After a successful career at the University of Texas where he won the Doak Walker award for being the best running back in the country, D'Onta Foreman opted for the NFL Draft. In the coming months, he will chronicle his journey through the draft and into the season for Men's Health periodically in a column. Here, he talks about preparing for Thursday's NFL Draft.
The family will all be here around Texas City tomorrow. I’ll have to pick up the BBQ from our neighbor down the street and just try to relax. A lot will transpire over the next few days as the NFL Draft takes place hundreds of miles away in Philadelphia, and I’m anxiously excited to see how everything plays out.
Our neighbor makes the best BBQ and he agreed to make a big batch for the occasion – and we need a lot. My aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, and basically all of my immediate family and some close friends will be on hand. Once everyone has a plate filled to the rim, we’ll park in front of the TV and wait.
They’ll be waiting for me. Not to arrive, but rather they’ll be waiting for me to get that phone call – the one that I’ve dreamt of since I first stepped onto a football field with my brother at age six – followed by my name being called on stage like so many greats have before.
That phone call will mark the end of one journey and the start of another. I could be staying close to friends and family in Texas. I could be moving across the country. I know I’m going somewhere, but where? Only time will tell.
Wherever I end up, I’ll certainly be prepared to travel. Since I left EXOS Gym at the end of March, it seems like all I have done is travel. First back to Austin for my Pro Day at the University of Texas. That morning, I woke up confident but also nervous. I missed the majority of the on-field and physical testing at the NFL Scouting Combine after a doctor found a stress fracture in my foot – one that I had been previously unaware of and that hadn’t affected my training. Unfortunately their policy did not allow me to participate further at the time. I continued training, but this also meant that my chance to impress coaches and scouts rested primarily on my Pro Day. All 32 teams had someone in the stands that day and I was ready to put on a show.
Once I hit the line for my 40-yard dash, my nerves subsided. I had trained for so long and my time was finally here. I put in the work, changed my diet, cut my weight, and added lean muscle. That all brought me here and ran through my mind while I waited for the whistle. Now, I was fired up.
Thanks to the form I perfected at EXOS, I was clocked at 4.41 to 4.46. That was right up with the fastest times at the Combine for running backs and exactly what I knew I was capable of posting. There shouldn’t be any doubt about my speed anymore.
Not only did I demonstrate my speed, I caught every ball thrown my way. I may have only caught seven passes last season, a seemingly low statistic for a running back that led the nation with 2,028 rushing yards and won the Doak Walker Award for being the top rusher in the nation, but our offensive schemes didn’t incorporate running backs in the receiving corps. I also competed with a broken pinky the majority of my junior season. With my pro day showing, I believe that I showed coaches and scouts that I do have strong receiver-like hands and feel comfortable utilizing them in game situations.
Travel picked up almost immediately after that when I had the pleasure of visiting with and working out for several NFL teams. While constantly traveling from place to place around the country, it was also important to find room to train and to stay consistent with the healthy diet that I implemented at EXOS.
The chefs may have been gone, but their lessons and meal plans stuck with me. Cooking was now on me just as it was in college. This time though, I prepared better meals for my body held myself accountable for how I fueled myself. My grocery cart was more colorful and though I do often stick to my go-to salmon with mixed veggies, brown rice, and a slice of bacon meal, I know what I should eat and that’s exactly what I try to do now.
That unhealthy lifestyle is far behind me and I feel great and always fueled. I cook for myself mostly, though I do occasionally dine out. I’ve learned to go for the salad at restaurants instead of the other options that may not be as good for my body. Specifically, I’ve come to love the Texas Roadhouse grilled chicken salad (even if I still sometimes dream of that Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen fried chicken).
Workouts have also changed slightly. Traveling has made scheduling workouts tough, but I still hit the weight room and have replaced combine-related drills with more football-related drills. Things like change of direction and catching exercises. With this lifestyle, I’ve kept my weight down at 234 pounds and I’m loving how I feel every day. I feel better, faster, stronger, and more ready for this football life than ever before.
Amidst all of the chaos has also been stress. Some nervousness that comes with the uncertainty of what my future holds in just a matter of days. Traveling has helped me not think about it, but that thought always lingers. I guess it would be more anxiety than nervousness. I’m anxious for my name to be called. Who wouldn’t be? I’ve been dreaming of this week for 15 years. I’ve put in the time, effort, and work. I’ve made the right decisions and continue to better myself each day. Now my moment of truth is staring me in the face, ready for the taking.
I know my name will be called this weekend. Sure, I want to know already where I’m going. That’s stressful, but I’m more excited than anything because wherever I end up, I’m ready to work, I’m ready to compete, and I’m ready to contribute.
For now, I have to keep getting everything set up for the family. That should provide some nice distraction, and even better when they arrive. Everyone will be in a good mood, happily filled with the best BBQ in town, and proud to watch me take this big step in my life. This is the moment I’ve dreamed of almost as long as I can remember, so I plan to sit back, enjoy this time with my family, and await that phone call to my future.
