Football great Willie Roaf was not heavily recruited coming out of Pine Bluff (Arkansas) high school in the late eighties, so much so that he considered pursuing basketball instead of football at the college level.
The choice to pursue a career on the gridiron was a very wise one, as Roaf became a consensus First Team All-American at Louisiana Tech and a finalist for the Outland Trophy his senior season. He made such an impact at the collegiate level that he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
"Nasty” was drafted in first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He went on to forge a 13-year NFL career and garner awards and accolades that few lineman could match. Suiting up for nine seasons with the Saints and four with the Kansas City Chiefs, Roaf was selected to 11 Pro Bowls, was a six time NFL First Team All-Pro and a three time NFL Second Team All-Pro. He was named to the NFL’s All- Decade Team for the 1990’s and the 2000’s.
Now making his home in Jupiter, FL, he talked with us about his experience at the Upper Deck rookie photo shoot, his special relationship with fans and the construction of his massive mancave.
