Awesome! He's a true Buckeye, also. A real throwback to the Woody days. He brings the wood.
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GoBucks89
Straight Shooting
Dispatch one-on-one with Nate Salley
Continuing their series of one-on-one interviews, here's one with OSU's hard-hitting senior safety. Link here.
*********************************************************
ONE-ON-ONE | NATE SALLEY
The Ohio State safety talks about girlie movies, Tressel’s funny side
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Name: Nate Salley
Age: 21
Position: Senior free safety, Ohio State
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Family: Parents, Nate Sr. and Patricia Salley; older brother, Mark Barr; older sister, Melinda Salley.
Q: Tell us about life in south Florida.
A: It’s nice, I love Florida. Whenever I go back, I like to go to the beach, chill. Maybe at night, go out there and watch the stars, sit on the sand (and) just relax. I love home.
Q: Give me your perfect day.
A: During the season or not?
Q: Not.
A: OK, my girlfriend (Jasmin Rush) would probably be here. We’d probably chill for a little bit. During the middle of the day, me and my buddies (would) probably go to the basketball court, just play a game of hoops, mess around. Come back and probably double date with some of my friends, go out, see a movie or something and then go out somewhere to eat and just relax and chill.
Q: Tell me about Jasmin.
A: She’s from Fort Lauderdale, we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve been together since my junior year of high school.
Q: That’s impressive, a long-distance relationship. What’s the key?
A: Love, I guess. You’ve got to really love that person, because I’ve put up with a lot, I’ve dealt with some stuff, but she’s dealt with a lot of my mess since I’ve been here, that whole maturing process and everything, and she’s still with me. And I believe you have to truly love that person to want to deal with it.
Q: Back to that perfect day, what’s the food choice?
A: My girl, she likes going to Red Lobster, so I’d probably go there, get some shrimp — shrimp alfredo. And she likes to get the platter that has all the crabs, lobster and everything mixed in it.
Q: I get it, you’re going where she wants to go, that’s the real relationship key.
A: (Laughs) Yeah, most definitely. You go where she likes and you just enjoy.
Q: So what’s the movie choice?
A: I like to watch scary movies sometimes, but she hates scary movies, so we’ll probably go watch something girlie. She knows I’m not a big fan of girlie-type movies and she hates the scary movies, so we’ll probably go watch something in between, something funny.
Q: What’s one thing about coach Tressel that we don’t know?
A: He’s goofy, he’s a jokester. He likes to joke around with the guys, kind of
loosen guys up.
Q: Is he truly funny, or do you just laugh because he’s the coach?
A: No, no, he is kind of funny. He even does it in some of our meetings, trying to call somebody out or say a joke or whatever and everybody is just dying laughing, saying, ‘Man, coach Tress is a trip.’ I know a lot of guys around the country probably don’t have a coach like that, (they) probably have a coach that is very uptight.
Q: You’re a business major . . .
A: I changed, now I’m an economics major.
Q: What are your plans for the real world?
A: I want to own my own restaurant, because my mom has always wanted to do that but she never had the ability, financially. And hopefully, if the football thing (NFL) works out, get my degree and then help me get closer to helping her reach that goal.
Q: So you would open the restaurant for your mom?
A: I would open it and run it, but most of the recipes would come from her.
Q: What does she cook?
A: She’s from the Bahamas, she cooks island-type food and all that. I might mix it up a little bit, I might have her style of island cooking in one section, then have like an Italian area, then kind of mix it up, so all type of people can come.
Q: What do your parents do?
A: Right now my mom basically cleans houses; she just stopped that to come up here and spend time with me. She lives with me now during the season. And hopefully after the season, I’ll be able to retire her for good.
Q: What’s that like, living with mom?
A: It’s cool, but she spoils me in some ways. I have to try to tell her not to do stuff. She always has stuff cleaned, she’s always wanting to cook something. I’m like, ‘Mom, you don’t have to,’ but she’s like, ‘Oh, that’s why I’m here. You just focus on your season and do your schoolwork, and I’ll take care of everything else.’
Q: And dad, what does he do?
A: He’s a deejay and he’s a roofer. He’s mainly a roofer, but he deejays nights.
Q: I wouldn’t think he’d be in the mood to deejay after roofing all day.
