News Flash: Beanie Wells is not a Sissy

I get it. Beanie Wells had a disappointing junior season at Ohio State.

If you want the facts (from my perspective), he had one good half of football all year—the first half against Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. That was the one game where Ohio State played a marquee opponent, gave Wells the ball and he produced...for 30 minutes.

That being said, I am surprised by how many questions there are about Wells heading into the draft. I know he was injured and sidelined this season, but he was injured and not sidelined in 2007.

Doesn't that count for something?

He played through relatively serious injuries for his entire junior year, and he showed considerable toughness doing so.

Was he sitting out this season because he knew he was leaving for the NFL? Maybe. Were his injuries more serious this season than last? Perhaps. Were the coaches more cautious with his health this season considering his track record? We will never know.

But those factors all led to less playing time in 2008, but do not necessarily make Wells an injury liability in the NFL.

Then, there is the group of naysayers who claim he did not run the 40-yard dash at the combine well enough. The combine is like baseball—it is the exclusive province of stat junkies. For every combine all-star who underachieves in the league (Vern Gholston), there is a player who performs below expectations yet has a great rookie season (Matt Forte).

I watched Wells run away from Leon Hall and Marlin Jackson—both first round selections and studs on LSU's 2007 championship defense.

As much as I hate this over-used phrase, Wells is a football player.

His measurables may not be appear to be above all others, but I have little doubt he will produce for years in the NFL.