LAS VEGAS, Nevada — One of my favorite parts about the NFL Draft is hearing a new crop of stories about how each prospect got to where they are. The anecdotes that especially stand out to me are the ones that show how much the game has grown, like Pittsburgh defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado’s.
While Baldonado grew up playing several sports in Rome, Italy, he didn't pick up American football until he was 16 years old. The Roman only played one year of high school football in the United States before suiting up for the Panthers and becoming a draft prospect who stood out during the East-West Shrine Bowl in the Las Vegas Raiders’ backyard.