Former TCU player gives advice to Horned Frogs hopeful of getting picked in NFL draft

Good luck to all TCU and Collegiate Football prospects in the NFL Draft this Thursday!

To the guys that will be drafted, CONGRATULATIONS ON A DREAM COME TRUE… but I’m not writing this to you guys.

I was lucky almost my whole playing career at every level (in high school I made all-district, all-area, all-state, and the best high school all-star game available; then in college, I was a four-year starter … injuries were rough my first twp years so I only started 29 games, but my final 26 straight.

I was consensus first-team all-conference my last two years, an all-American, a permanent team captain my senior season, helped LaDainian Tomlinson, the Big Uglies and my Horned Frogs to twp consecutive rushing titles, went to the (NFL) Combine in Indianapolis, signed with an agent, trained for the draft and had projections as high as the fourth round, but for me this wasn’t a happy go lucky business.

I’m writing this to the guys that think, have been told and hope to be drafted but aren’t. I’m writing this to the prospect who may get calls from teams during the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds to say we are probably taking you next if the right guy is selected.

I’m writing this because when my name was never called it, crushed me.

When I never heard, “with the X pick in the 2001 NFL draft the (fill in any team here) selects David Bobo, Gaurd, TCU”. It was hard to let it roll off my back when the final selection was made and my parents and newly wed wife had no words for me.

I’m writing this because no one explained how failing so many team physicals was extremely bad (btw @NFL my previously dislocated elbow and it’s surgeries is one of the very few things that doesn’t hurt on me…not one bit!).

I’m writing this to say after making it to camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers, only to get hurt and cut, to find a new league, in NFL Europe, and team, with the Barcelona Dragons, only to go from starting one day to cut the next and finally deciding that I didn’t want to be cut from every professional league available so I never signed the contract sent from the Calgary Stampede (in the Canadian Football League).

I’m writing this to let the guys know that, just like me, that you should chase your dream and push to finish the goal but, in the end there is nothing wrong with just being a college player.

Find your next dream and chase it. Fill the void lost. Take a hand up when you need it. Just know you aren’t alone and you still can succeed in all you do.

Good luck and I hope “with the next pick in the NFL draft” is you!

A member of the TCU Athletic Hall of Fame, David Bobo was a two-time All-WAC selection at offensive line and a consensus All-WAC selection. He was an Outland Trophy finalist and a part of the “Big Uglies”, which helped pave the way for LaDainain Tomlinson to lead the nation in rushing in 1999 and 2000. Bobo resides in Amarillo, with his wife, Karly, and their three boys, Ford, Brody and Knox.

This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM.