Nothing has come easy for Chris Salvi. The former Notre Dame safety and special teams ace was a walk-on transfer from Butler during his Irish career, earning a scholarship for his senior year.
Now, nearly two weeks after the NFL draft, Salvi is playing himself into a chance to take his talents to the next level.
Salvi has been invited to Chicago Bears' rookie mini-camp, according to the Twitter feeds of him and his brother. (Will Salvi was also a Notre Dame walk-on this past season). Chris Salvi is now the 15th former Irish player to receive an NFL invite of some kind since the start of the April 25 draft.
It is surely a thrill for the Lake Forest, Ill., native, who just this past season was talking about how much the Irish's Shamrock Series game against Miami at Soldier Field meant to him.
Here's a recap who he'll be joining from South Bend, Ind., in their chase to play on Sundays:
To recap:
Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (first round, 21st overall)
Manti Te'o, LB, San Diego Chargers (second round, 38th overall)
Jamoris Slaughter, S, Cleveland Browns (sixth round, 175h overall)
Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions (sixth round, 199th overall)
Kapron Lewis-Moore, DE, Baltimore Ravens (sixth round, 200th overall)
Zeke Motta, S, Atlanta Falcons (seventh round, 224th overall)
Cierre Wood, RB, Houston Texans (as undrafted free agent)
Mike Golic Jr., OL, Pittsburgh Steelers (as undrafted free agent)
Braxston Cave, C, Cleveland Browns (as undrafted free agent)
John Goodman, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (as undrafted free agent)
Jordan Cowart, LS, Washington Redskins (as undrafted free agent)
Robby Toma, WR, Baltimore Ravens (as undrafted free agent)
Dayne Crist, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (as undrafted free agent)
Ben Turk, P, Houston Texans (as undrafted free agent)
Chris Salvi, S, Chicago Bears (rookie minicamp invite)