Former King’s Fork High School and Norfolk State University football standout George Riddick III was kind of nervous on Saturday night.

“I didn’t get any calls during the (NFL) draft,” he said.

If he was not drafted, he was at least hoping to hear from teams that were interested in him, since he was still available.

“It would have been great to hear my name called, but I just really wanted the opportunity,” he said

About 8 p.m. on Saturday, the phone rang.

It was the Green Bay Packers with an opportunity that no former Bulldog has ever had. They invited him to attend their rookie camp this week so they can evaluate him and possibly sign him as a free agent.

A couple of other teams called him after that, but he had made his decision to go with Green Bay.

“It’s a great fit for me up there,” he said.

Riddick noted the Packers are interested in him playing nose tackle, but he also wants to show them he can play defensive end.

He said a scout from Green Bay first visited him during his senior season at Norfolk State.

Riddick did his part on the gridiron in 2014 to draw interest from NFL teams.

He earned a first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selection after piling up 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks, and he helped the Spartans finish second in the nation in total defense.

King’s Fork coach Joe Jones was excited when he heard of Riddick’s opportunity.

“George was a talented player here, and we push all our guys to do their best and play hard, because you never know what can happen,” he said.

Riddick said being the first King’s Fork alumnus to have this chance is “quite an honor because it’s like I’m paving the way for the youth that are coming behind me.”

He said he is showing them that “if you dedicate yourself, work hard and believe in God, anything is possible.”

His father, George Riddick Jr., said, “I’m ecstatic. I’m very proud of him,” later adding, “He’s a blessed young man.”

His son leaves this morning for the rookie camp, and the first day of practice is on Friday.

“Right now, I just want to go up there and make the roster,” he said.