A: He’s been doing it for so long. You come to my house, there’s records, CDs all over the place. Everybody on the team always messes with me, because I always know every song, no matter what kind of music it is. They’re like, ‘Man, Nate, how do you know that?’ " I was just raised with that, my dad always listened to everything.
Q: What’s your favorite?
A: Hip-hop, but I branch off and listen to anything. Like (center) Nick Mangold got me listening to the Dave Matthews Band. I listen to some of everything, reggae to R &B to country sometimes. Everything.
Q: You just aim to please.
A: I try.
Q: And you’re always smiling.
A: I’ve always been like that. Everybody’s always known me as being a happy person. I kind of see myself as a person who kind of lifts other people. Most of the time, I am happy just being here. When I come into the Woody (Hayes Athletic Center) for some reason, I get a happy feeling. Just being around my teammates and stuff, and it’s my last year and it’s a great opportunity. I’ve just got to be grateful.
— Ken Gordon
[email protected]
Continuing their series of one-on-one interviews, here's one with OSU's hard-hitting senior safety. Link here.
*********************************************************
ONE-ON-ONE | NATE SALLEY
The Ohio State safety talks about girlie movies, Tressel’s funny side
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
Name: Nate Salley
Age: 21
Position: Senior free safety, Ohio State
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Family: Parents, Nate Sr. and Patricia Salley; older brother, Mark Barr; older sister, Melinda Salley.
Q: Tell us about life in south Florida.
A: It’s nice, I love Florida. Whenever I go back, I like to go to the beach, chill. Maybe at night, go out there and watch the stars, sit on the sand (and) just relax. I love home.
Q: Give me your perfect day.
A: During the season or not?
Q: Not.
A: OK, my girlfriend (Jasmin Rush) would probably be here. We’d probably chill for a little bit. During the middle of the day, me and my buddies (would) probably go to the basketball court, just play a game of hoops, mess around. Come back and probably double date with some of my friends, go out, see a movie or something and then go out somewhere to eat and just relax and chill.
Q: Tell me about Jasmin.
A: She’s from Fort Lauderdale, we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve been together since my junior year of high school.
Q: That’s impressive, a long-distance relationship. What’s the key?
A: Love, I guess. You’ve got to really love that person, because I’ve put up with a lot, I’ve dealt with some stuff, but she’s dealt with a lot of my mess since I’ve been here, that whole maturing process and everything, and she’s still with me. And I believe you have to truly love that person to want to deal with it.
Q: Back to that perfect day, what’s the food choice?
A: My girl, she likes going to Red Lobster, so I’d probably go there, get some shrimp — shrimp alfredo. And she likes to get the platter that has all the crabs, lobster and everything mixed in it.
Q: I get it, you’re going where she wants to go, that’s the real relationship key.
A: (Laughs) Yeah, most definitely. You go where she likes and you just enjoy.
Q: So what’s the movie choice?
A: I like to watch scary movies sometimes, but she hates scary movies, so we’ll probably go watch something girlie. She knows I’m not a big fan of girlie-type movies and she hates the scary movies, so we’ll probably go watch something in between, something funny.
Q: What’s one thing about coach Tressel that we don’t know?
A: He’s goofy, he’s a jokester. He likes to joke around with the guys, kind of
loosen guys up.
Q: Is he truly funny, or do you just laugh because he’s the coach?
A: No, no, he is kind of funny. He even does it in some of our meetings, trying to call somebody out or say a joke or whatever and everybody is just dying laughing, saying, ‘Man, coach Tress is a trip.’ I know a lot of guys around the country probably don’t have a coach like that, (they) probably have a coach that is very uptight.
Q: You’re a business major . . .
A: I changed, now I’m an economics major.
Q: What are your plans for the real world?
A: I want to own my own restaurant, because my mom has always wanted to do that but she never had the ability, financially. And hopefully, if the football thing (NFL) works out, get my degree and then help me get closer to helping her reach that goal.
Q: So you would open the restaurant for your mom?
A: I would open it and run it, but most of the recipes would come from her.
Q: What does she cook?
A: She’s from the Bahamas, she cooks island-type food and all that. I might mix it up a little bit, I might have her style of island cooking in one section, then have like an Italian area, then kind of mix it up, so all type of people can come.
