Splicetoday

Sports
May 22, 2008, 09:42AM

The YouTube Prospect

A football player from a small college backwater dominated his competition, but the NFL didn't seriously take notice until clips of his play became a YouTube phenomenon. Now he's been drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as yet another example of how the Internet and digital media levels the playing field.

"With Studebaker unable to go to the NFL Scouting Combine in late February because he still was recovering from surgery on his foot, Wright, whose wife Carol is an Emmy Award-winning television producer, turned to YouTube to keep his client in NFL teams' thoughts.

"It would be a complete fabrication to say the YouTube videos had any role in exposing Andy to NFL teams, because all 32 teams knew exactly who he was. But I do think it was a tipping factor at the end."

Before Studebaker's impressive workout, the Eagles figured they would be able to sign him as a free agent. But once it went on YouTube, they knew that probably wasn't likely.

"We liked him going back to his junior year when he had all those sacks," Heckert said. "It was Division III, but he was so dominant. He was unbelievable.

"When he got hurt, we thought for sure he'd fall through the cracks. Especially if he didn't work out [before the draft]. But once he did and the workout went on YouTube, we knew somebody else was going to take him if we didn't."

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Here's some video of Studebaker:

 

 

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