Nate Landman's Journey To The Draft: Preparing For The Combine
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- "I want to be an all pro linebacker, a franchise linebacker."
At the University of Colorado, Nate Landman grew into a superstar - a high-caliber player with all the tools to get to the next level.
Just watching him in college, he's a football player. He looks the part, he has the size, he moves well. I think he's very intuitive. You can tell he's a very intelligent young man," Augustine Agyei, Lead Performance Coach at Landow Performance, said.
In the shortened 2020 season, Landman terrorized the opposition to the tune of 61 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks in just five games.
"That was probably one of my best years, and I definitely had thought about going to the next level. I felt like my time at CU had come to an end," Nate Landman said.
Everything was lining up for Landman to take the next step in his football career – and then disaster struck in the final game of the season as Landman tore his Achilles.
"In that last game against Utah when I tore my Achilles, it was super emotional. Went it happened everything flashed through my mind," Landman said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on college sports, the NCAA granted all college athletes an extra year of eligibility. After his devastating injury, Landman reassessed his options and landed on staying at CU for one more season.
"Luckily with COVID-19, I had another chance to come back. I'm glad I did because it was definitely the best thing for me," Landman said.
After five successful seasons, Landman is now in his next chapter, attacking his NFL Combine prep at Landow Performance and tackling the challenge with the same fire and intensity that he put into every brutal tackle made on Saturdays in black and gold
"Each day is different. You're trying to get better at one thing each day. As long as you stay present in that one day and try not to look a month ahead because that's not going to do you any good," Landman said. "That's kind of what you do in football and I've learned that throughout the years. You just focus on one day and the end outcome will come out how you want it to."
Landman's Combine training is intense. He's typically in the gym six days a week because he's only got a few short months to prepare for the test of a lifetime.
"It's a very finite window in terms of what they need to learn and when they need to get done. They have to learn it very quickly and they all know what's at stake. There is only one shot to get it right," Agyei said.
Landman has leaned on some former teammates, like Davion Taylor, as well as the team at Landow Performance, to help navigate a process that will have a massive impact on the rest of his life.
"I definitely talked to them when they were going through this process and they said it's a grind, just keep your head down and focus. You have to just grind for these couple of months. It's the biggest job interview of your life. There are great parts and there are hard parts but if you get through it and come out in the end, it's great," Landman said.
When I asked Agyei how ready Landman is for the Combine, he didn't hesitate:
"Oh, he's ready."
The NFL Combine takes place March 1 through 7.
