Good (and telling) article about O'Hanlon's NFL aspirations:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100111/BIGRED/701119857
O'Hanlon faces a familiar fight for shot in NFL</span>
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By Rich Kaipust
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU</span></div>
LINCOLN â€"
Matt O'Hanlon has been here before, as the underrated and
underpublicized football player trying desperately to extend his
career.
So this should be nothing new for the former Nebraska safety.
O'Hanlon five years ago had to make the Huskers through a winter walk-on tryout. About 60 wannabes fighting for maybe one spot.
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</a>This time around, O'Hanlon is looking for
a chance to play professional football, and likely
without the benefit
of invitations to a postseason all-star game or the NFL Combine. His
best chance to impress scouts might be at the NU pro day in March.
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"I think it's really similar in the fact that I'll pretty much
be doing the same things as when I did the walk-on trial,"Â O'Hanlon
said. "If I didn't test out well then, I wouldn't make the team. It's
going to be the same here."Â
The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder out of Bellevue East started a new
workout program this week with NU strength and conditioning coach James
Dobson. The NFL dream that was always there just might be a little more
in focus after
a senior season that included O'Hanlon leading the team
with six interceptions and adding 69 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
"I definitely want to give it a shot,"Â O'Hanlon said.
According to NU coach Bo Pelini, somebody should give him one.
Pelini said after the Holiday Bowl that he believes O'Hanlon is going
to be "playing on Sundays."Â
"It's going to be the same thing: People are going to come in,
and they're going to write him off,"Â said Pelini, who spent nine
seasons as an NFL assistant. "And he's going to end up in a camp. And
he's going to make a football team."Â
O'Hanlon will be at the Outland Trophy banquet on Thursday
night as winner of the Cletus Fischer Native Son Award. The honor
annually goes to a Nebraska senior who best exemplifies work ethic,
competitiveness, leadership, forthrightness, sense of humor, pride,
loyalty and love of Nebraska.
"It's a great honor and there have been so many good players
who have won it in the last few years,"Â said O'Hanlon, who follows
former teammates Todd Peterson, Ben Eisenhart and Dane Todd. "So much
goes into it."Â
Some of those traits will serve O'Hanlon well as he plugs through the winter with no guarantees ahead.
O'Hanlon said he previously ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash
(electronic) and believes he can get back in that range. He should be
able to lower the 3.87 pro agility time he posted during the walk-on
trial. His vertical jump mostly likely will be in the 37- or 38-inch
range.
"If you go undrafted, a lot of it just has to do with
impressing someone, a certain scout or a certain coach,"Â O'Hanlon said.
"Throughout the pro day, I have to show I have speed or quickness, or
something like that I can add to my game film. My game film will
definitely help."Â
Along with his parents, O'Hanlon has been speaking to or
meeting with some prospective agents, realizing that might be another
element necessary to help "
a guy like me to get a foot in the door."Â
O'Hanlon said he wanted to get started with workouts right
after the Holiday Bowl but Dobson recommended he take a week off. If he
makes a team, there won't be any breaks coming.
And believe O'Hanlon, it's something he wants to do.
"It's cool that I might get a chance,"Â he said. "I'm pretty
sure I'll get into a camp, then it's up to me that I make the team."Â
<b style="font-size: 14px;">Amukamara to return for 2010 season[/b]
LINCOLN (AP) â€" Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said
All-Big 12 cornerback Prince Amukamara will remain with the Huskers for
another year.
Amukamara has been listed in some NFL draft projections after
making 54 tackles and intercepting five passes in his first season as a
starter.***************************************************
I included the above bit about junior Amukamara because the NFL IS courting him, even though he is only a junior and has fewer INTs and Tackles than O'Hanlon. O'Hanlon? Not a bite from the NFL.
Edited by: Highlander 
