A total of 253 players will be selected at the NFL Draft later this month. Another group will be signed as undrafted free agents shortly thereafter. Yet not all of those players will make it on an NFL roster come September.
There are only 53 spots on a regular-season rosterin the NFL, which leaves a boatload of talented players on the streets looking for work. It leads some guys to become "weekend warriors" and get 9-to-5 jobs. Others go back to school.
Having a plan for the possibility of missing out on the NFL is key, and that's exactly what Baylor's 410-pound (186kg) tight end, LaQuan McGowan, has.
While McGowan has high hopes for making it in the league, he understands the way football works. NFL careers are short, and finding a position at the pro level could be tough. Therefore, he wants to make the jump to wrestling if all else fails.
"I feel like once that's over with, the WWE is calling my name," McGowan told SB Nation.
"I've watched it on TV. I've thought about, 'What would be something good or something that I would enjoy doing for a decent, for a long period of time? For big guys in the NFL, they really don't last that long."
McGowan also told SB Nation that he has already spoken to a "couple of people" around the industry about the possibility of wrestling. Interest may be there down the line, but football is McGowan's top priority.
For a 410-pound prospect, he has the athletic ability to find a role in the NFL. After all, he did play some tight end in college and set the world on fire when he caught a touchdown pass while at Baylor.
If football doesn't work out for McGowan, he won't be the first to go from the sport to wrestling. Goldberg and The Rock did the same, so at least he has that to strive for.
