Randy Gregory Not too Worried About His Weight
Jun 16, 2015; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory (94) in action against tackle Tyron Smith (77) during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL has seen guys like Aaron Maybin, Dion Jordan and Barkevious Mingo not make it as edge-rushers. They have all the athleticism necessary but they’re too light to fight and too thin to win at the position. Then there was Jason Taylor, who came into the NFL at 240 pounds and dominated as an edge-rusher, for years.
Randy Gregory is supposed to be the next tall, wirey edge-rusher to go in and do the same thing. But personal issues along with tipping the scales at 235 pounds made him slide into the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Concerns about his ability to bulk up, maintain a certain weight and play the run came into play.
From a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, he doesn’t sound concerned at all. He said, “I think I actually did OK playing at the weight that I played at in college. I was 235, 240 pretty much my whole college career. I’ve heard people say that I played bigger than my actual weight.
“I think if people actually sit down and watch game film, they’ll see that I don’t actually get pushed around as much as people say I do. I think people just assume, ‘He has a light body. He’s a pass rusher. He must not be a good run defender.’ But I think if you ask anybody on the staff, Coach (Rod) Marinelli or anybody else, they’ll tell you I’m doing a good job setting the edge and added weight is only going to help me. So I’m planning to add more.”
When asked how much, Gregory said, “At least 250, maybe 255. I’m at 242, 243 right now and I still feel really light. I think I’ll report to camp at 245 and go up from there.”
He should definitely put the weight on because he’s in the NFL, where everyone is strong and athletic. If he does, he could be trouble for opposing quarterbacks along with Greg Hardy on the other end of the Cowboys defensive line. What an offseason for a Cowboys team that ended up with the equivalent of three first-rounders in the draft along with Hardy in free agency.
How about them Cowboys?!