The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has passed, but there are still more players set to join teams over the weekend’s remaining rounds. Even undrafted free agents will find a place in hopes they can make it through training camp and onto rosters. While being selected high in the draft comes with its own pressures, making the transition from college football to professional play is challenging for all newcomers.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray understands this well after being picked first overall in 2019’s Draft. Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams now faces similar expectations as a quarterback, but Murray warns that the NFL presents unique challenges for all players regardless of draft positioning.
“As far as the league goes,” said Murray during an interview with Recover 180, “the off-field stuff and being in the professional building – carrying yourself the right way at all times is already ingrained in us [as quarterbacks]. That adjustment – schedule, lifestyle change etc., for me, the biggest thing was that college and NFL were completely different.”
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown agrees with Murray’s assessment but notes that first-round picks often have an easier time dealing with these pressures due to their high salaries on rookie deals. “Does a brown bear poop in the woods?” he quipped when asked about his own draft positioning, which came later than expected last year. This experience motivated him enough to sign a four-year, $120 million contract extension with over $77m guaranteed just this month – but for many other players picked lower down or not at all in the Draft, it’s essential to have self-motivation and drive if they want to succeed.
Staying focused is critical during training camp because there are no guarantees even then: some newcomers might get cut before the regular season starts, while others may last only a few weeks into their NFL careers. “When you’re drafted later or go undrafted,” St. Brown explained, “you have to remember that it’s a completely different mindset and motivation from people picked early.” But, whether driven by proving wrong the teams who passed them over in earlier rounds or just an innate desire for success, this self-motivation goes a long way – especially for those selected later on.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle also emphasizes that draft position doesn’t matter as much as how players perform every day they show up to practice and games: “As long as you’re consistent, as long as you’re your best self every single day and put in the work on tape,” he said. Respecting others around them is also essential for rookies – but Kittle warns against being too uptight or stiff around established pros: this could result in errors rather than encouraging productivity instead.”
Like other successful athletes before him, Murray’s own experiences with coaching at Oklahoma under Lincoln Riley and playing backup to Baker Mayfield as the No.1 pick in 2017 helped prepare him for life in the NFL – but he still cautions newcomers not to change who they are or what made them stand out during college football: “Be yourself,” Murray advises, “because that’s why you got drafted and that’s who these people want.”
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