped out in conversation. His polite manner showed in his questions. His grades pushed him over the top with the Falcons coach.

Costa recalled he was "very much interested." He encouraged Hall to discuss it with his parents and invited him to visit the school.

'They made it obvious'

"They didn't want to make it known that they were offering me the scholarship right then and there," Hall said, "but they made it obvious."

As it turned out, Costa had an eye for talent.

Hall, who played four seasons with the Falcons, became an All-America and is the first player drafted by an NFL team since the school reinstituted its Division II football program in 2002.

He finished his career as the school's all-time sack leader (25.5) and career leader in tackles for loss (54). He also holds the school record for the most sacks in a season (13) and most in a game (4.5).

He was named to the All-CIAA first team as a junior and senior.

"It couldn't have worked out any better," St. Aug's defensive coordinator Tremayne Henry said of Costa's discovery. "I told him he needs to try that again. I told him he should have played the lottery the same day."

Saturday, when Hall stands with his classmates at graduation and accepts his diploma, he is sure to feel like a lottery winner. He will own a degree in history and have accomplished what he intended when he signed with the Falcons.

He obtained his education and pushed his body to the limits on the football field. He impressed the Browns enough for them to use their fifth pick on him.

"It means a lot," Hall said. "For real. Just getting a chance at all. A lot of people don't get anything. I just have to take advantage of this opportunity."

Hall will attend a Browns mini-camp in June and training camp in July and August.

And while there are no guarantees and he has not signed a contract, Hall has a realistic shot at earning a roster spot.

Bobby Vega, the Cleveland scout who evaluated Hall, said his athleticism in space stood out. He said Hall is viewed as an outside linebacker prospect who could fit in the team's 3-4 defensive scheme.

Vega said Hall showed he had the talent and professionalism to be converted from a defensive end to a linebacker, though he must improve speed and strength.

"He's got to come and prove that he wants it," Vega said.

Hall, whose agent, James D. "Butch" Williams, has arranged for him to spend time with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis to learn the NFL protocol, said his Division II background will not factor in his ability to make the Browns.

The key factor

"As long as you can play, that's the only thing that matters," Williams said. "You can go to any school and be a bum."

Henry, who worked with Hall over the years, said some people have been misinformed about Division II schools and the NFL. He said smaller schools couldn't be competitive if they recruited athletes without Division I talent.

"One of the things we tell our kids, most of the greatest players to ever play the game came from small Division II black schools," Henry said. "Walter Payton. Jerry Rice."

Vega said Hall seems prepared for the road ahead, calling him a "high-character" guy.

"You got a sincere feeling from him," Vega said. "This is business, this is what I need to do. ... His whole demeanor is just businesslike. He honestly didn't understand the opportunity he had because he never thought it was an option. ... Now he realizes that possibility is now reality."