Simon Stepaniak ‘On Track’ For NFL Opportunity
4/6/2020 9:01:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Simon Stepaniak flexed his muscles and the NFL Combine noticed.
Specifically, coaches and scouts paid close attention when the 6-4, 321-pound Stepaniak, a co-captain offensive lineman on last season's Indiana football team, became a bench-pressing machine.
Stepaniak benched 225 pounds 37 times during February's annual showcase for NFL Draft hopefuls. Only one other player benched more. Fresno State's Netane Muti did 44 reps.
A knee injury kept Stepaniak out of other drills, but he hopes it was enough to help earn a selection in this month's NFL Draft
"It was a blessing to get there and to get to know the coaches and have them check out my body," Stepaniak says. "All the medical staffs checked out my body and they were pleased. There's no hesitation or anything like that. They all believe it's going to be a nice, clean recovery.
"It's just having that hands-on contact with team doctors and getting face to face with the coaches was huge."
Stepaniak credits the Combine for helping him develop NFL relationships that have already paid off despite the pandemic restrictions.
"I get cold calls from teams that want to set up (interviews) just through me. A lot of that came from the Combine and talking to them the first time.
"They want to set up another call and get to know me more. A lot of them wanted to fly me out to do visits and have their docs look at me again, but obviously we can't. All the visits are moving to FaceTime, which is weird.
"You're on the phone with a staff and have to draw on a notepad and show what you know and can comprehend what they're going to teach you. It's an interesting situation."
IU teammates Nick Westbrook and Reakwon Jones weren't invited to the Combine, then missed out when the Hoosiers' Pro Day was canceled because of Covid-19.
"I'm thankful for that (Combine) opportunity every day," Stepaniak says. "Getting to this point where everything is shut down and seeing my teammates who deserved that opportunity (and didn't get it). It hurts knowing that a lot of guys are going to have a harder opportunity not being able to showcase their skills and being able to do Pro Day and show (teams) how valuable they are."
While Stepaniak can't visit teams because of the pandemic, technology has helped bridge the gap.
"Having FaceTime calls with teams, I rely on my film and my knowledge of the game. Being able to show that I'm the guy who can play whatever position they need me to play. I can show them I can play."
His college numbers back that up. He started 31 of the 41 games he played, 30 at right guard and one at left guard. As a senior, he earned third- team All-Big Ten honors as part of an offense that finished second in the conference in passing while averaging 31.8 points.
This reflects more than physical prowess.
"It's the knowledge of the game," Stepaniak says. "(NFL scouts) know that physical side is going to be there. The brain and knowledge side of the game is also there and just continuing to get better."
Stepaniak's agent set up a Facetime chat with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as phone calls with San Francisco, Miami and Cincinnati.
"I'll be talking to a couple teams more in the upcoming days," Stepaniak says. "(His agent) has been really proactive in this situation. He's traveled to teams to get that face-to-face contact. He's setting that up beautifully."
Stepaniak hurt his knee during TaxSlayer Gator Bowl practices. He's continuing his rehab in his home town of Hamilton, Ohio, at a facility called Athletico Physical Therapy. He also lifts weights at a friend's home gym. IU trainers have sent him workouts.
"The biggest thing affecting me right now is access to a turf field," he says. "Rehab is going great, though. I'm able to do all of my tasks and do football position work.
"The workouts are just as hard (as they were at Indiana). I'm getting the same stuff. Some of the technology IU offers, Athletico doesn't have, but I can't complain.
"The only thing it's in gym shoes and on a rubber floor at Athletico. That has a different feeling than what we're going to have to be ready for when football picks up again.
"It's a blessing that I have still been able to get my rehab in at a quality amount. I can't be mad at anything I getting right now. I'm feeling better every day."
Stepaniak hopes to be back at full strength for the start of a July NFL camp, assuming the pandemic doesn't delay or stop that.
