SACHSE, Texas — The path from college football to the NFL Draft is a labyrinth.
It's a confusing, trap-laden maze and for nearly every player and parent, there is no roadmap for how to navigate it.
"There are a lot of people out there trying to make a buck," warned Jami Smith, mother of Ohio State receiver and soon-to-be first round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Arguably the top wideout in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jaxon shined in Texas high school football for Rockwall before vaulting to superstardom with the Buckeyes.
His record-setting night in the 2022 Rose Bowl -- 15 catches for 347 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore -- will remain one of the all-time legendary performances in college football lore.
But, as Jaxon grabbed more attention, it brought more critics and negative noise, too.
"I can be super petty with all of it," Jami admitted. "I’m defensive. I’m Mama Bearish. I’m making a list of people who will never have an interview for [Jaxon's] entire career. I take it very personally. As any parent would, regardless of what your kid is doing."
Jami and father Maada Smith-Njigba -- a former linebacker for Stephen F. Austin University -- knew early on that Jaxon had the innate talent and drive to reach the NFL.
So, they went all in.
"There is no Plan B," she said.
They hired a skills trainer when Jaxon was a teenager. They hired a speed coach in recent years to help him get faster. They missed birthday parties and family events so Jaxon could play in camps throughout the year.
After all, exposure to "the best" players around the country could only make Jaxon better.
Iron sharpened iron, and now Jaxon will be one of the select 17 prospects to attend this year's NFL Draft in Kansas City.
Jaxon's older brother, Canaan, a former baseball star for Rockwall-Heath, is in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and is moving between the big leagues and Triple A.
So, Jami and Maada have some experience navigating the road from high school to college to the pros.
However, most parents do not -- and it can be an overwhelming process for them (and their child) if and when that times comes.
"It’s confusing, it's exciting, it’s a whole gamut of emotions," described Marvin Lacy, father of Oklahoma State defensive lineman Tyler Lacy.
The Sachse native and projected Day 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft did not want the next step to interfere with his senior season in Stillwater.
"Agents reaching out, out of the blue," Tyler recalled. "Thankfully, my family was there to take some of the stress of me.”
So, he turned to his parents to be his offensive line and protect his best interests.
"We just built a team," explained Tyler's mother, Veronica Lacy. "You need to get a good agent. You got to get a financial advisor. You got to get a CPA. You had to weed out some of the people that you thought would maybe not be in it for the right reason."
How could she tell if those people were genuine or not?
"I think it was a woman intuition," Veronica said. "It’s a gut instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it."
Jami Smith shared similar advice, "There’s going to be mistakes made. Misreads here and there. But I think the power of Mama Bear is a true animal that’s in our gut, and in our instincts, and you can smell a fish a mile away."
The process from college to the NFL Draft is similar to what kids and families experience during the recruitment period in high school. There are suitors (agents/recruiters), meetings and visits and, of course, plenty of attention.
Building a small, trustworthy nucleus (parents/siblings, close friends or mentors, etc) can be a good first step for any family with a talented young athlete.
Parents can also benefit from speaking with other parents who have made the journey from high school to the pros. While not every path is the same or singular, and opinions of agents/etc may vary, more intel is more beneficial than no intel.
"I hope that we can be a roadmap to help someone else like other parents helped us," Veronica said. "What I will tell others is be involved and ask a lot of questions -- because it’s your son's future."
As Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lacy make the leap to the NFL, their moms can't help but hope they end up close to home.
"How 'bout them Cowboys, right?" Jami smiled.
"My whole family is Cowboys fans," Veronica noted.
"I had a visit with them," Tyler laughed. 'I told them, ‘I don’t want to pack. I’m right around the corner. I don’t want to pack. Just make the call and make this easy on both of us.'"
The path to the NFL Draft is a maze.
Now just days away, there’s one last step to take.
"Wait for the phone call," Tyler said. "That’s all I can do.”