(WFRV) – “It takes a village.” NFL hopeful Tanor Bortolini knows he wouldn’t be days away from hearing his name called at the NFL Draft without the support of his hometown of Kewaunee, Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Badgers guard and center is the talk of the 2,800-person town on Lake Michigan, as Bortolini is projected to be selected in the third or fourth rounds of the 2024 Draft.
“For it to come full circle, it’s pretty cool. To be at the point I am, I couldn’t be happier,” Bortolini said at Badgers Pro Day.
Before Bortolini had NFL aspirations, he first hoped to play in college. After suiting up for his first Friday Night Lights game for the Kewaunee High School Storm, he had a powerful conversation with his mother, Teresa.
“He’s like, ‘Mom, It’s so awesome. I want to play on Saturdays.’ His mentality has always been (he’s) going to work, put the time in, and if it comes to fruition…I’m super excited,” Teresa said.
As a basketball coach herself, Teresa knew the importance of hard work in athletics, so she and family friend Shawn Hanrahan would train with Bortolini at 5 am before school in the high school weight room.
“We used to sit here, grunt and sweat, and we’d say ‘This is it, this is D1. This is your dream,'” Hanrahan said while pointing out the weights Bortolini used to lift.
Bortolini was a three-star recruit out of high school and received more than 20 offers to play in college. Ultimately, playing for his hometown team, the Wisconsin Badgers, really resonated with him, said former football head coach Randy Charles.
In Madison, Bortolini played guard, center, and tackle, showing versatility he hopes to bring to the NFL. He caught the eye of NFL scouts at the Combine when Bortolini ran a 4.94 40-yard dash and broke Jason Kelce’s three-cone drill time, setting the new record for a center.
Bortolini has turned to mentor and former Sunday school teacher Jack Novak for advice throughout his football career. Novak is one of two former NFL players drafted from Kewaunee and knows firsthand what it takes to represent the small town on the biggest stage.
“(Tanor’s) a very good competitor. He’s also a good leader, which in fact are all the qualities a center in the NFL needs,” Novak said from the Press Box at Kewaunee High School, where he used to call Bortolini’s games.
Rooster’s Bar in downtown Kewaunee already has a Tanor Bortolini Wisconsin jersey hanging on the walls and a signed mini-helmet behind the bar. But they are ready to make room for Bortolini’s NFL jersey, wherever he ends up.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing that happens here. I’m glad it’s Tanor,” Rooster’s co-owner Alex Rohr said while wearing a sweatshirt with Bortolini’s silhouette.
“He hasn’t changed a bit. Is he a better football player than when he left Kewaunee? Absolutely. Is he still Tanor Bortolini from Kewaunee, Wisconsin? 100%,” Hanrahan said through tears.
As Tanor Bortolini waits to hear his name called this weekend in the NFL Draft, he’s representing his small town of Kewaunee and living out all of their dreams.
The NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. CT.
