Pittsburgh Steelers OT Alejandro Villanueva talks OT Brett Toth’s NFL quest
In a Part II of our coverage of Army senior OT Brett Toth’s possible NFL future, GoBlackKnights.com had an opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with probably the one person who knows perhaps more than anyone, what such a journey can/will entail.
That person is former Army Black Knights’ TE/OT Alejandro Villanueva, who is now Alejandro Villanueva Pittsburgh Steelers 2017 All Pro offensive tackle.
Let’s get right to it with Villanueva’s one-on-one with GoBlackKnights.com’s Publisher, Charles Grevious.
GBK: No one knows more than you do what must be going through Brett Toth’s mind right about now, or the uphill battle that he will have to undertake should he get the opportunity at the next level.
What do you feel the biggest adjustment that he will have to undertake, especially with the possible two year layoff?
Villanueva: So, if he is meant to play in the NFL, which is something that he is going to have to ask himself, then the 2-year layoff is not going to have anything to do with his career.
It’s obviously going to be more challenging, definitely going to be more difficult, it’s not going to be fair. But if he is committed and he’s going to do
everything that is required on his part then it’s not going to be impossible.
That is kind the sad reality of Army football. So, if you went to a great school and someone with the same talent, the same enthusiasm, and the same ability as Brett ... that went to an SEC school for example, he’s automatically going to have probably (if he’s drafted somewhere in the first 4-rounds) at least 3-years to tryout in the NFL.
Brett is going to have maybe three months tryout in a really good scenario. He signs with a team, then to show was he’s got and what he is made of, so he is going to have a lot less room for error. Nevertheless, the NFL is a very self-correcting talent finder when it comes to un-drafted free agents. Very economical decisions for teams that can find a player that can play like a 1st rounder, but for 20th of the price.
GBK: By chance have you ever met or spoken to Brett Toth?
Villanueva: Yeah, actually he called me not too long ago. It was last week and he had some questions about the NFL and whatnot.
GBK: Another aspect is the fact that Toth is coming out of a run oriented offense at Army West Point, where passing was a novelty.
If you were talking to Brett now, what would you recommend he work on with regards to pass blocking?
Villanueva: The biggest adjustment is that he going to go from running the ball 98% of the time like Army did to now throwing the ball ... depending on the team, but 60-70% of the time.
So, that’s a game changer, where there will be a lot of different pieces that he will have to figure out. The good news is that he will have two years to work on that. He has two years to work with coaches, to come to training camps, and he can come up here to Pittsburgh and work out with me. There is a lot of time that he has to adjust to how to play the pro-style offense.
GBK: From a physicality and mental point of view, is there anything that you would say to him about preparing for pro-day and the upcoming all star games that he will be participating in.
Villanueva: That tough because again and in my opinion, he’s not going to get a fair evaluation from a pass sense, like most other schools do. It doesn’t mean that he’s going to fail, but he’s not use to that. Heck, maybe he will be better at pass protection than run blocking, because we don’t know because we don’t see that on Saturdays’ when he plays.
But it will be different for him to have 3-4 passes in a row, two minute drills and that will be a new experience for him and it’s all going to be a learning thing for him.
Let’s remember something. I was never All-Conference, All-Independent or anything when I was at Army. I was very sub-average in absolutely everything that I did in terms of recognition or anything, you know. So, I just learned how to play the game and works as hard as I could.
So, he will have a chance to play in the NFL. It’s more of a business, it’s more of a productive environment where money has a lot to do with it. So if he shows that he reliable, smart, knows the plays, works hard, coachable ... that is going to outweigh his pedigree, and whatever the measurable are that might go against him, because he didn’t play for a Big Ten school.
Coaches want players today that are discipline, committed to a team’s effort and smart. And he already has that because he comes from Army West Point and a military background, as well as playing at Army and playing for Coach [Jeff] Monken.
GBK: As always, thanks for your time and good luck in the playoffs.
Villanueva: Thanks Charles, it is always great talking with you sir.
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