Palm Springs grad Rodney Butler signs with Seattle Seahawks

After going undrafted in this April's 2017 NFL Draft, the 2016 NCAA leader in tackles, a Palm Springs alum, has found his first NFL home.

The Seattle Seahawks announced Wednesday morning that they signed linebacker Rodney Butler, who graduated from Palm Springs in 2013. Butler finished his senior season at New Mexico State this fall with 165 tackles. He joins 2010 Palm Desert graduate and fellow linebacker D.J. Alexander in Seattle after he was traded from the Chiefs this offseason.

Butler's father, also named Rodney Butler, said that though the news was uplifting and encouraging, the entire Butler family has been waiting on a call from the Seahawks all summer.

Back in April, Butler's agent had expected his player to go between the fifth and seventh rounds, but that final round ended without Butler being named.

"He never displayed he was discouraged, but I know him too well and know with everything escalating to that point and leading the nation in tackles, it was tough," Butler's father said.

The New Mexico State graduate spent time in May with the Seahawks while trying out for the team at their rookie camp as an undrafted free agent. While there, Seahawks linebackers coach Michael Barrow, as well as head coach Pete Carroll were impressed with Butler's athleticism, speed and prospects at competing in the NFL, according to Butler's dad, but they needed time to make space on the roster and in their salary cap.

"They were very impressed with him and wanted to keep him, but it was a money thing," he said. "They were trying to clear their boards. They (Barrow and Carroll) told him to stay in shape and not give up, and that they were going to come back and get him."

So after camp, Butler returned to the NMSU campus in Las Cruces. There, he finished up one last summer class and spent the rest of his time in gym and on the field working on his game, waiting for the call. Since the draft, he's put on 10 pounds of muscle.

"They told him back in May that he was very physical, and they couldn't understand how he was so under the radar," his father said. "I would text and call him every day telling him to stay positive and ask if he'd worked out.

"But if you know Rodney, you know if you tell him can't do something, he's going to work even harder to prove you wrong."

READ MORE: Rodney Butler looking for a chance to prove himself in NFL

On Tuesday, Butler got a text message from his agent, letting him know they wanted to fly him up to Seattle. He quickly called his dad but before he could say much, he had a call waiting. Seattle was on the other line.

Wednesday morning, by 9:30 a.m., Butler had passed his physical and had been fitted with his new team's gear (he'll be wearing No. 46). From there, his dad said his son was expecting to soon sign his deal, pick up his playbook and sit in on his first NFL team meetings.

According to Palm Springs athletic director Dennis Zink, Butler is the first Indians grad to make it to the NFL since 1982 when Chuck Scicli, who played college football at Cal Poly-Pomona, was picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie undrafted free agent.

Ironically, he was cut Aug. 16, 1982, 35 years to the day before Butler inked his deal.

Seattle Seahawks preseason schedule

Aug. 18...Minnesota Vikings

Aug. 25...Kansas City Chiefs

Aug. 31...at Oakland Raiders

Sept. 10...at Green Bay Packers