DB Nate 'War Daddy' Ebner (3x Super Bowl Champ, USA Rugby)

[RB07OSU]

War Daddy! Grats Nate, you earned it. Great position to be in.

 

[mattynokes]

Wow! This is so surprising, but some damn awesome at the same time!

 

[osugrad21]

Congrats Nate.

Finish Strong.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

Wow...how about that. Way to go Nate!

 

[Buckskin86]

Ebner gets a chance
By Rich Thompson
Sunday, April 29, 2012

FOXBORO ? Ohio State safety Nate Ebner possesses the essential intellectual component required of a special teams player in the NFL.

?I just love it for some reason. Maybe I?ve got a screw loose,? Ebner said, moments after the Patriots [team stats] selected him in the sixth round (197th overall) of the NFL draft yesterday.

Ebner qualifies as the biggest head-scratcher to fall off the draft board since coach Bill Belichick started shopping for the Patriots? groceries.

Ebner is a football novice from Dublin, Ohio, with a strong background in rugby. He did not play a down of football at Hilliard Davidson High School, but developed a knack for knocking people silly as a standout on the U-19 and U-20 U.S. national rugby teams.

Ebner conceded that making the transition from international rugby to NCAA Division 1 football was difficult. He walked on at Ohio State in 2009 and has loved every minute of the process.

?I was playing rugby and I was done with (it),? Ebner said. ?I couldn?t do professional rugby and college at the same time and I wanted to play football my senior year of high school and I didn?t. I just decided I would go out for Ohio State, and what better college program would you want to be a part of? I did it and it has worked out pretty well.?

The 6-foot, 205-pound Ebner played a total of three snaps at safety last season and registered a sack. The remainder of his three seasons with the Buckeyes were spent on special teams. Ebner?s high-water mark was 12 tackles in 2010, but he savored all his maniacal moments.

?I would have to say I (prefer) kickoffs,? he said. ?I don?t know why but I just enjoy running down as fast as you can and it?s just mayhem, it?s just exciting. It is such a rush I don?t know what to say. It is such a rush. It is just one big blur and then it?s over.?

cont...

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ebner_gets_a_chance/srvc=sports&position=also

WEEI.com Blog Network
A special journey for Nate Ebner continues with the Patriots
04.29.12
By Christopher Price

FOXBORO ? The Patriots have signed former wrestlers and lacrosse players. So when New England selected Ohio State safety Nate Ebner in the sixth round (197th overall) of the NFL draft on Saturday, it should come as no surprise. After all, before Ebner started playing football, he was considered one of the best teenage rugby players in America.

Of course, there are some connections between rugby and football. A few, anyway.

?It compares in the fact that we hit each other and there?s a lot of running and some big dudes,? Ebner said in a conference call with reporters on Saturday shortly after the Patriots picked him. ?I don?t know that it compares a lot. I?d say just the speed of the game and the tackling are similar.

?They?re very different sports. I guess the fact that when it?s time to come down and hit somebody as I?m running down on kickoff, I?d say that?s very similar to the time it comes down you?re in a rugby game and you have to hit someone. The tackling, I guess, is similar.?

Ebner joined the Buckeyes as a walk-on in 2009 after an impressive career as a rugby player ? playing on the under-19 and under-20 U.S. national rugby teams, he was named MVP of those teams in the 2007 and 2008 world rugby tournaments, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

With the Buckeyes, he played sparingly on defense, but eventually landed a scholarship and became a key component of Ohio State?s special teams unit. He had 11 tackles as a senior, as well as a sack. He popped up on radar screens with an impressive Pro Day, where he ran a 4.55 40-yard dash, finished with 23 reps on the bench press, showed off a 39-inch vertical and impressed everyone with a 6.59 3-cone time.

?Nate is a guy that is a big, fast safety that has been very productive in the kicking game,? Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. ?[He?s a] relatively inexperienced player that we think has a lot of good football in front of him.

?Of course, we have some good connections at Ohio State, people that have worked with him that obviously that played a part in it too, just in terms of his overall development and where we think he can be.?

cont...

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports...y-for-nate-ebner-continues-with-the-patriots/

Rugby player Ebner an unconventional draft pick, even for Belichick
Sunday, April 29, 2012
By PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO ? Bill Belichick gets criticized by some for not providing enough entertainment value in his daily press conferences during the season, but the coach?s creative juices flourish each year when draft time rolls around.

