April 21, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; April 21, 2010 - Penn State All-Americans Navorro Bowman (District Heights, Md.) and Jared Odrick (Lebanon) are among a select number of players chosen to participate in a series of Sports Science features that ESPN is airing during its NFL Draft coverage.
Bowman, a linebacker, and defensive tackle Odrick are among 16 players selected for the 12 segments. Penn State and California (DT Tyson Alaulu and RB Jahvid Best) are the only schools with more than one participant for the three-time Emmy Award-winning Sport Science features, hosted by John Brenkus. The Nittany Lions are the only Big Ten squad represented in the features.
The Sport Science features analyze the abilities of some of the players expected to be among high selections in the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday. Tests included the use of innovative wireless technology to measure how quickly each athlete accelerates to his top gear; the use of high-speed photography and motion capture sensors to reveal how big a target a receiver gives his quarterback; infrared trajectory measurements and Eye Tracker technology to evaluate a quarterback's reaction time, accuracy, release time and ball spin rates; and the use of a crash test dummy to measure the force of impacts.
The features on Bowman and Odrick both include tests for acceleration, heavy gauntlet (main focus on the hit) and hand strength and Bowman also demonstrated radius of range.
Sport Science brings high-level collegiate and professional athletes together with cutting-edge technology in state-of-the-art scientific facilities to test the limits of human athletic abilities, while challenging popular assumptions about athletes and sports.
A 2009 first-team All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Odrick is among the 16 players invited to attend the NFL Draft, which ESPN and the NFL Network will televise. The first round is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The second and third rounds are Friday at 6:00 p.m. and rounds 4-7 are Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Coach Joe Paterno has seen more than 350 of his former players sign NFL contracts, with 239 players being drafted, including 32 first round choices. All-America defensive end Aaron Maybin was the No. 11 overall selection, by the Buffalo Bills, in the 2009 NFL Draft. All-America tackle Levi Brown was the No. 5 overall pick, by the Arizona Cardinals, in the 2007 NFL Draft.