| Defensive line has become quite a need for several NFL teams, especially
as far as pass-rushing ends go. This year’s draft crop has a handful of solid pass
rushers, and Syracuse’s Dwight Freeney is one of the top specialists in that area.
Freeney spoke to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine about his weight, his skills and
his matchup in 2001 with Miami (Fla.) OT Bryant McKinnie. Q: What kind of player will
the team that takes you be getting?
A: They’ll be getting a guy who works hard — a blue-collar guy. A guy who
works hard when he plays regardless, doesn’t complain too much and can make plays.
Q: What do you think about your skills against the run, especially since a lot of
people consider you a pass-rush specialist?
A: I feel that I can play the run. I just think it’s going to take some work.
I’ve been doing it pretty well in college. Sacks are high-profile and guys kind of
forget about the inside, but I think I do play the run pretty well.
Q: You’ve had some injuries in your career. Are those a concern here?
A: Not really. It hasn’t seemed to be a concern. Those were freakish injuries. The
only serious one I really had that required surgery was my finger, and that’s not
big.
Q: What about the knock that you might be a little undersized?
A: I look at that and say, ‘That’s all right, that’s all right.’
I’m a little bit lower to the ground, which is better, the fact that I’m not
going to get picked up and thrown around because someone would have to actually get under
me to do that. If I can keep good leverage, and I’m low to the ground already,
I’ll be all right.
Q: What was your height and weight?
A: They measured me at 6-1, 266.
Q: Did you lift today and how did you do if you did?
A: I did pretty well. I got 28 reps (at 225 pounds).
Q: How’s the extra weight felt?
A: It feels pretty good. It’s like 10 or 15 pounds. I played at 255, 258, so
it’s really around 10. It’s not that big of a difference, but it’s probably
needed weight.
Q: Is that about as high as you want to go?
A: I want to stay agile and fast. I’m not going to get big enough to overpower you
any time soon. I just want to stay light and fast.
Q: Will it be hard for you to keep that added weight on?
A: I never was a guy that actually had to fight to keep on weight. I was a guy who
probably had to fight to keep the weight off, if anything. I’m more like a bigger
guy, in that type of mold, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Q: As far as your pass-rush ability goes, do you have a lot of moves, signature
moves?
A: I think I have various moves. I have a fastball, which would probably be my speed
rush, and I have a couple changeups in there. But I mainly just stay with the speed unless
something happens to where I can’t use it.
Q: Looking at some offensive linemen, like Mike Williams or Bryant McKinnie, who
stand around 6-5, 360 pounds, do you have problems with that type of bulk once they get
into you?
A: I have pretty decent strength, and I have very good knowledge and technique as far
as that’s concerned. So, even if that happens, that someone that size gets his hands
on me, I have good knowledge of what to do once that happens. I may not be able to get the
sack when he actually gets his hands on me, but I’ll be able to press the pocket.
Q: Talk about the game — a 59-0 Syracuse loss — against McKinnie and Miami
(Fla.). That wasn’t one of your best games, was it?
A: It’s kind of tough that they make so big a deal out of one game. It’s not
like I was one-on-one with the guy. He’s a good player, and it’s not like I had
the opportunity, just me and him and no one else, just me and him in the ring. Things
happen and I understand it’s for the good of the game and I don’t worry too much
about that.
Q: And if it were one-on-one in the ring?
A: I don’t know, he’d probably win. He’s so big.
Q: How much in that game were you and McKinnie one-on-one?
A: Probably like three times. They did a lot of things — chipping, tight ends
turning back protection, (using) guards, tight ends and backs. I mean this is a football
game. There’s no team that’s going to sit there and say, ‘OK, we’re
going to let this own little thing develop.’ They’re going to scheme if
there’s a certain player who happens to be a stronger player.
Q: Was it a frustrating day for you?
A: I think I had a pretty good game personally, but the team and the game itself, it
was very frustrating. … And we had so many high expectations for the game, and that
game kind of just shut them all down. Personally, statistically I didn’t get the
numbers, per sé, that I usually get, but statistics don’t tell the tale.
Q: You’re saying there are extenuating circumstances to no tackles, no sacks?
A: Yeah, there are a lot of circumstances. There are games where you don’t get a
tackle or a sack. There have been games where I didn’t get a tackle or sack due to
the fact that (the other team) didn’t need to pass the ball that much later in the
game. So they’d run the ball and they didn’t run the ball toward me. Plus,
McKinnie’s a very good player on top of all of that. So, it’s kind of tough to
do things like that.
Q: Would you rather be a defensive end or a linebacker?
A: Defensive end by far. I’m much more comfortable there.
Q: Would you be disappointed if you didn’t start as a rookie?
A: My goal is to go out there and hopefully try and win a starting job if that’s
possible. I’m going to be working as hard as I can to get there. If things don’t
happen where I have to be able to play, I’ll be fine with that too.
Dwight Freeney feature: No Limits
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