Greg Lloyd thought he had it all figured out. While other college players were wondering what their future was going to be in advance of the 1987 NFL Draft, the linebacker from Fort Valley State had a pretty good feeling where his NFL career would take him.
While he couldn't be 100 percent certain, he had a strong inkling it would be the Dallas Cowboys, the team he loved growing up despite the fact that the rest of his family were Steelers fans, that would draft him.
"I knew I was going to get drafted, I just didn't know by who," said Lloyd. "The Cowboys courted me. They called me four or five times, sent me Cowboys stuff. I am thinking that's a dream. That was the team I loved. I am going to the Cowboys."
Well, if there is one thing you can't predict it's what teams will do in the NFL Draft. And when the Steelers had the opportunity with their second pick in the sixth round, the 150th overall, they selected the fiery linebacker.
"We were at our college apartment and (director of pro scouting) Tom Modrak called me and said this is Tom," recalled Lloyd. "I didn't know who Tom Modrak was. The Steelers had come to work me out. They were the first team to come work me out. I had gotten a call from my coach who told me what I had to do. I went outside and they told me what to do. I ran a 4.6 in the rain on the grass for them.
"It was different. It was nothing like the hype that goes on now. I don't know if I had anxiety or anything. I just wanted to be drafted and go in and show people I can play.
"I remember getting the call. They said they were thinking about taking me in the sixth round. I was elated to go anywhere, but then when it sunk in you think, Steelers. I made the call to my sisters and they were more excited than I was."
