Probably a half-dozen 2005 Nebraska senior football players stand on the brink of entering a business that can be as brutal as it is exciting.

Safety Daniel Bullocks is projected to be selected today during the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. As many as five other ex-Huskers are likely to be taken Sunday during rounds 4-7.

The NFL is brutal in part because of its violent on-field hits and bottom-line business mentality.

Nebraska’s current players this week learned firsthand about some sobering NFL realities, as head coach Bill Callahan gathered his squad for a mandatory session with Lamonte Winston and Jamil Northcutt of the Kansas City Chiefs’ player development office. The duo’s two-hour presentation stressed the importance of education and making wise choices in life.   

“It was great in terms of why you should continue your education, why you need to have a financial plan, why you need financial education,” said Callahan, clearly taken by the session. “It was very pointed and candid. We’re just trying to be proactive. It’s about being honest about things.”

Callahan embraces the teaching part of his job with unmistakable passion. You see the teacher in him as he works closely with players during practice. He’s hands-on, enthusiastic, energized, clearly in his element.

It was interesting Friday to hear Callahan speak passionately about Winston and Northcutt’s session. Callahan went on and on about it. Sure, some of the information presented probably was self-evident. Whatever. There’s no doubt in Callahan’s mind the presentation made an impression on his players.

Hence the Husker head coach/teacher’s genuine excitement.

Winston noted the average NFL playing career spans little more than four years, which means many athletes are finished by age 26 or 27.

“What are you going to do from age 26 on with the rest of your life?” Callahan asked. “It was striking.”

“They emphasized the importance of character,” Callahan added. “The NFL is an $8 billion industry. They do a lot of marketing. Image is extremely important. (Winston and Northcutt) said some things that kind of shocked you. They got into choices, decisions and consequences — making right decisions versus wrong ones.

“I have to tell you, they were absolutely incredible. And I mean incredible.”

Of the Nebraska players projected to be drafted today and Sunday, Bullocks stands the best chance to remain in the league for five-plus years. Cory Ross, Le Kevin Smith, Titus Adams, Seppo Evwaraye and Sam Koch likely will receive good chances to make NFL rosters either as draftees or free agents. Then they’ll likely have to battle hard to stay on those rosters.

“I’m just going to try to ride this (NFL) thing for as long as I can,” said Adams, a defensive lineman from Omaha who has earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration. 

Attorney Shane Mecham, a Lincoln native who works for the firm that represents Adams, said the NFL’s salary cap causes teams to closely assess players’ character. Franchises seek to pay players who are prepared for the long haul, who will stay in sound overall shape and be good for a community.

As far as athletic assessments of players, it amazes me how blunt NFL reports can be. For instance, Scouts Inc.’s scouting report on Smith says, “He has the physical tools of a Day One prospect but will slip to the fourth-to-fifth-round range due to his lack of polish and inconsistent effort.”

Welcome to NFL life, kid.

If a player goes undrafted, he still has a shot to make it as a free agent.

“After the seventh round Sunday, all hell breaks loose,” said player agent Joe Hipskind. “I’ll get a flurry of phone calls (from teams seeking undrafted players). It’s tantamount to 32 car salesmen coming at you trying to sell their product.”

Callahan noted that the NFL minimum rookie salary is roughly $275,000.

Good money, indeed. But it’s typically hard-earned money. And it doesn’t always last for long, as Nebraska players learned this week.

Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.