Ryan Purvis Ryan J . Purvis ( born May 8 , 1986 in Allentown , Pennsylvania ) is an American football tight end who is currently a Free Agent in the National Football League . He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009 . He played college football at Boston College . Early years . Purvis played high school football at Lancaster Catholic High School in Lancaster , Pennsylvania . In 2003 , he won All - State honors as a tight end and All - Conference honors as a tight end ( first - team ) , defensive end ( first - team ) , and punter ( second - team ) . As a senior , he made 39 receptions for 755 yards and four touchdowns , averaged 38 . 8 yards on 41 punts , and threw two touchdown passes . He was selected to play in the fourth annual PSFCA East - West Football Classic . Purvis was also a standout on the Crusaders ' basketball team . He recorded more than 1000 points and 700 rebounds in his career at center and power forward . Ryan was the starting center on the winningest boys basketball in Pennsylvania prep history . His junior year , the Crusaders went 35 - 0 and won the 2003 PIAA Class AAA Championship by toppling Perry Traditional Academy 75 - 59 at the Giant Center in Hershey . In that game , broadcast statewide by PCN , Ryan demonstrated outstanding athletic ability that transformed a little known junior tight end into one of the most hotly recruited football players in the state . The Crusaders also swept the Lancaster Lebanon League Section 3 title , the L - L League Championship and the District 3 AAA title . Purvis was recruited by a host of Division 1 football programs , including the University of Pittsburgh and UCLA . College career . After redshirting the 2004 season , Purvis made his college debut in the 2005 season opener at BYU , where he caught one pass . He finished the season with six receptions for 12 yards . Purvis played in all 13 of BC ' s games as a sophomore in 2006 , starting in two of them ( Clemson and Duke ) . He made 29 catches for 381 yards and two touchdowns . He made two catches for 40 yards , including a 25 - yard touchdown reception , against Navy in the Meineke Car Care Bowl . Purvis started all 14 games in 2007 , finishing the season with 54 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns . He had two catches for 14 yards in the ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech and two catches for 18 yards in BC ' s win against Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl . He was named to the Lombardi Award and John Mackey Award watch lists and was named to the All - ACC first team . Purvis started all 14 games of the 2008 Boston College season . Purvis had 24 catches for 176 yards , including 4 catches for 29 yards in the 2008 Music City Bowl . Purvis also got some snaps at fullback in place of the injured James McCluskey . Professional career . Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Purvis was not selected in the 2009 NFL Draft . On May 1 , 2009 , Purvis signed a free - agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He was waived during final cuts on September 5 and re - signed to the practice squad the following day . Purvis was promoted to the active roster on December 28 after running back Earnest Graham and defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson were placed on injured reserve . Purvis was again promoted to the active roster on October 25 , 2010 when Jerramy Stevens was released . He was cut on September 3 , 2011 .