4. This isn’t the first time for Bryce Boettcher
Bryce Boetthcer (Photo: Jason Fairchild, 247Sports)
The former walk-on from local South Eugene High School took some time to reflect on what it meant to see so many scouts in his hometown to watch him take the field on Tuesday. But for Boettcher, this isn't the first time he's gone through a process like this.
A dual-sport athlete for the Ducks, the Houston Astros took Boettcher in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft after he won a Gold Glove while hitting 12 home runs as Oregon's center fielder. Although the pre-draft processes are different, Boettcher is grateful to have experienced both as he prepares for the NFL.
"Baseball, you're talking to scouts before the season, during the season, and then you have the MLB Combine, which I was at," Boettcher said. "I feel like the NFL, there's a little more time, so teams get to know you a little more, and there's a lot more to it."
While his athleticism to range the outfield is evident when he jumps passing lanes over the middle, there are also many mental aspects to his game on the gridiron that Boettcher feels were sharpened by his experiences on the diamond. This became especially important at the combine and Pro Day, where, like baseball, there is plenty of standing around in between short bursts of athleticism that require him to be firing on all cylinders.
"A big part of doing this kind of work is the mental game," Boettcher said of the pre-draft process. "Obviously, you want to be warmed up enough to where you perform, but you don't want to get too amped up. You've gotta stay clear-minded. Especially with baseball, if you're through the roof and you're super pumped, you're not gonna be able to see the baseball or hit it. So I'd say that mental game probably comes from baseball."