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Football
Worthington Stock Soaring After Shrine Game
By Brandon CastelDoug Worthington played a lot of football during his time at Ohio State.
Doug Worthington prowls the sideline prior to the Rose Bowl game against Oregon.
Photo by Jim DavidsonA three-year starter on the defensive line, Worthington played in three BCS bowl games, including the 2008 National Title game and the 2010 Rose Bowl. He went 4-0 against Michigan during his time in Columbus, but it was the first game he played outside a Buckeye uniform that has caused a stir amongst NFL scouts.
“I’ve gotten a lot of feedback,” Worthington said of his trip to Orlando for the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23rd.
“I competed well; I played very, very good. I got a sack and a couple tackles against the premier guards down there. I helped myself a lot as far as the weekend, just taking interviews and talking to coaching staffs and being a leader out there on the field.”
After running into some off-the-field issue before his junior season, Worthington developed into one of the most respected leaders on the Ohio State defense. He was selected as a team captain for his senior season and helped anchor one of the best defensive lines in the country.
He is on verge of fulfilling his lifelong dream of playing in the National Football League, and yet for the first time in years, Worthington has spent little to no time looking at mock draft projections for this year.
“Usually I read it every year to see where my guys are going, but I might have looked at it once (this year). I don’t want to look at it,” the New York native said.
“Sometimes you think about it a little too much and you worry about where you’re going to go. Especially if you look at some internet sites or you hear this person talking or that person talking. They don’t mention your name or they do mention your name, it’s something that can get to you real quick. You just have to make sure you’re putting yourself in the best position to compete.”
Before the Shrine game, Worthington was being talked about as a mid to low round pick, but his stock appears to be soaring after a fine showing in front of NFL scouts and coaches in Orlando.
“I’ve gotten mid third. That’s one of my best grades and I think that’s close to what I can be,” Worthington said.
“I would love to get early third, that would be a blessing but wherever I go it really doesn’t matter. Just going to the next level is huge and I want to go out there and compete on a team.”
As for where he fits at the next level, the 6-foot-7 defensive lineman believes he could excel as a run-stopping defensive end in a 3-4 defensive scheme, something that has become quite popular in the NFL. He played both inside and outside during his time at Ohio State, and said ultimately it’s about filling whatever need a team might have.
“A lot of 3-4 teams like me at the 3-4 end. A rush end, somebody that can be a run stopping end. Or playing 3-technique, I think I can do them both,” he said.
“Just going out there and doing whatever I have to do to make a team. Whatever need be when I’m drafted, it will be a blessing.”
Playing some defensive end and some defensive tackle this past year, Worthington played at around 286-287 pounds at the heaviest during his senior season. Thanks to strict diet and rugged workout plan implemented by OSU strength and conditioning coordinator Eric Lichter, Worthington is up to 292 pounds as he prepares for the NFL Combine (Feb. 25-March 2) and Ohio State’s Pro Day (March 15).
“I just wanted to be about (290-292) and just go out there and compete and run fast. Just gain a pound or two a week, nothing too dramatic,” Worthington said.
“Some people want me at 300 pounds, some say 315, some say 285. A lot of teams want different things, so just being in a range where I can get to where I need to be or get down if I need to.”
Worthington will head to Indianapolis for the combine later this week along with three of his Ohio State teammates. While a number of them are preparing for the 2010 NFL Draft (April 22-24), only Worthington, defensive end Thad Gibson, safety Kurt Coleman and kicker Aaron Pettrey received invitations to the combine.
“When I got the invite it was tremendous. I was happy, it was a blessing,” said a jubilant Worthington.
"It’s huge getting a combine invite because not everybody does. They might still get drafted, but not everybody gets to go to the combine.”
He is targeting a time of 4.8 seconds in the 40 yard dash, saying “that would be beautiful,” but said that for most big men it’s as much about the first 10 yards as it is the final 40 time.
“As a defensive line, I looked as the combine the last four years and you see about 25 teams on the 10 yard line when the big guys came up. Then you see maybe six or seven back there at the 40 yards,” he said.
“It’s just knowing that explosiveness, how fast you get off, and that explosiveness in your legs. If we run 40 yards something’s going wrong on the back end.”
With all the football he has played, Worthington admits it’s a bit silly that it comes down to how fast a player can run over a 10-yard stretch in shorts, but it’s all about adding to the total package and showing NFL teams how you stack up against other defensive linemen they might be interested in drafted.
“At the end of the day it comes down to your film, but it’s about putting that whole profile together. This is just showing them that the athleticism is there to play at the next level.”
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