There is no question that T’Vondre Sweat is a big human. And the big dudes certainly attract attention at the NFL Combine.
But just how big is this Texas Longhorn defensive tackle who his friends and family affectionately call “Loaf”? Sweat weighed in at 366 pounds. It is a closely watched number because Sweat very well could be the largest man among all large men at the NFL Combine.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network quoted an unnamed source to confirm Sweat’s weight. At 366, he is one pound above his playing weight while at Texas.
We should add that Sweat has no issues playing at that weight. He was a unanimous All-American at Texas and even won the Outland Trophy last season. There is a good chance that Sweat will be a first-rounder, joining Longhorn teammate and fellow DT Byron Murphy in the first round.
He added weight last season and was one of the best players in college football.
“You know how man is,” Sweat told reporters covering the NFL Combine. “We’ve got to grow into our bodies. This is me, as ya’ll can see. I’m a big guy, a big frame. That’s just how it is. I just grew into my body, man.”
By the end of the season, Sweat was so good that Texas coach Steve Sarkisian trusted him to score touchdowns. He caught a TD pass against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. He celebrated with the Heisman pose.
His sense of humor and his size are all natural, none of the weight is forced. If anything, he could trend larger, at least in size and possibly in personality. After all, this is the guy who wears a large, diamond encrusted medallion that says “Make Em Sweat.”
“God,” he said. “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 (Thursday), a lot of people will be like, ‘What about his numbers?’ It’s just God.”
If he maintains the weight God has granted him, he could be one of the biggest players ever to make an NFL roster. All rankings are not precise, but a weight of 365 places Sweat on the fringes of the top 10. Jordan Mailata, the Aussie rugby player turned offensive tackle for the Eagles, weighs 365, which makes him the 10th largest in NFL history. You can check a list of NFL largesse here.
The NFL Combine officially gets active Thursday afternoon, when the defensive linemen and linebackers begin their drills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Those are the first two position groups to do so.
Scouts will note Sweat’s weight then ponder whether he can move. They could see that he moved quite well while with the Longhorns. And they’ll click a stop watch when Sweat runs his 40.
“When I run this 40, I’m going to shock a lot of y’all,” Sweat proclaimed. But was he serious? “A 4.4, 4.5.”
If he breaks 5.0, he could gets lots of buzz. Cause big dudes who run well at the NFL Combine always get the big check.
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