After dominating career at Princeton, Norman awaits call from the NFL

If you don't know the name Dennis Norman, chances are you would definitely recognize the man.

Standing six-feet, four-inches tall and weighing 307 pounds, Norman causes many people around Princeton to take a second look.

And in a few weeks, he might be turning heads in Philadelphia, Detroit, Oakland, or one of any of 30 cities across the country.

If he is selected in the National Football League's draft, Norman will become only the 23rd player in Princeton history to play professional football. He would also be the first Princeton player drafted into the NFL since Jason Garrett in 1990.

Although it is never guaranteed in what spot a player will be drafted, some projections rank Norman as high as the ninth-best prospect at tackle. Norman, however, is not paying much attention to the pre-draft hype.

"I am not even trying to look at how high I am going to go or where I might end up," Norman said. "All I care about is getting out there and playing."

When Norman does eventually grace the playing field, he will be placed in a position with which he is unfamiliar. He will be the underdog.

In his playing career at Princeton, few questioned Norman's talents or accomplishments. He is only the fourth player in Princeton history to be named first-team All-Ivy League three times in a row.

In addition to honors from the league, this past year he was the co-recipient, along with senior linebacker Michael Higgins, of the Poe-Kazmaier Trophy that celebrates Princeton's Most Valuable Player. Although he plays a position that makes statistical recognition extremely difficult, Norman has still managed to distinguish himself on the field.

In spite of his impressive resume, some still question whether Norman will be able to play at the high competition level of the NFL. He has obviously prospered in the Ivy League, the argument goes, but his comparatively small size and lack of experience against quality opponents will hinder him as he reaches for the next level.

Norman remains unfazed by such criticism.

"I faced big competition in the Blue/Grey game (an annual college all-star football game), and I think I held my own," Norman said.

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"Besides, coming out of college, everyone is untested at the professional level. We are all starting out at the same spot, and we are all going to have to prove ourselves."

Overcoming the low expectations of others has never been a problem for the New Jersey resident. Unlike most prospective professional football players, Norman did not even begin playing the game until high school.

Although he had successful junior and senior seasons, these two years were his only opportunities to gain varsity experience before he left for college. Additionally, coming into Princeton, Norman's hopes for immediate success were destroyed when he broke his ankle during a fall practice of his freshman year.

In spite of these early obstacles, Norman still managed to become one of the best players and leaders on the Tigers' squad.

"The only thing that adversity does to me is make me want to work harder," Norman said. "I want to be able to say that I fulfilled my potential."

Norman showed glimpses of his potential for professional success when he competed at the invitation-only NFL combines for prospective draft choices. His impressive performances against some of the biggest names in college football showed that Norman would back down from no one once he is on the field.

"I knew how much the combines would mean considering I go to Princeton, and I would be up against people who go to schools like Florida State and Penn State," Norman said. "I had to prove that I could compete against people from anywhere."

At this point, Norman has done everything he can do to show that he is ready for the big time. Now, he just has to wait and see where he ends up after draft weekend.

"I won't even be watching the draft on the 21st; I'll be at a track meet." Norman said. "And I don't have ESPN in my room, so I'll probably just look it up on the internet or something."

He just might want to do that —he'll need to know exactly where he will be turning heads and shattering expectations come next season.