Making it to the National Football League is the dream of many high school football players. But the reality is very few do. Fifteen Utah prep athletes — from 15 different high schools — currently dot NFL rosters. Most went to large high schools, though not all of them. Ten attended in-state universities, while five went on to play college ball elsewhere. Several are NFL starters with their teams. Others are just hoping to climb the depth chart.
Kevin Curtis
Hometown: South Jordan
High school: Bingham
Year graduated: 1996
Tale of the tape: Then: 5'11" 150; Now: 5'11" 185
Position: wide receiver Years pro: 3
Team: St. Louis Rams
Memorable moment: Playing on a mediocre team that knocked off highly ranked Brighton in a first-round state playoff game.
Inspiration: "Whatever I tried to do, I had to put all my effort into it. I just wanted to be the best player I could be . . . I had to go out and make things happen, because nothing was ever given to me."
After football: Not sure
Chalk talk: "Just believe in yourself. I just think half of it is confidence, feeling like you can. If you don't believe in yourself, you've already lost the battle right there."
Reno Mahe
Hometown: Sandy
High school: Brighton
Year graduated: 1998
Tale of the tape: Then: 5'8" 180; Now: 5'10" 212
Position: running back
Years pro: 3
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Memorable moment: Scoring four touchdowns in a win over Alta when both teams were ranked No. 1 in the two Salt Lake papers.
Inspiration: "For me, dude, it's all about beating the odds, man."
After football: Coach and teach high school
Chalk talk: "Football is just a sport. I just have fun playing football. I never cried after a game. I never took football to heart, that it's my life. I just did it to have fun."
Derek Smith
Hometown: American Fork
High school: American Fork
Year graduated: 1993
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'2" 205; Now: 6'2" 240
Position: linebacker
Years pro: 9
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Memorable moment: Victory over powerful Skyline. "We lost to them the year before. They came to American Fork and were supposed to roll through us."
Inspiration: "Going step by step. Getting a chance to have college paid for, then realizing I could make a living playing football."
After football: Real estate and development
Chalk talk: "Get your grades. You can't do anything without grades."
Junior Ioane
Hometown: Fairview
High school: North Sanpete
Year graduated: 1996
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'4" 265; Now: 6'4" 312
Position: defensive end
Years pro: 6
Team: Houston Texans
Memorable moment: "Just making All-State. I started off playing football my freshman year. I didn't even know how to put pads on."
Inspiration: "It really wasn't a goal for me, because I really didn't know how to play. We didn't have money in Samoa. We struggled to put food on the table. That makes you want to work harder. That by far was the biggest motivator for me."
After football: Real estate; build a boys ranch in central Utah
Chalk talk: "Take advantage of every opportunity that you get, not only on the football field but in the classroom."
Travis Hall
Hometown: West Jordan
High school: West Jordan
Year graduated: 1990
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'5" 215; Now: 6'5" 288
Position: defensive end
Years pro: 11
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Memorable moment: Playing on a lousy team, but defeating No. 1 Granger 10-8 in the last game of the season. "They scored on a kickoff. It was their only score all day."
Inspiration: "Honestly, I was a huge hockey guy. That was my passion. I love hockey, and football just kind of happened."
After football: Market weight-training equipment; commercial development; be a dad
Chalk talk: "The biggest thing for me is to just stay focused, stay focused on your goals. I've seen too many guys with talent who wanted to screw around."
Colby Bockwoldt
Hometown: Sunset
High school: Northridge
Year graduated: 1999
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'1" 205; Now: 6'2" 245
Position: linebacker
Years pro: 2
Team: New Orleans Saints
Memorable moment: "One that stands out is when we beat Skyline my senior year, at Skyline. We beat them in overtime."
Inspiration : "My dad played pro for two or three years. I always thought that was neat. I love this game. It has always been a love since I was 8 or 9 years old."
After football: Start a business; work 9 to 5 with weekends off.
Chalk talk: "Have fun. It's a fact that not everyone is going to go and play college ball. At that time of life, don't get stressed out about wins and losses. Go out there and have fun. It's definitely the best time of life."
Kirk Chambers
Hometown: Provo
High school: Provo
Year graduated: 1997
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'7" 270; Now: 6'7" 315
Position: tackle
Years pro: 2
Team: Cleveland Browns
Memorable moment: Former BYU star and Provo graduate Hema Heimuli calling Provo pathetic in a speech before the homecoming game. Converting a 4th down play on its own 20-yard line to keep a drive alive to win the game for the first time in a decade.
Inspiration: "It's always been a childhood dream. I got into football, because my older brothers were into to it."
After football: college sports administration
Chalk talk: "Just never think you have it made. Never take anything for granted. A lot of kids my age should have played Division 1 football. They thought it was in the bag already."
Chad Lewis
Hometown: Orem
High school: Orem
Year graduated: 1989
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'4" 175; Now: 6'4" 252
Position: tight end
Years pro: 8
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Memorable moment: "When I was a junior, we took state. We beat Skyline. I didn't do anything but play on the punt return team. I was just a body." (And a small one at that. Lewis only weighed 140 that season.)
Inspiration : Orem High coach Tom Rabb. "He was something else. He was a really quiet guy. Everything about him was team and discipline and doing things the right way. He was not a marketer or self-promoter, just a great person and a great coach. He changed my life in a big way."
After football: NFL representative in China; coaching
Chalk talk: From Coach Rabb: If it's to be, it's up to me. "I wasn't the greatest player, but mentally and physically, I gave everything I had. The goal is not to go pro and make a million bucks. The goal is to give everything you have and do things right. At every level, if you have a spirit that won't quit, you can be great."
Barry Sims
Hometown: Park City
High school: Park City
Year graduated: 1993
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'5" 245; Now: 6'5" 315
Position: tackle
Years pro: 7
Team: Oakland Raiders
Memorable moment: "Playing state semifinals against Beaver down there. I was the punter. We were backed up with 4th and 35. The ball was snapped, and it took a bounce. I caught it and ended up picking up first down. The punt return team was setting up the return and running the other way. It was almost like I was chasing them."
Inspiration: "I would say people saying I could not do something. That always drives me when people say I could not do something."
After football: Continue college education; play golf
Chalk talk: "First and foremost, make sure that you get good enough grades to help you go where you want to go. In football, play every play like your last. You're always one snap away from never playing again. You don't want to have any regrets that you didn't play hard enough."
Chris Cooley
Hometown: Logan
High school: Logan
Year graduated: 2000
Tale of the tape: Then: 6'4" 200; Now: 6'4" 245
Position: tight end
Years pro: 2
Team: Washington Redskins
Memorable moment: "After a win, we sang a victory song. I could still sing it for you word-for-word right now."
Inspiration: "I think the biggest thing for me is I love being part of a team. I go to work everyday and hang out with 60 guys. It's like hanging out with 60 15-year-olds. That's what always kept me excited about football."
After football: Teach high school and coach wrestling
Chalk talk: "You have to go hard every play. You can't take plays off. Always keep a motor running. Hal Garner (former Logan assistant coach and NFL player) told me something I've always remembered: Everyday do one thing that makes you stand out from everyone else."