Dane Sanzenbacher
Sanzenbacher most likely will not hear his name called until the third day of the draft. Many projections, such as Pro Football Weekly, have the Buckeye wide receiver being selected in the final rounds.
Sanzenbacher said he is trying not to have any expectations.
"It's out of my hands," he told The Lantern. "You get so many different perspectives on who likes you (and) who doesn't.
"To speculate is kind of dumb."
In 2010, Sanzenbacher led the Buckeyes in receptions, with 55, receiving yards, with 948, and receiving touchdowns, with 11. He looks to continue that momentum in the NFL.
The biggest question with Sanzenbacher throughout the scouting process is his speed. The 4.59-second 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL Combine tied for the 30th-fastest time among receivers who participated in the drill. He improved to 4.52 seconds at Ohio State's Pro Day on March 11.
Sanzenbacher tried to downplay some of the knocks on his quickness.
"Some of the best receivers in the league don't run blazing 40s," he said after his March 11 Pro Day workout. "But they are good at what they do."
At 5-foot-11, 182 pounds, Sanzenbacher is undersized for an NFL receiver, but he has the toughness and pass-catching ability to succeed at the pro level. According to Pro Football Weekly, Sanzenbacher has "the smarts, guts and hands to make it as a nuts-and-bolts slot receiver."
Sanzenbacher acknowledged comparisons to New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker, and former OSU receiver and current Indianapolis Colt Anthony Gonzalez, but said he does not try to model his game after anyone's.
"They're great players," he said on March 11. "But I've always just kind of done my own thing."
Sanzenbacher is the only player in Jim Tressel's coaching career to win the team MVP and receive the Bo Rein Award, given to the Buckeyes' most inspirational player. It is intangible qualities like that, that make him an attractive pick in the later rounds. NFLDraftScout.com described Sanzenbacher as "a well-spoken and intelligent leader" and "the type of player coaches want on a roster."
If drafted, he will join Michael Jenkins, Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn Jr., Gonzalez, Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie as former OSU regular starting receivers to be drafted in recent years.
Sanzenbacher said he will head home at some point during the draft, but he does not have any kind of party or celebration planned.
"I'll probably just hang out with the family during the weekend and see what happens," he said.
The chance to be drafted is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Sanzenbacher said. But he admitted the uncertainty helps him keep his emotions in check.
"You don't know what's going to happen," he said. "But it is definitely going to be memorable either way."
