MEDFORD, Ore. — An Ashland High School graduate is trying to make his professional football dreams come true. However, trying to get drafted into the NFL this year, is unlike anything potential pro athletes have ever done.
Connor Kaegi has had a unique college football experience, and now his transition into pro football is following suit.
“I always wanted to play football,” Kaegi said.
Connor Kaegi says his childhood goal was always to play football in college. He made the most of it, traversing the country while playing for four different schools. In his senior year, Connor says his dream shifted.
“It was always in the back of my mind of playing one day professionally, and then my goal switched to let’s play at the next level and hopefully the NFL,” Kaegi said.
The six-foot-seven quarterback spent months getting in the best shape of his life to impress pro scouts in March.
“I knew I was primed and ready to really impress and open some eyes at that pro day,” he said.
But, when sports leagues halted business and travel across the country essentially shut down, everything changed.
“We were able to set up a mini virtual pro day to where we filmed it and had one ex NFL scout there who was able to authenticate it and make sure everything was done correctly,” he said. “There were about 16 of us and we didn’t have an actual pro day like normal. We can still show the work we put in and what we’ve done and the numbers we can put up.”
Going from small school Ottowa University in the NAIA to the pros is tough enough. For Connor, it’s just another obstacle to overcome. He’s faced them before and says it’s only made him even more prepared to chase his NFL dreams.
“That’s kind of who I am. I overcome obstacles and this really doesn’t phase me too much we just got to stay ready and keep working,” he said. “Whenever the time comes, the time comes.”
Connor said that his virtual pro day went well and now he’s just waiting on a call from his agent. Whether or not he gets drafted in two weeks, he’s confident he’ll find a spot on an NFL team this summer.
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