 Andre Caldwell Interview Andre Caldwell said he was going to put on a show when he ran the 40 at the NFL Combine. The wide receiver from Florida kept his word. But before he burned up the turf in the Dome, he spoke with the media. How have you benefited from working at Perfect Competition, training for the combine. "I'm always in football shape, but I think it gets you in running shape. Not football, but more of a track runner. There are a lot of difference exercises that I'm not used to doing from playing football." Do you put a lot of stock in these types of drills? "I think it's more important what you do on the field, but by evaluating some of those thing you can see what type of athlete you are dealing with. Take two similar players on a football field and break them up that way." What was it like scoring the winning touchdown at the Senior Bowl? "That was a great experience, working with that coaching staff and seeing how things in the NFL operates and what to look forward to, how the system runs. It was a great experience. I encourage anyone who has a chance to experience something like that to do it." How much has your bother, Reche Caldwell, helped you with the process? "He's helped me from day one. What to look for and some of the things to prepare for. I think I've got a head start on most athletes out here because I know what to look for and how to prepare for certain things. I talk to him four times a day and know what's going to be going on out here. He keeps me updated." Do you think the comparisons hurts you, or helps you? "I think it helps me a little bit. I think I'm a better player than he is. He's going to say he's the better player. He's a great athlete so being compared to someone like him, he went high in the draft, in the second round, and I think I'm better. That should put me above him." Do you think the 40-yard dash is emphasized a little too much? "I think it's emphasized a little too much. I think it's a lot of what you on the football field. A lot of people play fast but don't run as fast in the 40. I think it's something good to look at, to know what kind of athlete you're dealing with." Who have you meet with so far? "I've meet with 16 teams. I can't remember all of them." Do they ask you about your injury a lot? "I get it every once in a while. I just did my medical and it was questioned. They see everything is healthy and that I'm ready to go." What's the interview process like? "It gets a little old. Answering the same questions, over and over again. I just love it because every kid in the country doesn't get an opportunity to do what I'm doing and I love it." What's the most common questions teams ask you? "Am I better than my brother." And what is your usual response? "I give them a quick yeah every time. I'm very confident in my game. I know he's good but I think I'm better." What do you think you can do to get selected higher than your brother? "I have to show how explosive I am when I run my 40. I've got to test well and catch the ball and run good routes." What do you think hurts you in this process? "I don't think there are many knocks. My only real knock is I've had a couple of injuries, but I think I've proven that I'm 100 percent healthy, as healthy as many player in the country with my medicals." Are you surprised with the Super Bowl outcome? "I'm not surprised. The Patriots are a good team, but the Giants are also good. The best team won that Sunday." What's the weirdest question you've been asked in this interview process? "Do I have any pets. That has nothing to do with football and what I do on the field. That's the weirdest one. So do you have any pets? No. Have you ever raced Chad Jackson? "I've raced him multiple times when we were back at Florida." How do you think you'll perform in the 40? "I'm going to put on a show" Florida receivers have had mixed success in the NFL. Some have done well, many haven't. Do you think that's going to be held against you when it comes to the evaluation process? "A lot of people bring it up but I don't think it's going to be held against me. If you watch my tape and see how I played you'll find out that I'm a playmaker and that I can fit into any system. Coming to the next level that's not going to hold me back." Have you talked to Urban Meyer about this process? "I talked to him a week before I got here. He told me just be yourself. Keep doing what you're doing to get to this point, and don't change nothing about yourself."
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