Mississippi State DE Montez Sweat No Longer Attending NFL Draft

Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen report that Mississippi State DE Montez Sweat is no longer attending this year’s NFL Draft in Nashville, despite being among the 23 players confirmed to be on hand. 

Sweat plans to watch the draft with his family in Georgia.

“My devoted grandparents and a host of other family members helped me to get to this point in my life and I wanted to celebrate this special day with my family so we all chose to do so where it all started for me, Stone Mountain, Ga,” Sweat tells Schefter

This is further indication that Sweat could be in for a fall in this year’s draft. 

Yesterday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported that Sweat’s heart condition has been discussed extensively by NFL teams and their medical staffs in recent weeks.

According to Pelissero, Sweat has been removed from some draft boards while other teams plan to take precaution in terms of selecting Sweat.

Sweat has an enlarged heart that has created some concern from NFL teams. Pelissero says that doctors have told scouts that there isn’t an example of a player in the NFL playing with this type of condition.

However, there are European soccer players who have. Pelissero mentions that teams would need to take extra precautions with Sweat such as having a defibrillator on hand for all games and practices.

The good news is that there are progressive teams and doctors have spoken with cardiologists and have gotten comfortable with him playing with the heart condition while others have removed him from their draft board.

It’s possible this ends up impacting Sweat’s draft stock to some degree.

Sweat has visited with a number of teams including the Raiders, Texans, Bengals, Packers, Jaguars, 49ers, Eagles and Falcons.

Sweat, 22, played two seasons at Mississippi State after transferring from Michigan State. Many draft analysts consider him to be a top-10 prospect in this year’s class.

Sweat wound up setting a Combine-record for defensive linemen, running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds despite coming in at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds.  

It was discovered at the Combine that Sweat has a pre-existing heart condition.

During his college career, Sweat appeared in 27 games and recorded 105 tackles, 23.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Schefter, Mortensen and Pelissero are all assholes. Again! Making something out of nothing to create FAKE NEWS MEDIA hype.

    This kid Montez Sweat passed numerous physicals in high school, college and at the combine. All while setting records at the combine for his height and weight. Yet! The asshole Sports ANALysts have Sweat falling down draft boards before the draft even starts.

    Sweat is smart for staying home with family and friends during the draft. This way Sweat will NOT be ridiculed and asked a million different ways about his medical issue. The asshole ANALysts at ESPN and other sports outlets will have to bother some other potential draft pick.

    Montez Sweat will be a 1st rounder on April 25, 2019. Most likely top 10. You can bank on it.

    P.S. This is the reason 2007 1st rounder pick #3 Joe Thomas stayed home on Draft Day and went fishing with his father. Because Thomas wanted to do something important and avoid the asshole Sports Media.

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