Coming out of high school, however, I wasn't a decorated recruit. As a result, I found myself one month from signing day with only two scholarship offers and they were from the Mid-American Conference.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I was a college football junkie. My mom attended the University of Iowa and so I can remember I used to run around the backyard in a number 6, Tim Dwight Iowa jersey when I was very little.

I’m not a guy who wants to skydive and open my parachute at the last minute. I want to open my parachute right away and know what’s coming.

I constantly want to be learning, growing and better understanding things. And see where that takes us.

Success is the American Dream. And that success is not something to be ashamed of, or to demonize.

Teach success before teaching responsibility. Teach them to believe in themselves. Teach them to think, 'I'm not stupid'. No child wants to fail. Everyone wants to succeed.

I write out my schedule for the week ahead on a white board. I step back. I take a second to look at it - to evaluate what each commitment means to me and my family. I ask myself, 'Will my participation have an impact? Is my attendance essential to the success of the event or to the person I'm supporting, even if I know I won't be present?'

I think if you want to become a great football player, professional, you must give all the time one hundred percent, you must work hard - to be lucky is a good thing - but if you work hard and you give everything you will have great success.