March 2, 2010
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Just as he was about to step to the starting line for the first of two 40-yard dashes that could very well determine his future football career, Torell Troup made what he deemed to be a big mistake.
"I looked up to the right and all the coaches and GMs and scouts were sitting up there with their stopwatches and that was sort of a mistake," Troup said with a laugh. "I sort had to back off and take a couple of deep breaths and get myself back together again."
The former standout UCF defensive tackle did just that in Monday's portion of the NFL Combine, putting on quite a performance for the droves of NFL executives and scouts on hand in preparation for the April 22 NFL Draft.
Troup tied for third among all defensive linemen in reps on the bench press, by lifting 225 pounds 34 times. His total was more than fellow defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma), who could be the first two players chosen in the draft.
And the 6-foot-2, 314-pound defensive tackle showed the scouts that he has plenty of speed and mobility in other on field drills, too. He ran a 5.1 and a 5.16 in the two 40-yard dash runs. And he thrived in the cone drills, gracefully moving from side to side in agility drills.
"Some of my people representing me talked to some of the scouts and executives here and they were very impressed with what I did," said Troup, who is projected by some to be selected as high as the third round of the NFL Draft. "I really think I moved well through all of the drills and I'm just hopeful that a lot of the people there took note of me."
NFL scouts assuredly know who Troup is after dozens of them were on campus this past season to follow the talented defensive tackle. Troup displayed plenty of power this past season on a UCF defense that ranked fourth in the nation against the run and led Conference USA in almost every crucial category. Despite often drawing double teams, Troup still had 35 tackles, five stops for a loss, two sacks, four pass breakups and three quarterback hurries.
At the combine, he became friends with tackles Jay Ross and C.J. Wilson (East Carolina) and Dan Williams (Tennessee) and he and South Florida standout Jason Pierre-Paul have been workout partners for weeks.
He went through several informal interviews at the combine and met specifically with the coaches from the Bills, Steelers and Panthers for more formal sessions.
"We looked at some film together and went through some plays because they want to see where your knowledge of football is and they want to know whether or not you can take criticism," he said.
Up next for Troup are a couple of days off with his family before he returns to the Bommarito Performance Systems camp in Aventura, Fla. It's the same facility where former UCF star cornerback Joe Burnett, a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, drilled last year before the draft.
Troup trained there for roughly 12 hours a day for a month leading up the draft. He said the focus now shifts to more endurance drills in preparation for UCF's Pro Day on March 25. And he already has plans of being on UCF's campus with family, friends and teammates on April 22 during the draft.
"I'm extremely happy with how everything has gone so far," he said.
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFathletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.