Lorenzo McCaskill: Path To The NFL Draft

By Alex Carroll

Setbacks are part and parcel of almost every football player’s journey. In classic dramatic American fashion, it can sometimes seem as if the whole process is rigged to create storylines that wouldn’t be out of place on a Hollywood movie set. But unlike the silver screen, a ‘happy ever after’ is anything but guaranteed.

Lorenzo McCaskill has encountered his fair share of adversity, but through unwavering perseverance has earned himself a shot at his childhood dream. The former Louisiana and Kansas linebacker sat down with Alex Carroll to discuss his path to the NFL Draft:

Growing up surrounded by the deprivation and prevalent crime that affects large areas of Detroit, Lorenzo McCaskill knew from an early age that he needed to get out. After a brief interview with Lorenzo, it was clear to me that anyone blessed with his levels of determination and resilience would find a way, but for Lorenzo McCaskill, it was football that offered him a different path to many of his childhood friends.

In something of a culture shock, McCaskill’s college journey began in Mississippi, and for someone used to the city life of Detroit, he would have to quickly get used to another way of life, as in his own words, “It doesn’t get any countrier than Mississippi.” It was also here that his unshakable determination was first put to the test, as he assured me, when describing the living arrangements that greeted him when arrived, that “If you would have seen what it looked like, you would have wanted to drive back home.”

Before talent and circumstance delivered McCaskill to Mississippi, he was one of countless young boys in America who fell in love with football. Enthralled with the exploits of Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings, McCaskill had dreams of becoming a star running back in the NFL from an early age. Throughout his little league and high school career, Lorenzo played both ways, as running back on offense and linebacker on defense. As he continued to grow and dreams of the NFL began to solidify into a genuine possibility, McCaskill’s coaches began to prioritise longevity over dreams of being the next Adrian Peterson. Whilst McCaskill credits his success so far to his determination, as a teenager this manifested itself as stubbornness as he “fought with every coach”, giving them an “uphill battle” in their efforts to convince him that linebacker was the smart choice for his potential NFL career.

Lorenzo at Southfield A&T High School, Detroit

Throughout the interview, Lorenzo McCaskill was keen to take every opportunity to thank those who helped him on his way. In these early years, it was the mother of a close friend, Kalon Gervin, whose kindness and generosity he remembers. Lorenzo and Kalon played little league together, with Kalon’s mum driving them to every game, before the teammates became rivals at high school. As McCaskill talked about his childhood, his fondness for this period of football was clear, as he enthusiastically explained that Kalon Gervin’s own path brought them back together at Kansas, with Gervin entering his final year next year. 

For anyone unfamiliar with the NFL’s draft system, the recruitment process of college football can seem particularly complicated. In the case of Lorenzo McCaskill however, MaCaskill’s route to a potential NFL contract could be somewhat hard to fathom even for those who religiously follow college football. As a high school senior, Lorenzo McCaskill received over twenty offers to play Division 1 football before he finally opted to commit to Cincinnati to play for the Bearcats. Following somewhat of a pattern for McCaskill however, things didn’t go as smoothly as he’d have hoped. Cincinnati, believing that McCaskill would be ineligible on academic grounds, pulled their offer, leaving him with nowhere to go. Despite working hard over summer to improve his grades, the offers to play at Division 1 colleges had disappeared and McCaskill enrolled at Northeast Mississippi Community College. Arriving with his dad to accommodation described as being “like a prison”, with “cinder block walls and one bathroom for over a hundred guys”, McCaskill was asked by his dad if he was sure about staying. For Lorenzo, the decision was easy; this was his way out of Detroit, and although it wasn’t the path he’d planned, he never questioned the decision to stay.

I asked Lorenzo what he took from his time in Mississippi, and he immediately replied with “humility”. As a high school senior with a pile of offers, it would have been easy for McCaskill to buy into his own hype and get carried away. His time at JuCo seemed to bring him back down to earth somewhat, and in his own words, “developed him as a person.” He spent his time in Mississippi trying to give back to the community and regularly helped out at the local homeless shelter. He was also keen to mention his teammates, many of whom he is still in contact with, thanking them for their support and for making him a better player.

