Live from the Senior Bowl: I have an awkward conversation with Ohio St. WR Dane Sanzenbacher
One of the more interesting players this week at the Senior Bowl was Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher. The tough, hard-nosed slot receiver had 55 catches for 948 yards with 11 touchdowns this season, yet didn?t earn an invite to Mobile.
He wound up flying down a day late, as teams were upset he wasn?t originally invited. A bunch of clubs like him, including the Patriots. So, when I went to talk to him yesterday, I had a few topics I wanted to hit? including one obvious and awkward one.
Sanzenbacher shares several characteristics of another player we all know well ? Wes Welker. He?s not big, he?s a good worker, got great hands and he?s, well, white. We can say that, right? He?s white. That?s led him to be compared to Welker at every step along the way.
I wanted to know what he thought of that, and Sanzenbacher started laughing as soon as I started asking. Shoot, I started laughing, too. What resulted was, well, pure gold. Check out our conversation:
Me: I?m sure you get this a lot, but the Welker comparison. I can?t help but notice that you?re, um, white? (which I promise was the start to a longer, more drawn-out question that would?ve made sense)
Sanzenbacher: (Already laughing) ?Haha. I can?t help but notice that you?re white and small, not a special teams guy, a kicker. Right??
Me: Oh, I know. It?s ridiculous. But you can?t avoid the Welker stuff?
Sanzenbacher: ?Oh, I get that all the time. But he?s definitely one of my biggest allies in this process. Because the more you can get compared to a guy that?s that good, that successful, in the league it helps me. I?ve never really specifically tried to model my game after him or anything like that, but I definitely respect what he does.?
Me: Do you follow a team like the Patriots?
Sanzenbacher: ?Not religiously, but obviously, they?re on a national stage enough I can?t help but know what?s going on. They?ve had enough success where you always want to watch the guys that are successful. The thing that sticks out with them is they?ve had guys who are maybe a little undersized ? I mean, it?s been one of the biggest stories in the NFL this year. Tom Brady working with guys that are maybe undersized and always get the job done and being successful at it.?
Another reporter walks up: (Sarcastic) Who do you most get compared to? Welker? Ed McCaffrey?
Sanzenbacher: ?Wes Welker, most often. Hey, it is what it is. It comes with the white, slot receiver territory.?
Yes it does?