Bob Stoops Goes To Bat For Sam Bradford and Gerald McCoy
March 9, 2010 – 10:30 am by BunkOklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops has two former players that teams are eying with their early first round draft picks. Those two guys of course are quarterback Sam Bradford and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. Stoops joined 101 ESPN St. Louis - the city with the #1 overall pick in this year’s draft – to talk about the progression of Sam Bradford’s shoulder, how Bradford was one of the best leaders and hardest workers they’ve ever had at Oklahoma, and how there’s no end to Bradford’s talent and character (he’s even an accomplished concert cellist). About McCoy, Stoops talked about his strength in his hips and legs, his ability to create a pass rush from the interior of the defensive line, his quickness, as well as his similarly incredible personality and work ethic.
On Sam Bradford’s health:
“He’s ahead of schedule, he feels great, he said he hasn’t felt a bit of problem with it or pain. They’ve been cautious with him in how they’ve built him up and progressed through it all. But he feels great. I saw where he’s gained about 11 or 12 pounds. Believe me, this guy is not even close to being done developing. He’s going to be awfully special. So yeah, from what I understand the injury that doesn’t require surgery isn’t like repairing a rotator cuff. Okay for instance, Drew Brees had a rotator cuff repaired and he seems to have come along fine from that. And that’s a lot more extensive by a long shot than what Sam had done. So he’ll be just fine.”
On the perception that he may be too quiet to be a leader or if he’s more of just the quiet leader type who’s plenty capable of leading an NFL team:
“I think you said it exactly. You don’t see Peyton Manning jumping around like a mad man either. That guy’s got to be poised, he’s got to keep his head together, but he’s all the leader that you want. He’s one of the hardest workers we’ve ever had here, players see his toughness throwing the ball, taking a shot. Players respond to him, players in the locker room love the guy. So in the end, you don’t have to be jumping around like a wild man to be a leader. Sometimes that can go the other way. He’s anything but quiet in the locker room, in the huddle directing his team. He does all the right things on the field.”
On what kind of player and person Gerald McCoy is:
Tags: 101 ESPN, Bob Stoops, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams have #1 pick, who will be the #1 pick in this year's Draft?








