AP

Going from Fort Lewis College to the NFL is a big deal, and Tim Jenkins is grateful for the opportunity.

Jenkins is an undrafted rookie quarterback who played his college football at Division II Fort Lewis in Durango, Colorado. He signed with the Rams after last weekend’s rookie minicamp, and he said that during that minicamp, he noticed perks of playing professionally that players from big-time football schools might not notice. Things like unlimited supplies of sports drinks and shoes.

“There’s Gatorades in every room, and if you need new cleats, you get new cleats,” Jenkins told the Durango Herald. “I think I’m a lot more thankful for it coming from a smaller school.”

Jenkins knows he has an uphill battle to still be on the roster in September, but he said he’s going to take advantage of every practice rep he gets.

“Now being the fourth quarterback, you’ve got to do as much as you can with the time you have,” he said. “It’s great when you do get a rep, get a rep in the National Football League. . . . This is my goal since I’ve been a little kid. . . . So you feel like you’re going to feel all different, but I still feel like the Tim who stepped on the field freshman year at Fort Lewis.”

The same Tim, but with nicer shoes.