Dan Connor Combine Interview

Dan Connor Combine Interview

Penn State linebacker is one of the best at his position in the 2008 NFL Draft. Considering the fact that he comes from Linebacker U, that should be no surprise. He addressed the media at the Combine over the weekend.

Do you think NFL teams care about college traditions (interims of excellence, such at the Shane Conlan lineage)

"I think they take a look at the tradition. They take a look at how Penn State guys pan out in the NFL -- not just at linebacker, but at other positions. So I think the tradition of Penn State is important."

What advice has Paul Posluszny given you?

"Just a heads up on what to expect and how everything works, pretty much."

What do you feel you'll be in the NFL? Inside or outside linebacker?

"From what I've been hearing from coaches, both inside and out, depending on the scheme. With a 3-4, obviously you want two inside spots. A 4-3, outside or in. I feel comfortable with both, and feel I can do both pretty well."

Can you take a minute to clear up the prank phone call incident a few years ago?

"I was going into my sophomore year, and me and a couple of buddies were making prank calls and got found out. It got back to coach Paterno, and he sat us down for three games. It was a tough experience, and we definitely learned our lesson. "

Was it more of a joking thing than an antagonism?

"Definitely joking. We were doing impressions of the coaches, things like that. "

How did you make the decision to go with Drew Rosenhaus as your agent?

"I left it up to my parents to narrow it down, and they talked to Drew and another guy. They met with both, did the research behind it, and Drew's the best in the business."

Dan, it sounds like you're pretty close with Paul Posluszny?

"Yeah."

How much have you talked to him recently? His rookie year got short-circuited by injury.

"He started strong, though. If you go back and look at how he was playing, he's a big-time player and I'm excited to see how he does on the field. He's ready to go."

Have you compared yourself to him? Are there similarities?

"We both played for Penn State -- I guess that's as similar as it gets. We have a lot in common in our game and our competitive nature. We're both quiet guys and hard workers. We have a lot in common."

Have you leaned on him through this whole process?

"Not a lot -- he's busy and I don't want to bother him too much. I called him before the Senior Bowl and asked himl all about that, and how that works. Before (the Combine), I've been texting him back and forth with some tips. "

Are you planning on doing everything here? All the workouts?

"Yes."

Which teams have shown the most interest in you so far?

"You know, it's tough to tell. I met with a bunch of teams last night. It's hard to tell specifically who likes you. They all say that they like you, but you never know how that works out."

Who did you meet with?

"To be honest, I don't remember.

Do you look at mock drafts and projections?

"Personally, I don't look at them. It's early, and I don't know who anyone knows what the NFL teams are talking about. I keep my head out of that."

You doing anything fun on draft day?

"I hope I'll be home. I haven't been home in a while -- I've been training down in Florida. I'll be down there until April, so hopefully I can get back up there and relax a little."

Have teams mentioned that they want to see you in specific drills?

"No one's mentioned anything, really. They just want to see you go through all of them and see how you do, how you move, and get a feel for you. They know a lot about you from watching you on tape, so they just want to see you in person."

How was your relationship with coach Paterno?

"It was pretty close. He's a great guy, a great coach, and he's definitely taught me a lot. Way more than just football, and I'm appreciative of that."

Do you think he'll retire soon?

"I hope he doesn't retire. He's still healthy. He's been the same since the first day I got in campus, so he hasn't let up a bit. He sees people before practice, and he can joke around, but he knows how to yell at you, too. You fear him and you respect him. He hasn't lost a step."

What are your greatest strengths? What will show up best here?

"It's tough to say. It's hard to judge myself. I always want to get better, so I never feel really confident in any aspect of my game. I always want to improve, so…weaknesses, strengths, I don't know. I just try to get better in everything."

What did Paterno say to you about the prank calls?

"He was mad at us, he yelled. It was a couple of years ago, I really don't remember specifics. He let us have it, and it was a good learning experience in the long run."

Did he ask you to repeat the impressions?

"He did not."

Which players did you mist admire growing up?

"It's tough to say. I didn't watch a ton of pro football. My dad was a coach, and my dad coached at Penn, so I'd be watching a lot of those players, who were relatively unknown guys. Watching the guys at the local high school when I was growing up, and admiring them. So, it was more local guys that I could meet and see in person that I admired the most and tried to play like."

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