“You aren’t going to the NFL.”

That is what my 5th grade teacher, Ms. Fast, told me when I said I wanted be a professional football player. She said I needed a backup plan. I told her my backup plan was the MLB, and if that didn’t workout then my backup backup plan was to go to the Olympics. Ms. Fast was adamant that kids from where we were from never grew up to become professional athletes. But I wasn’t going to let her stop me and I wasn’t alone in my dream. My mom always told me as a kid that I wasn’t made to just sit in someone’s office. I knew that there was more to be had for this kid from the suburbs of LA. 

 

 

I was invited to sit in the green room in New York City for the 2005 NFL Draft, but I declined. I knew I was expected to be taken anywhere between the 4th and the 17th pick in the first round, but if I fell any further than that, I didn’t want to be sitting in front of the camera lights waiting to hear my name. We all remember what happened to Aaron Rodger that same year.

I remember having multiple phones going on draft day. I know it sounds crazy, but that’s just how it was back then. I was on one phone with all of my teammates from Florida State, keeping the others open to get that call from a team. 

Tampa was the first to call that morning. I knew that with the fifth pick, there was a good chance they would take “Cadillac” Williams if he was available. Sure enough, he was, and Tampa had their guy. Five picks later, the Lions were on the clock. They called, and went with Mike Williams instead. 

Sometimes you forget that teams are calling a bunch of guys when they are on the clock. One of my teammates and I got a call from the same team at the same time. 

With the 11th pick, the Cowboys were on the clock. I was excited about the possibility of playing in Dallas since my daughter was there, and the excitement grew when I got a call from someone with a Dallas area code. I answered it, hoping to hear Jerry Jones tell me that he was welcoming me to the Cowboys, but on the other line was someone I hadn’t talked to in a long time. Let’s just say that I ended up having to call and apologize to that person days later when everything had settled.

 

 

The Texans had the 13th pick after trading with the Saints, and I got a call from Charley Cassesrly, who asked me if I wanted to be a Texan. In all honesty, I would have liked to be on a 4-3 defense, but I was beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to play in a great city like Houston, and I couldn’t wait to take the next steps in my career. 

After that, everything happened so fast. I was on the phone with the GM, then got passed to someone else on staff, and then a travel agent. The NFL Network was waiting at my house, and I did a quick interview. The original plan was for me to have a party with all of my friends and family that night, but the Texans wanted me on a plane within hours. Next thing I knew I was on a plane from LAX out to Houston. Amongst all of this I hadn’t had a chance to even check my phones. As soon as we got up in the air I called Bryant McFadden, who was my former college teammate and roomate. Yes, this was back when they had phones on planes. Looking back, I still remember Bmac being upset that he had dropped out of the first round. In all reality, he’s the one who made out best ending up in Pittsburgh. Yes, I was drafted first round and won a lot of games with the Texans. But Bmac ended up with two Super Bowls in the first four years of his career. 

 

 

The NFL draft was an incredible experience, and I was able to take a lot away from it - some of which I hope the next generation can use. When I think back to the combine, I wish I would have spoken up about the defensive scheme I wanted to play in. When a team asks you what kind of team you want to play for, you need to be ready to speak up. That’s your chance.

I also know that staying home with my family on draft day was the best decision. I get that it’s an awesome experience, but you’re also a spectacle for ratings. Especially when it doesn’t go as planned. We have all seen the video of Aaron Rodgers nervously sitting in the green room, waiting for hours before his name is called. His nerve wracking experience should serve as a reminder to others that the green room can be a tough place to be on draft day. Aside from the lights and the cameras, you also have to remember that it’s the last time you get to be with family and friends just as yourself. Money can change people. This is the last moment where it doesn’t have an effect on you, or those around you. 

And don’t worry, after seeing that I got drafted to the Texans, my fifth grade teacher Ms. Fast called me to apologize. She said that I was the only one who was committed enough to actually make it happen. I set my sights high, and I made it. No one could take that away from me.