Smelt Fry Friday for Wisconsin’s Ethan Hemer

Wisconsin Badgers defensive end Ethan Hemer took in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft in the living room of his parents’ Medford, Wisc., home.

On his second night, waiting and watching, he decided it be best to take part in a time-honored Dairyland tradition and support his local fire department at the yearly Smelt Fry.

Friday fish, a cold draft beer and music with friends and family.

It’s the small-town attitude and farm community mindset that’s gotten Hemer from JV odd ball to Big Ten run stopper.
Hemer, who’s projected by some to be a mid-to-late round pick in the draft this season, was a proud, hard working central Wisconsin product who would give just about anything to get that call from his agent this weekend that he’ll be on a plane bound for somewhere Monday morning.

Friday though, Hemer took time with his mom, Kathy, dad, Jeff and brother and fellow Badgers lineman, Ben, to get back to the small town life that’s helped him get on some NFL teams radar by showing hard work, the ability to do what’s asked of him and a humble sense of being.