Sony Michel recalls what he was thinking the night he got drafted
"I did not plan on getting drafted in the first round."
The NFL draft is typically a high-profile day for top draftees. Hearing their name called and going on stage, or being surrounded by family and friends when the phone rings and hearing a renowned coach or team owner on the other end is usually one of the most memorable moments of a player’s career.
For first-rounder Sony Michel, 2018 NFL Draft day was much more low-key.
“I did not plan on getting drafted in the first round,” Michel said last week at a Gillette-sponsored event at the Patriots’ home stadium. “I wasn’t at the draft, I wasn’t having a draft party.”
Michel might have been being modest. The 23-year-old running back finished his senior year at Georgia with 1,227 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He was projected to be a late-first or early-second round pick in the draft, with some placing him as early as the 25th pick. On draft night, Michel was with his family but was watching alone in his room as the draft closed in on pick 31.
Isaiah Wynn, Michel’s roommate and teammate at Georgia, was drafted 23rd by the New England Patriots and told his friends in their group message.
“When he got drafted, he wasn’t texting in the group chat as much because he was celebrating, but he just texted, ‘Patriots,’ before it went on TV” Michel said. “When I got called, I texted ‘Patriots,’ before it came on TV, because you get the call before it comes on TV. It was just amazing to know that we were going to be together.”
But before he got his call on draft night, Michel was doubtful that he’d be called in the first round.
“I was just watching it and next thing you know, my phone rang,” he said. “And I had something in my mind that told me, ‘Maybe I can get called,’ but I was like, ‘Nah, I’m not going to get called in the first round, no way.’ And I got a call. My phone rang and I saw the number pop up, and I knew it was a team. I [saw] MA on it, but I couldn’t put MA with Massachusetts. Like ‘What team is this?’ And then I answered it and it was Mr. [Robert] Kraft and coach [Bill] Belichick on the phone, and I didn’t know what to say to them. All I did was thank them while they were talking. I think I was being rude by thanking them so much, but it was a surreal moment for me.”
Michel notched 3,613 rushing yards in his career at UGA and finished with 33 touchdowns. In his eleven games with the Patriots so far in his rookie season, he’s started seven, rushed for 765 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns.
