Former Wasilla football standout earns invitation to an NFL rookie mini-camp

Andrew Devine did not step on to a football field until his junior year of high school. But after years of work, the former Wasilla High School standout has the opportunity to compete for a spot on a National Football League roster.

Devine, a 2021 graduate of Wasilla High School, has been invited to the Kansas City Chiefs rookie mini-camp, which starts Friday.

“I'm pretty pumped,” Devine said by phone Monday evening. “The last five months, that’s all I have been thinking about. The chance to go play NFL football.”

Devine — a 6-foot-6 ½ and 323-pound left tackle — capped his five-year college career at Carroll College, an NAIA program in Montana, in the fall of 2025. The two-time all-conference selection has been training at a facility in Tennessee for the last three months, and was able to participate in Montana State’s pro day, and work out in front of NFL scouts in early April.

“I performed pretty well, which I definitely needed to get noticed,” Devine said. “I had a good pro day. I didn’t really hear much. But all of my stuff was in the NFL scout data system.”

And then Devine was on Kansas City’s radar.

“I don’t know how the Chiefs found me, but they called me last week,” Devine said.

They asked if he’s been working out, had any injury concerns or legal issues, Devine said.

“I said, I’m good. Working out,” Devine said.

They told him they would contact him again. Devine found an agent. Kansas City called them following the end of the NFL Draft, and the invitation to the mini-camp was confirmed. The team purchased his plane ticket. He leaves Thursday, and the three-day camp starts Friday.

“I’m pretty dang excited to go compete,” Devine said.

Devine took a different path to his chance to land a spot on an NFL roster, but a few pivotal moments along the way helped out.

Devine is part of a basketball family and grew up on the hardwood. His dad is a longtime basketball coach, and three of his older siblings all went on to play hoops at the college level. He was following in his siblings' footsteps, and prior to his junior year at Wasilla High, then head coach Ken Ottinger urged Devine to join the football program. Andrew had the Devine height, but was slender at the time. He made a quick impact and became a standout in the trenches for the Warriors.

“I’m so very grateful for him extending that invitation,” Devine said. “I don’t think I’d be right here (without it).”

Fast forward to his senior year at Carroll.

Devine graduated in December and had planned on going to seminary to become a priest. But after a great final two seasons of college football, he didn’t want to see his career come to an end.

The moment that changed his path came after the final game of his college career, a playoff loss to an arch-rival.

“It was pretty heartbreaking, but I played one of my best games,” he said. “I’m just starting to figure out what I am capable of. I can’t be done now.”

Devine said he Googled offensive line pre-draft training. He found Triple F Elite Sports Training in Knoxville, Tennessee, a facility run by Lee Smith, who spent 11 years as a tight end in the NFL.

Devine was all in.

“Football all day, every day,” Devine said. “I had to prepare for this moment, and it came. I’m just so relieved, so grateful for all of the people who have invested in me.”

Devine said he watched a ton of film, put on about 15 pounds of muscle and worked a lot on technique.

“I learned so many things I have never been taught before,” Devine said.

Devine has played left tackle throughout his career, but has also been working out at right tackle, and offensive guard.

“I think I’m a lot more of a player than I was even four months ago,” he said.

Devine was named All-Frontier Conference during his final two seasons at Carroll. He redshirted his true freshman season and did not play in year two or three. But he finally got his shot as a redshirt junior and started every game. He allowed only two sacks. He started every game again as a senior.

“I had by far my best year,” Devine said.

Devine spent his college career at the NAIA level, but that did not scare him away from taking a shot at professional football.

“You see all of these stories, small schools guys going into the league,” he said. “Especially with the offensive line position. You just need so many bodies.”

Devine also has the measurables. He started at Carroll at about 215 pounds. He weighed in at 323 Monday. Devine gained about 70 pounds alone as a freshman. He spent a lot of time in the Carroll cafeteria and weight room.

He also had a stellar pro day. Devine’s RAS (Raw Athletic Score) was a 9.04 on a 0 to 10 scale. RAS is a total calculation that factors in scores in composite size, speed, explosion and agility grades. His composite explosion score was listed as “great”, on the evaluation.

His highest individual grade was in the broad jump at 9-4. He also bench pressed 215 pounds 26 times and had a time of 7.63 seconds in the three-cone drill.

Devine also signed with the San Antonio Toros of the Continental Football League earlier this spring. The Continental is basically a minor league, and developmental level for the NFL and Canadian Football League.

Devine said he’s happy with that potential opportunity as well, but his focus is set on the Kansas City rookie mini-camp.

“Hopefully I can do really well this weekend and earn myself a contract,” Devine said.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.