Posted on 05/11/2014 7:19:37 PM PDT by FlJoePa
Former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam became the first openly gay player in NFL history to be drafted when the Rams took him with the 249th pick on Saturday, but Sam almost didn't make history because he almost fell out of the draft.
Sam was taken with the eighth-to-last pick, meaning he almost wasn't drafted at all, something he found rather shocking. The NFL's first openly gay player said he should've been picked higher.
"From last season alone, I should've been in the first three rounds -- SEC Defensive player of the year, All-American," Sam said, listing off his 2013 accomplishments, via the Rams official website. "I should have gone in the top three rounds easily."
Instead of going in the first three rounds though, Sam almost didn't go in any round. So what would have happened if Sam wasn't drafted?
According to NFL Network, the Bears, Giants and Ravens were all interested in signing Sam if he hadn't been taken by St. Louis. The Rams also would have tried to sign Sam if they hadn't grabbed him with the 249th pick.
Bears coach Marc Trestman said on Saturday that Sam would have been a defensive end in Chicago, not a linebacker, "When someone has that number of sacks, you have to pay attention to that," Trestman said of the Bears' interest in Sam, via the Chicago Sun-Times.
As it is though, Sam is with the Rams, and he's happy about that. "The Rams know what the hell they're doing."
And what the Rams did was draft Sam, which you can watch below.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbssports.com ...
That works a hell of a lot better than a blind donation to the left via cable. And every dollar they don’t get helps. Helps parents ‘parent’ too as you pointed out.
If people would just do something like that, they could, if not go whole hog, at least contribute to the fight. Meaningfully.
Thatth, "thilly," you thavage.
Wow this guy is full of himself..earth to Michael, just because you love to shove your junk on other guys behinds doesn’t make you special it makes you a sick, demented human being
It doesn’t matter if he is straight,gay,black,white ,green or has a vagina, Sundays will separate the players from the posers.
“If the Rams try him out as LB he’ll be ruined. The only thing he can be in the NFL is as a containment guy (DT) in pass situations.”
He’s too slow to play LB and way too small to play DT
His only worth is as a situational pass rushing DE and the Rams have two of the best in the league and the backups in the rotation aren’t about to get beat out by an undersized DE that runs a 4.9 40
To put it in perspective, their 1st round pick, OT Greg Robinson is 6’5”, 335 and ran a 4.9 40
Sam is 6’ 2”, 260
“Guaranteed he will be a starter no matter how badly he plays. Libs and media will say it’s homophobic if he isn’t a starter. Some of the media is already demanding he be on the starting team and saying the Rams will have hell to pay if they don’t make him a starter.”
Uh, no. That’s not how pro sports works.
Are the Rams going to bench Robert Quinn, who led the NFC with 19 Sacks and start Sam? Or maybe Chris Long who has tallied 33 Sacks in the last 3 seasons?
Not gonna happen.
The Rams have arguably the best DL in the NFL and it got better when they drafted DT Aaron Donald with the 13th pick — Sam isn’t going to displace any starter or any player backup in the DL rotation.
Wake up and repent, America.
that sign is pure genius!
Pity...
The Rams have painted themselves into a corner.
They can’t cut him, or be accused of sexism...
Wouldn't we like to know what his future teammates think of this statement? I'm willing to bet many of them are less than impressed and even less happy with having to share the same locker room with the out/homo.
Me too, also in 2001. Highly recommended.
That's what A. J. McCarron thought too, and he went mid-fifth round. As for Sams, even before his announcement he was considered, at best, a fourth of fifth round pick. The NFL draft is a great eye-opener for a lot of people.
The Broncos, Jets, and Pats have all been called anti-Christian for dumping Tebow by his fanatics and they're managing to get along. When the Rams cut Sams it'll be a headline for a day or two and then it'll be over.
In my case, catching me wasn’t the issue. But I was about twice the size of my peers... ;-P
I miss the days when words were less hurtful than the bludgeon of political correctness.
But that is how politicized ANYTHING works. Given his scouting combine results, Michael Sam is unfit to play in the NFL - or at least be drafted at all.
And yet, here we are with him whining (i.e.: setting the expectations) that he should have been drafted higher.
We'll see if the Rams have their heads up their collective fourth point of contact or not...
Have fun dealing this this “victim” mentality idiot whichever team was fool enough to pick him...
Somebody was obviously trying to make a liberal social statement.
“When someone has that number of sacks, you have to pay attention to that,”
This will become a code for rump riding rendezvous.
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