Michael Sam, the openly gay All-American football star from the University of Missouri, was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft on Saturday, becoming the first openly gay athlete to ever be drafted into the NFL.
Analysts had predicted Sam might be a late-round pick, but initially, it looked like the defensive lineman would not be drafted at all on Saturday. Ultimately, the St. Louis Rams chose Sam with the 249th overall selection, keeping the University of Missouri star close to his alma mater.
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Sam, who was watching the draft with his family, broke down in tears when he got the call alerting him that he'd been selected.
Sam made headlines in February when he came out publicly as gay. He's the first openly gay man to be drafted, and if he is able to make the Rams' roster coming out of training camp, could be the first openly gay player to actually participate in an NFL game come September.
In the months leading up to the draft, many analysts, including former players, wondered aloud whether Sam's sexual orientation would turn away possible draft suitors. He had a stellar senior year at Missouri, winning the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award, and being named an All-American.
Despite the accolades, his draft status was never certain. He has long been categorized as a potential late-round pick, and scouts criticized his lack of speed and small size, which makes him a tough fit for most NFL defensive schemes. It's unclear, of course, whether or not his sexual orientation played any role in his late-round selection.
Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. I'm using every once of this to achieve greatness!! pic.twitter.com/QESdOJVzsw— Michael Sam (@MikeSamFootball) May 10, 2014
Sam's transition into the NFL and his acceptance into an NFL locker room will be an interesting storyline to follow over the next few months. The NFL has dealt with issues regarding homophobia in the past few months. Vikings punter Chris Kluwe wrote a column in January on Deadspin, claiming he was released because he supported gay marriage.
A month later, former New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma said having a gay teammate would pose a challenge to a lot of players.
There certainly didn't appear to be any issues with Sam as an openly gay player in Missouri's locker room. Sam came out to his teammates before the season started, and the team went on to a 12-2 record, including a victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.