During the 2013 NFL Draft, 254 men saw their dreams fulfilled as they got to hear their name called on stage. It was the culmination of years of hard work and success to get to that point.
For those whose names weren’t called, like UCLA defensive back Andrew Abbott, the dream had to wait as they face the uphill task of trying to make it as a rookie free agent or pursue other options.
After being invited to the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie minicamp, Abbott left without a contract. Since then, he’s been training with ProActive Sports Performance – whose clients include Larry Fitzgerald and others – and doing his best to stay ready for if a team calls him.
“I’m in the mindset of train, train, train,” Abbott said during a phone interview. “I feel like I had a pretty good college career to where I have enough film to be on the radar of NFL teams where if they need me, they’ll call me.”
Many former college athletes struggle with this reality. They went from starting at a Division I program to now fighting at the bottom to get that mountain. Yet unlike many of his peers, Abbott has been through this before. Proving yourself after a solid career? Hearing the whispers that you don’t fit the ideal body type? Those are the same questions he heard when he was graduated Mater Dei High School in 2007.
Abbott graduated from the California powerhouse the same year his quarterback Matt Barkley won the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior. The two hooked up for a 97-yard touchdown pass against rival Servite that many still talk about as a great moment in recent Orange County football history.
Despite being an All-CIF selection as a senior, schools didn’t offer a scholarship to the 5-8, 160 pound Abbott. He ended up walking on at UCLA with no promises or guarantees, just a chance to continue his dream. Yet when he got there, he saw his incoming class and knew that he could compete with them.
By his third season (2010), Abbott earned a scholarship. He started 7 games in 2011 and became a full-time starter last season. He had four interceptions in each of his last two seasons (eight total) and was named a co-captain on defense as a senior.
“It made me appreciate the little things and work harder for what I want,” he said of his UCLA journey.
Abbott trained for the draft alongside UCLA teammates Datone Jones, Johnathan Franklin and Jeff Baca. He watched as all three were selected by NFL teams, as well as former high school teammates Barkley and Khaled Holmes. Seeing them has only added to his motivation
Besides training three days a week with ProActive, Abbott has mulled over several offers from the Canadian Football League. He’s also in contact with his agent about the latest offers on NFL minicamps. But it’s mostly just waiting, working out and trusting that somebody will take a chance on him.
If the NFL doesn’t pan out – Abbott said that he’s giving it at least a year – he already has a backup career in mind: Becoming a fireman. He’s already begun the registration process to start training in 2014 if he’s not with an NFL team by then.
Two of his uncles served in the fire department and Abbott said that as a kid, he used to accompany them to work often. He not only fell in love with the environment but also admired how much his uncles loved what they did.
“Every time I looked at them, they were so happy at their job,” he said. “They had fun and made good money so I felt that it would fit me perfectly.”
He added that the camaraderie among the firemen resembled what he’s felt as part of a football team. Yet, he said that the community service aspect of being a fireman was perhaps the biggest appeal.
“My family always preached to do something that you love. The fire service is something that I’ve been around all my life and I’m 95% sure I can make a great living as a fireman. It could be such a powerful story to young kids because for so many, all they see is scoring touchdowns and hitting home runs and they think that’s all can do.”
It’s refreshing to hear an athlete talk about life after sports without fear. Usually some are afraid to look ahead because that means sports is in the rear view mirror. Not Abbott, who spent most of the interview talking about it. Priority No. 1 is to obviously keep playing the game he loves but he’s also willing to recognize his non-football options.
Most folks – myself included – can relate to the struggle of looking for work after college. You trust your skills, your resume and hope that it’s enough to get you in the door of some company. At times you can feel like a failure or worry about what happens if you don’t land that dream job.
Yet Abbott, who earned his undergraduate degree in history, is a reminder that a dream deferred is not dead. You keep chasing it until you realize it’s best to focus your energy on another avenue towards success. Until then, you celebrate your past success and rely on those values that got you that far..
His confidence and faith helped him persevere in high school after the 2006 death of his older brother Marque, a key influence growing up. It helped him as he rose from being a walk-on to a team captain at UCLA. As he continues to pursue his dream, it’s two things that remind him waiting and working for the NFL is another test he has to push through.
“It feels like Mater Dei all over again,” he said of the process. “I’ve been through this situation before so reliving that story all over again in the NFL would be the best.”
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