North-western University (NU) Wildcats Football Players

The North-western University (NU) Wildcats football program had three players selected in the 2010
NFL Draft that was held in April in New York City. The three players from North-western who were
taken in the 2010 draft are:

• Corey Wootton (defensive end): Chicago Bears in round four with pick 109

• Mike Kafka (quarterback): Philadelphia Eagles in round four with selection 122

• Sherrick McManus (cornerback): Houston Texas in round five with pick 144

Corey Wootton was the first Northwestern Wildcats to come off the board during the 2010 NFL
Draft weekend that was nationalized televised. Corey is a 6’6″ 270 pound defensive lineman who is
originally from Rutherford, New Jersey.

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith is excited about bringing the young talent of the college
football star who excelled across town in Evanston, Illinois to Soldier Field in Chicago where the Bears
play. The inclement weather sustained during many outdoor professional football games in Chicago
has for decades encouraged the local NFL team to emphasize the defensive side of the ball. There
are high hopes in the windy city that Corey will continue the tradition of excellent defensive players
that have long been the signature aspect of the Chicago Bears franchise.

Mike Kafka was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles to play for a team that recently opened a void at
the starting quarterback position when they sent long time successful signal caller Donavon McNabb
to the conference rival Washington Redskins during the off season. While expectations are tempered
for Kafka he will be entering an environment where he will be able to compete with the Eagles 2007
second round draft pick of Kevin Kolb for the starting quarterback position. As a versatile
quarterback who led the North-western Wildcats in rushing and passing touchdowns in 2009 Mike
should be excited about joining an established contender in the Eagles who already have a top notch
defines and ground game.

The final player from North-western taken in the 2010 NFL Draft was cornerback Sherrick McManis.
Sherrick is a 6’1″ 190-pound cornerback that the Houston Texans hope can add some youth and
speed to their secondary.

Under young head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the North-western Wildcats have remerged as a contender
in the Big Ten Conference that is also developing a reputation for producing NFL talent. Over the
past two seasons Coach Fitzgerald has turned around the North-western football program that has
historically been mediocre at best (458-600-44 all-time record) into a successful big-time program
that went 9-4 in 2008 and 8-5 in 2009.
Kim, the author of this piece, suspects that the three men from NU taken in the 2010 NFL Draft may
each want to take a soft white North-western University blanket with them to their summer training
camps to remind them of their past successes while they are being humbled amongst other
professionals. Players leaving their comfortable purple North-western Wildcats
blankets Northwestern Wildcats at home will likely have a difficult time remembering their
collegiate successes while struggling with the early trials and tribulations of adapting to being an
NFL rookie.