"That's been a promising thing," he says. "I'm keeping on track. Everything is going at an accelerated pace. I'll be ready for camp, and beyond. That's crunch time."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Simon Stepaniak flexed his muscles and the NFL Combine noticed.
Specifically, coaches and scouts paid close attention when the 6-4, 321-pound Stepaniak, a co-captain offensive lineman on last season's Indiana football team, became a bench-pressing machine.
Stepaniak benched 225 pounds 37 times during February's annual showcase for NFL Draft hopefuls. Only one other player benched more. Fresno State's Netane Muti did 44 reps.
A knee injury kept Stepaniak out of other drills, but he hopes it was enough to help earn a selection in this month's NFL Draft
"It was a blessing to get there and to get to know the coaches and have them check out my body," Stepaniak says. "All the medical staffs checked out my body and they were pleased. There's no hesitation or anything like that. They all believe it's going to be a nice, clean recovery.
"It's just having that hands-on contact with team doctors and getting face to face with the coaches was huge."
Stepaniak credits the Combine for helping him develop NFL relationships that have already paid off despite the pandemic restrictions.
"I get cold calls from teams that want to set up (interviews) just through me. A lot of that came from the Combine and talking to them the first time.
"They want to set up another call and get to know me more. A lot of them wanted to fly me out to do visits and have their docs look at me again, but obviously we can't. All the visits are moving to FaceTime, which is weird.
"You're on the phone with a staff and have to draw on a notepad and show what you know and can comprehend what they're going to teach you. It's an interesting situation."
IU teammates Nick Westbrook and Reakwon Jones weren't invited to the Combine, then missed out when the Hoosiers' Pro Day was canceled because of Covid-19.
"I'm thankful for that (Combine) opportunity every day," Stepaniak says. "Getting to this point where everything is shut down and seeing my teammates who deserved that opportunity (and didn't get it). It hurts knowing that a lot of guys are going to have a harder opportunity not being able to showcase their skills and being able to do Pro Day and show (teams) how valuable they are."
While Stepaniak can't visit teams because of the pandemic, technology has helped bridge the gap.
"Having FaceTime calls with teams, I rely on my film and my knowledge of the game. Being able to show that I'm the guy who can play whatever position they need me to play. I can show them I can play."
His college numbers back that up. He started 31 of the 41 games he played, 30 at right guard and one at left guard. As a senior, he earned third- team All-Big Ten honors as part of an offense that finished second in the conference in passing while averaging 31.8 points.
This reflects more than physical prowess.
"It's the knowledge of the game," Stepaniak says. "(NFL scouts) know that physical side is going to be there. The brain and knowledge side of the game is also there and just continuing to get better."
Stepaniak's agent set up a Facetime chat with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as phone calls with San Francisco, Miami and Cincinnati.
"I'll be talking to a couple teams more in the upcoming days," Stepaniak says. "(His agent) has been really proactive in this situation. He's traveled to teams to get that face-to-face contact. He's setting that up beautifully."
Stepaniak hurt his knee during TaxSlayer Gator Bowl practices. He's continuing his rehab in his home town of Hamilton, Ohio, at a facility called Athletico Physical Therapy. He also lifts weights at a friend's home gym. IU trainers have sent him workouts.
"The biggest thing affecting me right now is access to a turf field," he says. "Rehab is going great, though. I'm able to do all of my tasks and do football position work.
"The workouts are just as hard (as they were at Indiana). I'm getting the same stuff. Some of the technology IU offers, Athletico doesn't have, but I can't complain.
"The only thing it's in gym shoes and on a rubber floor at Athletico. That has a different feeling than what we're going to have to be ready for when football picks up again.
"It's a blessing that I have still been able to get my rehab in at a quality amount. I can't be mad at anything I getting right now. I'm feeling better every day."
Stepaniak hopes to be back at full strength for the start of a July NFL camp, assuming the pandemic doesn't delay or stop that.
"That's been a promising thing," he says. "I'm keeping on track. Everything is going at an accelerated pace. I'll be ready for camp, and beyond. That's crunch time."
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