Saturday night the top seniors from across the country gathered in Mobile, Alabama to play in the Nation’s most prestigious all-star game, The Senior Bowl. Through out the year college football practices are infested with clip-board laden scouts. The senior bowl is different. It’s head coaches, general managers, and distinguished front office personnel making the trip to see the “goods” themselves.
I know that Chris Cooley had his own interesting run in with Bill Parcells during his 2004 Senior Bowl experience. A conversation amounting something to the effect of you’re a special-teamer. 6th or 7th round at best. Sorry kid. Well 5 years and a 2007 Pro-Bowl appearance later, even the Tuna can be wrong.
The senior bowl is where draft stock can rise or fall, metaphorical fortunes can be gained and squandered over the course of the week.
So my friend and “sometimes-roommate” (read: his girlfriend is actually my roommate, and there were a few slumber-parties) is one of those guys who’s draft stock rose significantly during the week of practice of the Senior Bowl was offensive tackle Will Beatty.
Before I get into what ESPN.COM is calling “a dominating, eye opening weak of practice” by Beatty, let me first clue you into some inside info about the man who will soon be playing on Sundays.
Will Beatty is a cheater. Don’t take that the wrong way, all offensive linemen are cheaters. Tight Ends too (sorry Chris). They hold, grab, punch, and spit knowing damn well that the refs will only call a fraction of these violations in order to preserve what they call the “flow of the game.” Great for O-linemen, awful for D-linemen. On our team Beatty was the number one violator, taking full advantage of this. He is also the most athletically gifted linemen I’ve ever had the displeasure of going up against.
A relative unknown before the season Beatty is now being projected as a 1st or 2nd rounder, currently ranked the 6th best offensive linemen in this years draft. I got the opportunity to talk with Will. Here’s the interview:
FWG: Oh so now you pick up? And I had to call Cody (Brown)’s phone to get you”
Will Beatty: My bad my dude, busy here. Doin’ my thing
FWG: I get it. So you are reppin’ UConn?
WB: Yeah man. No question.
FWG: Are you watching ESPN?
WB: (laughs) Yeah. I’m trying to see if my draft stock is rising of falling.
FWG: So am I.
WB: (noises in the background)
FWG: You’re not even talking to me are you?
(more noises, no response)
FWG: Will? Really? You’re doing this right now?
WB: Tickets. Their doing tickets
FWG: You’re not making sense.
WB: Sorry. The screwed up my tickets. I got 64 tickets to the game and they screwed them up.
FWG: What’s the best part of being in Mobile?
WB: Hanging out and practicing with the best of the best
FWG: Who’s impressed you the most?
WB: Seeing receivers go out and catch the ball. Staying on their feet. Shit we never saw at Uconn.
FWG: This is going to be on Chris Cooley’s website. Anything to say to the Redskins fan?
WB: Maybe I’ll see them at FedEx next year.
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