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42 // VARSITY February 20, 2014 didn't end up hurting him as much as it wound up helping him. That's how good he was under the scrutiny. He was the most outstanding linebacker. "For me, personally, it was a lot of fun," Borland said. "I got to meet some players that I had played against and had seen on TV. You're being coached by an NFL staff (Atlanta's Mike Smith was the head coach of Borland's North team) and you're sur- rounded by NFL personnel and people who make decisions. "The practices are really what were important Monday through Wednesday. Pretty much all the scouts left Thursday and Friday. The game is for the fans. It allows the Senior Bowl to make some money. As far as pressure, there's pressure and eyes on your whole career. It's just the norm." Just the same, did Borland feel like he had to prove something? "No," he responded without hesitation. "Going in, I just thought I'd played my game. I'm con- fident that I have good film and I just wanted to show them that I was the real deal … I wanted to show it in person." One of the players that Borland got to know in Mobile was Missouri defensive end/linebacker/ ground-breaker Michael Sam, who will also be at the combine. "I've got nothing but positive things to say about him," Borland said. "He's a really good guy. I spent a good deal of time with him and I wish him the best. He's a heckuva football player. "I understand that the first players to open the gate are important because they're the first," he said of Sam, who's openly gay, "but I look forward to the day when it's not a story." The interview sessions in Mobile were long and intense and Borland knows that the interview ses- sions at the combine will be longer and more in- tense. "No one loves doing five hours of psychologi- cal exams in a day," he said. "But I understand that it's part of the process." He also sees and understands the big picture. "To be able to talk to GMs, scouts and coaches is really a manifestation of your dreams," he said. "It's fairly tangible now; it's everything you've worked for. All of a sudden, they're right across the table; right in front of you." No matter the line of questioning, he said, "I keep that mind that this is just a small price to pay for the eventual payout." He's seeking to build a pro career, after all, one brick at a time. "Going in, I just thought I'd played my game," Borland said. "I'm confident that I have good film and I just wanted to show them that I was the real deal … I wanted to show it in person." BOBBY MCDUFFIE / ICON SMI