Q&A: Brad Lester, RB, Auburn

How have your workouts been going? Have you worked out by yourself or are you at a facility with other athletes training for the upcoming draft as well?

Lester: Prior to my pro day I’ve been training in New Jersey with Joe DeFranco. It’s a great place to work out. It was me, Brian Cushing and the tight end from Rutgers, Kevin Brock. It was a great group of guys to work out with. Most combine facilities you have about 40 to 50 people to work out with. But for us, it was great intensity because it was just three...four of us working out everyday.

In regards to your training it seems most of the guys we speak to share the same opinion that they are in the best shape of their lives. Do you share the same opinion?

Lester: Oh yeah. I left school weighing about 180 or 182 pounds. Right now I’m close to 200. I’ve never been this heavy or have run the ball this heavy so it should be interesting to see.

With that extra weight what time in the 40 are you expecting?

Lester: I don’t want to call it. I want to keep it a surprise (laughs). It will be a good one though (laughs). It will be a good 40. Let’s just say no higher than 4.40.

Have you spoken with any teams?

Lester: Actually my agent has talked with a lot of teams. He’s the one who has talked with running back coaches. When I’m talking with him (agent) he’s telling me they are looking for me to be healthy, bigger, and running a good 40 while showing good footwork doing the drills. I left the season with a lot of injuries and that’s the big question mark on me in terms of me getting drafted. So I need to show them I’m healthy, I gained weight, and that I can still move.

Most draft experts have you getting drafted on the second day or being a free agent. Do you think you will be drafted?

Lester: Honestly, I have the mind-set of being drafted. It doesn’t matter where I go, I just want to make a team. I’ve been working real hard and whatever team picks me is going to get a player they didn’t expect because I plan on coming in and running the ball hard and being very productive.

It seems that Auburn always has so much talent in the backfield which makes it hard to be that bell cow type of back. Do you agree with that?

Lester: Oh yeah, I agree. Ever since my freshman year coming in, the backs that I played with like Brandon Jacobs was there when I first got there. Carnell Williams was there, Ronnie Brown, Kenny Irons and Tre Smith. We have had a load of running backs ever since I’ve been there. So it’s always been hard to be that one guy who stands out at Auburn.

Speaking of the guys you mentioned do any of those guys come back to the university and give some tips or help you guys out?

Lester: Every once in a while Tre Smith does. I know for Carnell and Ronnie it’s tough for them, they're really busy in Tampa and Miami. Kenny had his knee injury so I’m sure he’s been busy rehabbing and getting back in shape to play football again.

Shifting gears to another side of the Auburn football program that most don’t see. Can you shed some light on the tradition at Auburn known as the Tiger Walk?

Lester: Oh man, the Tiger Walk is a huge tradition at Auburn. Pretty much all the fans come out and we get off the bus and they're supporting us, rooting us on. It’s just a big adrenaline rush, especially before a game like Georgia or LSU when they know it’s a big game. It’s just a huge tradition at Auburn.

Prior to the end of the season with Georgia and Alabama still on the schedule you made something of a guarantee. How did the players and coaches react when you did that?

Lester: (laughs) It was kind of funny. The way it got brought up is there was a question that was brought up and I had to answer that way. It was something like you're playing against some good defenses in Georgia and Alabama and they asked, 'Do you think your offense can compete?' I said I had no doubt we could compete and put some points up. But it got blown out of proportion. It’s wasn’t a slam against those schools, it was just a way of keeping a positive outlook for our offense.

Sometimes the media turns that stuff on you?

Lester: (laughs) My coach said, “What are you doing?” and I said, “What are you talking about?” (laughs) Then he showed it to me and I said, “That’s not what I meant.” So yeah, it got blown out of proportion.

What’s the emotion building up in you leading to your pro day and the draft. Are you so anxious you can’t wait to get started?

Lester: It’s funny. Actually it’s funny that I’m on the show now because I had a dream last night about my pro day. I did it, I ran a 4.3 in the 40, had a good day and was getting ready for draft day. That’s how excited I am about it. Also, I really can’t wait until draft day and I wish I could just skip my pro day and just go straight to draft day and find out what team I’m going to be on, get prepared for the season, and get into the system because I’m really excited to play. Especially after sitting out last season.

