Tennant Ready For Center Stage In The NFL

CAMBRIDGE — Young children often have farfetched ideas about their future occupation. Some want to be astronauts. Others are convinced they will be firefighters.

Ever since kindergarten, Boston College center Matt Tennant knew he wanted to play in the National Football League.

"I had always aspired to try and play NFL football," Tennant says. "I started playing when I was 5 years old and haven't stopped since."

With the NFL draft five weeks away, that dream is beginning to become a reality for one of the top centers in this year's draft class.

In the months following BC's Emerald Bowl loss to USC, it has been all football for the 2009 offensive co-captain. Tennant had a few weeks "off" after that game, before being invited to and playing in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 30. Since then, Tennant has not stopped working.

"Football is now my job, and whenever you start a new job, you have to work hard to prove yourself," he says. "So that's what I am doing."

The next stop on the road to the pros for Tennant was the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, which was held from Feb. 24 to March 2. There, the Rimington Trophy finalist had his skills tested in the company of NFL scouts and other top prospects. The NFL Combine is usually considered a place where players can slide or rise on draft boards, but Tennant said all of the workouts (such as the 40-yard dash and bench press) weren't as important as being fit, medically.

"I think the most important thing about the Combine is definitely the medical part, just finding out what the bumps and bruises are, because we're definitely an investment for most of these teams," Tennant says.

"The position work, I say, would be the second most important, and then probably like the 40 and those things. If you're invited to the Combine, they know you can play football, so they've probably seen the tape. And then, it's just checking you out after that."

Although downplaying the importance of the workout drills at the Combine, Tennant said he was happy with his overall performance at Lucas Oil Stadium. Finishing in the top 10 in the 40-yard dash (5.16), three-cone drill (5.60), and 20-yard shuttle (4.62), Tennant clearly proved he has some of the best athleticism and quickness of any college prospect. This will translate well at the pro level in his ability to shed blocks and use his agility to get to the second level and block linebackers. Not considered to be the ideal size for an interior offensive lineman, measuring in at 6-5 and 300 pounds, he recorded a solid 27 reps at the bench press.

"I felt I performed very well at the Combine," he says. "I had a strong lift and run. I really wanted to go out there and prove to everyone that I am one of the faster offensive linemen eligible for the draft this year, and I feel I did that. Some people believe that with that speed, I could possibly lose strength, so it was also equally important to show that I am just as strong as I am fast. All in all, I did my best and I was very happy with my performance."

After his performance at the NFL Combine, Tennant's next opportunity to show off his skills to NFL scouts came Thursday at BC's Pro Day, held at Harvard University's indoor practice facility, as the Bubble over Alumni Stadium suffered damage, closing the stadium for another week. At Pro Day, more than 30 athletes from BC and other schools around New England worked out for scouts from various teams, such as Green Bay, Cleveland, New England, and New Orleans.

Tennant said that Pro Day was a nice opportunity for him to have as an addition to his performance at the Combine, as he was more relaxed being around his teammates.

"I was very fortunate that I had two opportunities to do things," Tennant says. "If I messed up on the bench press [at the Combine], I could come here and do it [at Pro Day]. It was nice to be here and not have to run the 40-yard dash or do any of the drills. It was great to be just here and cheer on my teammates."

What's next for the BC senior is anyone's guess. He continues to receive more calls from NFL teams, already having heard from "a lot" of them.

"I'm just trying to take meetings up at BC, show them that I'm a great football player, and just meet with them off the field, too."

Speaking of BC, Tennant said that playing for the Eagles over the past four years – starting for three of them – has definitely helped him get where he is today.

"[BC] made me a tough player," he said. "Going through three head coaching changes, you deal with adversity and you're able to adjust, and you go from there."

Multiple mock drafts have the center being selected in the range of second to third round. Tennant says, however, that he tries not to pay attention to the mock drafts.

"Not only is there nothing that I can really do about it, but coming from BC generally means you will never be highly rated in any of those things, so I just try to take them with a grain of salt."

For this reason, Tennant is not taking anything for granted.

"I never thought I would have the potential to be getting drafted so high, and to tell you the truth, you never know if you will be drafted at all until the phone call comes in."

When asked about any team in particular that he would love to play for, Tennant sided with his hometown team.

"Since I was born in Kansas City, I have always dreamed of playing for the Chiefs, but playing for any team in the NFL would be an honor."

Just as he's continued to work since the college football season, his draft day plans will not shift from his normal routine. Tennant said he will go home to Cincinnati to be with his family, but instead of watching, he'll be working out in the yard with his dad.