Jordan Westerkamp recently came back to Lincoln to watch a Nebraska football spring practice. It was difficult for him to not rush out and encourage or teach.
Such is the new reality for a Husker household name ever since that Hail Mary catch against Northwestern in 2013.
"“It was weird to be back and not be the guy running in there with the first team offense. It’s still surreal to me that I’m done with my career at Nebraska.I didn’t like it because I loved my time at Nebraska, I wish I could stay there forever but it’s time to move on.”"
It’s a new era for the Cornhuskers, not only because they lose Westerkamp, but so many new faces are part of the offense, let alone the complete revamp on defense.
Much like his former coaches and fans, he’s enjoying the competition between Tanner Lee and Patrick O’Brien for the eventual starting spot and feels that the Big Red has two quality signal-callers battling for the gig.
It’s easy to understand why the man who most recently wore the Huskers’ No. 1 jersey is emotionally conflicted while watching a springtime tradition that he can no longer participate in.
The biggest step of any football player’s career is on the horizon. Westerkamp’s shot in the NFL is calling.
While at the East-West Shrine Game, he spoke with coaches and individuals from almost half the franchises in the entire league. It was an opportunity to get to know everyone, watch some film and even take a test or two on an iPad.
Thanks to the help of Nebraska wide receivers coach Keith Williams, Westerkamp received some coaching that went far beyond what might be offered at several other Power Five programs.
That could be the difference between being immediately called up to The League or weighing free agent offers following the 2017 NFL Draft.
"“People look at a slant route and say, ‘that’s just a slant route’, but there’s so much more than goes into it.What defense [the opposition is] playing, when are you supposed to make your break, how are you supposed to make your break, how you’re going to release.There’s so many little things and coach [Williams] helped me realize that. They don’t call him Doctor Route for nothing.”"
If Westerkamp’s name isn’t called during the draft, it’s likely he almost immediately gets those free agent calls. Even if for some reason that doesn’t happen, football is still in his future.
No matter if it’s in the CFL, some far-flung league or something in between, Westerkamp wants to play football. It’s a passion, something he’s been involved in over the course of his entire life and he’s not about to give it up anytime soon.
In terms of just how long he intends to keep playing, it’s a question he hasn’t given any thought to yet.
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He’s too young for that.
He just wants to keep playing until he simply can’t anymore. No surprise coming from a player that took shot after shot while playing college football and kept on going like the Energizer Bunny.