Q: What do your parents do?
A: Right now my mom basically cleans houses; she just stopped that to come up here and spend time with me. She lives with me now during the season. And hopefully after the season, I’ll be able to retire her for good.
Q: What’s that like, living with mom?
A: It’s cool, but she spoils me in some ways. I have to try to tell her not to do stuff. She always has stuff cleaned, she’s always wanting to cook something. I’m like, ‘Mom, you don’t have to,’ but she’s like, ‘Oh, that’s why I’m here. You just focus on your season and do your schoolwork, and I’ll take care of everything else.’
Q: And dad, what does he do?
A: He’s a deejay and he’s a roofer. He’s mainly a roofer, but he deejays nights.
Q: I wouldn’t think he’d be in the mood to deejay after roofing all day.
A: He’s been doing it for so long. You come to my house, there’s records, CDs all over the place. Everybody on the team always messes with me, because I always know every song, no matter what kind of music it is. They’re like, ‘Man, Nate, how do you know that?’ " I was just raised with that, my dad always listened to everything.
Q: What’s your favorite?
A: Hip-hop, but I branch off and listen to anything. Like (center) Nick Mangold got me listening to the Dave Matthews Band. I listen to some of everything, reggae to R &B to country sometimes. Everything.
Q: You just aim to please.
A: I try.
Q: And you’re always smiling.
A: I’ve always been like that. Everybody’s always known me as being a happy person. I kind of see myself as a person who kind of lifts other people. Most of the time, I am happy just being here. When I come into the Woody (Hayes Athletic Center) for some reason, I get a happy feeling. Just being around my teammates and stuff, and it’s my last year and it’s a great opportunity. I’ve just got to be grateful.
— Ken Gordon
[email protected]
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0
Buckeye for life :)
It's been great watching him develop over the years - he'll be missed here, but we'll be watching him on Sundays!
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0
aglickman
Hewlett Harbor Buck
one of my favorite stories about Salley - after finishing football his freshman year - nate played hoops - his first day - Coach O'Brien was doing his thing and they heard a huge banging at the door of the schoot - i guess Nate didn't know how to get in for hoops practice
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0
ABJ
11/11
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OSU senior day special for Salley
Mama's boy sincere about love for parents, football and poetry
[SIZE=-1]By Marla Ridenour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Beacon Journal sportswriter[/SIZE]
<!-- begin body-content --> COLUMBUS - One of the hardest hitters in college football shares an apartment with his mother.
His Ohio State teammates say the free safety is also the most likely to cry when 16 seniors and their parents are honored before Saturday's noon game against Northwestern.
But Nate Salley doesn't try to cover up his soft side.
When his mother Pat broached the idea of moving from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Columbus to share his final season, Salley was all for it. He is the youngest of three children.
``I'm a young college kid, who wants their mom around?'' Salley said. ``She tried to figure out if I was really being honest or just trying to be nice. She saw I was being sincere about the whole situation so she came up.
``I'm a mama's boy all the way. I'm a daddy's boy at the same time. I'm a parents' boy, I guess.''
Neither does he disagree with his teammates' ribbing about being teary-eyed during this weekend's pre-game ceremony. The last time it happened was when he gave his senior speech at the start of camp.
``I read a little poem and everything kind of hit me, realizing I'm an old guy now,'' Salley said. ``I got choked up and couldn't hold it in.''
Senior linebacker A.J. Hawk wasn't laughing.
``Other guys were getting choked up watching Nate cry,'' Hawk said.
``With Nate, we love it. On Saturday he's one of the biggest hitters in college football. Then you see the other side of him. He's got his poetry. You can tell Nate cares so much about the guys on the team. We feel for him.''
Salley does draw the line at crying at movies.
``I'm not that soft,'' he said.
In his third year as a starter, Salley has drawn raves this season from ABC-TV analyst Gary Danielson, who compared him with a young Kenny Easley, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who said Salley jumped off the film. He stands sixth on the team in tackles with 33, along with an interception, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
While it seems a contradiction to how he plays, Salley lets his emotion fuel him.
``Most of the time when I'm emotional, I play my best,'' he said. ``I'm all the way into it and kinda feeling almost unstoppable. That's how I've been since Little League. Even when my sister was beating me up, I'd get teary-eyed, then I'd get mad. I think I got it from my mom.''