No one makes the draft more fun than the Patriots? coach. No one is more unpredictable. No one is willing to take as many gambles in as many different ways. He did it again Saturday, on the last day of the three-day draft, with several more unexpected moves, topped by one of his most improbable choices yet.

First, he made another trade, his fourth of the weekend, to give his team more selections. Then, he used one of the choices, a sixth-rounder and the 197th overall, to take a rugby player.

He drafted Nate Ebner even though Ebner has been on a football field for a play from scrimmage for exactly three plays in his high school and college life.

Ebner was the shock not only of the day, but of the entire draft. He grew up in Dublin, Ohio, in Ohio State country. He played some pee wee football, but switched early on to rugby because his late father, Jeff, had played rugby. He took part in age-group events and excelled, to the point of being named MVP in age-group world championships in 2007 and 2008. He was hoping to become a professional rugby player.

In 2009, he decided to walk on the Buckeye football team. The 6-foot, 205-pounder is listed as a safety, but only played that position for three plays in his entire career (and had a sack on one of those plays). His niche was special teams.

?I enjoy running down as fast as you can, man. It?s exciting. It?s crazy, such a rush,? he said. ?It?s just one big blur, then it?s over. I don?t know, maybe I?ve got a screw loose.?

cont...

http://www.providencejournal.com/sp..._draft_ebner_04-29-12_CPUSKB8_v2.2307980.html

Nate Ebner?s Q&A with the New England media on Saturday afternoon 04.28.12
By Christopher Price

Thanks to the Patriots? PR staff, here?s the complete Q&A with Patriots? sixth-round pick Nate Ebner shortly after he was taken by New England:

I read a story from this week where you said you had no expectations of getting drafted. Take us through how that thought process has evolved up until now? ?I didn?t want to expect anything and I didn?t want to get overly excited. I hoped I would get a chance to get on a team and especially the Patriots, words can?t describe how happy I am to be a part of this organization. The fact that I got drafted just makes me so happy and my family is happy. I?m just so excited about the opportunity. I?m really at a loss for words about the whole thing.?

When did you think you might get a chance to compete for an NFL job or get an invitation to an NFL team? ?After my Pro Day I had spoken with a couple teams and had figured I might get a shot here or there with some talk with some scouts. I thought I might get a chance to get a job with a team and that?s all I wanted. I just wanted a shot to prove myself and just get a chance really.?

Why did you decide to start playing football? ?That was a long, drawn-out process. I was playing rugby and especially age-grade stuff and I was done with World Cups and I had been in college and I couldn?t do the professional rugby and college at the same time. I wanted to play football my senior year in high school and I didn?t and I just decided I would go out for Ohio State. What better college program would you want to be a part of than Ohio State ? especially every kid growing up in Columbus? I did it and it worked out pretty well.?

Just to clarify, I saw a story that said you did not play high school football. Did you play in high school? ?No, I did not. I didn?t play a down of football in high school.?

What experience do you have in the secondary? ?I came into Ohio State, I was a safety; practiced with them a lot. I got a couple plays in a game at nickelback, played some nickelback. My role at Ohio State, they wanted me to play special teams and that?s what I did. The coaches wanted that and I gave everything I had into that. That pretty much was my role. I backed up Tyler Moeller at nickelback last year and obviously some safety stuff; just did what the coaches needed of me.?

cont...

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports...-the-new-england-media-on-saturday-afternoon/

 

[RugbyBuck]

Well done, Nate. Ruck over!

 

[BB73]

He was drafted by the Patriots in the 6th round at #197, which is 2 spots before they took Tom Brady in 2000.

 

[Buckskin86]

Legend of the fall: Nate Ebner's 'special' story began with a bang at Ohio State
Wed, 05/02/2012

How valuable was Nate Ebner when he was a collegian at Ohio State? Paul Haynes is going to bottom-line it for you, Patriots fans.

?The guys we protected during the week were the quarterback and Nate Ebner,? said Haynes, who was the defensive coordinator and coached the defensive backs when the former rugby star was at Ohio State. ?We knew that we couldn?t get Nate hurt during the week, because if we did, we?d be in trouble in Saturday.

?It sounds crazy, but when it came to practice, he didn?t need to do a lot. We needed him on Saturday.?

