The Road Less Traveled: An Inside Look at one FCS Player's Journey to the NFL Draft

Football is a numbers game.

Nearly two million kids (ages 6-18) participated in tackle football in 2019. That's quite the number, although Forbes reported a drop of 620,000 participants from 2018. Regardless, two million helmets, shoulder pads and cleats share one common goal: Being drafted into the National Football League.

It's a dream practically anybody who has held a football at one point or another. Every spring we have the privilege of watching dreams turn into reality as the cream of the crop walk across the coveted stage and hoist a jersey with their last name etched on the back, a moment that could only be matched by lifting the Lombardi trophy itself.

It's a dream that's rarely realized, however. After climbing through the high school ranks, college football players have just a 1.6% chance of turning pro, per a recent study compiled by the NCAA. Odds remain slim if players manage to see themselves make the league, as the average career length of an NFL player currently sits around three years.

It's a rough business, as the numbers indicate. An overwhelming majority of players devote their entire lives grinding to one day wear the coveted shield on their jersey, only to be in search of a new career path by the age of 25. There's exceptions, of course. Whether it be number one overall picks such as Matthew Stafford or sixth-round picks such as Tom Brady, players will find a way to achieve longevity as a professional.

Yet for every player that gets that faithful call during the draft from a foreign area code that will become their new home, a plethora of players will have to wait until after the draft to join a team as an undrafted free agent. For every player that derives from a traditional powerhouse, there exists a prospect from a school that's scheduled as a "cupcake" early in the season.

For every Cam Newton that's exchanged pleasantries with Roger Goodell in front of the bright lights and cameras of television networks, there's an FCS (Football Championship Subdivsion) player absent from the pageantry that will have to wait his turn to hear his name called, if he gets drafted.

For every Joe Burrow, there's a Zach Larsen.

Larsen, who spent the previous three seasons anchoring Southern Utah University's offensive line, walks away from the program as one of the most decorated players in team history. Among a myriad of All-Conference and All-American honors collected through his career, Larsen also nabbed the FCS Rimington Trophy, awarded to the top center each season.

Trophy cases aren't filled by accident.

"I am a finisher" Larsen said. "I don’t just get to my block and stay in front of the guy. I make sure that the guy I’m going against ends up on the ground as much as possible."

It's rare to find such an accomplished player near the bottom of draft boards, yet this is the reality many players face who have competed at the FCS level. Naturally, scouts are going to flock to big name programs over smaller schools. Despite yearly concerns of level of competition played and overall talent of players, the NCAA reported a total of 157 FCS players on opening week rosters in 2019.

Larsen looks to raise that number in 2020.

"I felt like at the beginning of the year and before I went to all-star games that it was a big disadvantage coming from a smaller school. People always mention the competition level, saying that I wouldn’t be as good at a bigger school... People can say what they want about coming from a smaller school... I proved that I was the best center in the FCS by winning the Rimington Trophy and being a three-time All-American. I can’t wait to prove that I am one of the best centers out of any level."

In some cases, players such as Zach are afforded opportunities to impress on a national spotlight by playing bigger programs. This opportunity was afforded to Larsen when the Thunderbirds played Utah, an opportunity Larsen felt solidified his belief he could play among the best.

"I played against Utah, they had Lowell Lotulelei who was projected to be a big prospect in the upcoming draft. I pancaked him the first play of the game and took it to him the whole game,” Larson said. “He didn’t have one tackle the whole game, and that was when I knew that I could compete against anyone."

Often times, FCS players are unable to secure legitimate playing time at division one programs and opt for playing time at lower levels for a chance to be recognized. The small school appeal of a place like Southern Utah offers players a place to shine on a smaller scale while remaining close to their homes. Larsen says he loved the small college town atmosphere and playing in front of a packed stadium out of other variables. His favorite thing about SUU? Meeting his wife Ashley during his time there, a former basketball player for the Thunderbirds.

While majority of the difference between FCS and Division I football rests on the field, there are a handful of disadvantages that can separate the two classes off the gridiron. Agents may be less inclined to take on a client that may not be drafted, putting FCS players at a slight disadvantage in the race to get proper representation leading up to the draft. Larsen was just one of many players who experienced the struggles of landing a legitimate agent.

"At first it was very tough" Larsen said. "I had a couple agents tell me they would help pay for my training and costs and they backed out at the end of the season."

Pro days are among the most important tools to help players from all across the country boost their draft stock, as NFL scouts are in attendance to get an up-close and personal look at potential selections.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, Larsen's pro day was cancelled.

"It sucks big time,” he said. “I was counting on showcasing my abilities at my pro day and now I don’t get to do that. It also was frustrating because I had been training for the past 10 weeks and I was ready to go. But I didn’t let it affect me, I'm just pushing through and working harder than ever. Social media has been a huge part in this process as well. I posted a video of me benching 225 lbs 40 times, and it blew up on twitter. So, yeah it has sucked, but I am doing what I can and relying on God to help me and guide me on what is best for me."

The 40 reps Larsen pumped out would have placed him second in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, just four reps shy of Fresno State's Netane Muti.

Proday canceled- it doesn't matter 40 reps 225 💪 more videos to come #NFLDraft #40reps #SUUthunderbirds #OlinePride #DoWork #DRP pic.twitter.com/quRycSaRyK
— Zach Larsen (@zachlarsen58) March 17, 2020

One thing working in favor of Larsen? Two older brothers (Cody and Tyler Larsen), two NFL players in the family that have invaluable experience to pass on to Zach. Tyler currently plays for the Carolina Panthers, while other brother Cody previously played for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.

"We are great friends. (Tyler) has helped me a ton through the whole process,“ Larson explained. “He is the reason I have an agent at all. He helped me get in contact with Jeremy (Zach's current agent who also represents his brother), and was there for me through all of it... Having both of my brothers help me along the way has been huge for me. The biggest thing I have learned is how much I have to work to achieve my goal. They both have told me how hard it is and have helped me stay focused on my goals."

Through the draft process, it's important to be realistic about potential landing spots and where your draft stock rests. Larsen doesn't expect a last-minute invite to the virtual green room happening this year, yet he's confident he'll find a home regardless of how the draft pans out.

"From what I have seen, I am ranked as the 15th-20th center in this draft class,” Larson said. “It looks like I will probably get picked up as a UDFA after the draft. But I am doing all I can to get picked up earlier than that" said Larsen. He said he's been in contact with numerous teams through the process thus far.

Although an unfortunate reality, the odds remain stacked against players such as Larsen to sustain a successful career, let alone get drafted. Often times, players are encouraged to have a back-up plan in the event that football doesn't work out.

Larsen will save that talk for when the time arrives to walk away for the game. For now, he's locked in on doing everything he can to realize the dream so many have yet so few reach: Becoming a professional football player.

"Right now I am focusing on the NFL and that only,” he said. “I want to play football for as long as I can and I'm not going to give up very fast. I want to go back to school and get a masters degree after football is over for me."

Perhaps players like Larsen weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They didn't go to a five star program and get heavy exposure for their career. Todd McShay isn't including them in his mock drafts. No major bowl games, no combine invites, even their pro day became non-existent due to outside circumstances.

Thus is life as small school player, all for a gamble to become the coveted 1.6% of players that turn pro. But don't tell them those odds, they just might take them.