With the NFL combine set to begin Wednesday in Indianapolis, Manti Te’o is hoping he isn’t as invisible to scouts as his girlfriend was to him.
The linebacker from Notre Dame who made headlines earlier in the year after it was learned he lied about having a girlfriend and having met her tried to clear the air last month in a television interview, but several people still feel he was involved in the publicity stunt, which could downgrade his draft status.
“As far as my stock dropping or rising, that’s not up to me. The only thing I have to do is just do well, run fast, just be myself, be quick,” Te’o told USA Today on Monday. “What I did on the field is what I did on the field. I dont think what I did with this whole situation, I don’t understand how it takes away from what I did on the field.”
Teo finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting and won seven awards this year. He had 113 tackles, seven interceptions and 11 passes deflected, leading the Fighting Irish to the BCS National Championship game, where he didn’t look like his usual self in a 42-14 loss to Alabama. Te’o was viewed as a top five pick, but now there are questions if he will be drafted in the first round of April’s NFL draft. He did his best politicking to prepare for the draft.
“I just want them to know, whoever picks me just let them know that you’re choosing someone who loves the game,” he said.
He was also one of the most popular college athletes on twitter, but closed his account two weeks ago.
“It’s been a distraction for me,” Te’o said of the social network where he met his non-existent girlfriend. “so I needed to get rid of it.”
While he still maintains his innocence, Te’o realizes he could have handled the situation differently, and hopes teams won’t focus on that as much as his football skills.
“I didn’t do anything illegal. I didn’t break any rules, I didn’t hurt anybody. I just wasn’t very forthcoming, as forthcoming as I should have been but in that, I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said.