Friday, Aug. 3, 2001

The Athlete’s Edge

So you want to play in the NFL? Here’s what you should know

By Nolan Nawrocki, Contributing writer

Thirteen of my former teammates from St. Rita and the University of Illinois have been drafted into the NFL, and many more have signed with teams as free agents. As a former teammate of these players, I have noticed traits in all of them that I believe are responsible for jumpstarting their careers in the NFL. Following is a glimpse into some of the components that can land a player in the NFL:

Speed. New England Patriots WR Tony Simmons became the 100- and 200-meter sprint champion in the state of Illinois as a senior at St. Rita High School. He attended Wisconsin to play football and ran track in the offseason, where he won the Big Ten 100-meter championship. At the 1998 Indianapolis Scouting Combine, Simmons was the fastest player clocked in the 40 at 4.37 seconds. If you want to be fast, you need to practice running, and Simmons was always in motion. If he wasn’t running routes on the football field, he was sprinting on the track. He developed his speed from years of training. In high school, he made some big catches, but he is more remembered for dropping wide-open passes in clutch situations, including several that could have won the state quarterfinal playoff game. Many coaches believe they can teach a player how to catch a football and that speed is a natural talent. So coaches recruit speed. If you have speed, you stand a better chance of being productive on the field and a better shot of landing in the NFL. Lesson: If you want to be fast, you better be running.

Versatility. Kevin Hardy could rush the passer or drop back into pass coverage. Before practice, he would come out early and hit the sled pads to improve his ability to shed blocks. After hitting the sleds, he’d work on his backpedal and practice getting depth in his drops. The 1995 Butkus Award winner was not only adept at taking on the run, covering the pass and rushing the passer, he was a four-year performer on Illinois’ special-teams units. In a group of linebackers including Bruce Smith, Dana Howard, John Holecek and Simeon Rice, Lou Tepper deemed Hardy the most complete player he has ever coached. Lesson: Develop all phases of your game.

Enthusiasm. Jacksonville Jaguars LB Danny Clark arrived on the Illinois campus to find himself part of the gold-rush unit — a group of predominantly redshirt freshmen who wore gold jerseys and rushed the punter. Making the transition from All-State linebacker to fourth-string scrub on a gold unit is a difficult transition for many athletes. It is a no-glory position. Instead of hanging his head, Clark reveled in the challenge. He would hoot and holler on his way to blocking punt after punt. If a member of the punt team took a false step or practiced unsound technique, Danny would capitalize on the mistake. He didn’t receive any publicity on Saturdays for his zeal in practice, but he was honored as the scout-team special-teams player of the year at the end of the season for blocking more punts in practice than Tepper’s staff had ever seen a player block. Clark invigorated the gold-rush unit with enthusiasm. His energy was contagious to his teammates, and he quickly emerged as a team leader, replacing Hardy in the lineup the following year. Lesson: Seek the opportunity in every situation.

Intensity. St. Louis Rams RB Robert Holcombe knew only one gear — full speed. He would plunge ahead full throttle in everything he did. During special-teams periods in practice, players not participating in a drill would use the extra time to catch their breath on the sideline before the next period began. As the offense’s featured running back, Holcombe was kept off special-teams units to keep his legs fresh in games. While he could have lounged and taken the period off, he adopted a routine to keep himself busy. He would perform a series of zigzag, high-knee and plyometric drills to improve his agility every day. Lesson: Push yourself to improve. Motivation comes from within.

Strength. During practice at Illinois, former Cincinnati Bengal OL Ken Blackman would set up in his stance, look up and down the defensive front with an open hand, eyeing his next victim and saying, "Who wants the crippler?" After he engulfed the oncoming rusher, he would try to grab his opponent’s neck and lift him off the ground. With a 700-pound squat and 500-pound bench press, Blackman had no trouble launching his opposition. At 6-5, 320 pounds, it’s not the least bit surprising that he didn’t allow a single sack from the quarterback’s blind side or that he married WCW wrestler Madusa. Lesson: Football is a game. Enjoy it.

Explosiveness. It’s only natural that one of New York Jets OL J.P. Machado’s best friends in college was his strength coach. Early in the morning, before practice, sometimes after practice, Machado could be found on an Olympic platform in the weight room, cleaning and jerking as much as 350 pounds above his head. His emphasis on explosive power helped transform him from a college walk-on to a starting left guard. His 36-inch vertical jump is unheard of for an offensive lineman and left many NFL scouts scribbling his name at his individual workout in Champaign. Lesson: Football is an explosive game. Gear your workout toward the sport.

Confidence. If you fail, it is no one’s fault but your own. That was the reality that Cincinnati Bengals PK Neil Rackers was forced to face as a kicker. He had one job — put the ball through the uprights. Outside of a poor snap or a bad hold, the onus to perform fell strictly on Rackers’ shoulders. In practice, Rackers would practice field-goal attempts from 60 yards and nail them consecutively. He pushed his boundaries in practice so that he would be confident in game situations. Lesson: Don’t make excuses. Be accountable for your actions. Success is a choice.

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