Tall man, big shoes, high aspirations
Senior left tackle Jared Veldheer is on track for a career in the NFL
Nathan McClallen
Issue date: 9/24/09 Section: Sports
Hillsdale College has had its share of high-profile athletes over the past few years. Most students would recognize names such as Mark Nicolet ('08), Katie Cezat ('09) or Tom Korte ('09) due to their recognition on a national scale. There are others too. Players like Tony Gugino ('09), Stephanie Booms ('09) and numerous all-Americans in the track program have also brought attention to the college. However, senior offensive lineman Jared Veldheer could ultimately have the biggest impact on the world of professional sports.
"They [NFL scouts] came this spring," said head coach Keith Otterbein. "Statistically, there aren't a lot of guys in the country that are 6 feet, 7 inches, 321 pounds and can run a 4.87 [40-yard dash]."
In fact, there may not be any others. The 40-yard dash is a standard test the NFL uses to rate a player's ability to accelerate over a short distance. At the NFL combine this spring, the fastest time for an offensive lineman was 4.89 seconds, according to NFL.com. There are more eye-popping statistics.
Veldheer can bench press 225 lbs. 33 times and has a hang clean mark of 425 pounds in addition to having a 30-inch vertical. These numbers compare favorably to any offensive lineman drafted last year, which explains the NFL interest. However, success is dependent on more than just numbers.
"It really comes down to how much the guy loves the game of football," Otterbein said. "And that's where Jared is going to separate himself."
According to D2football.com, he is the fourth ranked pro prospect. However, Veldheer said he is not dwelling on his professional future, but rather staying focused on the season.
"I figure if you go about it trying to play your best every Saturday, everything else will take care of itself," he said.
That's not to say he is not prepared for the NFL. Veldheer invests in a personal trainer over the summer months to increase his speed and agility, according to Otterbein.
"They [NFL scouts] came this spring," said head coach Keith Otterbein. "Statistically, there aren't a lot of guys in the country that are 6 feet, 7 inches, 321 pounds and can run a 4.87 [40-yard dash]."
In fact, there may not be any others. The 40-yard dash is a standard test the NFL uses to rate a player's ability to accelerate over a short distance. At the NFL combine this spring, the fastest time for an offensive lineman was 4.89 seconds, according to NFL.com. There are more eye-popping statistics.
Veldheer can bench press 225 lbs. 33 times and has a hang clean mark of 425 pounds in addition to having a 30-inch vertical. These numbers compare favorably to any offensive lineman drafted last year, which explains the NFL interest. However, success is dependent on more than just numbers.
"It really comes down to how much the guy loves the game of football," Otterbein said. "And that's where Jared is going to separate himself."
According to D2football.com, he is the fourth ranked pro prospect. However, Veldheer said he is not dwelling on his professional future, but rather staying focused on the season.
"I figure if you go about it trying to play your best every Saturday, everything else will take care of itself," he said.
That's not to say he is not prepared for the NFL. Veldheer invests in a personal trainer over the summer months to increase his speed and agility, according to Otterbein.
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