Missouri All-American defensive end and 2014 NFL Draft prospect Michael Sam made headlines Sunday when he announced that he is gay. The former SEC Player of the Year is set to become the first publicly gay athlete in professional sports as the 6-foot-2, 260-pound pass rusher is expected to go in the 2nd to 4th round of the May draft.
Sam, who discussed his coming out with the New York Times and ESPN said that he announced his sexuality to his teammates last year where of which they gave him their full support. It wasn’t until now though his personal life would be made more public as NFL scouts started to inquire about Sam on and off the field.
At a showcase game for college seniors last month, several scouts asked Mr. Sam’s agent, Joe Barkett, questions about whether Mr. Sam had a girlfriend or whether Mr. Barkett had seen him with women.
Aside from his coming out which really shouldn’t be news, but understandably is the back story of his is pretty remarkable:
Mr. Sam said he graduated from Missouri in December, the only member of his family to attend college. He grew up in Hitchcock, Tex., near the Gulf Coast about 40 miles southeast of Houston, the seventh of eight children of JoAnn and Michael Sam. It was a difficult childhood; three of his siblings have died, and two brothers are in prison, Mr. Sam said. He was raised mostly by his mother, and he spent some years with another family who took him in. All have been supportive of his coming out, Mr. Sam said.
Obviously this is going to be a huge storyline heading towards the draft, much like Manti Te’o was last year. Gay athlete or not whoever drafts Sam will be getting a quality pass rusher in 2014.
