Perry Eliano: Coby Bryant Took Unseen Work 'to a Whole Other Level'

The fourth-round pick in this year's draft is hoping to become the latest UC star to make it in the NFL.

CINCINNATI — NFL rookies are eagerly awaiting their chance to debut in the league this fall, and Coby Bryant is no different. The former star cornerback at UC is trying to do similar things in Seattle and his former position coaches aren't doubting him. The Athletic's Michael Sahwn-Dugar chatted with former Bearcats cornerbacks coaches Mike Mickens and Perry Eliano about Bryant.

Mickens got to coach Bryant during his first two years at UC and recognized an NFL work ethic early on.

“Doing the little things to make himself the best he can be,” said Mickens, who was never surprised to see Bryant featured in a one-on-one at the end of practice. “That’s something Coby is accustomed to. That’s something that he feeds off of. He’s going to be the first one to jump out there and be like, ‘Pick me. Let me do it.’ Even though he was at a status where everybody knew he could do it already — he don’t care. He wants to always prove something.”

Eliano recognized a similar relentless attitude the longer Bryant was in Clifton.

“One of the things we talked about always was unseen hours, unrequired work,” said Eliano. “What that meant was, ‘OK, if I put 15 to 20 minutes in after practice every day, guess what? That’s a whole other practice I’ve gained on my opponents and outworked my peers.’ He took that to a whole other level.”

It really came to the surface during the summer, when the players held unofficial tune up workouts for each other. Eliano noted Bryant was a coach in disguise and each incremental improvement helped him handle a tough role in 2021 as the yin to Ahmad Gardner's yang.

“He embraced that, he relished it,” Eliano said about Bryant getting targeted plenty throughout last season. “He never frowned upon it like, ‘Man, they shouldn’t be throwing at me anyway.’ It was more, ‘OK, (I’ll) show them why I’m the best, too.’”

Bryant figures to be a strong starting candidate for Seattle who is ready to make QBs pay for pickng on him, like he did for so many weekends in Clifton. Check out the full article here.

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.

You May Also Like:

UC Football Recruiting Rankings Check-In

Recruiting Roundup: UC Offers Four-Star 2024 Sharpshooter, Rising 2023 Guard

Seven Things That Need to Happen for Bearcats to Have Successful Season

Over/Under: Bearcats Win Total Set for 2022 Season

Ahmad Gardner Notches Pick-Six, Impresses in Jets' Final Open Minicamp Practice

Watch: Ahmad Gardner Makes Virtual Visit to New York-Area Children's Hospital

Falcons Head Coach Arthur Smith: Desmond Ridder 'Light Years Ahead of Most Young QBs'

Report: Ahmad Gardner Paid $50,000 for New York Jets Jersey Number

Three-Star 2023 CB Cameron Calhoun Commits to UC

John Cunningham: UC Increasing Media Revenue 'More Than Two Times' With Big 12 Move

UC Football Sells out of 2022 Season Tickets

Another One: Bearcats Add Four Star Defensive Back to 2023 Recruiting Class

UC Offers Local 2024 Center Raleigh Burgess; Four-Star Guard Trey Green Discusses Recruitment

Sporting News Names Luke Fickell Fifth-Best Coach in College Football

Recruiting Roundup: 2023 UC QB Brady Drogosh Commit Competing in Elite 11 Finals; Bearcats Interested in Local 2026 WR

Bob Huggins on UC Joining Big 12: 'They Better get Ready Because it is Hard'

Three-Star 2023 Defensive Lineman Kamari Burns Commits to UC; Class of 2023 now Highest-Rated in School History

Watch: Coby Bryant Flashes Athleticism at Seattle Seahawks Practice

UC Football Adds Sixth 2023 Commitment of the Weekend

Four-Star Wide Receiver Ayden Greene Commits to UC

Four-Star Safety Daeh McCullough Commits to UC

Desmond Ridder Making Early Waves With Atlanta Falcons

Bearcats QB Room Ranked in Middle of ESPN's FBS Passer Tiers

The 2022 NFL Schedule: Bearcats Edition

Bearcats Peppered Across NFL Rookie of the Year Betting Markets

Five UC Football Players That Could be Drafted in 2023

Takeaways From UC's 2022 Spring Game

Bearcats Q&A: A Ball-Handling Discussion With Mika Adams-Woods

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!

Follow All Bearcats on Twitter: @AllBearcats

Like All Bearcats on FaceBook: All Bearcats

Follow All Bearcats on Instagram: @BearcatsTalk