He stands almost 6-foot-6, weighs 310 pounds and flattens any opposing force in his path. But David Stewart’s colossal frame and dominating strength are no match for the size of his heart.
“These (combine) tests are true, but they can’t measure heart. And that’s one thing he scores off the chart on,” MSU strength and conditioning coach Jim Nowell said.
Nowell is preparing Mississippi State’s former left tackle for the NFL combine, a four-day event in late February that allows NFL head coaches and general managers to sneak a peak at the upcoming college talent pool.
Over 400 players will be evaluated at this year’s combine. Players will be asked to perform a number of drills to test their abilities: the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, three cone agility drill and more.
From these tests, coaches and scouts from each individual NFL team will evaluate players for the April 23 NFL Draft, which will be held in the theater at Madison Square Garden.
“We know exactly what he’s going to be tested on at the combine,” Nowell said. “So those are types of things that we practice.”
Along with taking nine hours in school this semester, Stewart, who was the No. 18 ranked overall prospect in the state of Alabama after his senior year of high school, is taking part in coach Nowell’s rigorous training schedule, which will prepare him for his participation in the combine.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Stewart runs short sprints to stay conditioned.
On Tuesday and Thursday, he practices agility drills that he will be evaluated on at the combine. Also on Monday and Friday, he does some heavy lifting “with an emphasis on being explosive.”
“We’re doing some heavy bench presses to hopefully get his bench max up and help him perform (in the 225 pound reps at the combine),” Nowell said.
One of the drills at the combine is the 225 pound bench reps. Players will be asked to bench press 225 pounds as many times as they can. The average for a player at 225 pounds is around 20 reps.
“(My maxamum bench) is definitely up there pretty good,” said Stewart, who played in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. and started every game for Mississippi State in his sophomore, junior and senior years. “After the work out I did 275 on bench press 12 times.”
The Senior Bowl allowed Stewart to display his talents to NFL scouts and coaches, since he was going up against some of the best defensive linemen in the nation.
Scouts were at Senior Bowl practices watching Stewart go head to head with the best defensive players on the market come April.
“I think I did pretty well,” Stewart said. “On the South team I practiced against (Marcus) Spears (LSU’s top defensive tackle) and guys from (national champion) USC.”
Of course Stewart’s goal is to be chosen in the first day of the NFL draft.
The draft is broken into two days with the first three rounds being on the first day and the last four rounds on the second day. There will be a total of 255 selections in the upcoming draft.
“I think David’s got an excellent chance coming off the board the first day,” Stewart’s agent Bus Cook said. “Everybody I’ve talked to really likes him. (They like) the energy that he has, his toughness, his willingness to lay it all on the line the whole time he’s on the field.”
Cook offered to send Stewart anywhere in the nation to train with some of the best in the business, but the three year letterman decided to finish school and train with Nowell, who is in his second year of trying to rebuild Mississippi State’s strength and conditioning program.
“I think it’s probably worked out well for David because he’s in a comfort zone with coach Nowell,” Cook said.
Cook also added that Walter Peyton, Steve McNair and Brett Favre all trained for the NFL in the state of Mississippi.
“(Coach Nowell) is as qualified as any of the others in this country to train these guys,” Cook said. “I think David is going to do just fine working with coach Nowell; I think he made a wise choice.”
Cook offered to help pay Nowell for his training of Stewart but the 38-year-old year old coach/trainer would not accept the money.
“I told (David) ‘if you’re going to stay and finish school, I’ll be glad to work with you for no charge,” Nowell said. “He is just a pleasure to work with. You don’t have to worry about him being late, not showing up, or having to drag him through something.”
Throughout the football season, pro scouts from around the country came to Mississippi State practices to evaluate Stewart’s play. They also worked with Bulldog coaches and viewed film of him.
“The scouts love him,” Nowell said. “When they would come in during the season and watch film (on him) they absolutely loved him. They know about him and he’s high on a lot of their lists.”
Stewart, who was given the Bulldog Award at the end of spring drills this past season, is rated among the top 15 offensive tackles in the country.
NFL.com has Stewart 14th overall while about.com has him the ninth best offensive tackle among players entering the draft.
” I’d put him up against anybody as far as his tenacity and toughness and just willingness to play the game,” Nowell said. “Very seldom do you ever see a player that is the total package. He’s got heart, determination, guts, courage, work ethic … you name it, he’s got it.”