As he sat alone in his hotel room in Mobile, Ala., in January, Oâ??Brien Schofield had no clue when he would be healthy enough to play football again or if any National Football League team would take a chance on him in the 2010 draft. Hours earlier, Wisconsinâ??s fifth-year senior defensive end had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice for the Senior Bowl.
A future that appeared so bright, thanks to an outstanding final season at UW and an eye-opening performance at outside linebacker in the East-West Shrine Game, was suddenly dark and unpredictable. “I felt like my career was over,” Schofield said.Schofieldâ??s career began Saturday when he was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 32nd pick of the fourth round, No. 130 overall.