One of the best stories of the NFL Draft didn't happen until the draft was over.
Nate Boyer, a 34-year-old former Green Beret, has been offered a contract as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks.
"Yeah, I've done things that are more difficult," Boyer told NFL Network's NFL Total Access on Saturday. "You can't really compare the two in a lot of ways, but this is a huge challenge in itself. This is the best athletes in the world. Just to get an opportunity and be able to compete... And I'm playing for a great team in a great city. I couldn't be anymore thrilled. Just for the chance that's all you can ask for."
The 5-foot-11 long snapper had never played organized football until he was out of the military and somehow worked his way into the University of Texas rotation. Now he has found his way into the NFL.
"I played at 190 pounds mostly because in the summer time I was deployed, you know," said Boyer, who now weighs 220 pounds. "So I had to stay at a fighting weight for special forces, it's just a different job, they're totally different worlds. So I had to be true to that. Putting weight was a challenge and it's still a challenge."
According to the Army Times, Boyer has multiple war-zone deployments to his credit, including to Afghanistan for two summers as a member of the Texas Army National Guard.
Boyer learned that his NFL dream was coming true on NFL Network cameras, getting the call from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down the 2015 NFL Draft, picking out the biggest winners and losers. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