Salley might have picked that up when he became his mother's sounding board when his brother (now 33) and a sister (27) had their share of tough times.
``Whenever she was going through anything, even when I was in elementary school or middle school, I listened,'' he said. ``We kind of got that bond.''
Salley lived with receiver Santonio Holmes his first two years, then found his own apartment. His girlfriend attends Florida State, so Salley had no objections to his mother coming north for a year. She cleaned houses and he wanted her to give that up. His dad Nate Sr. has been doing well with his roofing business, especially after hurricanes hit south Florida, and also does dee-jay work on the side so he can afford to fly to games on Fridays.
Perhaps the funniest part of Salley's relationship with his mother has been her growing interest in sports.
``When I first started playing, she hated watching sports. When I was watching a game she'd say, `Go in your room,' '' he said. ``Now she watches football, basketball, baseball, golf. She's trying to get my nieces and nephews to play something. She's a fanatic.''
During the day, Salley said his mother cooks, cleans, reads the Internet and the newspaper and goes shopping.
``She's always trying to find decorations for my house,'' he said. ``I come home every day and she says, `You see anything new?'
``She wanted to enjoy this. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I'm her baby. It's not like she crowds my space.''
An economics major who is six classes from graduation, Salley is proud of the fact that he will be the first in his family to get a degree.
``My parents went to college for a year or two, that's where they met,'' he said. ``My brother and sister both got to the 10th grade and started having issues.
``Even in high school it was important for me to get my grades and do well in sports because I wanted a scholarship, whether it was academic or athletic. It was important for me to make my parents happy. They deserve to have a lot of joy.''
11/11
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OSU senior day special for Salley
Mama's boy sincere about love for parents, football and poetry
[SIZE=-1]By Marla Ridenour[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Beacon Journal sportswriter[/SIZE]
<!-- begin body-content --> COLUMBUS - One of the hardest hitters in college football shares an apartment with his mother.
His Ohio State teammates say the free safety is also the most likely to cry when 16 seniors and their parents are honored before Saturday's noon game against Northwestern.
But Nate Salley doesn't try to cover up his soft side.
When his mother Pat broached the idea of moving from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Columbus to share his final season, Salley was all for it. He is the youngest of three children.
``I'm a young college kid, who wants their mom around?'' Salley said. ``She tried to figure out if I was really being honest or just trying to be nice. She saw I was being sincere about the whole situation so she came up.
``I'm a mama's boy all the way. I'm a daddy's boy at the same time. I'm a parents' boy, I guess.''
Neither does he disagree with his teammates' ribbing about being teary-eyed during this weekend's pre-game ceremony. The last time it happened was when he gave his senior speech at the start of camp.
``I read a little poem and everything kind of hit me, realizing I'm an old guy now,'' Salley said. ``I got choked up and couldn't hold it in.''
Senior linebacker A.J. Hawk wasn't laughing.
``Other guys were getting choked up watching Nate cry,'' Hawk said.
``With Nate, we love it. On Saturday he's one of the biggest hitters in college football. Then you see the other side of him. He's got his poetry. You can tell Nate cares so much about the guys on the team. We feel for him.''
Salley does draw the line at crying at movies.
``I'm not that soft,'' he said.
In his third year as a starter, Salley has drawn raves this season from ABC-TV analyst Gary Danielson, who compared him with a young Kenny Easley, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, who said Salley jumped off the film. He stands sixth on the team in tackles with 33, along with an interception, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
While it seems a contradiction to how he plays, Salley lets his emotion fuel him.
``Most of the time when I'm emotional, I play my best,'' he said. ``I'm all the way into it and kinda feeling almost unstoppable. That's how I've been since Little League. Even when my sister was beating me up, I'd get teary-eyed, then I'd get mad. I think I got it from my mom.''
Salley might have picked that up when he became his mother's sounding board when his brother (now 33) and a sister (27) had their share of tough times.
``Whenever she was going through anything, even when I was in elementary school or middle school, I listened,'' he said. ``We kind of got that bond.''
