“Five minutes,” someone announces.
My stomach flips. There’s a momentary rise in voices as excitement and nerves fill the air. I can almost feel it.
We’re brought beverages, and then I’m staring at the screen with muted coverage of the stage with its bright lights and bigscreen overlooking a massive audience. The NFL commissioner, Robert Lore, steps onto the stage, and there’s a loud cheer.
I barely hear his words as he addresses those watching. This moment feels surreal. Like I’m dreaming. As if I’m not really here. So many people, everyone I’ve ever played football with, have wished for this moment. For so few, it happens in real life.
The room hushes as the commissioner states, “The first pick in the 2019 NFL draft is in. Arizona Wings selects Royce Kyler of Longwood University.”
His stats appear on the screen, denoting him as 5’10”, 207lbs, with an overall grade of 90. He is a quarterback from LU, the first ever to be drafted in the NFL, and is the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner.
Arizona Wings signed Kyler to a four-year, $35.158 million contract with a fifth-year option. He also received a $23.58 million signing bonus.
Those numbers make my stomach flip. In the corner of the screen that doesn’t have Kyler’s stats is a shot of the cameras tracking Kyler’s progress until he gets to the stage. Once he’s on the stage, all his stats are relegated to a bar across the bottom of the screen, and the image of Kyler posing with the commissioner takes up the entire screen.
We sit through round two where Bosan Nicks, a defensive end out of Ohio State, is picked up by the San Francisco Grizzlies for a four-year, $33.5 million contract with a $22.4 million dollar signing bonus.
As we’re watching him on the screen make his way to the commissioner, someone in the room loudly touts, “That’s what a real man looks like.”
Anger floods my body, but Coach looks at his perfectly painted nails and states, “Careful, your fragile masculinity is showing.”
Silence settles around the room. I don’t bother trying to hide my smile as I stare at Nicks making his way through the hall toward the stage. His stats are pretty good. There’s a little box that pops up stating that he’s currently the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. That’s pretty cool.
I can feel the chill from the corner where someone thought they’d insult Coach. I don’t know who it was, and I frankly don’t care. Tension fills the room after the exchange, but my eyes are locked on the screen. My hand grips Kendrick’s tightly as the Commissioner steps up to his podium again.
“The third pick in the 2019 NFL draft, the New York Tides select, Brevan Skeeter, cornerback. Rainbow Dorset.”
Chills break out over my body, and for just a second, I stare at the screen. My name and an image of me on the field pop up. Holy shit. Oh my god.
“Brevan,” Cody yells and pulls me to my feet. He wraps his arms around me and hugs me tightly. Tears instantly blur my vision when he says, “Our parents and grandparents would be so proud of you, Brev.I’mso fucking proud of you. You did it, baby brother! You did it.”
I squeeze him for another second as I try to force down my emotions.
He lets me go, and I wipe my eyes. Coach squeezes me tightly and reminds me, “There’s no shame in tears. Congratulations, Brevan. I knew you could do it.”
Then I’m in Kendrick’s arms and there aren’t any words. None except his quiet, “I love you, sweetheart. I’m so damn proud. Go get your jersey.”
I step back and wipe my eyes, Kendrick’s words ringing in my ears.I love you.The room is chaotic as people clap, watching me. There’s a whole train of people pointing me along, and I follow their instructions that lead me up the stairs and down a hall.
My cheeks hurt, and I realize my smile is so fucking wide. I did this. It’s real, and it’s happening. I’m in the NFL. I’m a professional football player.
I love you.
A man that I’m sure I know meets me right before the hall ends and hands me a New York Tides hat. I accept it and do the whole handshake half-hug thing that guys tend to do while he congratulates me.
Then he ushers me on.
I love you.
The lights are blinding as I step out onto the stage toward the commissioner and once more accept the same congratulatory handshake half-hug thing before he unfolds a fake NY jersey that has my name on the back and the number one. We pose for the audience. For the cameras. For the world to see me, little queer Brevan Skeeter, drafted as the third overall 2019 NFL draft pick.
This might be the best day of my entire life, but as I stand there and stare out at the audience, knowing that my life will never be the same again, I know it isn’t my draft that’s at the core of this monumental moment. It’s not the biggest thing that happened today. Not the most important. Not even the most significant.
Kendrick’s words echo loudly in my head, drowning out everyone and everything.I love you. Those words right there have transformed my life in the blink of an eye. Nothing will ever be the same again.
CHAPTER 36
KENDRICK
