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It also made him hungry to achieve his NFL dream.
When he arrived in Santa Monica in 2011 he says the cost of living was "insane" and the only thing he could afford was to rent out a shed behind a house. For $450 a month,NFL Jerseys China, he got a mattress, an ottoman and an extension cord that ran from the house to the shed for power.
Mayo is expected to battle for a backup spot behind middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Coach Ron Rivera said Mayo can also play strong side linebacker.
Mayo wasn't satisfied with the college scholarship offers coming out of high school, so he chose to attend Santa Monica (Calif.) Community College in hopes of attracting more attention from FBS schools.
The Panthers have already made it clear to Mayo that he'll have to earn his playing time, which likely will including contributing on special teams — something he didn't do much of in college because he was so valuable on defense.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman loves Mayo's work ethic.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers rookie linebacker David Mayo was willing to sacrifice just about anything to make his NFL dream come true, including living in a shed for a year.
"It was pretty crazy, but it was where I felt that I needed to play to earn my Division I scholarship that I felt I deserved," Mayo said. "I knew I could play at (that level). I just did whatever it took."
It all seems worth it now to Mayo, who earned a scholarship to play at Texas State, where he won Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2014 and was drafted last weekend in the fifth round by the Panthers.
Mayo looks back on his living arrangements at Santa Monica Community College — the same school where former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith spent his first two years of college — and laughs.
The 6-foot-2,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, 228-pound Mayo, who has long blond hair and large biceps, said he hopes the experience has made him stronger.
Mayo put up some gaudy stats during his final year at Texas State with 154 tackles. Mayo can't wait to meet and play with Kuechly, whom he said will be a perfect mentor for him coming into the league.
"I had a bed and this little ottoman thing for my clothes,Cheap NFL Jerseys," Mayo said. "That was it. It was cement floors and it wasn't insulated. I ran an extension cord from the house out to the shed so I could power my computer,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, power my phone at night, and a lamp and a heater in the winter."
"I couldn't be happier," said Mayo, who averaged 12.8 tackles per game and forced three fumbles as a senior.
"I'm going to have to earn my stripes,NFL Jerseys Supply," Mayo said. "I'm excited for it. It's going to be a good chance for me."
He called Mayo a "high motor kid" who is "smart, instinctive and can run. He's got very good straight line speed and he will tag your fanny, too."
He was able to use the kitchen in the house to cook food. He was also allowed to shower there and use the toilet.
"They didn't have any room for me to stay in the house so I just slept out in the shed,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys," Mayo said.
"He is outstanding," Mayo said of Kuechly. "I am so fortunate to go to a place like this where I can learn from a player like that. (Kuechly) went to Boston College and just right off the bat started playing like a boss. I am really excited. Hopefully I can learn a thing or two from him." |
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