Not all NFL players take a straight line to the pros. There is, of course, the most commonly known path of being highly recruited out of high school, getting a scholarship, and progressing throughout their college career to being drafted into the NFL.
Knowing that is the path so many take and how much of a long shot it can be to making it to the NFL, it can be discouraging if, say, for instance, you were three years into high school and aren’t even a starter yet.
