Yesterday my NFL dream, at least the start of it, became a reality when the Jacksonville Jaguars called and selected me in the 5th round. I can't tell you how excited I am.
When the day started I had no idea how it would turn out. I had gotten a call Thursday or Friday from the linebacker coach in Atlanta asking me about positions I played and where I would fit into their scheme. When they drafted Curtis Lofton from Oklahoma and Robert James from ASU I knew that wasn't happening. I went for about a 45 minute run on this path near my mom's house. They just moved so the area is new to me. I did take my cell phone with me just in case. After my run I just hung out on the couch and had my mom and her boyfriend, my grand parents, my cousin and 3 or 4 of my high school friends with me.
At about 11:30 things got interesting. The Cowboys traded spots with Jacksonville then my phone rang and it was one of the coaches at Jacksonville. I had not spoken to them since my Pro Day workout. He asked me if I was healthy and what I had been doing since Pro Day and if I was ready to play. I told him absolutely! he then told me he'd call me back. When I hung up and looked at the TV I noticed that Jacksonville didn't pick for another six picks. Talk about leaving me biting my nails. I was chewing on those for the next 30 minutes. Then the phone rang, close to 12, and it was Coach Del Rio and he said "congratulations on becoming a Jacksonville Jaguar." Then I saw my name flashing on the screen. It was so exciting. I could hear the Jacksonville coaches and staff in the background on the phone cheering. I am just so happy, but it still hasn't really hit me yet. I'm still a college student, going to class today and I'm also going to an NFL team.
I do know that I am going to go in there and learn the defense and contribute on every special team and do everything that is asked of me. I am going to give them everything I have. This is a dream come true. I know that I still have to work and compete to make the team, but even getting to this point is part of the dream.
They had 11 wins and we had 11 wins last year. I am going from one great team to another great team. They are such a tough, physical, agressive defense. You can just see it watching them on NFL Network how much passion they have to play defense. I want to be a part of that kind of team. Coach Del Rio played that way. I have watched a lot of footage of him in NFL Network when he played for Minnesota and of course he did it at USC too. I have that passion, that motor and the drive to make sure the guy with the ball feels me when I get there. I love the hunt.
I set this goal so long ago and here I am living it. I am just so blessed to get to this point. Now I can't wait to get to Jacksonville!
When the day started I had no idea how it would turn out. I had gotten a call Thursday or Friday from the linebacker coach in Atlanta asking me about positions I played and where I would fit into their scheme. When they drafted Curtis Lofton from Oklahoma and Robert James from ASU I knew that wasn't happening. I went for about a 45 minute run on this path near my mom's house. They just moved so the area is new to me. I did take my cell phone with me just in case. After my run I just hung out on the couch and had my mom and her boyfriend, my grand parents, my cousin and 3 or 4 of my high school friends with me.
At about 11:30 things got interesting. The Cowboys traded spots with Jacksonville then my phone rang and it was one of the coaches at Jacksonville. I had not spoken to them since my Pro Day workout. He asked me if I was healthy and what I had been doing since Pro Day and if I was ready to play. I told him absolutely! he then told me he'd call me back. When I hung up and looked at the TV I noticed that Jacksonville didn't pick for another six picks. Talk about leaving me biting my nails. I was chewing on those for the next 30 minutes. Then the phone rang, close to 12, and it was Coach Del Rio and he said "congratulations on becoming a Jacksonville Jaguar." Then I saw my name flashing on the screen. It was so exciting. I could hear the Jacksonville coaches and staff in the background on the phone cheering. I am just so happy, but it still hasn't really hit me yet. I'm still a college student, going to class today and I'm also going to an NFL team.
I do know that I am going to go in there and learn the defense and contribute on every special team and do everything that is asked of me. I am going to give them everything I have. This is a dream come true. I know that I still have to work and compete to make the team, but even getting to this point is part of the dream.
They had 11 wins and we had 11 wins last year. I am going from one great team to another great team. They are such a tough, physical, agressive defense. You can just see it watching them on NFL Network how much passion they have to play defense. I want to be a part of that kind of team. Coach Del Rio played that way. I have watched a lot of footage of him in NFL Network when he played for Minnesota and of course he did it at USC too. I have that passion, that motor and the drive to make sure the guy with the ball feels me when I get there. I love the hunt.
I set this goal so long ago and here I am living it. I am just so blessed to get to this point. Now I can't wait to get to Jacksonville!
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