LOS ANGELES — USC defensive lineman Nick Figueroa was named to the Academic All-American First Team on Tuesday. After graduating in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in real estate development with his GPA of 3.76, Figueroa completed a master’s degree in finance last week.
As someone who has won the prestigious All-Pac-12 award in the past, it’s not inconceivable that Figueroa could find a spot on the NFL roster next season. There are also opportunities in the field.
Figueroa spoke about the possibility after Thursday’s USC Cotton Bowl practice.
Q: I feel like you are one of those people whose next steps can go in many different directions. Have you ever wondered if your future belongs to football or another career path?
Figueroa: “I feel like I’m at the point where I’ve worked so hard to get an opportunity like this, so there’s no wrong decision. Take time to consider what you want your life to be like at this point.” It takes a deep conversation with a loved one to figure it out, I know it will take a while after the game, but I have already booked a small trip to the mountains for a few days after that. , away from everything, just figure it out.”
Q: Is it a mountain that works hard?
Figueroa: “No, it was chaos, right? We controlled the chaos, but we’ve been fighting non-stop for about a year. I think it’s okay if it’s the first time since we separated and started snowboarding. But be careful.
Q: What are your potential missions outside of football?
Figueroa: “I’ve lined up a few things in financial routes, high finance, investment banking, etc. It’s kinda what it looks like. Either start like a month or go training and try to build a team.
Q: So, are you applying for seasonal jobs?
Figueroa: “We put everything away before the season. I’m trying to build a pipeline for I think it’s dope and if that’s the way I’m going I’m excited to keep doing it too. One of my favorite parts, you really get it all.
Q: How does job hunting compare to high school recruiting?
Figueroa: “It’s kind of the complete opposite. In high school, it’s like, ‘Man, I’m not getting this call.’ Now it’s like, “Give me five minutes.” It is definitely a humbling experience. ”
Q: What was it like balancing internships and summer workouts in your career?
Figueroa: “I usually chose the most flexible option. I was pretty into football. My first year came from here [Riverside Community College], there really was no background to what a white collar job would look like or what hiring would look like. I owe it to my girlfriend. She showed me the rope.but my first year [at USC], didn’t play much. I was like, ‘OK, I don’t know how much football will be in my future. So I started doing it a little bit. Now I have been led to this position of a fork in the road. But it would have been nice to be able to do that on the front end as well. ”