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Trimmer Andrews leaves scouts agog
BY SCOTT CAIN AND BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FAYETTEVILLE — Shawn Andrews might have fattened his wallet by making his body thinner.
Andrews paraded through a series of speed, quickness and agility tests and position drills Wednesday at the UA facilities. But the offensive tackle and former Razorback from Camden made his biggest impression when he weighed in at 345 pounds — 56 pounds lighter than he was a few months ago and 19 pounds less than he did at the NFL Combine last month.
Andrews was one of 15 former Arkansas players who worked out for about 20 NFL scouts and assistant coaches. It was the Razorbacks’ last group workout before the draft April 24-25.
Andrews and tailback Cedric Cobbs of Little Rock carried a little more pressure into the day than most of their former teammates. Andrews and Cobbs needed to improve on some of their performances at the combine, and neither participated in the other on-campus workout March 4.
Even at a lighter weight, Andrews maintained his strength. He put up 27 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press, the same number he did at the combine when he weighed 364 pounds. Andrews also ran the 40-yard dash faster (various scouts’ watches timed him between 5.18 and 5.22 seconds) than he did last month (5.3). "Let me just put it this way — he looked magnificent," Green Bay Packers assistant coach Larry Beightol said. "I don’t think anybody ever questioned what kind of athlete he is or the kind of football player that he is. But there were some concerns about his weight and he certainly has got that fixed up and he’s looking mighty good."
Taking off the weight sent a powerful message to the NFL onlookers.
"I think that says an awful lot about him, about his character and that he has made a commitment, that he wants to be a professional football player," Beightol said. "I’m sure that some teams will still be leery of him, but I don’t believe the Green Bay Packers will."
Beightol was one at least four offensive line coaches who attended the workout. The Packers pick 25th overall and Andrews is not expected to be around that late.
In the always volatile arena of draft projections, Andrews’ stock has fluctuated. He was considered a top 10 pick by some analysts last fall and a mid-first rounder by some last month. That value could be on the upswing now.
Consider that the other offensive line coaches in attendance represented teams that will pick in the top 10 — the Cleveland Browns at No. 7, Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 9 and Houston Texans at No. 10.
Last year’s No. 8 pick, tackle Jordan Gross of the Carolina Panthers, received a $10.4 million signing bonus. The No. 9 pick defensive tackle Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, who also is a Fordyce native, received $8 million. As the No. 15 pick, defensive Jerome McDougle of the Philadelphia Eagles cashed a $5.6 million signing bonus.
All that Andrews would say about his draft expectations are that he has a first-round position in mind but did not want to share it.
The normally upbeat Andrews didn’t say much to reporters after his workout, keeping his answers brief and his face stoic. He said he felt nervous before the workout and felt like he helped his draft stock. His only extended thoughts came when he talked about using "negative feedback" as motivation during his workouts in Arizona since January.
Asked what negative feedback he had received, Andrews said: "In the past, everybody was making a big deal out of my weight. So, it doesn’t matter anymore. I get a chance to hush all the naysayers now, so it doesn’t matter. I’m on my own terms now.
I’m doing it for myself and my family and the team I’m going to be playing for.
It doesn’t matter what anybody else says."
Andrews earned first-team All-American honors in 2002 and 2003 playing most of that time at more than 345 pounds.
Beightol said Andrews should be fine if he stays between 340 and 350.
Surgery to remove polyps blocking his nasal passages has not been scheduled yet. Andrews said he and his doctor would address that matter in the next couple of weeks.
Tight end Jason Peters did offensive line drills but did not run any of the speed or agility tests, causing a grumble or two among the scouts. Peters already had performed very well at the combine and in the March 4 workout.
Our pick keeps looking better and better every day.
BY SCOTT CAIN AND BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FAYETTEVILLE — Shawn Andrews might have fattened his wallet by making his body thinner.
Andrews paraded through a series of speed, quickness and agility tests and position drills Wednesday at the UA facilities. But the offensive tackle and former Razorback from Camden made his biggest impression when he weighed in at 345 pounds — 56 pounds lighter than he was a few months ago and 19 pounds less than he did at the NFL Combine last month.
Andrews was one of 15 former Arkansas players who worked out for about 20 NFL scouts and assistant coaches. It was the Razorbacks’ last group workout before the draft April 24-25.
Andrews and tailback Cedric Cobbs of Little Rock carried a little more pressure into the day than most of their former teammates. Andrews and Cobbs needed to improve on some of their performances at the combine, and neither participated in the other on-campus workout March 4.
Even at a lighter weight, Andrews maintained his strength. He put up 27 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press, the same number he did at the combine when he weighed 364 pounds. Andrews also ran the 40-yard dash faster (various scouts’ watches timed him between 5.18 and 5.22 seconds) than he did last month (5.3). "Let me just put it this way — he looked magnificent," Green Bay Packers assistant coach Larry Beightol said. "I don’t think anybody ever questioned what kind of athlete he is or the kind of football player that he is. But there were some concerns about his weight and he certainly has got that fixed up and he’s looking mighty good."
Taking off the weight sent a powerful message to the NFL onlookers.
"I think that says an awful lot about him, about his character and that he has made a commitment, that he wants to be a professional football player," Beightol said. "I’m sure that some teams will still be leery of him, but I don’t believe the Green Bay Packers will."
Beightol was one at least four offensive line coaches who attended the workout. The Packers pick 25th overall and Andrews is not expected to be around that late.
In the always volatile arena of draft projections, Andrews’ stock has fluctuated. He was considered a top 10 pick by some analysts last fall and a mid-first rounder by some last month. That value could be on the upswing now.
Consider that the other offensive line coaches in attendance represented teams that will pick in the top 10 — the Cleveland Browns at No. 7, Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 9 and Houston Texans at No. 10.
Last year’s No. 8 pick, tackle Jordan Gross of the Carolina Panthers, received a $10.4 million signing bonus. The No. 9 pick defensive tackle Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings, who also is a Fordyce native, received $8 million. As the No. 15 pick, defensive Jerome McDougle of the Philadelphia Eagles cashed a $5.6 million signing bonus.
All that Andrews would say about his draft expectations are that he has a first-round position in mind but did not want to share it.
The normally upbeat Andrews didn’t say much to reporters after his workout, keeping his answers brief and his face stoic. He said he felt nervous before the workout and felt like he helped his draft stock. His only extended thoughts came when he talked about using "negative feedback" as motivation during his workouts in Arizona since January.
Asked what negative feedback he had received, Andrews said: "In the past, everybody was making a big deal out of my weight. So, it doesn’t matter anymore. I get a chance to hush all the naysayers now, so it doesn’t matter. I’m on my own terms now.
I’m doing it for myself and my family and the team I’m going to be playing for.
It doesn’t matter what anybody else says."
Andrews earned first-team All-American honors in 2002 and 2003 playing most of that time at more than 345 pounds.
Beightol said Andrews should be fine if he stays between 340 and 350.
Surgery to remove polyps blocking his nasal passages has not been scheduled yet. Andrews said he and his doctor would address that matter in the next couple of weeks.
Tight end Jason Peters did offensive line drills but did not run any of the speed or agility tests, causing a grumble or two among the scouts. Peters already had performed very well at the combine and in the March 4 workout.
Our pick keeps looking better and better every day.
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