McCoy still in a good position
BY GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
3/30/10 at 4:40 AM
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NORMAN — Sam Bradford launched a perfect, 60-yard post-route strike to Adron Tennell on Monday afternoon, and with that, Gerald McCoy announced himself to the 100 or so NFL personnel inside the Everest Training Center.
"King Sam!" McCoy hollered gleefully.
Otherwise, this was Bradford's big day. McCoy, Oklahoma's other top-of-the-draft prospect, was obliged to simply lend support.
Teased that he was hoping Bradford might miss on a few more of his 63 passes, so as to improve on his No. 1-overall-to-the-Rams chances, McCoy said: "Never that. We're teammates. I wish the best for all my teammates. I want everybody to have a chance to play at the next level and go as high as possible."
There was talk McCoy might try the bench press again Monday. He did just 23 reps at 225 pounds at the NFL combine last month (Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh put up 32), and elected not to lift at OU's first pro day on March 9.
"I was advised by different scouts and my agents that it wasn't necessary for me to bench," McCoy explained. "A lot of people made a big deal out of it, but it wasn't necessary. It's not going to change where I am (in the draft) if I bench again. I'm still going to be one, two or three, from what I hear. That's what I'm hoping for. I'm praying that it stays that way. You never know what happens in the draft.
"But from what I was told, I still have a possibility to go one, two or three regardless of whether I bench or not ... It wasn't a concern. I wasn't going to do less (reps). I could have done more, but it wouldn't have changed anything. I've got film, and that's what scouts watch."
"It's not alarming," coach Jim Schwartz, whose Detroit Lions own the No. 2 overall pick behind St. Louis, told MLive.com, "but it's information. It's what it was. He's got good strength. He's got really, really good lower body strength and things like that. If you watched him play, I don't think you'd say he lacks upper body strength."
The Lions are interested enough in McCoy to have invited him to their Allen Park, Mich., headquarters on March 18. The Tampa Bay Buccaneeers, who pick third, have scheduled an individual workout with McCoy this week in Norman.
Former Buc Warren Sapp chimed in on McCoy's behalf recently, when a post on Sapp's Twitter page read: "Take McCoy! Ain't No Bench Press On the any Yd Line! Feet Beat Weights everyday & Twice on Sunday!!"
Other talk that circulated jokingly around the Everest Center Monday was that McCoy was so warm and friendly in combine interviews that he must now convince pro personnel he has a mean streak. It's a lot for a draft prospect to take on — workout numbers, disposition, interest-gauging, to say nothing of pending contract negotiations.
McCoy, at least Monday, was handling it with characteristic calm. He glided from one group of people to another, as interested in having his dad meet San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary as worrying about his bench press.
"I take it all in stride. I don't really pay it any attention," he said of the draft process. "I just make sure I'm at my best when the time comes."
Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Former OU quarterback Sam Bradford (middle) hugs teammate Gerald McCoy after trying out for NFL scouts during on Monday. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
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