NFL likely to have it's first openly gay player

[Bank Shot]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/nfl-draft-prospect-michael-sam-announces-gay-become-014449190--nfl.html

Michael Sam was a very good college football player at Missouri. He'll be drafted in May, and should make a good defensive lineman for a NFL team for years to come.

Sam came out publicly as being gay on Sunday, to the New York Times and ESPN. We'll finally get to see that a player's sexual orientation has nothing to do with his ability to excel on the football field. Sam, assuming he gets drafted as expected, will be the NFL's first openly gay player.

Will the announcement hurt his draft stock? SI.com polled eight NFL personnel executives and coaches, and said that all eight "believed that Sam's announcement will cause him to drop in the draft.

Thoughts on how this will effect his draft stock?

[Friend_Of_Haley]

While I could see him dropping on many boards all it takes is one team. For his sake I hope I hope he still goes in that round 3 range. I have a feeling he's gonna rise up the casual fans rankings now

[Higga]

If he's got talent, he'll get drafted. You think a guy like Bill Bellicheck or Mike Tomlin gives a crap if a dude is gay if he can help him win games?

[NaturalBuns]

Can't project anything till I see combine workouts. If he bombs it and becomes a 6th round pick it will be interesting to see what happens. But if he does good at combine gets respectable numbers he should easily make a squad

[sixers78]

Who cares, NFL has a list of scumbags playing. Not sure how being gay trumps that. Sure there will be players or people within a franchise that don't approve of homosexuality. But that is where it'll stay, amongst themselves. If he produces on the field, who he likes is of no concern. We've seen it happen with athletes time and time again. Not sure why some feel like being gay is the ultimate no no in sports.

[gswhoops]

Who cares, NFL has a list of scumbags playing. Not sure how being gay trumps that. Sure there will be players or people within a franchise that don't approve of homosexuality. But that is where it'll stay, amongst themselves. If he produces on the field, who he likes is of no concern. We've seen it happen with athletes time and time again. Not sure why some feel like being gay is the ultimate no no in sports.

I think that's one of the most overlooked aspects of Sam's story - that the Mizzou players knew for a year and kept it completely under wraps.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are already similar situations in some NFL locker rooms.

[idajazz]

My thinking is that he goes undrafted, No team will want to deal with the media circus that will follow.

The tebow circus will be like a small town carnival in comparison.

[LAKESHOW]

hes a 6foot tall defensive end. Theres only a coupla those guys around. so we shall see.

[HMFFL]

Who cares, NFL has a list of scumbags playing. Not sure how being gay trumps that. Sure there will be players or people within a franchise that don't approve of homosexuality. But that is where it'll stay, amongst themselves. If he produces on the field, who he likes is of no concern. We've seen it happen with athletes time and time again. Not sure why some feel like being gay is the ultimate no no in sports.

I think that's one of the most overlooked aspects of Sam's story - that the Mizzou players knew for a year and kept it completely under wraps.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are already similar situations in some NFL locker rooms.

I concur.
I have a lot of respect for his fellow teammates keeping it amongst themselves.