Quotables: Nick Ekbatani
How do you feel after Pro Day?
"I feel pretty good. I feel like Pro Day went well. I was just trying to give my chance to keep my career alive, do whatever I can to hold on."
Is it hard when there aren't many lesser professional leagues or prominent overseas leagues to get a shot with?
"It is, but it also makes it that more gratifying if you get it. There is an array of different leagues, they just don't pay as much as the NFL. Honest-to-God, I just want to keep playing football. Wherever I end up would be a blessing."
Would you want to go overseas?
"Sure, why not?"
How did your 40 time go after those 42 bench press reps?
"It's especially tough for me, because I was trying my hardest to gain as much as weight as I possibly could. I ended last season around 275, 295 right now, so it was a fight to get up there and maintain some sort of speed. I ran a 5.3 which isn't terrible, it's not good. I did the agility drills well, I jumped really well. It's football; I don't really run too much when I play football."
How difficult is the transition from football player to workout warrior?
"That's what's been crazy the past couple months, making that transition. All you do is football for three, four months, and then it's all of a sudden, now we're training to be sprinters, now we're trying to be jumpers. I'm wearing track cleats? It's crazy, but a great experience, and I feel somewhat more athletic than when entered it. I guess that's a good thing."
What happened to the beard (Ekbatani had a big, bushy beard at Pro Day and was clean-shaven two days later)?
"When it comes to those monthly facial hair celebrations, March is actually March Moustache Madness, so I had to miss out on that in favor of the beard. It was just kind of a superstitious thing. I remember the last time I had a big old beard here at UCLA, I put up crazy numbers. I don't know, I was trying to have fun with it. I was trying to look like a crazy man out here. A homeless man - if I'm hungry, maybe I'll play better. Play harder, at least."
According to the Boston Globe:
"UCLA DT Brian Price is set to visit the Patriots.
Why is this more than just a little intriguing? Well, if Price is under consideration for one of New England's second-round picks, it's pretty important to note that he's seen as a penetrating, 3-technique-type of tackle. We'll have more of my thoughts on the Damione Lewis' signing later, but I can tell you now that Lewis, too, is more of an upfield, attacking type of of defensive tackle.
Could this be part of a scheme change? Remember, the Patriots have reworked the on-field approach of defensive linemen (most prominently, Vince Wilfork) in the past to fit their scheme, and so it's possible that the sawed-off Price could project as a nose, ultimately, for New England (may not be long enough to play 5-tech end). And in the nickel, most of those 3-4 defensive ends and nose tackles become upfield players anyway, so it's not like there's no use for those types, if you don't use them in the base.
Still, if the Patriots start stocking up on those kinds of players, you have to wonder if it's to do more than beef up their interior rush."
If people are talking Price at the Pats' *2nd* round pick, then his fall goes from minor to major to calamitous - that's the 44th pick, at the earliest. I haven't seen anybody put him lower than 39th so far, though...
If BPrice continues to fall, and into the 2nd round, he should reconsider leaving. But if he's retained an agent that may be a moot point.