By the time the first round was done, I thought my life was over. All the games, practices and extra time I had been putting into football since high school, built up to this day, Draft Day, the most important day in the life of any NFL hopeful.
In my youthful 21 years, I could not see past the first 32 picks. But finally, in the 39th spot, I received a phone call from the Philadelphia Eagles. Looking back, I do not even remember who it was or what they said, but I knew I was getting on a plane bound for Philadelphia the following day. Two weeks later, my bags were packed and I was moving East. Until then, I had never even lived outside of Los Angeles County.
Everything after this point, I can honestly say, was something I never even planned for. In my immaturity, I never thought past the draft. So making a team or actually playing was something I could not even comprehend at the time. But little did I know, what I thought was the end of road was just the beginning.
People might not understand how hard players work during college and especially leading up to the draft. A successful draft campaign culminates at the combine and Pro Day. Nowadays, it's not just the scouts and coaches interested in your ability; it's your family, the fans and the media who make these young college athletes front-page news. At Southern Cal, more than 10,000 people attended our Pro Day. The pressure and high expectations placed on my shoulders, and those of every pro prospect during this time, is overwhelming.
Predraft, I spent all day in and out of workouts, rehab and physical therapy, nutritional counseling and meetings, all to keep my body and mind in prime condition.
