Apparently, Victor Sesay should have given his Missouri University teammates some advice last year.
The former MU tight end and NFL hopeful answered questions for a football Web site recently and listed former Kansas University defensive end David McMillan as one of the three toughest players he faced in college, along with Oklahoma’s Dan Cody and Troy’s DeMarcus Ware.
Like any confident player, though, Sesay’s compliment quickly was followed by a “yeah, but … “
“But I held my own with every one of them,” Sesay told draftshowcase.com. “None of them got any sacks.”
McMillan, however, had his way with about every other blocker Missouri put on him in last season’s Border War game, finishing with four tackles for a loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a Big 12 Conference defensive player-of-the-week honor.
KU coach Mark Mangino called McMillan’s performance on Nov. 20 “a sight to behold,” adding, “He totally dominated his side of the line of scrimmage.”
One thing is certain: McMillan’s fantastic finish to his college career didn’t hurt his professional chances one bit. Since helping the Jayhawks top the Tigers, 31-14, McMillan has been hard at work to make sure it wasn’t his last time on a football field.
“Potentially, his best football is ahead of him,” said Craig Domann, McMillan’s agent.
McMillan hopes to prove as much. He played in the Hula Bowl in January, along with Joe Vaughn and Brandon Rideau, two more Jayhawks with eyes on the NFL.
Now McMillan is headed to the prestigious, invitation-only NFL combine in Indianapolis. There, McMillan will undergo a series of physical and mental tests to help scouts determine if he’s worthy of being selected during the NFL Draft April 23-24 in New York.
“There’s no question that the NFL teams put a lot of stock in your performance at the combine,” Mangino said. “It’s a situation that, if you’re well prepared and ready to go, you can improve your stock and improve your standing in the draft. It’s a great opportunity for a player like David McMillan.”
The week-long combine started Wednesday, but McMillan won’t arrive in Indianapolis until Friday, and he isn’t slated to work out until Monday.
“I think he’s extremely well prepared,” said Domann, whose group also represents former Jayhawk Adrian Jones and six Kansas City Chiefs. “He’s a very athletic player. He’s got great explosiveness, and for his size and weight, and he’s got unbelievable change of direction.”
McMillan had 15 sacks during his injury-free KU career, including seven his senior year.
But where could the NFL use him?
At 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, the Killeen, Texas, native would have below-average size for a defensive end at the next level. Potentially, he could develop into an outside linebacker in 3-4 defensive sets, where he still could utilize his pass-rushing skills. But he lacks experience at that position.
Whoever picks McMillan can choose whether to develop him as a linebacker or bulk him up to at least 275 pounds and keep him at defensive end.
| What: Scouting extravaganza for top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft; prospects take tests, physical and mental, and work out for NFL teamsWhen: Thursday-WednesdayWhere: IndianapolisWho: The nation’s best football players eligible for the draft |
“I wouldn’t mind still pass-rushing,” McMillan said. “But I have the speed to cover tight ends and slot receivers, too. It’s whatever schemes they can fit me in.”
Scouts, Inc., a reputable service that analyzes hundreds of hours of game videotape to analyze prospects, says McMillan as a defensive end is “quick, fast and athletic” and “very disruptive as a pass-rusher,” but stresses his need to develop lower-body strength and polish his technique and recognition skills.
McMillan spent much of February in Phoenix, working with about 15 other prospects at MakePlays, a training center frequented by Olympic and professional athletes, including Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
He spent every weekday doing a variety of speed and conditioning drills in the morning and hitting the weight room in the afternoon. It was a program specifically designed for NFL combine preparation.
Monday, McMillan will learn if all the training was worth it.
“He really came on strong and caught a lot of people’s attention his senior year,” Mangino said. “He should be pretty well prepared.”
