Milan graduate Michael Furtney invited to camp by two NFL teams

Michael Furtney didn’t hear his named called in the NFL Draft.

But that might not be a bad thing for the 2018 Milan graduate who completed his college career at the University of Wisconsin last fall.

Not getting drafted allowed Furtney and his agent to pick a team.

They picked two.

Furtney will spend the weekend taking part in the Green Bay Packers’ camp for rookies and free agents. Next weekend, he will join camp for the Buffalo Bills.

“I didn’t really expect to be drafted,” Furtney admitted. “I was projected to be a free agent … But I ended up getting an opportunity. That’s all that really matters.

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“If you believe in yourself like I do, this is just a showcase of what I can do.”

Furtney showcased his ability as a starter at Wisconsin for the past two years on one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Because of the COVID year, Furtney spent six seasons in Madison. He was a contributor on special teams for three years before he got his chance to join the starting lineup.

Playing for the Badgers took him all over the country to some of the finest football venues in the country.

The list of bowl games he was involved with at Wisconsin is very impressive:

Dec. 27, 2018: Pinstripe Bowl against Miami in New York City.

Jan. 1, 2020: Rose Bowl against Oregon in Pasadena, Calif.

Dec. 30, 2020: Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest in Charlotte, N.C.

Dec. 30, 2021: Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State.

Dec. 27, 2022: Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Oklahoma State in Phoenix.

Jan. 1, 2024: ReilaQuest Bowl against LSU in Tampa, Fla.

The Badgers won four of those games, falling only in the 2020 Rose Bowl and Jan. 1 when they fell pray to Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.

“It’s been a journey for sure,” Furtney said. “Overall, it’s been a really great time. It’s something I would not trade for anything. I got to meet a lot of great people and really live out one of my dreams.”

It’s a dream that Furtney has chased all of his life.

“I remember being on the playground in elementary school talking with my friends about stuff like that,” he said. “It got to live the dream. It took a lot of work. You want to be the best you can mentally and physically all the time.”

That’s why he picked Wisconsin – a school famous for sending offensive linemen to the NFL.

“When I showed up in the offensive line room, I think there were four current All-Americans and two or three more future All-Americans,” he said. “You come from high school where you’ve always been one of the best and realize you have so much more to learn.

“It’s a humbling experience. I knew that going in. A lot of guys get recruited and want to be a starter the first year. I wanted to do it right and learn.”

It was humbling even for Furtney, who received excellent coaching at Milan.

“Playing at Milan helped me solidify my love of football,” he said. “I think back at those moments and truly cherish them. … Coach (Jesse) Hoskins is absolutely great. I still talk to him. He’s a great human being. He expects a lot out of you. It should be no other way.”

Furtney arrived at Wisconsin as a powerful 6-5, 280-pound athlete. He currently tips the scales at 310.

He likes to think most of the added weight is muscle.

“In the beginning, they just try to get you bigger and put some more weight on you,” he said. “You can only do so much against a defensive lineman who weighs more than you and has way more experience. You have to improve you body and the body-fat ratio.”

Green Bay was one of the first teams to contact him after the draft. He attended a Packer workout for players from local colleges before the draft.

He also knew that the Packers need some interior offensive linemen. The same was true for Buffalo. That’s why he picked their camp.

“The thing that I’ve learned most so far about the pros is that it truly is a business,” he said. “Teams have to run a business. As much as they might like you as a person, they still have to put food on their families’ tables. They have to make the decision that is best for them.”

Furtney and his agent approached the challenge of choosing which NFL teams to try out for the same way.

“You are only allowed to go to two camps,” he said. “We went where we felt I had the best opportunity.”

But picking cold-weather cities was a bit of a consideration.

“I’ve been a Midwest kid my whole life,” he said with a laugh. “I am kind of notorious as a guy who sweats. If I went down south, they might have to convert me to tight end.”

Tight end is the position his younger brother Evan Furtney plays for Grand Valley State.

The Furtney brothers often work out together. They are about the same height, but Evan weighs about 245 pounds.

“We went back-to-back the other day and I had about a quarter-inch on him,” Michael said. “I am holding on to that quarter-inch.”

Evan used to play wide receiver, but has switched to a spot on the line.

“At times I help him out with blocking advice,” Michael said.

Furtney got married last summer to Clare Chie, who he started dating when both were sophomores at Milan.

“It was definitely hard when I moved away (to Wisconsin),” he said. “She went to Michigan State. We did the long-distance thing for three and a half years. It was hard, but we made it work.”

Spending six years at Wisconsin gave Furtney time to earn a Masters Degree in real estate and urban land management.

“I grew up in a house that always values education,” said the son of Matt and Ellen Furtney. “My dad is a principal (at Airport’s Niedermeier Elementary). It’s not easy to let your education slide in a house like that.”

He hopes to become a real estate developer someday, but for now his focus is on football. The No. 1 option is the NFL. He is not ruling out other opportunities to stay on the field.

“I’ll weigh all the options and make the best decision,” he said. “Luckily, I have people to help me with that decision.”

The time he spends in camp with the Packers and Bills will be like a job interview.

“All I can do is go out there and try to play great football and impress them,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Green Bay, Buffalo invite Milan grad Michael Furtney to camp