Fast Times for Carson Bruener, Who Could Run His Way Into NFL

Husky Pro Day was both a supportive and a disheartening place for former University of Washington football players with dreams of playing in the NFL.

As these guys went through the different speed, strength and agility drills for the assembled pro scouts at Dempsey Indoor, family members, friends, coaches and teammates loudly encouraged each one to run a little faster if not lift some more weight.

The downside was maybe no more than two or three of these one-time Huskies came away thinking they might get drafted at the end of April, with the majority of them realizing their football days were fast coming to an end.

No one really created much of a Husky Pro Day buzz outside of defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez, who showed off his elite strength by bench-pressing 225 pounds 34 times, and linebacker Carson Bruener, who reminded everyone he is, indeed, faster than most people think.

Bruener, in fact, made a lot of draft inroads the week before at the NFL Scouting Combine -- as the only UW player invited to Indianapolis -- by running the 40-yard dash in a somewhat surprising 4.58 seconds.

At least to everyone except the 6-foot-2, 226-pound linebacker from Woodinville, Washington, it was news.

"That was my goal -- to definitely break 4.6," he said. "I know a lot of people originally had me at 4.8 or 4.7. When a lot of people asked me, I didn't say anything. I said you'll see it when I run it."

Bruener, who was a third-team All-Big Ten selection and led the UW in tackles with 104 and interceptions with 3, actually thought he stumbled a little at the beginning of his best time and could have done better.

"Hopefully, I surprised some people," he said. "There was something where my start wasn't as good and I felt I could have gone to 4.54 or 4.55 range, but I'll take a 4.58."

As for drawing the attention of the NFL talent sleuths, Bruener has at least one who knows everything there is to know about him.

He's the oldest of three sons, of course, for Mark Bruener, the former UW tight end, 14-year NFL player and currently a Pittsburgh Steelers scout.

While his father is extra supportive of his linebacker son, Mark Bruener hasn't really tipped his hand in supplying Carson with an early draft grade, instead choosing to tease him some.

Early projections for the younger Bruener have him as a third-day draft pick. In his mind, the Steelers aren't out of the question either.

"Seriously, that would be a great phone call to get, for sure," he said.