Travis Long: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Washington State LB

Travis Long will enter the 2013 NFL draft after a college playing career at Washington State in which he started all 47 games of his career.

Long played the "Buck" linebacker as a member of the Cougars, a hybrid position that saw him line up at both linebacker and defensive end.

To make it in the NFL, Long will likely have to make it as a linebacker. Currently, CBS Sports has him rated as the No. 41 outside linebacker in this year's class.

Background

Full Name: Travis Marshall Long      

Birthday: July 24, 1991

Hometown: Spokane, Washington

High School: Gonzaga Prep High

Major: Engineering

Year: Senior

Long was a standout athlete in high school, playing both varsity football and basketball and collecting several accolades including GSL Co-defensive player of the year along with Chris Mastin, who also signed with Washington State.

Long came to the Cougars after being rated as the No.13 high school prospect in the state of Washington.

Statistics

2009: 33 tackles, 14 assists, two sacks, one forced fumble

2010: 35 tackles, 16 assists, five sacks, one forced fumble

2011: 31 tackles, 11 assists, four sacks, one forced fumble

2012: 42 tackles, 19 assists, 9.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble

Long proved his worth as a true leader, having a very good senior season with twice as many sacks as he'd had any other year.

But that all came crashing down on November 20, 2012 when Long seriously injured his knee (Seattle Times) in a 46-7 blowout loss to Arizona State.

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 243

Arm Length: 32 5/8"

Hand Size: 8 3/4"

Due to surgery in November to repair a torn ACL, Travis Long was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.

Though he was the most sought-after member of Washington State, he was also unable to take part in their pro day in early March.

Whether or not Long can return to form following the injury is his biggest question, but many teams may not even give him that opportunity.

Interesting Facts

During his sophomore season at Washington State, Travis Long was given the Leon Bender award, created in honor of the former Cougar.

In the summer of 2012, the day before he turned 21, Long was arrested for being a minor in possession of alcohol.

However, in December 2012, he was awarded (cougcenter.com) as the Kathi Goertzen "Coug of the Year".

Long had a scholarship offer from Boise State which he turned down in order to attend Washington State.

As a senior, he was selected to the All-Pac 12 academic second team.

Observations

In an article written by Bud Withers of the Seattle Times, he illustrates how Long has clearly earned the respect of many.

Talking about Travis Long's durability and willingness to play through injuries, Chris Ball, an assistant at Arizona State who helped recruit him said, "You talk about a tough human being... He's what Cougar football is all about."

An unnamed scout feels like Long has some talent and could play at the next level. "He's obviously smart, but he hasn't had a lot of support around him. I tell you what, you watch tape, and he's rarely out of the game. Just the endurance the kid shows is impressive."

Finally, his teammate Jeff Tuel, the team's quarterback, spoke highly of Long after his knee injury. "He's really been a role model. He doesn't take crap from anyone, he'll stand up for his beliefs to anyone. I wish we had more guys like him on this team."