Zach Zenner diary: I'll do what it takes to make an NFL roster
Zach Zenner played running back at South Dakota State, where he became the first FCS back to rush for 2,000 yards in three different seasons and finished 12 yards shy of setting the FCS' all-time rushing record. Projected to be a late-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zenner will take you through the process of training for the NFL Combine, his pro day, the anticipation for draft day and more. Check out his earlier entries at the bottom of the page, and follow Zenner on Twitter @Zenner31.
A popular topic of discussion that always seems to come up around the NFL Draft is whether a certain player or players would consider switching positions in order to make his NFL dream a reality.
I certainly haven't been immune to that question, myself, but where some prospects over the years have been hesitant to abandon the comfort of the position they've always played when they make the leap from college to the pros, the answer is pretty easy for me: Of course I would, because my sole focus is on what's best for the team that drafts me.
While I'd obviously prefer to stay in my comfort zone, my mentality from the outset has been that I'll play anything anyone wants me to play, and if a team wants me to play a position badly enough and they obviously think that I can do it, then I'm going to go out and do the best that I can for them at that position, whether it's at running back, fullback or any spot on a special teams unit.
In my specific case, there seems to be a lot of discussion brewing online about whether a team would want me to bulk up and play fullback in the NFL. (Zenner measured 5-foot-11, 223 pounds at the NFL Combine.)
I've only played running back, so I don't have a ton of experience at that particular spot -- I blocked on a handful of plays early in my career at South Dakota State, but that's the extent of it -- and I'd have to put on weight and bulk up to shift into that role (another thing I've never really had to do) but at the end of the day, teams know who I am and what I've done, so if they're confident I can play the position at a high level, then I am, too.
To that point, the key when it comes to this kind of thing is believing in the coaches. Regardless of where you line up, you've got to believe that the play you're running and the job you're doing is there for a purpose, so if a team sees me at fullback, then I'm going to trust that that's where I should be and do everything I can to be the best fullback I can be. These guys are where they are because they're the best and brightest coaches in the world, so it's only natural to trust that their strategy is the right one.
It's also possible, if not likely, that a team might see me primarily in a special teams role, and I have no reservations about playing there, either. As a freshman at SDSU, I played on special teams and returned kicks -- my longest was a 78-yarder against Western Illinois -- and I regularly sat in on special teams meetings in school, even when I no longer played with that unit. So I know the drill, I've played the role and I'd be happy to do it again if need be.
I could see myself as a winger on field goals or on either side of the ball on punt and kick returns, blocking, making tackles, you name it. I don't necessarily see myself as an NFL kick returner -- most of those guys are speedsters who are just electric, and I don't think I'm really that kind of guy; I'm less shifty and more of a straight-line runner -- but if that's where I am needed, by all means, I'll do that, as well.
When I've talked to teams throughout the draft process, the topic of me making a move has come up, and though it hasn't been discussed particularly in-depth -- I haven't had a team specifically tell me, 'We want you to be our fullback,' or anything -- I've told every team I've talked to the same thing I've said right here.
It's not a surprise to anyone that I envision myself as a running back and I think I have what it takes to play there in the NFL. If I had my pick of roles on a team, that's where I'd want to be. But I'm not in a position to tell anyone what I will or won't do, and ultimately, my sole focus is on being versatile and doing as much as I can to help my team out in as many ways as I can.
Chapter 1: Getting a Combine invite and getting engaged
Chapter 2: Trying to score points at the Combine
Chapter 3: Home sweet home back at South Dakota State
Chapter 4: It's a family affair as Zenner returns to Eagan
Chapter 5: On Chris Borland, retirement and concussions
Chapter 6: Making a final impression at Pro Day