In a little over a month, millions of college students from all across the United States will be scrambling to contact their dad’s boss’ friend’s brother, or whoever they may happen to know, to place them in a job somewhere. The process of creating a resume with work experience, relevant skills and references will all go towards an eventual interview and hopefully towards securing a job.
For 32 men, the job search will conclude Saturday with the hiring process known as the first round of the NFL draft.
The quest for a job for a collegiate athlete is a lot more similar to that of a student than one would think. Their work experience — the countless games played throughout their career. Their interview — combines and pro-scout days. And their references — well, that’s where the fan would think the coaches come in to play.
But for a player with the character of Wendell Bryant, there’s more to it than just Xs and Os.
Bryant’s body of work speaks for itself. He led UW in sacks in 2001 (eight), was constantly double teamed yet still accumulated 69 tackles, and he wears two rings from Rose Bowl victories.
His interview was jaw-dropping. He ran the 40-yard dash in under five seconds, and he lasted for minutes on end with Cincinnati Bengals offensive line coach and UW grad Tim Krumrie in a drill that looked like a scene out of “The Karate Kid.” Bryant and Krumrie chopped at each other, neither budging an inch, until Krumrie gave the St. Louis native a few seconds to breathe.
References, well they don’t come much better than Barry Alvarez.
Yet Bryant, like many other players at UW, submitted a list consisting of more than mere football minds.
Michael Gutter, an assistant professor in the school of Consumer Science, taught Bryant in an introductory financial planning course as well as an advanced investment management course in the fall. While Bryant was in his class, Gutter said, he met the teacher regularly to discuss his classwork — and his future.
“I have been contacted by NFL teams,” Gutter said. “They wanted to know more about Wendell’s character, how he interacts with other students, how he treats authority in a classroom setting and what his work ethic is like. I had nothing negative to say at all about Wendell.”
Gutter has not spoken to the defensive tackle since the fall, and was frankly surprised when one scout called him and another one came into his office and visited with him for 45 minutes.
“I have no idea how they got my number; Wendell didn’t say anything about it,” Gutter said. “I assume that he had to fill out applications for the draft, and there was a section for references, and he put my name down. It was a great feeling on my end to be listed as a reference.”
Bryant may be the football star, but Gutter has been through this process before.
He served as a teaching assistant at Ohio State University from 1997-2000, where professional basketball and football clubs each contacted him. Ohio State boasted football players like Orlando Pace, Shawn Springs, David Boston, Antoine Winfield, Andy Katzenmoyer and Ahmed Plummer — all first-round selections in their respective drafts from 1997-2000. Meanwhile, Milwaukee Bucks standout Michael Redd was also with the Buckeyes during that time period.
Needless to say, Gutter has had experience dealing with athletes and the draft process. This year, however, is a little different.
“I have never seen [the process] to this level,” Gutter said. “It has been more than I expected, but no professor is unwilling to serve as a reference, especially for a guy like Wendell.”
References phoned by league scouts are not permitted to relinquish the clubs that contacted them, and furthermore, Gutter is specifically forbidden from disclosing which teams came to speak to him about No.77.
As a consumer science major, it makes sense for a student like Bryant, who will be indulged in millions of dollars within less than a week, to confide in a professor like Gutter.
“I have never solicited any business from my students, and I wouldn’t even think to do that,” Gutter said. “But when Wendell and I have met and I have offered advice about choosing a financial advisor carefully. I told him to do a thorough background check. But I am a teacher, not a financial advisor; I just gave Wendell advice as to how to go about choosing one.”
The selection process is complicated. In addition to academics, UW’s sports information staff has been contacted by its counterpart — media relations staffs from professional organizations.
Teams have inquired about players’ abilities to deal with the media and whether or not the student-athlete is willing to conduct interviews on a regular basis.
With all the phone calls made to professors and staffs within universities from around the nation, one wonders how Lawrence Phillips, a convicted sexual and domestic abuser, was ever drafted sixth overall in 1996 by the St. Louis Rams.
Remember something: Like any other corporation, an NFL team is making an investment in future employees in order to help the good of the company.
Only a prospect like Wendell Bryant is a multi-million dollar investment.
