Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - He affectionately drew the nickname
"Terronnosaurus Rex," but Arkansas-Pine Bluff senior Terron Armstead more
resembled a raptor at the NFL Combine last month.
Armstead basically flew down the runway while he clocked 4.71 seconds in the
40-yard dash - a new Combine record for offensive linemen.
Add in Armstead's other measurables at the Combine, including 31 reps with the
225-pound bench press and a broad jump of 9 feet, 4 inches, plus his
performances at the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl, and he has
been one of the fastest risers across NFL draft boards in the last two
months.
The 6-5, 306-pound Armstead has gone from being considered a late-round pick
on the final day of the April 25-27 draft to a second- or third-round
selection on the second day.
Armstead turned heads with the record run at the Combine, but it was equally
important for the Southwestern Athletic Conference product to have a 1.64-
second time in the first 10-yard split because offensive linemen generally
don't have to run any farther down the field on a play. His fast split ranked
second to Oklahoma's Lane Johnson among O-linemen.
Considered to have a high ceiling, Armstead has worked hard to polish his game
since Arkansas-Pine Bluff ended its season in December with a win in the
SWAC Championship Game. The Illinois native, who is represented by agent David
Butz Jr. of SportsStars, Inc., in New York, has worked with UAPB offensive
line coach Damon Nivens and at the highly regarded Athletes' Performance
training institute in Florida.
Armstead is still trying to close the gap on the level of competition he faced
in college, but NFL.com has compared Armstead to Houston Texans offensive
tackle Duane Brown and CBSSports.com likens him to Joe Staley of the San
Francisco 49ers.
In Five-a-Side - In the FCS Huddle's monthly feature of "five questions, five
answers" with an influential person in the FCS - Armstead discusses his world-
wind year and the upcoming draft.
Let's kick off:
TSN: Can you talk about your performance at the East-West Shrine Game, then
the Senior Bowl and then the NFL Combine, and just how it's changed the NFL's
perspective of you?
TA: Well, I really just went into the all-star games with sort of a chip on my
shoulder being from a small school. I had to go and answer the question of
level of competition. That really was my main focus, just to show everyone
that I would be able to compete at a high level against the bigger-school
guys.
TSN: How do view the importance of the Senior Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game
and the Combine to what you accomplished during your career at Pine Bluff?
TA: Those all-star games were more of a personal thing, my career at Pine
Bluff was all team-oriented. We won a conference championship this (past)
year, so that was by far the biggest accomplishment of my football career. But
those all-star games were just a personal thing, an individual thing, just to
show you can compete against a bunch of all-stars really.
TSN: Obviously, you've risen on the draft boards and are being projected for
the second or third round. What does that mean to you?
TA: It means a lot to be in this situation, an opportunity to be looking to
get drafted. It's all a blessing, a great thing, a great opportunity. Any
college player would be aiming to be a first-round draft pick, so, of course,
I'm aiming to go as high as I possibly can.
TSN: Coming from the FCS level, do you feel like you have to do more to
attract the NFL's attention?
TA: Of course, you have to pop out on film, you have to separate yourself.
There's a lot of great players in my conference, so there's good competition,
good talent. But coming from a small school, you have to stick out like a sore
thumb - that's what they call it.
TSN: Can you describe your style of play?
TA: I'm an agile offensive lineman, I like to move, get up to the second
level. I understand angles, I like to get out in an open field on screens or
sweeps or tosses, but I also can get down in the pile game. I like I call
myself a well-balanced, well-rounded player.
The Sports Network