Salley lived with receiver Santonio Holmes his first two years, then found his own apartment. His girlfriend attends Florida State, so Salley had no objections to his mother coming north for a year. She cleaned houses and he wanted her to give that up. His dad Nate Sr. has been doing well with his roofing business, especially after hurricanes hit south Florida, and also does dee-jay work on the side so he can afford to fly to games on Fridays.
Perhaps the funniest part of Salley's relationship with his mother has been her growing interest in sports.
``When I first started playing, she hated watching sports. When I was watching a game she'd say, `Go in your room,' '' he said. ``Now she watches football, basketball, baseball, golf. She's trying to get my nieces and nephews to play something. She's a fanatic.''
During the day, Salley said his mother cooks, cleans, reads the Internet and the newspaper and goes shopping.
``She's always trying to find decorations for my house,'' he said. ``I come home every day and she says, `You see anything new?'
``She wanted to enjoy this. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I'm her baby. It's not like she crowds my space.''
An economics major who is six classes from graduation, Salley is proud of the fact that he will be the first in his family to get a degree.
``My parents went to college for a year or two, that's where they met,'' he said. ``My brother and sister both got to the 10th grade and started having issues.
``Even in high school it was important for me to get my grades and do well in sports because I wanted a scholarship, whether it was academic or athletic. It was important for me to make my parents happy. They deserve to have a lot of joy.''
Upvote
0
DDN
11/17
OSU's Salley big hitter, mama's boy
Safety, co-captain shares apartment with his mother
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS — Ohio State senior safety Nate Salley has found a roommate who will cook, clean and fold laundry like Felix Unger, although without the nagging and hypochondria. But he wouldn't necessarily recommend the arrangement for everyone.
<!--endtext-->
Pat Salley, the player's mother, moved from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., into her son's apartment in August to savor his last season.
<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> But while her other two children have left home and have kids of their own, and her husband, Nate Sr., was supportive of the move, Pat Salley needed a little prodding before she was willing to uproot.
"I asked Nate, 'What kid wants his parent around 24/7?' " she said. "Most young people don't want that. Nate said, 'I'm not most young people. And the things I do, I do for you. I want you with me.'
"From high school, he told me I was his good-luck charm. And he told me when he looks up in the bleachers and sees his family, it pumps him up. I said, 'Well, then, mom's going to be there every game to pump you up, and your good luck charm is going to be with you.' "
The team co-captain lived alone last year, but he gave up his bachelor pad for a spacious two-bedroom apartment.
And while his peers are happy to be exercising their independence, Salley is convinced he's better off having his mother nearby.
"We're very close," he said. "It's not like she's crowding my space.
"I'm a mama's boy all the way. But I'm a daddy's boy, too. I guess I'm a parents' boy."
Pat Salley has become the unofficial team mom, cooking for Donte Whitner, Troy Smith and others while smothering them with love.
She's careful not to infringe on her son's social life, although Nate isn't exactly a party animal. And as for romance, his girlfriend is a student at Florida State, and she's like a member of the family.
Nate began dating her when he was a junior in high school after first seeking his mother's advice.
"All these girls wanted to go with him to the prom, and he brought me some names and asked me what he should do," Pat Salley said. "I told him they were all hoochie-mamas. I said, 'Go with this one. She's a sweetheart.' "
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Salley may have a heart as tender as marinated steak, but he's known as one of the Buckeyes' fiercest hitters.
The three-year starter has 36 tackles this season — the fifth highest total on the team— with five pass break-ups and an interception.
He was so athletic in high school that he led his basketball team to a state title as a junior and the football team to the Florida big-school state championship game as a senior.
He turned down an offer from Miami (Fla.), narrowing his choices to OSU and North Carolina. After visiting both campuses, he settled on the Buckeyes.
Pat Salley was elated.
"My first trip to Ohio, I got the same feeling he had," she said. "It felt like home."
And it's feeling homier all the time.
Contact Doug Harris at (937) 225-2125.
11/17
OSU's Salley big hitter, mama's boy
Safety, co-captain shares apartment with his mother
By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS — Ohio State senior safety Nate Salley has found a roommate who will cook, clean and fold laundry like Felix Unger, although without the nagging and hypochondria. But he wouldn't necessarily recommend the arrangement for everyone.
<!--endtext-->
Pat Salley, the player's mother, moved from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., into her son's apartment in August to savor his last season.
