FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- On Sept. 3, Taylor Gabriel paced nervously inside his apartment in Westlake, Ohio, uncertain about his NFL future.
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound wide receiver had just been released by the Cleveland Browns after they drafted four receivers. Gabriel, undrafted out of Abilene Christian University, knew he had the talent to continue his pro career, given the right opportunity. Yet he still had an unsettling feeling in his stomach.
"I was antsy about where I was going next, but I was sad about being released by the Browns," Gabriel recalled. "I didn’t cry, but I was very upset.