Former Blue Streak Jesse Ackerman Helps Get A Longhorn Prepared For Career In Cleveland

John Carroll graduate Jesse Ackerman did not get drafted by the Cleveland Browns Friday night. In fact, he has not put on a uniform in nine years.

But someone who he has helped train for that very occasion was picked with the 85th selection in the 2010 draft, and it was made all the more special by the fact that his "protégé" landed in his hometown.

Ackerman has been around his fair share of athletes, dating back to his days as the strength and conditioning coach for the football and wrestling teams at his alma mater. From University Heights, it was on to Iowa State University, and then to the University of Texas where he currently serves as the assistant strength coach for the renowned Longhorns football team.

His interaction with former Longhorn standout quarterback Colt McCoy has him feeling good about the Cleveland Browns' third round draft choice.

"Colt is a blue collar kid," said Ackerman. "He's just a small town kid who grew up around his grandfather's ranch. Being from Cleveland, I know what type of person Browns fans respect and Colt is just that guy."

Ackerman has been working with McCoy in Austin, Texas since he returned from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis the first weekend in March. Even though McCoy has four years of tape on film and had good results at the combine, Ackerman said McCoy didn't slow down for a minute throughout this draft process.

"Colt's just a worker. I have to sometimes tell him to slow down and stop working so hard, and that's rare," Ackerman said. "He would fly around the country working out for teams and come back and resume working out right away. I have to tell him that the human body isn't made to do that, and I need to tell him to rest. There aren't a lot of guys that you have to tell to slow down."

Ackerman, who remains his loyalties to the Browns all the way from Austin, thinks the Browns made a great selection.

"The thing with Colt is that he wants so badly to be great," he said. "It's not just being great, it's that he wants to be the greatest ever. That's why he achieved all the things he did here at Texas in terms of the success. It's because he wants it and goes out and works so hard to get it. It's no accident."

As for playing in Cleveland, a town that tends to let its emotions about their quarterback be well known, Ackerman said McCoy is well prepared for that.

"Playing at Texas, you can't really play on a bigger stage," he said. "He came in and started as a freshman, so he can handle anything."

McCoy had the unenviable task of replacing former Longhorn standout Vince Young the year after Young almost single-handedly won the national championship for Texas in the 2005-06 season. He handled that with poise, and went on to win more games than any quarterback in the history of college football.

Now, McCoy will face the challenge of trying to turn around a franchise that has struggled since their re-incarnation in 1999.

Ackerman let it be known that he would never bet against McCoy to do anything.

"He's just a special guy to be around and his work ethic is contagious, and you can count on him to work his tail off. I think he'll do great."

And all the way from Austin, Ackerman left one final message: "Go Browns!"