<!-- inset --> <!--begintext--> But while her other two children have left home and have kids of their own, and her husband, Nate Sr., was supportive of the move, Pat Salley needed a little prodding before she was willing to uproot.
"I asked Nate, 'What kid wants his parent around 24/7?' " she said. "Most young people don't want that. Nate said, 'I'm not most young people. And the things I do, I do for you. I want you with me.'
"From high school, he told me I was his good-luck charm. And he told me when he looks up in the bleachers and sees his family, it pumps him up. I said, 'Well, then, mom's going to be there every game to pump you up, and your good luck charm is going to be with you.' "
The team co-captain lived alone last year, but he gave up his bachelor pad for a spacious two-bedroom apartment.
And while his peers are happy to be exercising their independence, Salley is convinced he's better off having his mother nearby.
"We're very close," he said. "It's not like she's crowding my space.
"I'm a mama's boy all the way. But I'm a daddy's boy, too. I guess I'm a parents' boy."
Pat Salley has become the unofficial team mom, cooking for Donte Whitner, Troy Smith and others while smothering them with love.
She's careful not to infringe on her son's social life, although Nate isn't exactly a party animal. And as for romance, his girlfriend is a student at Florida State, and she's like a member of the family.
Nate began dating her when he was a junior in high school after first seeking his mother's advice.
"All these girls wanted to go with him to the prom, and he brought me some names and asked me what he should do," Pat Salley said. "I told him they were all hoochie-mamas. I said, 'Go with this one. She's a sweetheart.' "
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Salley may have a heart as tender as marinated steak, but he's known as one of the Buckeyes' fiercest hitters.
The three-year starter has 36 tackles this season — the fifth highest total on the team— with five pass break-ups and an interception.
He was so athletic in high school that he led his basketball team to a state title as a junior and the football team to the Florida big-school state championship game as a senior.
He turned down an offer from Miami (Fla.), narrowing his choices to OSU and North Carolina. After visiting both campuses, he settled on the Buckeyes.
Pat Salley was elated.
"My first trip to Ohio, I got the same feeling he had," she said. "It felt like home."
And it's feeling homier all the time.
Contact Doug Harris at (937) 225-2125.
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Any thoughts on Nate regarding draft day? I'm seeing Whitner projected, but not Nate...
He was such a great Buckeye - I look forward to seeing him play on Sundays.
He was such a great Buckeye - I look forward to seeing him play on Sundays.
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
I read on another site, where he was struggling a bit at the Shrine Bowl practices....:(
Not sure of his projected draft position......but he is projected as the #18 best safety in the draft...
Not sure of his projected draft position......but he is projected as the #18 best safety in the draft...
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He's projected in the 2nd round, 58th overall at this site:
http://www.draftboardinsider.com/mock/2006.html
Don't like to hear that he's 'struggling' at the Shrine bowl practice, though :(
http://www.draftboardinsider.com/mock/2006.html
Don't like to hear that he's 'struggling' at the Shrine bowl practice, though :(
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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
2/28/06
2/28/06
NFL COMBINE NOTEBOOK
Roommates never bring up question of who will go first
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Ohio State safeties Nate Salley and Donte Whitner lived together during their preparation for the NFL combine.
Yet there’s one topic Salley said the roommates never broached: which player will be drafted first.
"We’ve never even talked about it," Salley said Sunday. "Me and Donte lived together during this whole period of training, and this never popped up one time."
That might not be as surprising as it sounds. Even though Salley and Whitner play the same position, they are different types of players.
"Nate is more of a middle-ofthe-field guy, a traditional safety," Whitner said. "I feel like I can do a number of things, cover guys and play around in the box and do a lot of blitzing."
NFLdraftscout.com lists Whitner as the third-best strong safety and a likely second- or thirdround pick. Salley is listed as a fifth-rounder.
Salley and Whitner were among 12 Buckeyes at the combine, including eight defensive players.
"We always compete with each other and push each other to try to be better," Salley said. "But I’m definitely sure that whoever goes first will get a call from everybody else, and whoever goes next will get a call, and by the time hopefully all of us get drafted, we’ll be calling each other and saying, ‘Hey, we made it. It’s time to go to work.’ "
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