Utah defensive end John Frank was the first-ever Mountain West Conference Most Valuable Defensive Player after a senior season in which he led the new conference in sacks (13/-89 yards), was second in tackles-for-loss (20/-112 yards) and tied for second in fumbles forced (3). He set U. records for career sacks (27), career sack yards (177), career tackles-for-loss yards (133), single-season TFL yards (112) and tied Luther Elliss in TFL (29). Frank is projected to be a fourth-round NFL Draft pick and has scouts hovering with linebacker speed (4.84 40 at NFL combine, 4.61 in private workouts for scouts) and the vertical jump (37 inches) of a defensive back at 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds. He took time after a busy few weeks working out for NFL scouts - along with teammates like Mike Anderson, Richard Seals, Teneil Ethridge and Jay Hill - to discuss the pre-draft process with Deseret News sports writer Linda Hamilton.Question: How many teams have come to Utah to hold private workouts with you, and what kind of interest did they show?
Answer: We've worked out for several teams, about five or six individually, under the D-line coaches that teams have sent here--apart from the combine (workouts at Indianapolis a few weeks ago). The Jets, Giants, Tampa Bay, Ravens and Jacksonville, and a couple of others. They really don't give you a feeling at all because they have to go work out other guys, and they're just hopping off planes left and right. They just shake your hand, sure, and tell you you did a good job, but you really can't get a good feel about it. Some guys actually did tell me, that, yeah, OK, you ran the best time, so far you're the best defensive end, which is encouraging, but you know how much I take that to heart? I take it with a grain of salt.
Question: What kind of hoops do these scouts make you jump through in these workouts?
Answer: All of them vary. One scout will come here, and he'll bring his electric devices, his own little concoctions, and run you through drills you've never done in your life. The Jets' D-line coach put me through 1 1/2 hours straight with bags, pass-rush drills, agility, quickness, change of direction. It was a nice little workout, to say the least! And it was all on film. He had our film guy stand there and film me while I was grabbing my shorts, kinda bending over like I wasn't tired, pretending to stretch. Buddy Ryan's son (Ravens) came and worked me and Richard Seals out, and he was actually going up against us playing offensive tackle. I guess he wanted to actually feel what kind of strength we had.
Question: Have you been invited to work out individually at any team's home facilities?
Answer: I have yet to do that. I know there's interest in bringing me out to a few places, according to my agent, but as far as actually going, no.
Question: You said you have an agent. Is it a local guy? How did you get him?
Answer: It's Ethan Lock of Phoenix. He represents Luther Elliss, and John Tait from BYU signed with him last year, too. They all go through a recruiting process. It's a very tough decision to make. I brought four or five to the U., and we all sat up in the conference room. I had my parents join me as well, and they gave us their spiel. I'm not a real flashy guy. I was looking for someone down-to-Earth, not trying to fancy me with the limos and the suits and all that. (Lock) flew me to Phoenix, where I worked out under his trainer, Warren Anderson, for a week. It worked out ironically; I was asking Dwight Daub (ex-U. strength coach now with the NBA Sonics) for advice for a pre-combine workout, and I asked him who are some guys who might prepare me best, and he mentioned Anderson.
Question: Did you talk to anybody like Elliss or Kevin Dyson or Chris Fuamatu-Maafala for advice on what you ought to do or what to expect?
Answer: I tried to call Luther Elliss, but I think he was at the Pro Bowl and stayed for vacation. I talked to Kurt Haws (U. '92-93). I spoke to players who were represented by other agents who were contacting me. Bryant Young of the 49ers called and left messages on (my recorder). I felt kind of silly. I almost didn't want to buy into it. I almost signed with his agent, and I couldn't have gone wrong. I spoke with John Tait of BYU; he had some good things to say. Most of them did try to help me out and give me good advice. I approached it as another business adventure, and you've got to use your own savvy. And I'm not a spring chicken. (Frank is 26 years old and served an LDS Church mission to the Mediterranean.)
Question: Do you think your combine workouts helped; how did you get invited?
Answer: I believe they take the top 250-300 athletes off of your film and what you've done over your career. I was very honored to get it in the mail. I was hoping for it, but I never like to set my expectations too high for things I can't control. When I got it, I was very excited because I was always looking forward to going to the combine and to preparing, too, because I feel like all the hard work can pay off there, as well. There are guys that may not work as hard in the off-season and may not perform as well at the combine in the off-season. I knew I had a good shot, if I kept up my workouts, to perform well. I felt like it went well. As an athlete, you always feel like you can perform better. I didn't set any PRs, personal records. Some of the scouts go by their own watches and had me at 4.61, 4.62, and the electric time was 4.7. The other thing is they come out here, and I was able to run another 40 for them, and I did better.
Question: Were you adequately prepared for the pros by the Utah program?
Answer: Physically, I believe I prepared myself in the weight room. On the field, I believe I received great coaching. Steve Kaufusi and Gary Andersen prepared me the best possible way. It was great because I got two totally different styles of coaching from those guys, and I like them both. Steve brought me up, and I look to him as a hero type, knowing he was in the NFL (and I was) just coming off my mission. Gary just cared so much and worked so hard and wanted me to succeed so bad and was a great coach as far as techniques; more intense than Steve, but they both get their point across. If there is something that maybe didn't prepare me well enough, it would be the category of postseason (all-star-type) bowl games. I did play in the Hula Bowl. But you want to go to the Senior Bowl; that's the biggest bowl, and you have to be kind of plugged for that, pushed for that early. I don't think people thought I was going to emerge as this type of player, so that didn't happen. All the other defensive ends in our conference that were first-team were at the Senior Bowl. I'm not boasting, but I had the honor of being the MVP of the defense, and I was in the Hula Bowl. It's a great experience, don't get me wrong, but the NFL coaches actually coach the Senior Bowl. If there's anything that could hurt me, I think that would be it. I could only help myself if I was at the Senior Bowl, practicing, running right in front of these NFL coaches.
Question: What do you think of Ron McBride? Do you think he is treated fairly by fans? He caught a lot of heat in the middle of the season, but now he's a great guy (after beating BYU and winning the Las Vegas Bowl).
Answer: He's walked a tightrope at times, but he's made it to the end year after year, and he'll continue to do so with his work ethic. It's hard to say, but I think we have a lot of fair-weather fans. This business is real up and down, and it's hard to be consistent, and if you are, you're one of the very few. Look at Mac's record - he's done for the U. what no one else has. No, he wasn't treated fairly. Gosh, win a game, they're his best friend; lose a game, they want to fire him. There has to be some kind of loyalty. And stay till the end of the game! It's a Saturday, you don't have too many places to go. I'm not a BYU fan, but I'm a fan of their fans. I don't like their fans. I've been in the stands with a lot of them, and that's the worst thing, but they're loyal.
Question: What are your Draft-day plans?
Answer: I plan on just relaxing up at my parents' house, just like last year and the year before - just watch the draft. I think I'm just going to be with my family, maybe have a couple good friends over. It lasts for two days.
Major - Communications and Spanish
Favorite food - Mediterranean, pailla
Last book I've read - Don Quixote - in Spanish
Favorite TV show - The Sopranos
Favorite movie - "Straight No Chaser" (about Thelonius Monk) and "There's Something About Mary"
Heroes - My parents
Hobbies - Saxophone and vocals in family band, snow skiing/boarding, photography