UCLA offensive lineman Atonio Mafi is sharing his journey to the NFL draft through a weekly diary leading up the event April 27.
. This week, Mafi discusses the most important lessons he’s learned and the advice he would give anyone going through the same process.That was one of the most important lessons I’ve learned these last few months while prepping for the NFL draft. Unlike my time at UCLA, when my scholarship was basically guaranteed, nothing is assured about professional football.
There’s only 53 players on an active NFL roster. Even if you get drafted and make the team, you can get replaced at any time. You’ve got to be able to stick. So that’s been my mission, to build and maintain the habits that will give me the best chance to have a long career. Your job’s never safe, so you just have to keep working.
I just keep reminding myself that this is the game I love to play, this is the dream and what I’ve been working toward for so long. So you’ve got to take the time to look around and enjoy the process.The NFL guys I’ve talked to the last few months have told me that having the right mindset is the most important thing.
Everyone in the league is just as fast as you, everyone’s just as strong. What matters is if you’re willing to get better as the season progresses. Staying hungry is what can keep you around. Someone’s paying you millions of dollars to do a job and do it at a high level, so you’ve just got to try to find that balance. You have to remember at the end of the day it’s still a game but understand why there is so much pressure because there’s a lot of money on the line.
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