Longhorns 'Big Guy' T'Vondre Sweat Weighs In At NFL Combine

Texas Longhorns T'Vondre Sweat is 366 pounds of pure fury looking to become a staple at the next level.
In this story:

INDINAPOLIS -- T'Vondre Sweat made headlines in Mobile, Ala. when he chose not to weigh in at the Senior Bowl.

The only headline he hopes to make at the NFL Scouting Combine is garnering first-round buzz. 

Sweat weighed in at 366 pounds prior to workouts Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year told reporters on Wednesday that he played at 365 pounds while helping the Texas Longhorns win their first Big 12 title since 2009. 

t'vondre sweat tcu 5
© Ricardo B. Brazziell, Austin American-Statesman

“We have to grow into our bodies, and this is me, as you can see. I’m a big guy, big frame, and that’s just how it is. I just grew into my frame, man.”

Winner of the Outland Trophy, Sweat said he felt most comfortable at 365 pounds. As a freshman, he weighed 334. A year later, that bulked up to 346. 

“I’m just a big guy. A lot of people get scared of the numbers and all that, but when y’all see me move tomorrow, I think a lot of people are going to be surprised.”

The Huntsville native carries the weight well, which helped him earn unanimous All-American status as the Longhorns clinched a College Football Playoff berth. An anchor up the middle, Sweat was key in helping the Longhorns post the nation’s third-best run defense, allowing only 82.4 yards per game on the ground. 

A projected mid-round pick, Sweat's combine performance could help skyrocket his stock into late-Day 1 conversations. He plans to run every drill, including the 40-yard dash. 

Former Longhorn T'Vondre Sweat Makes Bold 40-Yard Dash Prediction

What's his projected time? 

"4.4, 4.5," a jovial Sweat said. 

And no, in his mind, it wasn't a joke. 

Sweat is one of 11 Texas players at the combine. He, defensive tackle Byron Murphy and linebacker Jaylan Ford will test Thursday. 


Published
Cole Thompson
COLE THOMPSON

Cole Thompson is a sports writer and columnist covering the NFL and college sports for SI's Fan Nation. A 2016 graduate from The University of Alabama, follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson