Special teams ahead for Sommersell

Rick Devereux

The transition from college football to the professional level is

tough. The No. 1 thing scouts say is the hardest adjustment is the

speed of the game in the pros. If that is the case, Andre Sommersell

might have a fighting chance to stay in the NFL.

Sommersell, a defensive end at Colorado State and projected

outside linebacker in the pros, was clocked at 4.52 in the 40-yard

dash. D.J. Williams, the first outside linebacker taken in the draft

with the 17th overall pick by the Denver Broncos, ran 4.54 in the 40.

In fact, only three of the 16 other outside linebackers drafted

clocked faster 40-times than Sommersell.

Being the 255th pick by the Oakland Raiders gave Sommersell the

title of Mr. Irrelevant XXIX as the last selection in the draft, but

the former Estancia and Fountain Valley High player hopes to have a

different title by Sept. 12 -- professional football player. Sept. 12

is Oakland’s regular season opener at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If Sommersell can make it through training camp and the preseason

without getting cut, he could be wearing the silver and black on

Heinz Field. To do so, Sommersell will have to defeat the odds.

Of the 28 previous Mr. Irrelevants, 18 were cut before the season

started. But odds are for Las Vegas bookies. Sommersell can use Bill

Kenney or Marty Moore as proof that Mr. Irrelevant can become very

relevant.

Kenney, the 333rd pick by Miami in 1978, was selected to the Pro

Bowl in 1983 with the Kansas City Chiefs as the quarterback with the

most completions in the NFL. Moore, pick No. 222 by New England in

1994, was the only Mr. Irrelevant to play in a Super Bowl when he

took the field for the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.

Sommersell’s speed could be his way to stamp his name in Mr.

Irrelevant lore.

“I told him, ‘You have the chance to go to the pros because you

have the one ingredient -- speed,’ ” said George Berg, Sommersell’s

coach at Fountain Valley. “It came true for him and I couldn’t be

more proud.”

Sommersell made his mark at Colorado State on special teams

covering punts and kickoffs, which is probably where he will play if

he makes the team considering the Raiders’ defensive situation.

Oakland is switching to a 3-4 defense and will need more

linebackers, which is good news for Sommersell, except that the team

already has 12 total linebackers. The place to stand out is on

special teams.

“My advice to him would be, because he’s already good at it, is

[to make] the special teams,” Mike White said. White, a Balboa Island

resident, is currently with the Kanas City Chiefs as the team’s

Director of Football Operations, and has been an assistant head coach

with the St. Louis Rams and the head coach of the Oakland Raiders

during his 15 years in the NFL.

“For [Sommersell] to not be intimidated, relax, go in there and

show what talents he has, he has a better than even chance at making

it,” White said. “It’ll be a long shot, but the league is now

developing its practice squad and more and more younger players get a

chance to play.”

The fact that Oakland has a new head coach in Norv Turner,

defensive coordinator in Rob Ryan and outside linebackers coach in

Pat Jones, equates to a better chance for Sommersell to make an

impression.

“The great thing about where we are as a football team with a

predominantly new coaching staff, this is a great time to be a young

player on this team,” Turner said. “He can really run and I think

that he can come in and compete as a special teams player.”