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UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington offered Folk a chance to walk-on at their high-profile schools. Only ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s John Mackovic offered Folk a scholarship. Folk took it. How’d it work out? After Mackovic was fired a year later, Folk won the starting job for coach Mike Stoops, and on opening night, 2006, Folk, a senior, kicked a 48-yard, walk-off field goal to beat heavily favored BYU 16-13.

“I believe Nick Folk is the best kicker in America,� Stoops boasted after the game.

Now, decades later, Folk is surely one of the best kickers in history. He begins his 18th season in the NFL with 403 field goals, 13th in history. He recently set an NFL record by making 64 consecutive field goals inside the 50-yard line. Folk has been paid more than $30 million and, at 40, opens season No. 18 as the New York Jets field-goal kicker.

Talk about a success story.

Folk is the longest-tenured ex-ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Wildcat in NFL history, and it’s not close. He has played in 242 games. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi is next with 189 games. The only ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ with longer professional sports careers are former NBA all-stars Andre Iguodala and Jason Terry, both of whom played 19 seasons in the NBA.

Here’s how Folk stacks up with ex-ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ with the longest NFL careers:

1. Folk: 18 years, sixth-round draft pick, 2007

2. Bruschi: 13 years, third-round draft pick, 1996. Played 189 games, started 139.

3. Glenn Parker: offensive tackle, 12 years, third-round draft pick, 1990. Played 174 games, started 141.

4. Lance Briggs: linebacker, 12 years, third-round draft pick, 2003. Played 173 games, started 170.

5. Josh Miller: punter, 12 years, undrafted, 1993. Played 165 games, started 165 games.

6. John Fina: offensive tackle, 11 years, first round, 1991. Played 155 games, started 131.

7. Michael Bates: special teams, 11 years, sixth-round draft pick, 1992. Played 145 games, started one.

8. Rob Gronkowski: tight end, 11 years, second round, 2010. Played 143 games, started 128.

9. Brandon Manumaleuna: tight end, 10 years, fourth-round draft pick, 2001. Played 158 games, started 103.

10. Dennis Northcutt: receiver, 10 years, second round, 2000. Played 144 games, started 61.

The other ex-ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ to play at least 10 NFL seasons are cornerback Darryll Lewis, 141 games; cornerback Chris McAlister, 137 games; defensive end Brooks Reed, 131 games; linebacker Brant Boyer, 130 games; receiver Vance Johnson, 128 games; receiver Theo Bell, 127 games; defensive tackle Mike Dawson, 113 games; quarterback Nick Foles, 71 games. Of the other ex-ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ on current NFL rosters, the longest-tenured is linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles of the New York Giants, who has played 73 games in five seasons.