Sam Ficken, welcome to the NFL.

Ficken’s grueling wait is finally over, as he’ll be joining the Jacksonville Jaguars for training camp after being signed to the team’s 90-man roster. Ficken previously worked out for the Jaguars in June after receiving brief offseason opportunities with the Chiefs and Cardinals in 2015. None of his brief stints resulted in a contract, which makes Monday’s signing all the more special.

Ficken will compete against incumbent starter Jason Myers, who made 26-30 tries in 2015. His NFL opportunity is the culmination of years of trials and tribulations. Fans know the story. Ficken went from scapegoat after his tumultuous day against Virginia in 2012 where he missed four field goals, to hero after a stunning senior season in which he went 24-29, finishing his career with a walk-off extra point in the 2014 Pinstripe Bowl.

Ficken was then passed over multiple times, even by the in-state Pittsburgh Steelers who desperately needed a kicker in 2015. He stayed the course with the hopes that one team would give him a call. It looks like all that waiting was worth it.

He’ll need to further prove his worth in camp if he’s to remain on the roster, but given where he started and where he is today, my money’s on Sam.

The Jaguars open camp on July 29.