Drew Brees had a prolific career at Purdue University before becoming the MVP of the Super Bowl champion. Due in large part to Drew Brees only being listed as six feet tall and coming off a high school knee injury, his options for college scholarship offers were limited before Purdue wisely gave him the opportunity to show off your skills in the football-focused Big Ten Conference. Unfortunately for several NFL franchises that passed on Drew Brees, the transition from high school to college wouldn’t be the last time Brees was underestimated in terms of his abilities to (1) overcome the lack of size and (2) recover from a career-threatening injury.

Drew Brees has been successful on the soccer field at every level at which he has competed. Growing up in Austin, Texas, the Lone Star State native compiled an impressive prep resume at the renowned Westlake High School in the state capital of Austin. During his two seasons as the starting quarterback, Drew Brees was undefeated with 28 wins and no losses. Brees led the Westlake Chaparrals to a state championship (played at Texas Stadium) as a junior and looked poised to capture a second straight state championship as a senior before tearing his ACL in the third round of the state playoffs. .

Despite his perfect high school record, doubts about his size (just under six feet and weighing less than 200 pounds) and his ability to recover from a serious knee injury greatly downplayed college offers. which Drew Brees received. As an academically inclined young man, the school decision came down to being the signal caller at the Ivy League school Brown University or moving to West Lafayette, Indiana to join the Purdue Boilermakers. Recruiters for traditionally top-tier football powerhouse programs weren’t courting Drew…but they should have been. Brees ultimately chose the more challenging football path between Purdue and Brown by deciding to enroll at Purdue in an effort to lead the Boilermakers to Big Ten Conference success, a feat rarely accomplished at West Lafayette.

At Purdue, Drew Brees exceeded the expectations of even his most optimistic proponents by putting together a model college football career that should be the envy of all student-athletes. The future NFL professional bowler achieved an impressive series of records with braces while wearing a Boilermaker uniform. At the time of his release from school, Drew left the NCAA with numerous Big Ten records for high-profile categories such as touchdown passes, passing yards, and completions (among others). In recognition of his personal and team success (winning a trip to the Rose Bowl), Brees received consideration for several illustrious awards, including the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award, and Maxwell Award, all of which are in recognition of his outstanding performance. .

The positive experience Drew Brees had at Purdue wasn’t limited to the playing field. In the classroom, Drew held to the same high standards and level of responsibility that he has always been known for as a soccer player. In addition to earning a degree in Industrial Administration, his combined success in academics and athletics earned Brees the esteemed honor of being selected Academic All-American Player of the Year.

Coming out of Purdue University, Drew Brees found himself in family circumstances where NFL teams were reluctant to invest in a man who wasn’t up to the task of his height and weight. Despite some early rebounds, Brees finally found his groove with the San Diego Chargers before a shoulder injury sidelined the quarterback. The stigma of the shoulder problem dramatically reduced Drew Brees’ perceived future value, but once again, the undersized player proved his critics wrong by enjoying a tremendously successful career with the New Orleans Saints that culminated in a win at the Super Bowl in February 2010.

The success that Drew Brees was able to transfer from Purdue University to the NFL despite being labeled too small should serve as both an inspiration to undersized players and a wake-up call to recruiters and scouts whose statistical analysis fails. properly measure talent and heart.