Count on OSU’s Freeman  to compete in everything

Freeman will be on call this weekend for dream come true

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Reds' six-game winning streak broken
5/26/12
Annual Warrior Soccer Classic kicks off today
5/26/12
Dragons' rally falls short against Lansing
5/26/12
WSU baseball ousted from tournament
5/26/12
> More sports headlines

By Chick Ludwig, Staff Writer Updated 12:02 AM Saturday, April 25, 2009

Marcus Freeman’s parents met in Korea when his father served in the United States Air Force.

Now Michael and Chong Freeman are poised to send their son into the wild blue yonder of the NFL.

Ohio State’s outside linebacker from Wayne High School has dreamed about this moment since he was a kid. He’s about to get selected in the 74th annual NFL Draft, which unfolds today and Sunday, April 25-26.

Q What’s your mindset as the draft drama builds?

A It’s been a roller coaster of emotions. At times, you’re nervous. At times, you’re sad that you’re leaving Ohio State. And then you’re excited to find out where you’re going. You have coaches calling you and your agent’s calling you, and everybody’s telling you you’re going here and there. You’ve just got to wait and find out what’s going to happen.

Q What will you be doing today?

A I’m going to be relaxing at my apartment in Dublin with my family. They’re still in Dayton, but they’re going to come up to Columbus. We’ll play cards, have a couple games of Cornhole and we might go hit some golf balls. We’re going to stay busy. We’ll watch a little bit of the draft and just try to do things we do on a normal Saturday, even though it’s not going to be a normal Saturday.

Q Obviously, you’d like to be a first-day pick?

A Any competitor wants to go as high as he can. And then you want to be in a great fit. No matter where I’m picked, rounds one through seven, it’s going to be a huge dream come true — something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid and became a football player. And now to know that this dream is about to become a reality, it’s going to be extremely exciting and I’m blessed to be in this situation.

Q What will you provide the team that drafts you?

A A linebacker that has a passion for the game, who’s going to compete every minute of practice, every minute in film and every minute on the field on game day. I’m a person that’s going to be accountable. You won’t have to worry about off-the-field problems. And I’m going to be a guy that helps your team in many ways — as a great special teams player and as an all-around linebacker.

Q What kind of community service will you become involved in when you get settled in the NFL?

A I want to be big on helping out back home in Dayton, and I want to help biracial kids in Korea, my mother’s homeland. I’m going to wait until I make my first trip over to Korea. The first thing that touches my heart, that’s when I’m going to say, ‘This is the cause I really want to help.’

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2253 or cludwig @DaytonDailyNews.com.