2008 Woodie Awards
NFL Pro Day Comes To Storrs
Football
Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Sports
Despite running a 4.71 40-yard dash, Lansanah exhibited good lateral quickness and change of direction in the positional workouts to go along with 22 bench press reps. Lansanah was hoping to run a faster 40-time, however.
"I think the 40 and the positional drills that they put you through matter the most, because that's all football is," Lansanah said. "Football is change of direction and stuff, but the drills are more football oriented so I think they play a big part in everything."
After spending the winter training at a facility in Florida with West Virginia linebacker Marc Magro and Texas A&M center Cody Wallace, among others, Lansanah is garnering attention from some of the NFL's most prestigious franchises.
"I took a trip out to Indianapolis to meet with the Colts and they were telling me that I had a good chance when I was out there," Lansanah said. "They put me through a physical and everything."
NFLdraftscout.com slates Lansanah as the No. 19 inside linebacker and No. 378 overall prospect.
Larry Taylor
UConn's diminutive return specialist may not be the talk of the draft, but it's not outrageous to expect Taylor to make an NFL roster next fall. After finishing his career as the Big East's all-time leading punt returner by yardage, the 165-pound Taylor added strength to get him ready for the next level.
"I was back home in Florida [during winter break] preparing for this one day," Taylor said. "I was maybe around six or seven bench reps [of the standard 225 pounds] until I started preparing, and with a lot of hard work and the right training, a lot of burnout sets, I got up to 17 today."
Taylor unofficially ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and demonstrated soft hands and quickness while running a variety of short slant routes. He also was forced to look away from the ball and then turn at the last second to grab a high pass, which essentially simulated catching a punt. Taylor looked remarkably comfortable in the situation.
But even with his solid ball skills and added strength, Taylor still feels his most vital asset is his uncanny ability to find space and make cuts with the ball.
"It's just something you don't have to teach me," he said. "It's an instinct, just a blessing from God."
Contact Kevin Duffy at Kevin.R.Duffy@UConn.edu.
"I think the 40 and the positional drills that they put you through matter the most, because that's all football is," Lansanah said. "Football is change of direction and stuff, but the drills are more football oriented so I think they play a big part in everything."
After spending the winter training at a facility in Florida with West Virginia linebacker Marc Magro and Texas A&M center Cody Wallace, among others, Lansanah is garnering attention from some of the NFL's most prestigious franchises.
"I took a trip out to Indianapolis to meet with the Colts and they were telling me that I had a good chance when I was out there," Lansanah said. "They put me through a physical and everything."
NFLdraftscout.com slates Lansanah as the No. 19 inside linebacker and No. 378 overall prospect.
Larry Taylor
UConn's diminutive return specialist may not be the talk of the draft, but it's not outrageous to expect Taylor to make an NFL roster next fall. After finishing his career as the Big East's all-time leading punt returner by yardage, the 165-pound Taylor added strength to get him ready for the next level.
"I was back home in Florida [during winter break] preparing for this one day," Taylor said. "I was maybe around six or seven bench reps [of the standard 225 pounds] until I started preparing, and with a lot of hard work and the right training, a lot of burnout sets, I got up to 17 today."
Taylor unofficially ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds and demonstrated soft hands and quickness while running a variety of short slant routes. He also was forced to look away from the ball and then turn at the last second to grab a high pass, which essentially simulated catching a punt. Taylor looked remarkably comfortable in the situation.
But even with his solid ball skills and added strength, Taylor still feels his most vital asset is his uncanny ability to find space and make cuts with the ball.
"It's just something you don't have to teach me," he said. "It's an instinct, just a blessing from God."
Contact Kevin Duffy at Kevin.R.Duffy@UConn.edu.
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