‘A household reunion’: Cam Jurgens is perhaps off to the NFL, however Beatrice is the place the guts — and jerky — is | Nationwide

That’s actually the texture on Fifth Road as acquainted faces cease by to see her son, Cameron, one final time earlier than he turns into solely the second Beatrice native in latest reminiscence to listen to his title known as within the draft and, simply possibly, the highest-picked Nebraska soccer alum in additional than a decade.

Cam’s grandmother sits behind the counter for the period. His great-uncle and great-aunt cease by, too. His brother Colby and his spouse hang around for some time. However the household Beth Jurgens is referring to extends properly previous blood to former coaches and teammates, decadeslong pals and, properly, just about anyone else that stops into the shop over two hours on a windy Saturday morning.

The said cause Cam Jurgens is right here is to signal autographs and donate the proceeds to TeamMates Mentoring and the Beatrice Orange Booster Membership, however that is actually, in a means, the pre-draft social gathering earlier than the pre-draft social gathering.

A number of the people have robust opinions on the place they hope Jurgens lands. Some don’t know the way the draft works in any respect, when it begins or how lengthy it lasts — the primary spherical is Thursday night time, Jurgens is more likely to hear his title someplace in rounds two and three on Friday, after which the ultimate 4 rounds conclude Saturday.

All people, although, is aware of about Cam.

“All of the expertise he’s obtained, it’s nonetheless in regards to the individual he’s. Not the athlete he’s,” says Bryan Cook dinner, the longtime radio broadcaster and present trainer at Beatrice Center Faculty who has recognized Jurgens primarily his total life. “It’s all from his mother and his dad and his household. …

“There’s a child I train that’s fighting lecturers, however I stated, ‘You already know what? If you happen to overcome that, you could be the following Cam Jurgens.’ I’m utilizing Cam for my assist in center college to assist this child preserve going — I work with conduct college students — and I take advantage of Cam for instance for youths rising as much as be like him. It means the world and Cam doesn’t even know he’s serving to this child out.”

Reed and his spouse ended up lingering across the store for about half-hour, making dialog with everybody they knew, which, not surprisingly, was nearly everybody.

Jurgens, after all, was a four-star prospect out of Beatrice Excessive and signed with the Huskers in 2018, coach Scott Frost’s first recruiting class, as a nationally coveted tight finish. He even appeared in a sport sporting No. 44 in 2018.

Then got here the massive change. Frost thought Jurgens would make an explosive, proficient heart. He, based on former NU offensive line coach Greg Austin, invoked Dave Rimington’s title when pitching Jurgens’ potential within the center.

As Husker followers properly know, the transition didn’t occur that easily. Jurgens handled a critical foot/ankle damage in highschool and suffered extra foot issues as he placed on weight quickly. His energy and athleticism confirmed by instantly, however mastering the shotgun snap proved troublesome and it price Nebraska dearly at occasions in each 2019 and 2020.

“When Cam was enjoying at Nebraska, I’d all the time miss the ballgame as a result of I used to be all the time watching him,” his great-uncle, Richard Friedrichsen, stated on the entrance of the store as he and his spouse, Marlene, ready to drive again the 2 hours to Clarks with a few signed footballs in tow. “… I actually thought along with his dimension and pace they’d make a defensive finish out of him.”

All of it just about clicked for Jurgens this fall at heart, although. He surged into a transparent management function up entrance. He turned simply probably the most dependable member of the Husker entrance line. He blocked an Oklahoma linebacker into oblivion on Sept. 17 in Norman, drawing a flag however making an announcement on the identical time. He often snapped the ball after which pulled to the sting of the pocket to assist the Huskers’ struggling tackles in move safety.

He caught the NFL’s consideration, too.

Jurgens declared for the draft not lengthy after the season ended and, when he did, some onlookers puzzled if he was making a superb determination. Now, although? The overall consensus amongst draft analysts is that he’s the second-best heart obtainable behind Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum. He ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.92 seconds on the NFL Scouting Mix in March and all of a sudden he had extra draft profile than ever, at the least within the public eye.

“I believe it’s been actually cool. It’s been enjoyable speaking to groups as a result of they see the tape and so they get to see what sort of participant you might be after which they speak to you and see what sort of individual you might be and also you’ve simply obtained to be genuine,” stated Jurgens, who added that he believed in his professional potential as a lineman from the day he made the change, joking that there aren’t many 6-3 tight ends within the NFL. “… It’s humorous how individuals are like, ‘Oh, he’s a giant riser within the draft. His draft inventory has actually improved.’ Nothing’s actually modified from the top of the yr. It’s the identical tape, I’m the identical individual I used to be on the finish of the yr, you understand, it’s simply groups attending to take a deeper dive.”

The 304-pounder drew rave critiques not only for his spectacular bodily instruments, but additionally for the truth that he has his personal selfmade beef jerky and a catchy model in “Beef Jurgy.”

In truth, the NFL Community marveled on the product through the mix. Jurgens stated afterward his telephone was swamped with messages, however that wasn’t even the best half.

“Our Shopify from the meat jerky gross sales, I used to be like, ‘Dang! It will need to have been good on social media,’” Jurgens stated with fun.

The Beef Jurgy attire will not be solely widespread on-line — Jurgens stated they’ve bought shirts in 40-plus states, Denmark and a number of other different nations — and at Uhl’s on this Saturday it’s truly all made within the retailer right here, too.

When athletes have been first in a position to revenue off of their title, picture and likeness on July 1 final summer time, Beth determined she’d fill shirt orders by making them on a Cricut machine. That lasted lower than two weeks, the best way she remembers it.

“I fired myself,” Beth stated after she discovered herself getting executed with work after which making shirts till 11 p.m. “I used to be like, ‘I’m not doing this.’”

“They got here in and requested if we might assist them out,” stated Phil Dittbrenner, who purchased Uhl’s in March of 2021 along with his spouse, Karen, and saved the title of the shop that’s been open for the reason that Fifties. “It simply went from there. …

“It’s all excellent to see a neighborhood child do that properly. He’s labored exhausting his total life for this, so it’s good to see it come thus far.”

After the morning at Uhl’s, Beth and Cam headed to Las Vegas for a multiday pre-draft occasion held by the NFLPA. Upon returning to Beatrice, they’re set to have a draft social gathering on the home full with meals from Colby and Wendy’s meals truck, C&W Rollin’ Smoke. On the menu: wings and a nacho bar. Cam’s request. It’s simply the beginning of a giant summer time for the Jurgenses. In June, Cam’s sister is getting married in Iowa. By then, he’ll be headlong into OTAs and headed towards preseason camp as a rookie within the NFL.

The place will that be? He’ll know in a couple of days. However no matter if he finally ends up enjoying in Miami or Seattle or New England or Los Angeles, each journey again right here will really feel like a household reunion.