Chase Daniels On Doubters, Comparisons, And NFL Workouts
April 21, 2009 – 10:00 am by Tas Melas
What really gets me in sports are scouts, front office types, and media questioning a player’s ability strictly because of his height and weight. This is sports, it isn’t a fashion show. Anyone can perform at a high level regardless of size. Obviously, there are extremes, Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) isn’t replacing Brett Favre with the Jets. This is close to my heart because I watched Doug Flutie get pushed out of the way in Buffalo for Rob Johnson – a proto-typical NFL quarterback – and that has irked me since. We all knew how that move turned out for Buffalo. Doug never got a fair shake with any team in the NFL, forcing him to escape to the CFL (where he ran the show for several years).
Coming off a successful college career where he won the Heisman, Doug was shunned aside by the men who make the decisions in the NFL. Chase Daniel of the Missouri Tigers enters this weekend’s NFL draft in a similar boat, mainly, he’s undersized at the QB position; he’s 6-feet. Despite finishing off an impressive college career there are still skeptics. Chase Daniel joined Galloway and Company on ESPN Radio Dallas to discuss those critics, which quarterbacks he sees himself in, and what transpires at NFL workouts.
On whether or not people doubted him coming out of high school:
“I think a lot of people questioned whether I could play at the next level even though I had 30 offers out of high school. You know, I think that everybody has their doubts about me, everyone has their doubts about everyone. You just try and go out there and compete – you can’t listen to the people that never put on a jock strap in their lives, and maybe some media that are dogging you, or maybe some fans. Your true followers, your true friends, they know what you can do, and they know that I’m a winner and that I win football games. That’s something I wanna be remembered by.”
On which NFL quarterback he compares himself to:
“It’s definitely Drew Brees. We’re both from Texas, both went out of state and took some programs to the next level and both had a great career. He’s 6-foot tall, we resemble each other a lot. The Jeff Garcias, Doug Fluties. There have been plenty of guys and quarterbacks that have played in the league that haven’t been 6’5″ and proven they can play so I’m excited about it.”
Chase Daniel on what NFL teams are analyzing during workouts and the full interview after the jump.
On what NFL teams are analyzing during workouts:
“Pretty much they wanna see, and the Cowboys especially, they were testing if we retain the knowledge and if we were listening, and if we were paying attention to the minor, minute details of what Jason Garrett was saying… For the most part it’s just can you retain the knowledge? On the field, we threw maybe 30 balls yesterday, each of the quarterbacks, I mean, it wasn’t a workout. They wanna see a glimpse of it, if you’re staying in shape, see if you’re taking this process seriously and I definitely am.”
Listen to Chase Daniel with Galloway and Company on ESPN Radio Dallas
Tags: Chase Daniel, College Football, Missouri Tigers, NCAA Football, NFL
