Luke Kuechly has heard all the rumors, that the kid from St. X in Cincinnati will soon be flying in Philadelphia with the Eagles.
He tries to ignore it.
“I try not to look at that stuff,” he said recently at the NFL Scouting Combine. “In order to get there, you gotta do well, you gotta succeed, you gotta stay healthy, you gotta do all the things right leading up to (the NFL draft to) even have that opportunity.
“I've heard it from different people, friends and family and other people who have been looking at that stuff, but for me, the primary concern is doing well (at the combine) and taking care of business here before I can even look at that stuff.”
Consider the first goal achieved. In the vernacular, Kuechly killed it at the Combine.
He ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash, third among linebackers and faster than most other “top” linebacker prospects. His vertical jump was third, broad jump fifth and every other drill in the top six for his position.
Not bad for a guy who supposedly faced questions about speed and quickness before the combine began (a lesson in draft rumoring).
Kuechly, a Cincinnati kid who left Boston College after his junior year, already has a glowing resume. He was the 2011 winner of the Lombardi Award for outstanding linemen, the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Award for outstanding defensive player, the winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the winner of the Butkus Award for outstanding linebacker.
The only thing missing is an Oscar.
Despite that body of work, the questions were asked. Kuechly (pronounced “Keek-ly”) said he even had to prove he was “sufficient size.” He measured 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, which should be plenty sufficient. That weight was five above his playing weight at BC.
“The biggest thing is being able to move with the weight you have,” Kuechly said. That was something with me, I've been working on. Getting speed with the same time and still being able to move.
“I think right now, I'm comfortable where I am.”
Kuechly talks with the attitude of a guy who understands the game, and who understands his place in it. There is not the slightest air of arrogance or entitlement. He’s only 20, but led the nation in tackles as a junior with 191. In three seasons at Boston College, he set school and ACC records with 532.
His real strength, though, might be in simply his understanding of the game, which he said is his strength when asked to describe himself.
“'Instinctual player' is something that pops up for a lot of people,” he said. “That, coupled with I think I'm a smart player. I think I do a pretty good job preparing myself. That's something I take pride in. Being prepared, and knowing what each individual guy is responsible for.
“I can point at different guys, and let them know what they're doing if they have questions. I take pride in having the ability to do that. And doing that, and knowing what everyone is doing, you can play faster. It allows you to be more successful.”
As for the pressure of calling defenses in the pros, Kuechly simply says: “You have to be right.”
Kuechly has been rumored as a perfect fit for the Eagles, who draft 15th. There is some thinking, though, that Andy Reid might have to trade up to get him. He grew up a Bengals fan, but might be gone by the time Cincinnati picks at 17. At the combine, Kuechly said he met with the Ravens. The Patriots are also rumored to be interested.
“I've been watching the draft (for) I don't know how long,” he said. “You want to get your name called on that first day — you want to be on that first-day list, when he says, 'So-and-so selects Luke Kuechly, linebacker, Boston College.'”
