Clay Horning
• Former OU
linebacker works
out at Pro Day
Anybody who watched Curtis Lofton play football last season knows the Kingfisher product can play the game.
If Sam Bradford’s completion percentage was the most consistent facet of the Sooners’ offense, then Lofton’s tackle numbers, almost always in double digits, filled the bill for the defense.
But Lofton has a flaw, even if it’s nothing he can do anything about. Standing still, in shorts, a T-shirt and sneakers, he doesn’t look like an All-American or the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, both of which he was. Nor does he look the part when he takes off running anywhere but the gridiron.
“When they turn on that film, I don’t think anybody can play as fast as me,” Lofton said Tuesday morning, moments after being put through several drills at Pro Day, a sort of mini-NFL Combine for Sooners (and at least one ex-Sooner: Tommy Brady) looking to raise their stock in the eyes of the teams that make up the NFL.
At the actual combine, held late last month in Indianapolis, Lofton clocked 4.77 in the 40-yard dash. It wasn’t a crushing blow, but it did nothing for his stock while at the same time gave any number of NFL general managers at least slight reason not trust Lofton’s film.
Tuesday morning, he ran 4.67.
Twice.
Lofton said he doesn’t think about the money, cars and real estate he may fall into when he starts playing on Sunday. For him, it’s all about the football. On the other hand, he was pleased to hear some of the scouts in attendance broach the topic.
“They told me I made a lot of money today,” he said.
Who wouldn’t like to hear that?
The scene
Taking place inside the Everett Indoor Training Facility, it was quiet like a library, punctuated only by the grunts of the players and the occasional shout of encouragement from one player to another.
While 16 athletes went through the drills, more than 20 NFL franchises were represented by assistant coaches or scouts. Most were anonymous, but plenty were familiar.
Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator under John Blake, Rex Ryan, was there for the Baltimore Ravens, for whom he is the assistant head coach. Former Sooner tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Jonathan Hayes was there for the Cincinnati Bengals, the organization he left OU for in 2003.
Former Miami great, Alonzo Highsmith, the No. 3 pick in the 1987 draft, was there for the Green Bay Packers. So was Pittsburgh Steeler icon and NFL Hall of Famer “Mean” Joe Greene.
Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford was one of the onlookers.
“It’s obviously important to be fast,” he said. “But a lot more, I think, it’s what you do on the field.”
The rest
That’s what Lofton’s banking on, though now he may not need to worry.
“I think that was probably a relief for a lot of people who were rooting for Curtis,” said OU defensive coordinator Brent Venables, also there to watch.
Two Sooners still waiting to do their testing are receiver Malcolm Kelly and defensive back Reggie Smith. Both were injured when OU played West Virginia and both opted out of workouts at the NFL Combine and again Tuesday.
Kelly said the scouts would be back to watch them April 9.
Sooner linebacker Lewis Baker worked out looking for a chance to be noticed. Under much pressure, he was taking everything in stride.
“It’s a chance to compete,” he said. “I love to compete.”
Clay Horning
366-3526
cfhorning@normantranscript.com
