Preparing for NFL Auditions

Cincinnati.com         Related Article- MockingtheDraft.com

Brian Lainhart and Cobrani Mixon were standout football players at Colerain High School and, most recently, Kent State University.

The longtime teammates now are trying to break into the National Football League, with the NFL Combine (Feb. 23-March 1 in Indianapolis) and their pro day workouts (March 9) both approaching.

Free safety Lainhart (6 feet, 211 pounds) and inside linebacker Mixon (6-1, 240) both are considered late-round or free-agent NFL possibilities. The players have been working out at D1 Sports Training facility in Nashville, and they recently described what it is like to train for the football job of their dreams.

Mixon: We're waking up about 8 o'clock, eating breakfast, and then running starts at 9:30. Then we get a lunch break around 11-12, and come back around 1 and do position-specific drills ... footwork and stuff like that. We lift weights again at 2:30, then go to rehab and cool down for the day.

Lainhart: I came down here (to Nashville) a little before Christmas. It's nothing but working out. We do the shuttle and the L drill and specific bench presses, instead of powerlifting to get as big and strong as you can. We do the drills so we can run well and test well.

Mixon: We haven't been invited to the Combine yet, but we hope to be soon. If not, I won't let it bother me. We'll get another chance to shine on our pro day (at Kent).

Lainhart: We do all the drills we'll do at the Combine and pro Day. Verticals, bench, broad jump, 40s. We also take the Wonderlic (intelligence) test, and we have all the interview prep stuff here. When I went to the East-West game, I obviously had to speak well for the coaches so I didn't sound like an idiot. We learn some techniques to think about, so you don't get nervous.

Mixon: Brian and I both have agents. Right now, we live in a condo here. It's all football, and that's the way it should be.

Lainhart: I just want to play football. It doesn't matter where.

Mixon: What team would I like to go to? I definitely was a Bengals fan growing up, but I would play anywhere. It's kind of crazy, that it's all right in front of me now. This is definitely something I've always dreamed about.

Lainhart: I think Cobrani and I both eventually want to get into coaching, but hopefully that's down the road. Hopefully, God willing, I can play eight or 10 more years.