Dorsey on the defensive over his health
"Every time you go on the field, someone is trying to prove a point against you," Dorsey told FOXSports.com. "Everybody is game planning against you. You're the guy everyone is trying to beat to get their (draft) stock up."
Such attention prepared Dorsey for double-teams and chop-blocks. But nothing Dorsey experienced at LSU could ready him for the blindside hit he took at last month's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Interviewed by a swarm of reporters, Dorsey didn't expect to get peppered with questions about his health and injury history. Multiple media outlets had reported that concerns about a stress fracture Dorsey suffered in his right tibia as a junior could affect his standing as one of the draft's top prospects.
"That was my first time hearing about that," Dorsey said. "No (NFL) team ever came back to me and said, 'We're worried about this and that.' When I get in the (interviews), of course they ask about my injuries because they want to know my history. But nobody really harps on it.
"That's why (the Combine media) caught me off-guard. It was like, 'My shin? What?' There's no problem with me. I'm healthy."
Dorsey was smiling when the interview session began. But by the time he left the podium, Dorsey was admittedly hurt, confused and angry. Roughly one-third of the questions Dorsey was asked pertained to his injury history.
"I felt like people were trying to (create) a story, which really was unfair," said Dorsey, who won four major college awards (Lombardi, Nagurski, Outland and Lott) as an LSU senior.
"People are questioning my durability. Are you kidding me? You be that marked guy every week and see if you don't get bumps and bruises. I still fought through it. I feel that shows I have a lot of heart."
Dorsey's willingness to play through various ailments without missing a start during his final two LSU seasons was considered commendable. Now, it has become a potential detriment as speculation surfaces about whether such wear-and-tear has left Dorsey more susceptible to injury in the NFL.
The scrutiny is especially great because of the exorbitant salaries given to early draft picks. Teams with the first four selections will each be doling out at least $20 million in guaranteed money.
"You want to love the kid because he's a warrior and played hurt," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. "But you better make sure you're not buying damaged goods. I'm not saying they are. I'm just saying you better be sure."
 |
| How much will Glenn Dorsey's health affect his draft stock? (Doug Benc / Getty Images) |
If he does have medical red flags, Dorsey didn't show signs of them Tuesday morning during a pre-draft workout at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Dorsey zipped through running drills being conducted by renowned trainer Tom Shaw.
Dorsey, who is officially listed at 316 pounds on the NFL's web site, weighed 297 at the Combine.
"He's more explosive now," Shaw said. "When you go through a season and were injured, you've got to make strides to get back to where you were. And to get above that, you have to go above and beyond. That's what he's doing. We go twice a day and he's going hard on both sessions. He doesn't miss them."
Shaw said X-rays and MRI exams taken of Dorsey by doctors affiliated with his training program were "clean."
"If he had a problem, he'd be going to the training room every day," Shaw said. "He's not doing any of that."
Dorsey can silence more doubts March 26 during his Pro Day workout at LSU. Dorsey didn't participate in Combine drills because his grandmother had died earlier in the week.
"Because people have me rated as high as I am, everybody is going to try and look for negatives," said Dorsey, who was forced to wear corrective leg braces as a child. "Maybe he can't do this or that. But I expect that because there's a lot of money involved. We'll see how it looks after my Pro Day."
St. Louis executive vice president Billy Devaney had nothing but praise for Dorsey at the Combine.
"I think he's an impact guy," said Devaney, whose team has the draft's No. 2 overall pick. "He elevates people around him and makes them better. With his passion for the game and work ethic, the guy is going to be a great pro."
One thing that hasn't come into question is Dorsey's character. He was LSU's team leader and among the most active players in community service and charitable work.
Dorsey also keeps a low profile away from football. His idea of fun is spending time with his family in Gonzales, La. — which is only 23 miles from the LSU campus — and eating crawfish with his Tigers teammates.
"On the field, I'm nasty," said Dorsey, who had 69 tackles (including 12.5 for losses) and seven sacks as a senior. "But it's easy for me when I leave the stadium. If there's a two-year-old girl in a cheerleader uniform yelling, 'Hey, Dorsey!' she doesn't want to see me all mean.
"I'm laid back. I enjoy people. I enjoy conversation."
That helps explains why Dorsey didn't enjoy his Combine experience with the media. But Dorsey also is well aware that such scrutiny is just the beginning of what he can expect as a high-profile NFL rookie.
Asked whether he will have to stop being so outgoing and friendly, Dorsey looked down and shook his head.
"Man, I don't know," he said. "I try to look on the bright side of everything and keep on pushing, but it's tough sometimes to stay a good guy. We're just going to have to see how that goes."
The same is true of how much Dorsey's injury issues will affect his draft status.
advertisement
