By Brandon George / Reporter
bgeorge@dallasnews.com | Bio
MOBILE, Ala. -- One of the first Senior Bowl players the Cowboys met with this week here was Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw.
Upshaw, who is on the South Team, is projected as a first-round draft pick. Several mock drafts have Upshaw going in the middle of the first round, near where the Cowboys pick at 14th overall in April.
Upshaw has impressed NFL scouts this week. He beat tackles and was in the backfield more than once during the South Team's 1 1/2-hour practice Tuesday afternoon.
Upshaw has great size at 6-1 1/2 and 273 pounds (he was listed on the roster at 265 but weighed in eight pounds over that Monday morning). He's built to play near the line of scrimmage. He's also shown great speed off the ball this week in practices.
And get this, he's a big DeMarcus Ware fan.
"With him playing down at Troy, I kind of kept up with him during his career," Upshaw said. "The way he gets after the quarterback is kind of something that I try to mold my game after, guys like him who get to the quarterback and who are relentless."
Upshaw was asked if he's a better fit in the NFL in a 4-3 defense or a 3-4, such as the Cowboys play.
"I'm a better fit for any team that wants to pick me," Upshaw quipped. "My strength is me being able to do whatever a team asks me to do and to do it to the best of my ability."
Upshaw said he hasn't been bothered this week by practicing in front of hundreds of NFL scouts and coaches who are all judging his every move.
"Not at all. With me, you just have to go out and perform," Upshaw said. "If you get nervous about what the scouts are saying you're not going to perform to the best of your ability and this is like a job interview. You want to perform."
Upshaw said that no matter where he ends up after the draft, he won't make any major purchase with his new money.
"With me, I'm just going to get an apartment and probably a nice car and try to invest it and save up," Upshaw said. "I'm the type of guy, I have a little girl and two little sisters I want to take care of. It's no big investments for me when I get that money."
The Cowboys must decide whether to make a big investment in Upshaw.
bgeorge@dallasnews.com | Bio
MOBILE, Ala. -- One of the first Senior Bowl players the Cowboys met with this week here was Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw.
Upshaw, who is on the South Team, is projected as a first-round draft pick. Several mock drafts have Upshaw going in the middle of the first round, near where the Cowboys pick at 14th overall in April.
Upshaw has impressed NFL scouts this week. He beat tackles and was in the backfield more than once during the South Team's 1 1/2-hour practice Tuesday afternoon.
Upshaw has great size at 6-1 1/2 and 273 pounds (he was listed on the roster at 265 but weighed in eight pounds over that Monday morning). He's built to play near the line of scrimmage. He's also shown great speed off the ball this week in practices.
And get this, he's a big DeMarcus Ware fan.
"With him playing down at Troy, I kind of kept up with him during his career," Upshaw said. "The way he gets after the quarterback is kind of something that I try to mold my game after, guys like him who get to the quarterback and who are relentless."
Upshaw was asked if he's a better fit in the NFL in a 4-3 defense or a 3-4, such as the Cowboys play.
"I'm a better fit for any team that wants to pick me," Upshaw quipped. "My strength is me being able to do whatever a team asks me to do and to do it to the best of my ability."
Upshaw said he hasn't been bothered this week by practicing in front of hundreds of NFL scouts and coaches who are all judging his every move.
"Not at all. With me, you just have to go out and perform," Upshaw said. "If you get nervous about what the scouts are saying you're not going to perform to the best of your ability and this is like a job interview. You want to perform."
Upshaw said that no matter where he ends up after the draft, he won't make any major purchase with his new money.
"With me, I'm just going to get an apartment and probably a nice car and try to invest it and save up," Upshaw said. "I'm the type of guy, I have a little girl and two little sisters I want to take care of. It's no big investments for me when I get that money."
The Cowboys must decide whether to make a big investment in Upshaw.
