During the early stages of his college football career, Jaylen Pate had thoughts of walking away from the game entirely.
A then-freshman defensive end at Wyoming, Pate put in the effort on the practice field and in the weight room — as he’d done during his Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League career at Lane Tech College Prep — but the pass rusher didn’t see immediate on-field dividends.
He said his initial stint in Laramie was one of the toughest periods of his life.
“I thought I was in a great position to hit the ground running, start fast, and I just absolutely ran into a wall,” Pate told The Daily on Tuesday. “I really wanted to quit, but one promise I made to myself was that I wouldn’t.”
For Pate, the experience taught him a valuable lesson: Trust his individual process. After he initially struggled with doubt that he belonged at the Division I level, Pate eventually worked his way into the Cowboys’ starting lineup. But, he wanted more.
In pursuit of maximizing his NFL dreams, Pate transferred to Northwestern ahead of the 2022 season with three seasons of eligibility remaining. With the move, Pate shifted from a school more than 1,000 miles away from home to a program just a half-hour drive away from his old high school stomping grounds.
He recorded 10 tackles in his first season with the Wildcats, but Pate’s campaign ended prematurely due to a torn ACL suffered at Minnesota in November 2022. The injury triggered a monthslong rehabilitation journey — a battle to reach game-ready condition by the following year’s season opener.
When he stepped on the sweltering SHI Stadium turf for NU’s season opener against Rutgers last September, Pate prevailed in his fight against time. Upon his return, Pate took a few games to find his footing, but he soon elevated his game to new heights.
“Last year was the first time I was starting to finally do the things I’ve been working on for the longest time,” Pate said. “To not just be on the field doing my job, but really being able to dominate.”
Until midway through his fifth year, Pate said he never intended to play a sixth collegiate season.
Following a banner 2023 campaign, where Pate tallied 27 tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks in his first season playing under defensive line coach Christian Smith, Pate consulted scouts and trusted advisers in his decision to extend his stint in Evanston.
“If it was based off flashes — we take five great plays — I’d have been drafted in the first round,” Pate said. “But the whole point was, ‘How can I turn those flashes into consistent play?’”
Now four games into his sixth and final collegiate season, the Chicago native continues to strive toward steady impact. Long after weekday practices officially conclude, the defensive lineman remains on Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, taking extra repetitions with his position coaches.
It’s a habit Pate began during his senior year of high school, and he said his work behind the scenes is where he sees the most progression.
“In a lot of ways, I’ve been playing catch up,” Pate said. “That means I can’t just do the average stuff, or necessarily do what everybody else does. I’m always just looking for one little thing I can improve… The work is the foundation. It’s like a stone cutter. When you’re hitting the stone, hitting the stone, nothing seems to happen. Then, it cracks.”
With his veteran stature in the defensive line room, Pate has looked to mentor his younger teammates. In doing so, he said he’s providing guidance he could’ve used during his tumultuous transition to the college ranks.
There, his career lessons come full circle.
“I can tell when a guy comes in and they’re kind of struggling,” Pate said. “It took time to get here. I always explain to them how I didn’t necessarily think it could get better. People obviously think of where you start and where you finish — but it’s always the area in the middle, all the stuff you do in between, that defines you.”
The ’Cats will face their first ranked opponent this season Saturday afternoon, as they’ll take on No. 23 Indiana at home. Pate said the Hoosiers’ passing game — led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke — is their core identity.
Pate said his position group has a prime opportunity to make a marked impact on the matchup.
“This is the reason why you want to play in a conference like the Big Ten,” Pate said. “I love these big games. These are the ones you look forward to. I wouldn’t necessarily say these games raise your level of play, but it definitely makes you excited and ready to go out there and compete.”
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