Browns showing interest in rising DT prospect Troup; belichick looked at him too;

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Browns showing interest in rising DT prospect Troup
By Carlos "Big C" Holmes | Sunday, March 28, 2010, 10:05 PM

http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/co...010/03/28/browns_showing_interest_in_ris.html

Defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy are regarded as the best in their class and rightfully so. However, there is another prospect who is in popular demand. University of Central Florida defensive tackle Torell Troup is receiving mad attention from NFL teams as we approach April’s draft.

The Cleveland Browns are among several teams showing interest in the highly sought after prospect. Browns defensive line coach Bryan Cox will be on UCF’s campus on Monday, March 29 for a private workout with Troup.

Cleveland is looking for a young middle man on defense to groom behind 31-year-old nose tackle Shaun Rogers.

“To learn from a guy like Rogers would be great,” Troup said in a recent phone interview. “He’s a man in the middle of the D-line and a superb athlete even though he is so big. I’ve watched a lot of film on him and have followed him throughout his career.”

Troup had a pretty busy week last week. The school held its Pro Day on Friday where he took part in position drills only. The defensive tackle stood on his numbers from last month’s Scouting Combine.

Former Browns head coach and current Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was in town last Monday to work the player out. And the following day New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick paid Troup a visit.

This week will be more of the same. Members of the New Orleans and Denver coaching staffs are due in on Wednesday for private workouts. On the same day, Troup will hop a flight to Detroit for a visit with the Lions and from there will travel to Minnesota.

“I’d rather be busy than no one calling me at all,” Troup said. “I want to show teams the kind of person I am and the player they’ll be getting should they draft me. I’m a very responsible and accountable person. That’s something my coaches have instilled in me. I will bring a good work ethic and always willing to learn. I’m very coachable and a team player. I have a lot of free time right now but hope to stay busy all the way up to draft day.”

Big C’s scouting report

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Troup is a well-rounded and physical defensive tackle. He’s extremely versatile and shows supernatural strength by devouring double-team blocks. You can watch Troup on film eating up blockers like a sit-down dinner at a buffet.

Troup would fit well into any defensive scheme due to his ability to play the 3-technique and nose tackle position. He is probably better suited to play nose in the pros.

The D-tackle is explosive off the snap and very athletic for a guy his size, showing outstanding agility and quickness to angle and stunt. His quick first step allows him to get off the ball quickly and into the backfield to wreak havoc. He plays with great leverage and anchors well at the point of attack.

On the downside, Troup will need to improve on his overall pass-rush skills and balance at the next level.

Teams had some concerns about Troup because he played against lesser competition in Conference USA. But after watching film they learned that he fared well in games against higher level opponents such as Miami and Texas. Troup further demonstrated his ability to compete at a higher level at the East-West Shrine game.

Troup’s stock has risen considerably since his showing at the combine. He’s projected as a third-round pick but is likely to come off the board in round two due to his rare talent to play either tackle position. Both 3-4 and 4-3 defensive teams are targeting him.
 
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