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TagsBY MATT SUGAM
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
PISCATAWAY - Mohamed Sanu stretched in the end zone of Rutgers' practice bubble that he’d familiarized himself with over the last three years. He got up, paced back and forth and then stretched some more.
He kept the hood of his black Nike sweatshirt draped over his head as if to block out everything around him. He’d been anxiously waiting a month for this moment.
After running a disappointing 4.67 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, Sanu had to prove the doubters wrong. Already tabbed a possession receiver with lackluster speed, he saw his draft stock plummet.
Finally his name was called and he got down in a three-point stance. Just as he was ready, he would have to pop back up and wait a few seconds longer. Photographers and videographers sitting in the path after the finish had to be cleared out of the way.
The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder quickly crouched back down and readjusted his stance. Then, 4.41 seconds later, he proved his doubters wrong.
“I definitely turned it into a positive,” Sanu said of the criticism he received after the NFL Combine. “I’ve been pretty much doubted a lot all my life, and I felt like I had to prove them wrong and I think I did that.”
And he undoubtedly reached that goal by shaving .26 off a 40-yard dash time in a month span.
“I wasn’t feeling too well. I’m not going to lie to you guys,” Sanu said of his unimpressive Combine. “I wasn’t feeling too well. I was a little drained, a little tired. I didn’t have that pop that I usually did and I suffered my first 10 yards.”
It didn’t help that he was in new, uncomfortable surroundings, spending countless hours sitting in meetings with NFL teams.
“I just wasn’t myself,” Sanu said. “I didn’t really eat that well.”
Sanu learned from the poor performance in Indianapolis. He took care of his body, ate right and slept well.
“Sometimes athletes feel like they’re superhuman and that they’ll be all right, but we’re human,” Sanu said.
It didn’t hurt to be home around family. The South Brunswick native was able to spend last night at home and not in a hotel. He was also showcasing his skills at his second home in Piscataway.
And so, he put to rest the idea that he doesn’t have the top end speed worthy of a first round draft pick.
“It’s one less doubt,” Sanu said. “Just keep on moving and keep knocking them down if I can.”
For more Rutgers football coverage follow Matt Sugam on Twitter @MattSugam and on Facebook.
