Brendon Ayanbadejo compares Michael Sam to Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks

COLUMBIA, Miss., Feb. 10 (UPI) -- According to former NFL player and current Fox Sports analyst Brendon Ayanbadejo, Missouri defensive lineman Michael Sam is similar to trailblazers like Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks after he publicly came out as gay prior to the upcoming NFL draft.

Before revealing his secret to the world, Sam was advised by Ayanbadejo, openly gay NBA player Jason Collins, Billy Bean, Wade Davis and Chris Kluwe during a dinner.

“We were there to celebrate his ground-breaking voyage that in many ways is similar to those of Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks -- extraordinary moments in the push for equality,” Ayanbadejo wrote in a column for Fox. “To borrow from Neil Amstrong, this is one small step for gay men and one giant leap for the LGBTQ community.”

Sam told his Missouri teammates he was gay before the 2013 season.

"I could go on campus and go around local gay bars in Columbia and not worry about anybody judging me," Sam said. "Prior to coming out, I would be in a local restaurant with my boyfriend and coaches would come in and I would feel insecure and want to sneak out."

He is projected to be selected during the first two days of the NFL draft.

"Michael Sam has raised the bar for expectations and excellence," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “(Mizzou's defensive ends) are all competitive and they want their tackles for loss. They want their sacks, and it’s a real healthy competition. But Michael, with the level he's been playing, everything's kind of changed a little bit."

The NFL draft will be held in May.

"For me, I just want to play football," Sam said. "I want to play for the team that drafts me, the team that believes in me. The team that believes in Michael Sam the football player."

A few current NFL players took to Twitter to comment about Sam’s situation.

[Fox Sports] [Pro Football Talk]