Post Junior College, McCaskill began to enjoy real success, stringing together strong performances and regularly churning out impressive stats. Before this however, there was yet another setback for Lorenzo to overcome. After committing to play for the Ole Miss Rebels, issues and controversy relating to their recruitment meant that they had to withdraw the offer at the last minute. Once again, McCaskill found himself with nowhere to go – before Billy Napier told him about the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, a team that – at that point – was relatively unknown to McCaskill. Never one to shy away from the unknown however, McCaskill jumped in his car to drive twenty hours by himself and had, what he described as, “probably one of my best semesters of college football.”

After his time in Louisiana, McCaskill finally arrived in Kansas where he was able to test himself against the best and gain confidence in the fact that he could compete, and win, at the highest level. Challenges continued however, as he dealt with persistent shoulder injuries that hampered his performances and once again tested his mental strength. When I asked him about the highlights, the standout moments of his college career, he was initially reluctant to pick out specifics. Instead, he cited examples of personal growth, the relationships he’d made and discovering his faith as his most significant achievements. He did however, remember a match winning sack against Georgia Southern and a fierce, yet respectful rivalry with Bijan Robinson as proud moments that he looked back fondly on. 

With his college career at an end, Lorenzo McCaskill now looks forward to the possibility of an NFL contract. As ever, McCaskill dealt with the disappointment of missing out on the Combine with his typically resilient attitude. He was open and honest about the disappointment of yet another setback but experience has taught him how to deal with challenges. Instead of dwelling on the missed opportunity, he talked about his single minded focus on the next opportunity to show the NFL that he has what it takes. For McCaskill, that’s Pro Day. Potentially his last chance to show off his skills, Lorenzo is under no illusions about the importance of this opportunity, explaining, “It’s everything – I think about it every day.”

“I’d be honoured to play for any team who put faith in me”

Should this single minded approach yield the desired results, I asked Lorenzo which NFL team he would pick if he was given the choice. Diplomatic and humble as ever, his response: “I’d be honoured to play for any team who put faith in me,” could be seen as somewhat political. For a player, though, who’s suffered rescinded offers from two universities, for a player who’s never shied away from grasping any opportunity offered and responded by giving his all, it is perhaps understandable that he’s looking for a team that will give him a chance over chasing the opportunity to play for his childhood team.

Under the pressure of the culmination of his efforts to become an NFL player, Lorenzo discussed how he maintains his focus and his unwavering determination and resilience. Once again, rather than focusing on himself, he highlighted the significance of the relationship he shares with his ex-collegiate athlete grandfather. Interestingly though, their conversations usually focus less on football, but more on how to put things into perspective and continuing on his personal drive to become a better person.

Throughout my conversation with Lorenzo McCaskill, a few things became abundantly clear. Firstly, should he be successful in his quest to become an NFL star, he will have his mental strength and determination to thank. This is a young man who knows how to deal with adversity, instead of dwelling on injustice and bad luck, McCaskill has an impressive ability to evaluate situations and make clear decisions about how to achieve his goal.

Secondly, he is fully aware of the role of others in his success. When discussing the different milestones in his life so far, it is clear to McCaskill who he has to thank for his success. Whether it’s his parents for encouraging him or his Church for guiding him, McCaskill understands how important the people with whom he surrounds himself are.

Finally, as important as an NFL career is to him, remembering his roots and giving back to the community are paramount. He is committed to continuing his work with the homeless and he finished our interview with a pledge to mention Detroit at all times. He knows he’s lucky to have escaped a future where violence and crime were real prospects, and he’s determined to help more people avoid these issues. Lorenzo McCaskill has no plans to leave his hometown behind no matter how far he has to go to play football.

ALEX CARROLL

GUEST WRITER

An ardent follower of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Alex has been an avid football fan ever since his first trip to Wembley back in 2008. His fondness for the Arkansas Razorbacks stems from the ‘Wild Hogs’ days of Darren McFadden. Follow him on Twitter @MrCarroll1988.

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A huge thank you to Lorenzo for taking the time to talk to us. Everyone at The Touchdown wishes him well in his future career.