South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Lions RB Zach Zenner keeps med school in his back pocket

Published May. 18, 2015 2:57 p.m. ET

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Running back Zach Zenner was extremely productive at South Dakota State, recording 6,548 rushing yards (3rd-most in FCS history), which prompted the Detroit Lions to sign him as a free agent after he went undrafted. He's giving the NFL a shot—for now.

"I'm going to give this NFL thing its full chance," Zenner told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

However, in a year, things might be different.

Zenner has been accepted into the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota but has deferred his enrollment until next year. Although the former biology major has a long-term goal to become a surgeon, he's focusing on football for now.

"It's kind of a feel thing," Zenner said, per the Detroit Free Press. "Where am I at? Am I bouncing around practice squads or am I contributor on special teams? Things like that. How is the game going? How is my time in the NFL? If it's going well, I'm sticking around, no question."

An analytical mind like Zenner's is able to keep everything in perspective, so it seems.

(h/t Detroit Free Press)

Photo Credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images

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