Last Thursday the 2018 NFL Draft was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. For college football players, this is their judgment day, considering the Draft decides who makes the cut for the NFL. This year the Cleveland Browns had the first pick of the first round while the Cowboys had to wait for the 19th pick. Throughout the weekend the Cowboy’s picked up players like Connor Williams and Michael Gallup.
Players getting drafted into the NFL will have their lives completely changed once they sign with their team. The Dallas Cowboys changed the life of Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch by drafting him on Thursday. Whether or not this will change the Cowboys’ game is too early to call, at least to Sophomore and Cowboys fan, Alyssa Pulido.
“I really don’t know why people are so hyped about the Cowboys drafting Esch. He may have been good in college, but we haven’t seen him play in a pro game yet. That’s the true test I think. I don’t think we’ll know if he makes a real difference until the actual season starts,” said Pulido.
A player’s skill isn’t the only thing that goes into the decisions made by coaches. They also consider the potential teammates character as well. However this rule doesn’t just apply to pro football, but it also applies to Lake Ridge sports. Football Coach, Joshua Wardlow, explains what makes a good player .
“A variety of things go into a good football player such as talent, IQ, and character. It’d be quite the honor if I got to see a former player get drafted to the NFL,” said Wardlow.
Although, it’s an honor for the coaches, it’s also a dream come true for the players. New England Patriots Wide Reciver, Julian Edelman, said on his Twitter Thursday that his life was changed.
“Nine years ago today my life changed forever. New England took a chance on a long shot and I’ve worked relentlessly ever since to prove that it was the right decision. Good luck to all the 2018 prospects.”
According to a figure on NCAA.org, only 253 out of the 73,000 football participants will get drafted into the professionals. The odds of actually making it to the NFL are very slim. Although this may be a harsh reality for some, Junior football player, Mo Tanbouz, stays optimistic.
”For most people the draft can be kind of discouraging. You see all those people’s dreams come true, but you can’t help but think about the ones who weren’t drafted. I think it’s fair to say that all football players know at some point that their chances of going pro are slim. Like me for example, I probably won’t go pro, but that won’t stop me having fun playing the game. Even though I might not go pro, I’m still going to be happy for the few that do,” said Tanbouz.
