Heart surgery, draft status, and Auburn’s Groves

By Robert Rousseau  |   Monday, April 14, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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Quentin Groves finished his Auburn career with 26 sacks, which is tied for the most in school history. Though he ended his career dealing with a foot injury that caused him to miss two games in 2007, Groves still finished with 38 tackles, including seven for a loss. The year previous, Groves managed 37 tackles and 9.5 sacks in the ever-difficult SEC conference. Beyond that, of course, is his near-blinding 4.46 speed in the 40-yard dash and his awesome first step when rushing the passer.

Usually, then, when such stats and measurables are discussed regarding an SEC player, you’re talking about a high first-round draft pick. Such was the case for sure with Groves, who some believed could even sneak into the top 10 of this month's NFL draft.

But then you hear the words ‘recent heart surgery’ and are left to wonder if NFL teams are running in the other direction.

The probable answer to that question: No.

On March 27, Groves underwent heart surgery to treat Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. In essence, this refers to an abnormality in the heart’s electrical system that ends up causing a rapid heartbeat. According to the NFL Network, every team in the league received a letter indicating that the condition was identified and the problem was alleviated by the surgery.

Those in the know seem to believe that this is a non-issue. Then again, you never know which teams were on the fence regarding Groves and might go in the other direction because of this. The Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Jets, 49ers, Giants and Patriots were all concerned enough to meet with him or plan a meeting recently. Regardless, if the experts think that the surgery won’t have a lasting impact, one has to believe that it won’t.

Therefore, expect Groves to be drafted in the first round. Whether that equates to a top-10 pick remains to be seen.









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About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or...
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