Matt McCants on his past and NFL future

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - To Matt McCants, the Senior Bowl is it, an event he grew up watching, and never guessed that he'd one day play in.

"Just to get the opportunity to come back home in front of my family and friends and hometown and play in one of the biggest all-star games is amazing," McCants said.

But before he slugged it out the trenches, all McCants knew was the tuba.

He only played one year of football at Williamson.

Before that he was in the band.

"We'd do parades or whatever, I stuck out, because I was the tallest member of the band and the biggest member of the band," McCants said.

And no surprise, the football coaches noticed; but there was one problem.

Despite his size, it was McCants' mother who didn't want her only son playing football, for fear he could get hurt.

But, he said he reminded her, "Mom, I'm 6'7" 300 pounds."

"I was like, 'Mom, I'm not going to get hurt, man,' but like I said, she wouldn't hear it. So finally I struck a deal with her, if I made all A's she'd let me play football. And I held up my end of the bargain, and I'm here now," McCants said.

McCants was a stand-out player for the UAB Blazers, earning multiple Conference USA honors.

Draft scouts like Joe Everett have him ranked in the country's top 100 players, possibly even a late second rounder.

"He's definitely a monster," Everett said.

A monster, absolutely, but deep down his heart will always be in the band.

"Maybe deep down in the pit, somewhere down by my toes or something, but I haven't played the tuba in about six or seven years," McCants said. "But I'm good at it, so I still know how to play. So, it's good."

And so whether it's reading blitz or reading music, Matt McCants will always be in his element. And will soon make a fine player, and a fine man, at the next level.