Scott Frantz, a Kansas State offensive lineman who is viewed as an NFL prospect, has revealed that he is gay.
Frantz said his team-mates have known his sexual orientation for a year, and now he is happy for the world to know.
"I came out to my team-mates, and I've never felt so loved and so accepted ever in my life than when I did that," Frantz told ESPN.
"And ever since then, it's been great. I've grown so much closer to my team-mates since. So it's been an amazing experience."
As a freshman at last season's Texas Bowl, he held his own against Myles Garrett, whom the Cleveland Browns later made the first overall pick in this year's draft.
There has never been an openly gay player to play in a regular-season NFL game.
Michael Sam is the only openly gay player to be drafted in the NFL. He was a seventh-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2014.
Sam never played a competitive game, being released before the start of the season. The Dallas Cowboys signed him to their practice squad, but cut him in October 2014.
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The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in PlayOffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.