Is Michael Sam NFL material?

At this time last year, Michael Sam made world wide headlines as he became the first openly gay NFL draft prospect in football history. After Sam’s much talked about revelation, he was selected by the St. Louis Rams with 249th pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Fast forward to 2015, Sam is just another NFL free agent looking for a new opportunity in the league.

Sam participated in the first ever NFL veteran combine which was held in Arizona on March 22nd. According to a Josh Weinfuss report on ESPN.com, Sam’s best 40 yard dash time was a very pedestrian 4.99 seconds. After watching Sam’s workout myself, I didn’t see much fluidity in Sam’s footwork and his stiff hips looked evident when changing direction in certain drills.

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As it pertains to his on-field skill set, the knock on Sam is that he is too small to play defensive end and not athletic enough to play linebacker at the NFL level. After such an underwhelming workout from Sam, I think it is pretty apparent that this initial assessment of Sam’s abilities remains unchanged.

Aug 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam (96) looks on prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It looks to me like Michael Sam’s game needs to take a totally new direction. In order to find a home in the NFL, I believe Sam will have to prove that he can successfully make the transition to linebacker. As a classic tweener, I feel it would be easier for Sam to drop about 15 pounds or so and convert to a linebacker as opposed to adding an extra 25 pounds and risk losing even more agility in order to remain at defensive end.

Sam’s lack of size clearly limits his upside as an NFL defensive end as evident by his brief stints with both the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys. I don’t think many NFL teams are in the market for an undersized situational pass rusher which is exactly what Sam is in my opinion. That is why I think Sam’s best shot at the NFL is to re-invent himself and try a new position.

I’m not suggesting that changing positions is a full proof idea that will guarantee Sam another NFL opportunity. Furthermore, Sam’s combine workout leaves me doubting whether or not he can even play linebacker to begin with. I’m suggesting a new position for Sam because he simply couldn’t make the cut as a defensive end at the NFL level.

Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys practice squad player Michael Sam watches warm ups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

It is unrealistic to expect Sam to learn a totally new position by the start of the 2015 NFL season. Therefore, Sam’s next step should be to explore opportunities in other leagues such as the CFL or even the FXFL. If Sam can put together some quality film of his transformation as a leaner and more athletic looking linebacker, he may have a puncher’s chance at returning to the NFL in a few years. In addition, I think if Sam were to play linebacker in another league, he could provide added value as a potential special teams player.

Sam enjoyed immense success as a collegiate defensive end capturing SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. However, Sam is quickly finding out that college success is not always an accurate barometer for NFL potential. Michael Sam definitely has an uphill battle ahead of him if he has plans on sticking to an NFL roster, but I would be interested to see if a position change could help further his career.

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