The 2014 NFL Draft produced several memorable scenes over three days at Radio City Music Hall but none were as powerful nor emotional as the one the entire country saw on Saturday when the St. Louis Rams made Michael Sam a seventh-round pick.
After becoming the first openly gay player to enter the draft earlier in the year, the sight of the former Missouri star breaking down into tears upon receiving the phone call from head coach Jeff Fisher is bound to be replayed for years to come. While there had been a great deal of speculation as to what team would end up pulling the trigger on drafting him, the Rams were one of the few clubs who Sam had not envisioned drafting him.
"I had no idea they were this interested in me, "Sam told reporters, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I knew I was gonna get picked somewhere, and every team that passed me, I was thinking, 'I'm gonna sack their QB.'"
Consider all 31 other teams warned.
"We were very fortunate to have the supplemental choices," Fisher said on NFL Network. "You use those for players you want to give an opportunity to, that you think that you want to draft. I haven't said a whole lot to anybody over the last week or so but after doing the studies, this is a good football player."
During his conference call with local reporters, the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year said he wants to prove to folks that he's worthy of his NFL selection and that he's more than capable of rewarding Fisher's faith in his abilities as soon as he steps on the field in the fall.
"Let me tell you something. If we were playing the Vikings right now, I'd probably have three sacks," Sam said. "The 2013 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is ready to (expletive) show the world that he is ready to work."
St. Louis opens with Minnesota to start the regular season.
If Sam is indeed on the opening roster for the team, he would be quite the addition to an already devastating pass rush, joining Chris Long, Robert Quinn and first-round pick Aaron Donald, among others.
It will probably be a difficult road to see extended playing time, but if Sam's confidence is any indication, he will give the league several even more memorable moments during the upcoming season.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