Add another chapter to the burgeoning legend of Nate Ebner, sixth-round pick of the Patriots last weekend and YouTube star. Ebner made his bones as an indispensable special teamer with the Buckeyes the last two years, so much so that Haynes compared him to another overachiever who made an NFL career out of special teams.

?I see him as a Bill Bates-type of player,? Haynes said of Ebner. ?A undersized guy who made a name for himself as a pure special teamer. That?s what Nate is.

?He?s an unbelievable worker. His work ethic is out of this world. He has a passion to be great, and once he gets his mind stuck on doing something, he?ll do it.?

Bates, an undrafted free agent, played 15 seasons for the Cowboys and was a part of three Super Bowl teams and an All-Pro. It goes without saying that if Ebner can reach those same lofty heights, Bill Belichick and the Patriots would be happy.

?Nate is a guy that is a big, fast safety that has been very productive in the kicking game,? Patriots coach Bill Belichick said shortly after the pick was made. ?[He?s a] relatively inexperienced player that we think has a lot of good football in front of him.

?Of course, we have some good connections at Ohio State, people that have worked with him that obviously that played a part in it, too, just in terms of his overall development and where we think he can be.?

cont...

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/f...05/02/legend-fall-nate-ebners-special-story-b

Nate Ebner Earns 'Leonidas' Nickname, Dubbed Ohio State's Most Valuable Player for Strong Work Ethic by Jeff Howe on Tue, May 1, 2012

The legend of Nate Ebner is consuming all of New England. The Patriots' sixth-round draft pick was initially met with the lice effect, as many in the NFL universe scratched their heads while trying to figure out Ebner's deal. He was listed as an Ohio State safety, but he only played three snaps on defense last season. And his biography had more impressive details about his rugby career than anything he's done in football. On paper, the pick didn't make any sense. Then, his rugby highlight video surfaced. After that, he met the New England media, and his passion and personality revealed a genuine, dedicated athlete. Paul Haynes backed it up. Haynes, who is currently Arkansas' defensive coordinator, worked closely with Ebner throughout his career at Ohio State. Haynes was the Buckeyes' co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, and he had a couple of mutual connections with Ebner before he walked onto the team.

cont..

Read more at: http://www.nesn.com/2012/05/nate-eb...st-valuable-player-for-strong-work-ethic.html

 

[HorseshoeFetish]

He was drafted by the Patriots in the 6th round at #197, which is 2 spots before they took Tom Brady in 2000.

Well obviously he was better qualified.

 

[Buckskin86]

Vrabel: Ebner has athleticism to flourish in NFL
May 9, 2012

When the Patriots used a sixth-round draft pick on Ohio State's Nate Ebner -- he of the 23 tackles in three college seasons -- eyebrows arched.

But the high regard given Bill Belichick's football acumen (grudgingly in some circles) ensured that while eyebrows moved, tongues didn't wag.

Belichick gets the benefit of the doubt.

Belichick noted when he took Ebner that this wasn't a lark. He had OSU references, most prominently Mike Vrabel. The former Patriot joined the Buckeyes coaching staff last year and he gave a stamp of approval to Ebner, a former rugby player.

Whether Ebner turns into an every-down safety or is used almost exclusively on special teams will be borne out in the next few years. But Vrabel says there's a chance Ebner will flourish in the NFL.

"He?s got the ability to run at a high rate of speed and move and bend without slowing down," said Vrabel. "He can run through traffic without losing speed. Guys that cover kicks and maintain their speed in traffic are what you're looking for."

cont...

http://www.csnne.com/football-new-e...icism-to-flourish?blockID=704820&feedID=10426

 

[Buckskin86]

Rugby star Nate Ebner will turn Pats? heads
He?s something special
Karen Guregian By Karen Guregian
Friday, May 11, 2012

For those who have checked out the YouTube video showcasing his rugby prowess, there?s no escape. Admit it. Nate Ebner had you at hello.

If anyone wondered why Bill Belichick would surrender a sixth-round pick on an Ohio State walk-on, a kid who registered a mere three snaps at safety, but was more known for his work on special teams, it?s right there in living color. He jumps off the screen. Take after take.

He has a speed gear no one can touch. He gets to ball carriers like a heat-seeking missile. He has great open field skills.

