All football players start with a dream to play professional football in the NFL. It's always a good sight to see when people are able to make their dreams come true through hard work. Houston Texans 2020 draft pick Ross Blacklock is one of them and the rookie defensive end couldn't hide his emotions when he finally realized his childhood dream.
“Grown men do cry,” the rookie said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I thought this one didn't, but I've been crying all morning. It's tears of joy, though. I'm not a guy who shows a lot of emotions, but this is something special.”
“I feel pretty good,” he added, per Wilson. “I've been crying all morning. I'm not gonna lie to you. I think it's just all the built-up emotions from the draft leading up to this moment, just knowing all the hard work has paid off.”
Ross Blacklock played his collegiate career with the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. He became a full-time starter as a redshirt freshman in 2017. Blacklock helped lead the Frogs to the program's first-ever berth in the Big 12 Championship Game and a win in the 2017 Alamo Bowl over Stanford. He was also named as a freshman All-American and Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2017.
In 2018, the 6'4″, 305-pound player suffered a season-ending injury which caused him to miss his entire sophomore season. In the following season, he followed it up with bounce-back performances which led him to bag a first-team All-Big 12 inclusion.
Blacklock was selected with the 40th pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. The pick was included in the trade sending DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for David Johnson.
The newly-signed rookie will have his baptism of fire as the Texans visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on September 10 at Arrowhead Stadium.
