BRADIE EWING »» FOOTBALL Badgering...
A captain on the Badgers' Big Ten championship team, senior Bradie Ewing is considered the No. 1 fullback prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. After taking part in the NFL scouting combine, Ewing is now training in Madison and at home in Richland Center, Wis., while putting the finishing touches on the sociology degree he will receive in May.
What has your training program been like leading up to the NFL draft? "For the combine you're preparing for all sorts of drills and the 40-yard dash and position work, and now you kind of make the transition back to football again, which is a different training. It's a transition from where you were doing maximum rep training for things like the bench (press) but now you go back to max effort work to build your stamina for football."
What are you focusing on in your training? "Talking to scouts and NFL coaches and evaluating myself, I think I need to get better on my hand placement on my blocks. Obviously I want to get stronger overall, but I'm just trying to get up to 240-245 (pounds) while keeping my speed up."
How did your work with the training staff at UW set you up for what you're doing now? "I think it did a lot for me. I primarily worked with Coach (Brian) Bott, but they're all phenomenal. They do a great job training you, both physically and mentally. A lot of times that mental part is missing. You have to be able to grind during a game and keep working when you're mentally and physically fatigued, and they prepare you for that."
What are you hearing about your draft stock? What are your hopes for draft day? "Teams never want to show their hands, but I've heard anywhere from fourth or fifth round to sixth and seventh or free agent. I really don't know what to expect. All I'm really looking for is an opportunity, whether that's being drafted or as a free agent. I think there's a team that will invest in my skill set. It will be exciting either way."
20 » VARSITY APRIL 5, 2012
