Velocity Sports Performance Athletes Shine During NFL Draft Weekend

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Bill Dube

Over 30 Velocity Trained Athletes Drafted or Signed as Free Agents During the 2008 NFL Draft

ORANGE COUNTY, CA— Velocity Sports Performance, the industry leader in the sports performance training category for youth and elite athletes, announced today that over 30 elite athletes that trained with Velocity Sports Performance were selected or signed as free agents as part of the 2008 NFL draft held this this weekend in New York. 

Many Velocity Sports Performance athletes were selected higher than their anticipated draft day selection after training at Velocity Sports Performance between their college season and the NFL Combine or Pro Days.  Virginia Tech offensive tackle Duane Brown, saw his draft day status rise to a first round pick with the Houston Texans after projected to be selected in the second round. 

One of the biggest beneficiaries of training at Velocity Sports Performance was Notre Dame tight end John Carlson, whose fourth round projection was amplified when he was selected with the seventh pick in the second round by the Seattle Seahawks. 

“I really like Velocity Sports Performance because of the scientific approach they take to training,” said Carlson. “We do evaluations on camera, so you can look at your technique to see what you are doing wrong and make corrections.  The training I’ve benefited the most is the running.  The technique work on starts, acceleration and full speed.”

Originally projected to be drafted in the third-round or later, Michigan quarterback Chad Henne was selected in the second round to the Miami Dolphins where many NFL analysts believe he has a great chance of becoming the Dolphins starter this season.  Henne has attributed much of his improvement to training at Velocity Sports Performance stating, “The Velocity coaches are great.  They helped me tremendously with agility, speed, and strength.  Everything that goes into every aspect of being an athlete.”

Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws saw his draft day value rise dramatically after impressive stats at the NFL Combine and the Senior Bowl.  Laws, drafted with the sixteenth pick in the second round, put up an remarkable 35 reps on the bench press. 

“I feel like the guys here at Velocity Sports Performance did a great job allowing me to peak right before the Senior Bowl.  They worked me out hard in the weeks prior and let me come back up at the right moment,” said Laws. “I’ve gained about 35-pounds of muscle since I’ve started working out with Velocity Sports Performance.”

Other notable improvements came with two athletes who were originally projected to not be drafted during this year’s NFL Draft.  Richmond running back Timothy Hightower and West Virginia defenseive back Ryan Mundy both were drafted this weekend in the fifth round to Arizona and the sixth round to Pittsburgh respectively.  Mundy, who wasn’t invited to the combine, was able to impress the Steelers scouts through his pro day numbers. 

With increased competition to make a roster, training and conditioning with Velocity Sports Performance gave these athletes an edge over those competing for the same draft spots.  Velocity Sports Performance made these athletes faster, stronger and more explosive.  Improving their stamina is both a result and a benefit of the conditioning process, which will serve these Velocity Sports Performance athletes well as they begin the next level in their careers.

“We are extremely proud of all the pro football prospects that prepared for the NFL Draft at Velocity Sports Performance centers this year,” said Loren Seagrave, Founder of Velocity Sports Performance. “Athletes who train at Velocity Sports Performance perform at their peak because the cutting-edge programs implemented by our Sports Performance Directors and Performance Coaches across the country have been specifically designed to optimize the building blocks of athleticism: speed; power; and agility. These are measurable qualities that the NFL combine and scouts use to determine the likelihood of each prospect’s success in the NFL.”

In 2007, 45 Velocity Sports Performance clients were drafted or signed free-agent contracts with professional teams following the 2007 NFL Draft. Since its inception in 1999, Velocity Sports Performance has trained over 400 professional football players throughout their careers including Justin Tuck, Ryan Grant, Braylon Edwards, Larry Fitzgerald, DeMarcus Ware, Marques Colston and Jeff Garcia.

About Velocity Sports Performance

Velocity Sports Performance, the industry leader in providing advanced sports performance training for athletes of all skill levels and ages, was founded in 1999 by world-renowned coach Loren Seagrave, a five-time NCAA champion coach, who trained Olympic, professional and major college athletes.  At Velocity Sports Performance, athletes of any skill level from age eight through adult can realize their potential through advanced training programs taught by degreed and certified coaches, scientifically designed to increase speed, power and agility, while reducing the risk of sports-related injuries. There are over 65 Velocity Sports Performance facilities across the United States, each with an average of 19,000 square feet of state-of-the-art facilities.