Elliot Coffey of Baylor University participated in last week’s NFLPA AstroTurf Collegiate Bowl as a linebacker for the American Team. ProPlayerInsiders spoke with the 2012 NFL prospect about his weeklong experience in Los Angeles, California for the event.
Although he was frequently viewed as the underdog in the world of football, the 6-foot, 235 pound Coffey says that his motivation to prove himself is what resulted in his invitation to the NFLPA bowl and the opportunity to excel to the next level of football.
“I’m one of those guys who has always lived as the underdog. In high school I played cornerback and in college I got moved to linebacker. People always thought ‘he’s too small, he can’t do it.’ My senior year, I got moved to inside. So it’s always about proving people wrong showing them that I can go there and play with the best and be the best myself.”
“I was excited for another chance to pad up and show the scouts that I can go out there and play on Sundays,” he says.
During his senior year, Coffey was named All – Big 12 Honorable Mention. He believes that the NFLPA bowl provided an accurate example of what professional football is about.
“I’ve learned a lot about the different terminology. I think that’s the biggest thing [learning terms] they use here [and in the NFL] versus what we’ve heard in college. I’ve learned a lot about how other guys that I’m training against are working. Its been good all around in terms of just me getting smarter as a football player and understanding what its going to take for me to make it to the next level…the speed of the game [in the NFL] is different. Even just being in this [bowl game], which is not even like being in the league, you can tell there is a faster pace and that there is greater sense of urgency that everyone is using out here. I think that the biggest thing that I’ve noticed is that you can’t go out there and make the same mistake twice, because they will get rid of you quick,” Coffey says.
During Week 11 of the 2011 collegiate football year, Elliot Coffey intercepted 2 passes and made 10 tackles in an overtime win against Kansas University, and earned the title of Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Coffey says that his in-depth understanding of football has not only aided him in his past achievements, but also provides him an advantage over other NFL hopefuls.
“I think my quick understanding [sets me apart from other NFL prospects]. I’m definitely a student of the game. It’s very important thing to understand every bit of the defense – not just what my job is, but what the D-line is doing in front of me, what the guys are doing behind me.”
