Case Study: Andrew ‘Drew’ Hartlaub
(Penn State University–Safety)
Doing things that are hard sometimes requires finding a way when odds are stacked against you. Consider the following obstacles:
- 1Walk-on athlete at Division 1, FBS, Power-Five Conference school (earned scholarship as Senior)
- 2Special Teams juggernaut (outstanding Gunner), but no film at designated Defensive position
- 3Undersized for designated Defensive position by NFL standards
- 4Unable to participate in all the Pro Day drills
- 5Forced to cancel Local Day invitations due to unfortunate and untimely circumstances
- 6Attempt to switch to more NFL-suited position (based on measurables) of Receiver just weeks prior to NFL draft
We were tasked with the challenge of finding an NFL home for our Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) client, Drew Hartlaub. We exercised every tool accessible to us, while Drew did his share of the heavy lifting as well. Focusing on the strengths that made him one of the best Gunners in the country, Drew ran 4.22 in the 40-yard dash, had a vertical jump of 36 inches, a broad jump of 10 feet 9 inches, and a 6.75 seconds 3-Cone drill at his Pro Day. A soft tissue injury (hamstring) curtailed the remainder of his day, but the very promising data on a few indispensable benchmarks was on record. After Drew did his job, we then went to work. We identified teams interested in his skill sets, prioritized those prospects, evaluated all offers, and negotiated the best deal for Drew despite the hurdles outlined above. The result was a contract including signing cash with the Carolina Panthers, notwithstanding the appellation, “underdog”.
We are proud to have worked with Drew, and of what he was able to accomplish. Likewise, we are pleased to have done our part. Although obstacles were present, our achievements were possible because Drew handled his business when called upon to execute. Together, we achieved success.
*Andrew has since retired from the game due to aggravating football injuries.*
