Ben Heeney was a favorite young prospect when he was drafted out of Kansas in the 5th round by the Raiders. He had energy and inspiration in spades. From the goals he set when he was 12, to mourning the suicide death of a close friend and former college teammate, to to the near death experience he had when his family’s SUV hit a patch of ice on Easter Sunday.
Things didn’t work out for Heeney in Oakland. He was named the starting middle linebacker to begin his second season, but lost the job after two weeks.