Defensive end Greg Rousseau turned one full college season at Miami into an NFL dream.
He’ll begin his NFL journey with the Buffalo Bills determined to stretch his rookie year into a long, productive career.
The 6-6 1/2, 266-pound Rousseau on Thursday became the second Hurricane taken in the NFL Draft when he went 30th overall to the Buffalo Bills, marking the first time in 15 years that two defensive ends from the same school were drafted in the first round.
The first Hurricane to get picked Thursday was Jaelan Phillips, who went 18th overall to the Miami Dolphins.
UM’s historic duo repeated the same feat produced by North Carolina State in 2006, when Mario Williams went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans and Manny Lawson went 22nd overall to the San Francisco 49ers.
The last time two Hurricanes were picked in the first round was in 2015, when offensive lineman Ereck Flowers went ninth overall to the New York Giants and receiver Phillip Dorsett went 29th to the Indianapolis Colts.
Rousseau told the Miami Herald heading into the draft that “it would be amazing” should he and Phillips pull off the first-round coup. “It’s a blessing just to be drafted,’’ he said. “Whether Jaelan goes first or I go first, that’s our goal. UM really changed my life. That’s why opting out was so hard after everything the Canes did for me. Coach [Manny] Diaz and Coach [Mark] Richt believed in me even though I wasn’t a super highly rated recruit. Awesome experience.’’
After an extraordinary 2019 redshirt freshman season that included 15 1/2 sacks and 19 1/2 tackles for loss, Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season the day before fall camp began in August. The COVID-19 pandemic was raging and no one was sure if the college season would even be played. Rousseau’s mother is a neuro/ICU nurse who worked with coronavirus patients at Broward’s Florida Medical Center, though she eventually stepped away.
Rousseau’s father repairs fire trucks and emergency vehicles for the city of Hialeah in Miami-Dade County.
Rousseau, who turned 21 April 5, said back then that his parents were “both at the front lines and I don’t know how that would affect me if I got sick or brought [COVID] home to my little brother who has asthma.”
“I wish I could have played with them longer,’’ he said. “It really does take a piece out of my heart. But I’m doing what’s best for my family.’’
What happened in 2018, Rousseau’s first season? He broke his right ankle in the second game and was immediately done until the next season.
PHENOMENAL YEAR
Turns out that his one year in 2019 was more than enough to draw the attention of the NFL, though he also was criticized leading up to the draft for having a very limited resume and possibly being a one-year wonder. In addition to the 15 1/2 sacks and 19 1/2 tackles-for-loss in 13 games (only the last seven of them starts), Rousseau had seven quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His sack total was one fewer than No. 2 overall 2020 NFL Draft pick Chase Young of Ohio State, who led all of college football in 2019.
But he never complained, and always expressed his gratitude, whether it was while he was playing or afterward.
“I knew I’d be good, but if I said I’d end up where I am I’d be lying to you,’’ Rousseau told the Herald. “I was blessed beyond measure to have the season I had.
“It is what it is,’’ he said of the naysayers. “There’s a lot of hate out there, but everybody is entitled to their opinions. They didn’t break my spirit. I know what I can do — 100 percent.’’
TALENT AND ‘HEART’
Rousseau said before the draft that reason a team would be fortunate to draft him was because of his “versatility, motor and heart.”
“Off the field I’m not going to be a negative person in the locker room. I’ll be a positive light. I’ll be a leader at a young age and I’m definitely going to contribute to the community.
“I’m going to lay it on the line. I’m going to play special teams. I’m going to do everything I can to help my team win, but also elevate the team that picks me off the field. Whoever believes me is going to get a great person.”