Now, granted, it?s a rugby video. It?s not football, but there?s enough evidence to connect the dots. The Buckeyes did, and weren?t sorry. Just ask Paul Haynes, the former co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State who coached Ebner on the kickoff unit.

?That?s why he was such a great special teams player for us. He?s fearless,? said Haynes, who currently serves as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas. ?Look, I?ve told a few people this, but the most important people on our team last year was our quarterback and Nate Ebner. He was so valuable for us. He is just a fearless guy. He made like 70 percent of our plays, and the other 30 percent, he made something happen on our kickoff unit. The kid is just awesome. He?s also an awesome person.?

cont..

http://bostonherald.com/sports/foot...special_rugby_star_ebner_will_turn_pats_heads

From the Hart: Vrabel says Ebner is able
Posted by ahart on May 10, 2012

Mike Vrabel knows a little something about what it takes to make it in New England. He also has some perspective on developing from an unknown commodity into a key contributor.

As such, the former Patriots star and current Ohio State defensive line coach probably has the best viewpoint from which to judge New England sixth-round pick Nate Ebner.

Ebner is of course the world-class rugby player who walked on for the Buckeyes football team. By the end of his time in Columbus he was a key special team presence and leader for the Ohio State squad. Add in an impressive Pro Day, and he earned himself a draft spot in New Englnad.

Beginning this week Ebner will be at Gillette Stadium trying to prove he has what it takes to make it in the NFL. Vrabel not only thinks that Ebner has a chance to make it as a core special teamer at the professional level, but that given the hours he?ll have now to devote to the craft that he may even develop as a contributor on defense.

?I think if they?re looking to develop a talented player into something that they think can play a bunch of different spots, then I think it?s the right fit. I hope it?s the right fit,? Vrabel said of Ebner landing in his own former NFL home. ?Certainly the way they develop people, the coaching staff?s ability and understanding how to develop a talented player that maybe doesn?t know all the techniques, doesn?t have all the experience, they?ve proven it?s a good place to start in New England.?

cont...

http://blog.patriots.com/2012/05/10/from-the-hart-vrabel-says-ebner-is-able/

 

[Buckskin86]

Patriots sign Nate ?Leonidas? Ebner

The Patriots signed sixth-round pick Nate Ebner to a four-year contract today. Ebner is listed as a safety, but he?s a true special teamer who won?t make an impact on defense for quite some time.

Earlier this month, I caught up with Paul Haynes, who was Ebner?s positional coach at Ohio State. Haynes loved Ebner. Loved him. But Ebner only played three defensive snaps last year because Haynes said he still had to learn the mental aspect of the game.

Haynes, who is now the defensive coordinator at Arkansas, had some great stuff to say about Ebner. During Ohio State?s football camps, Ebner earned a reputation of forcing his roommates to do an insane amount of pushups every night before bed. Eventually, Ebner?s intense work ethic earned him the nickname ?Leonidas,? after Gerard Butler?s character in the movie 300.

How many pushups would Ebner do?

?Maybe 5,000,? Haynes said with a laugh.

Haynes couldn?t overstate how much everyone loved him on the football team.

?He was probably the most valuable player on that whole team, the most valuable player on that whole team last year,? Haynes said strongly. ?If there was a guy that we were going to go down with, it would have been Nate Ebner by far. There isn?t a coach on that staff who wouldn?t say that.?

How many times have you heard anyone say that about a special teamer?

I have no idea if Ebner will make the team, but I can say with certainty that he?ll be a fun player to watch during training camp.

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/s...2012/05/21/patriots-sign-nate-leonidas-ebner/

 

[HorseshoeFetish]

Ya know...I want every Buckeye to make a name for themselves in the NFL..or NBA..or where ever. I'm a Buckeye fan what would you expect...but this kid..man you gotta think if this kid makes it..kids all over the country can look up to him. Go Nate!

 

[Buckskin86]

Sixth-round selection safety Nate Ebner was on the field today, a week after working with the Patriots medical staff while nursing a hamstring injury. Ebner was essentially only a special teams player in college, leading some to wonder how much of a defensive role he will adopt in the NFL. During a team drill period, Ebner opened his hips to the right side of the field and made a nice break on a deep throw, deflecting the pass intended for a streaking receiver.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-.../4723100/more-observations-from-thursdays-ota

 

[wadc45]

Hilarious...