Essang Bassey believed he had taken every necessary step to be selected in last month’s NFL draft.
Durability: He played all 52 games of his Wake Forest career.
Production: Totals of 228 tackles, 50 pass break-ups and five interceptions.
Senior Bowl: Three tackles (one for lost yardage) in the late-January showcase game.
Combine: He did all of the drills, including a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and a 39 1/2-inch vertical.
But through 256 picks, including 26 cornerbacks, Bassey didn’t get the call. Hours later, after receiving calls from Baltimore and Cincinnati, he agreed to join the Broncos as an undrafted free agent.