Hardly backing in
Despite unsigned status, North grad McKeon intent on putting best foot forward at mini-camp
Naperville North football coach Larry McKeon never pressured his son Corey to become the next professional player to come out of his program.
McKeon and his wife, Sandy, sent their only son to Nebraska to get an education first and foremost.
Associated Press file
Keep track of Corey McKeon's status with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during rookie mini-camp and possibly beyond at buccaneers.com .
"He never said you gotta go out and do this, you gotta go out and do that," Corey said. "And even in high school, he just always told me, 'Go do your best. And if it works, it works, if it doesn't, it doesn't.'
"Dad's never put extra pressure on me to do anything, and I love him for it."
As of today, the 23-year-old college graduate can still make his mark in the NFL.
McKeon will enter the Buccaneers rookie mini-camp Thursday as an unsigned free agent, hoping the tryout leads to a contract.
Agent Brian Mackler advised McKeon to keep an open mind on draft day, telling him he could be selected as high as the third round or not at all.
"I really didn't have my hopes up too high," McKeon said Monday. "They didn't call my name. It's not the end of the world. I just need to get on a roster spot."
Mackler, of New York-based Sportstars, declined to comment for this article.
McKeon, who can play inside and outside linebacker as well as special teams, played middle linebacker in college but feels he best projects as an outside backer at the next level.
He and the Buccaneers have not had a chance to talk about where he'll fit in during mini-camp. The Buccaneers drafted Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes in the sixth round.
"Really all you have to do is sit down and write the scheme out for me, and I can pick it up really easily," McKeon said. "Whatever they tell me to do, I'll do it. I don't have a lot of limitations."
McKeon received his bachelor's degree in communication studies in December and then headed to Parisi's Speed School in New Jersey. He got his 40-yard dash time down to a 4.5, giving him a desired speed for an outside linebacker in the NFL.
In between training on the East Coast, McKeon played in front of representatives of every NFL team during the invite-only Hula Bowl All-Star Classic in January.
Yet McKeon felt his draft stock would have been higher after his junior year - one year after his breakout sophomore season and one year before the Cornhuskers defense declined.
"The poor year certainly wasn't all Corey's fault," Larry said prior to the draft. "When his stock dropped we kind of thought, 'Well, maybe it's not gonna happen. Maybe they think they can find somebody better somewhere else and go that direction;' but leading up to this point in time it's been a great process for us."
McKeon could become the fifth player from North in the last eight years to crack an NFL roster out of college.
Tennessee drafted Justin McCareins in 2001 and Chris Brown in 2003. The Texans drafted Glenn Earl in 2004, and the Cardinals signed Jay McCareins as a free-agent rookie in 2006 before releasing him the same year.
"I want to get into camp and show them that not only could I be a good leader, but I could be a good follower," McKeon said. "I'm good at taking direction from older players. It's just my thing. I'm able to mold in really well and contribute in any way possible."
