Now at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, Peterson, who plays at tight end, is chasing history — even setting his sights on an NFL future.

Were he to make it, he would be one of only a handful of Estonians and people with Estonian heritage to make it to gridiron's pinnacle, most recently Margus Hunt.

Speaking to ERR's Sport portal, Peterson, 23, said: "I think reaching the first division from Estonia was a bigger step for me than moving up from here is."

With the start of the new college season in the fall, he will step onto the field for Old Dominion University.

"I've worked incredibly hard to get here, and I'll work even harder than I have done before. I don't want anything to hold me back."

Peterson, who grew up in Jüri, just outside Tallinn, is only the third Estonian ever to reach NCAA Division I football.

He follows Margus Hunt, who went to SMU initially on a track and field scholarship, going on to be an NFL defensive lineman for several seasons, mainly with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts.

Most recently, Ott Eric Ottender, a wide receiver, has spent the past two seasons at the University of Massachusetts.

Peterson's course of progress included stints in the Baltic League, in which teams from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania play, then with Germany's Nuremberg Rams, followed by the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI), a junior college/high school in Roswell.

As a foreign player, he also suffered setbacks with NCAA eligibility rules but did not let this deter him.

"As I had played with Ott [Ottender], it started to dawn on me that if he could do it, so could I," Peterson said.

"I felt like I was capable of everything he was, and that maybe I had a shot outside of Estonia too," he went on.

Unlike most NCAA athletes who will have been playing through junior high and high school, the Estonia-based Peterson only started playing football at 18 by joining the Tallinn Kings, Estonia's premier American football team.

His athletic background in judo, track, volleyball, and other sports stood him in good stead, however, and helped him develop quickly.

Despite the Tallinn Kings dominating the Baltic League, U.S. college draft scouts didn't take much notice.

Still determined to push things forward, Peterson connected with global scouts, earning a chance to train via U.S. college programs.

This started to bear fruit.

"I got a lot of interest from the coaches, I spoke with them, they liked my grades, my performance, and who I was," Peterson said.

"Then they wanted game footage," he added.

However, his Baltic League video highlights didn't prove convincing enough for the scouts.

"Every single coach — after I sent my videos — evaporated," Peterson admitted.

Realizing he needed better footage, he took an offer from Germany's Nuremberg Rams.

"I had a job in Estonia, everything was going well. But I decided to take the opportunity," Peterson explained of his decision.

Playing multiple positions in Germany as he did gave him the exposure he needed.

"When things got tough and we needed a touchdown, they put me back at wide receiver," he chuckled.

These performances led to a U.S. recruitment tour and a scholarship offer from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.

And then, just before leaving for the U.S., Peterson was ruled ineligible by the NCAA.

"It came as a huge shock," Peterson recalled.

Even though he never received a wage with the Rams, the NCAA classified his time in Germany as constituting professional football.

"Once again, I had invested a whole year — I was in Germany, I toured the U.S. — then it was all snatched away," he said.

I am happy to announce that, after much thought, I have decided to commit to Old Dominion @ODUFootball‼️ This wouldn't have been possible without my family and the coaches I've met along my journey.@RickyRahne @davidweeks34 @CoachDeckODU @JoshAlaeze @PPIRecruits @BCollierPPI… pic.twitter.com/jADs3Mprm5

— Karl Peterson (@KarlPetersonTE) February 21, 2025

But instead of throwing in the towel, Peterson turned to junior college football at NMMI to recoup NCAA eligibility.

He excelled there, finishing with 395 receiving yards, the most for any tight end at that institution.

Finally, this performance reignited interest from major college programs.

"By the end, offers were just rolling in — around ten of them," Peterson said.

Two Football Bowl Subdivision schools remained in contention — Troy University in Alabama and Old Dominion.

"From a sporting perspective, both were good choices. Both schools recruited me as a starting player," Peterson added.

He chose Old Dominion in the end, thanks to its NFL-experienced coaching staff.

Head coach Ricky Rahne had developed tight ends like Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Mike Gesicki (Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals).

"If you come here and put in the work, you'll be the next guy from my program to make the NFL," Rahne had told Peterson.

So Peterson will be Old Dominion's starting tight end from day one – a fairly versatile position that involves at times forming a regular part of the offensive line, as well as receiving from the quarterback.

Peterson said he is aware that of these, blocking is an area he must improve to increase his NFL draft chances.

"They told me that if I can get my blocking to the same level as my receiving is, I'll be 20 times more valuable to NFL teams."

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!