When April’s draft rolls around, do you plan on being glued to the TV set or are you going to get as far away as possible from it all?

Lester: Actually, me and my wife and probably a couple other friends are probably going to go off somewhere. I’m just going to wait for that call. Whatever team calls is good with me, but I don’t want to sit and watch it.

Speaking of the SEC, who are some of the tougher opponents that come to mind?

Lester: Glenn Dorsey comes to mind. He was real tough for a defensive player. He was always in the backfield and that surprised me since he was a defensive tackle...every play he was in the backfield. And I would have to go back to my freshman year with (Georgia safeties) Thomas Davis and Greg Blue, they were pretty tough.

How about yourself in terms of comparing your game to anyone that’s in the NFL playing now?

Lester: Actually, Carnell (Cadillac Williams) my freshman year when he was here. I watched everything he did. Even in high school, I didn’t know who he was. I'd seen him on TV a few times and my dad and some others always pointed out that we ran alike. So then I really started to watch him and tried to base my style of running with his style. When I watch film, I try to pick up on some things he does and I think we are very similar.

Did you feel a sense of history and tradition when you suited up as a Auburn running back considering their legacy of success at the position?

Lester: Our running back coach, Eddie Grant, gives us high expectations for being an Auburn running back. He’ll go over the history of backs we have had at Auburn. In our running back meetings we have pictures of all the running backs that have had great careers at Auburn. He makes the expectations high for us to go out and play hard as an Auburn Tiger running back.

Besides your pro day (March 10th) are there any other upcoming workouts that you are aware of as of today?

Lester: Not yet. My agent said after my pro day there should be a lot of teams that want to fly me in for a private workout. Like I said earlier, any team that is interested in me, I’m interested in them as well.

When football season is out of the picture and you have some down time, where are we going to find Brad Lester and what is he most likely to be doing?

Lester: I like to work out everyday. You would probably find me on a hill in Stone Mountain Park trying to get ready for the season. But for real down time, you probably wouldn’t find me doing anything else besides watching TV or playing video games.

Touching base a little on Auburn’s football season, you finished 5-7. What type of season where you guys looking to have?

Lester: Honestly, coming into the season we thought we could be 13-0. We came in with a new offense and new offensive coordinator, Tony Franklin. I think we really didn’t have time to get this offense rolling. I think it was a great offense and over time it would of shown that in the SEC. But it didn’t work out for us that way last year.

Do you have interviews and tests on your pro day?

Lester: I’m not exactly sure about it. (Interviews) I do have to take the Wonderlic test when I get there at about 9:30, then I heard we will go straight into our 40’s, then the rest of the drills. I think after all that is done then the teams can interview you.

Have you been prepped on the Wonderlic yet or been studying up on it?

Lester: Yes (laughs). It’s actually tougher than I thought. I thought it would be just something I could pick an answer from. My agent actually gave me a test to study on and the questions are a lot tougher than you would think. There’s actually a lot of thinking involved.

Any questions come to mind that you could share with the rest of the world?

Lester: Nothing comes to mind. I can’t think of one. But it’s more like taking the SAT, the math questions on there that were like word problems...that seems to be pretty much what you are getting.

Did your teammates give you any nicknames?

Lester: Nicknames my teammates called me? I can’t think of any. They usually just called me B. Lester.

Would you hold a tarantula in your hand?

Lester: Never! (laughs) Unless I’m getting paid to do it.

Would you rather be a lead singer of a boy band or a male runway model?

Lester: (laughs) That’s a tough question. I would have to say a runway model before I become a band singer (laughs).

It’s 4th and goal with a few seconds left on the clock. You score the winning touchdown. Who do you want to beat in that game?

Lester: Alabama! (laughs) We had a situation like that in ‘07 with Alabama. It was 4th and 1 and coach said, “It’s on you to get this first down and win the game”.

Photo Credit: Todd J. Van Emst (Auburn University Athletic Dept. Photographer)