One of the things I couldn’t help but
learn as a Stanford football beat reporter was which players would talk after
losses. Trent Edwards was the best – always gracious, always accepting blame
that wasn’t rightfully his, always optimistic irrespective of reality – and I
think that speaks volumes about his personality and why he’s a starting NFL
quarterback.
After Edwards graduated, Alex Fletcher
became the new go-to guy for us reporters. Of course, this probably won’t
surprise any Stanford fan, as Fletcher has been outgoing from Day One, and a guy
who would shoot straight with you and not just give you clichés. So, Alex, I
think I speak for the whole press corps when I thank you for speaking your mind
in those postgame locker rooms, because if it were just us and a mumbling Walt Harris, we still might be trying in vain to finish our articles. And, on a more
serious note, I think I speak for the entire Bootleg community when I wish
you the best of luck in the NFL, or whatever comes
next.
On training for
the NFL:
Since school ended, I’ve been working out
with Joe DeFranco in New Jersey. It’s actually cool stuff; you can see him on YouTube. I’m really trying to get a lot bigger. I’ve
always played at around 295 and I really want to be 305 or so when it’s all said
and done. When I’m a pro, I want to be 305.
The Bootleg: I’ve heard that 300 pounds
is a sort of magic number for linemen when it comes to the NFL Draft. A guy who
weighs 302 and a guy who weighs 299 are essentially the same size, obviously,
but NFL GMs will feel a lot more comfortable drafting the 302-pound guy, for
whatever reason.
On his training
schedule:
Most of these combine things haven’t really
started yet, so I’m just really lifting hard. Since I’ve been on break, I wake
up at 8 a.m. and I drive to New Jersey. I live on Long Island, so it can be
pretty bad, taking the George Washington Bridge. Then I work out with Joe for
two hours and drive home.
We’re doing a lot of heavy weights to build more muscle
mass.
On whether
he has an ideal NFL team or system:
I’m open to a lot of different things. Me
being 305, I think the whole key to the NFL situation is to not have five or ten
teams like you, but to have a way to have the most teams like you. Putting on
more weight lets me appeal not only to zone-blocking, but also to more
man-blocking teams. I just want
to be the interior swing guy, and play either guard or
center.
On coming back his senior season:
I had a
fifth-round grade [last offseason]. I had a fifth-round grade and I was smaller,
so I think I improved a lot. Obviously, a lot of things go into being center,
and you’re not going to see too many go off the board super-high but there a lot
of mid-round centers. And I think at end of day, I think I proved that I’m there
this year by coming back and playing center whole year. Obviously, a big thing
is playing multiple positions and I think I proved that too.
It’s kind of the
hard part is over now and I’m just seeing whatever I have to go to. I’m working
my tail off to do the easy stuff, the training. The season was hard part, now
it’s just lifting and running.
The Bootleg: Sometimes the NFL
graders tend to be overly conservative, but it’s hard to argue that Fletcher did
anything but improve his stock by returning for a fifth year. Then again, mock
drafts show Fletcher going in the seventh round or undrafted this April. In
terms of versatility, Fletcher primarily played guard his first few seasons on
the Farm, but started all 12 games at center in 2008.
On whether a Stanford degree will improve his standing
in NFL GM’s eyes:
I think that obviously, going to Stanford will help you. I
think it helps def as an offensive lineman, being a Stanford offensive lineman,
and being able to play in Coach Dalman’s very pro scheme, which is the zone
blocking so many teams run, gives you an advantage. I think the Wonderlic is a
huge thing which will help.
On advice Stanford NFLers give him:
I talk to Will Svitek all the time. I’m really close to him. He just got hurt this year, but
will play next year [he’s currently a free agent, cut by the Chiefs]. He’s an
offensive lineman now, and was a defensive lineman in college.
He says it’s all about staying healthy over
the course of a long season. He repeats that a lot. He’s a big guy in terms of
the weight room,
and has really encouraged me to get big as I can
too.
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