Leaving with no regrets
Posted: Saturday February 20, 1999 12:22 PM
This is the first in a series of weekly diaries from some of the top
prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft. Look for another entry each day, with
a new entry from Donovan McNabb every Sunday at CNNSI.com.
As I look ahead to the NFL Draft and my future, the first thing I want to
do is thank my parents. I'm so glad that I've had their support and
guidance -- they've always been there to lift my spirits, to give me that
extra push.
Whatever the problem has been in the last four years, I've known I could
pick up the phone, talk to them and know I'd be smiling by the time the
conversation was over. In my freshman year at Syracuse, we lost three games
-- to East Carolina, Virginia Tech and Miami -- and I had it stuck in my
mind that maybe it was me. Maybe I was the reason we had lost the games. My
parents were there to tell me to trust in myself and know that things would
work out in the end.
Entering the NFL is the same way -- there have been times when people have
asked if I regret not leaving early for the NFL. After my junior year, I
did as much research as I could to find out where I would end up if I left.
Most people told me that after the top two quarterbacks, it was a tossup. I
took that as a challenge. I really wanted to show everyone what I could do.
I look back now and I say to myself that if I had made that decision to
leave, I wouldn't be feeling as good as I do right now.
I'm looking forward to the NFL combines in Indianapolis. It's a chance to
showcase my talent and meet a lot of coaches and general managers
personally, to get to know them better. They'll have questions to ask, but
I want to ask them some questions, too. The combines are a chance for the
players to find out more about the teams and the ways they're trying to
improve.
I never regret my decision to stay at Syracuse for my senior year -- the
team I was able to play with this year was so much of a family. I had a
chance to improve myself as a player, and as a team, we took our game
another step further. I hope we showed the underclassmen what it means to
play football at Syracuse.
Donovan McNabb is expected to be a high first-round draft pick in the
1999 NFL Draft in April. Check back each Sunday for another draft diary
from him at CNNSI.com.
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