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New England Patriots talent Brandon Copeland has received his share of inspiration throughout his NFL career. A previously undrafted linebacker out of the University of Pennsylvania, the young aspiring pro wasn't sure he could openly speak about his dreams with some of his Ivy League college teammates.
“I wanted to be an NFL player, but I wouldn’t tell anybody that,” Copeland told Alicia Jessop of The Athletic. “I have always used football as a means to an end. In high school, it was my way to get into college. Now, football is a lifeline for me. I remember hearing J. Cole’s ‘Too Deep For The Intro’ and thinking that at a school like Penn, I was going to be laughed at for talking about trying to go to the NFL.”
Copeland ultimately latched on to his dream with the Baltimore Ravens, though he was waived months after. The Tennessee Titans and the Detroit Lions would sign him to their roster, but neither brought him onto the field.
It wasn't until 2018 that he would get his big break with the New York Jets, playing all 16 games and starting in 10 while recording 35 tackles and five sacks.
He signed a one-year, $1.05 million deal with the Patriots on March 25. While he spends most of his offseason training, he's managed to give back as an Ivy League professor.
“Football provides me the opportunity for optionality and freedom,” he said. “When I say optionality, I mean I own homes in Detroit, have opportunities to broadcast, and am a professor at Penn. Having an offseason that I utilize the way I do helps me create optionality.”
Copeland has put the brains and the brawn together to forge an NFL career, even if his undrafted status gave him a slim opportunity to begin with.
