Dream Attained: Charpentier runs with the Saints

After five years of SEC football, a few seasons of prep competition and a lifetime of pushing his body to its limits, Cut Off native and graduated University of Arkansas offensive lineman Luke Charpentier was just about 100 percent sure that he was done playing the game that he loves.

But a phone call a couple weeks ago changed those plans and again put Charpentier on the gridiron – this time for the New Orleans Saints.

Charpentier was one of a handful of players invited to New Orleans’ rookie mini-camp last week – a series of workouts designed to give the team’s drafted rookies and undrafted free agents a shot to stay in shape and learn the team’s system before the 2015-16 season.

Charpentier was one of those undrafted free agents. He was a backup guard for the team’s offense during the weekend. Charpentier said the entire experience is one that he will carry with him throughout the rest of his life.

“It was awesome. It’s an experience that really filled me with pride and made me grateful for my blessings,” Charpentier said. “I was with them for just a few days, but I learned so much. Those guys at that level are amazing. To carry those colors on my shoulders and to wear their equipment is something I’ll cherish forever.”

For Charpentier, the entire experience was entirely unexpected.

A five-year player at Arkansas, Charpentier played out his eligibility this past fall, contributing to one of the best offensive lines and running games in America.

But after the Razorbacks’ bowl game, Charpentier said he was content and satisfied with his career. He said that he approached the game believing mentally that it would be the last of his career.

“The SEC is tough,” Charpentier said. “It’s hard-nosed, physical football. We played our bowl game, and my body had been a little beat up. I was at the point where I was comfortable saying that I wasn’t going to walk away. I wasn’t going to do anything relating to the NFL.”

After meeting with his inner circle, Charpentier confirmed those plans, opting against working out for scouts at the Razorbacks’ Pro Day Activities. He also opted against hiring an agent or competing at the NFL Draft Scouting Combing – moves that all-but eliminated the potential that he’d be drafted by any pro team.

“In my eyes, my football career was done,” Charpentier said. “And, I was 100 percent OK with that.”

But one phone call changed all that – even if for just one weekend.

At around lunchtime two Thursdays ago, Charpentier said he got a call from an athletic official at Arkansas. He advised the big lineman that the Saints were trying to hunt him down to see if he was available for the rookie camp.

After a short back and forth with the Saints about whether the team had room for him at the camp, Charpentier was all set. He was an official member of the New Orleans Saints.

He showed up to the team’s practice facility in Metairie and worked as an offensive guard.

Charpentier said that his first snap with the team is an experience that he’ll never forget – when it finally sunk in that during that specific moment in time, he was an NFL player with the New Orleans Saints.

“It was incredible, man,” Charpentier said. “The first thing you feel is just this intense pride. I thought about my family and my community and all of the people who have ever encouraged me or pushed me to do my best in anything with football. Then, you realize right away how good these people at this level are. If you’re late off the snap by even just a half-second, you’re beat. Everything about the pro game is about being at your best on every snap, because if you make any mistake at all, the opponents will capitalize on it.”

Throughout the camp, Charpentier said he received a lot of positive feedback from the Saints’ coaches, who expressed their love for his football intelligence and understanding of the game.

Charpentier said the biggest challenge of a rookie camp is learning the “Saints Way” to do things in such short order.

“Learning the way that they want things to be done, I’d say, is the biggest challenge you face,” he said. “They don’t want to have to teach or to have to stop. They want you to pick it up quickly so that they can put in as much as possible.”

When asked to be a talent scout and give fans a lowdown on how the team’s rookies and undrafted free agents look on the field, the local didn’t shy away from saying that there were a lot of very good players on the field during that weekend.

“There’s only a small percentage of players who get to play college ball, and then an even smaller percentage who get to play pro,” Charpentier said. “Those guys were so quick and so strong. I think that they will have a lot of talent in this rookie class. You think that you’ve seen it all when you play in the SEC, but these guys are incredible”

Once the experience was over, Charpentier said he swapped information with New Orleans executives, who promised to call him during training camp if the team needs able bodies on the offensive line.

Charpentier admits that his plans aren’t changed. He still will return to Arkansas to continue to chase his Master’s Degree. He still has no intentions, nor expectations to be suiting up for anyone during training camp or in the 2015 NFL season.

But for one weekend, Charpentier did it. He got to rub elbows with the big boys while wearing a Fleur de Lis on his helmet.

That’s something that he’ll never forget.

“I’m so glad that I did it,” Charpentier said. “Just to be able to say that at one point in my life, I was a New Orleans Saint, that’s something that’s very special to me. I’m grateful and thankful for the opportunity that they gave me, and to all of the people who’ve helped me.”

Luke Charpentier got an opportunity a few weekends ago to do something that not many people can ever claim to do in their lives. The local offensive lineman and University of Arkansas standout lineman competed in rookie mini-camp for the New Orleans Saints, suiting up and playing offensive guard for the Black and Gold. Charpentier touts that the experience was unexpected, but amazing. He said he’ll remember it for the rest of his life.

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