Brandon Keith (
OT)
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 343
College:
Northern Iowa
Conference:
Gateway
Hometown: McAlester, OK
High School: McAlester
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Choose Offensive Linemen Albert, Branden Cherilus, Gosder Clady, Ryan Long, Jake Otah, Jeff Rachal, Chilo Williams, Chris
Selected by:
Arizona Cardinals
Round:
7
Pick (Overall):
18 (225) Pick Analysis: A very large guy. Decent speed and quickness. He's extremely strong and will have a chane to develop as an offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals and renowned offensive line coach Russ Grimm.
Overview
Analysis
Q & A
Overview Overview Playing in the shadows of All-American offensive tackle Chad Rinehart, Keith actually developed into a better athlete than his more heralded teammate. The massive drive blocker with an incredibly long wing span and hands the size of baseball mitts has excellent quickness for a player his size.
Needing to dispel concerns about his character and work ethic, it was commonplace to see Keith be the first player at the team facilities in the mornings, working on a cardio program that kept his weight in check and helped improve his overall flexibility.
Blessed with natural strength, he produced one of the better performances in the weight room at the NFL Combine, putting up 225 pounds 31 times. In a recent workout for NFL teams on campus, he clocked 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash and produced a 32-inch vertical jump with a 9'5" broad jump. That is impressive for any athlete, much less one of his size.
At McAlester High School, Keith was rated the second-best player in the state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com in 2002, who also rated him the 20th-best offensive tackle in the country. He earned first-team All-State honors from the Daily Oklahoman and the Tulsa World in 2002.
That year, Keith tallied more than 70 pancake blocks, helping the team compile an 11-1 record on the way to playing in the state semifinals. The team also went 8-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs during his junior campaign.
Recruited by Texas A&M, Florida and Nebraska, Keith enrolled at Oklahoma University in 2003, but left the left before the season. He enrolled at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College that year, spending two seasons at the school, playing for the football team in 2004. That season, he garnered NJCAA All-American second-team honors.
Having left Oklahoma once, the Sooners coaches were a bit reluctant to let Keith return to the team in 2005, remembering the issues they had with him in 2003. Those character issues were again front-and-center that season, as he became increasingly frustrated about not playing. He was suspended and requested a release from the program, leaving Oklahoma without ever suiting up for the university.
Keith transferred to Northern Iowa, where he was eligible to play in 2006. He played in a total of seven games, starting at right tackle in two contests, but a right knee bone bruise would sideline him for the rest of the year.
As a senior, Keith earned All-Gateway Conference first-team and Associated Press third-team All-American honors. He started 11 of 13 games at right tackle, grading 81.8 percent for blocking consistency, as he registered 71 knockdowns with 11 touchdown-resulting blocks.
Still, his time at NIU was not without drama. He had an issue with the training staff after missing a rehabilitation workout in 2006. Tempers were soothed when it was revealed that the reason for his absence was due to the death of his grandmother. After a stellar performance at the NFL Combine in February, followed by an early March Pro Day workout that was just short of sensational, Keith's draft stock continued to soar.
Then, in mid-March, Keith was arrested along with two other Northern Iowa football players. He was charged with rioting, disorderly conduct and interference with official acts in the incident at a local rental facility that can be used for private events. Officers from the Cedar Falls, Waterloo and University of Northern Iowa police departments, and the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Department responded to numerous fights in progress inside and outside the Main Event Center, in Cedar Falls, according to the Cedar Falls Police Department.
Career Notes Keith was the biggest player to compete for Northern Iowa...In his first nine starting assignments during the 2007 season, he registered at least six knockdown blocks in each contest.
Junior College Attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College in 2004 ... Second-team NJCAA All-American in 2004 ... First-team all-Southwest League honors in 2004 ... Coached by Steve Patterson at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
High School Attended McAlester (Okla.) High School, playing football for head coach John Homer... Rated the second-best player in the state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com in 2002, who also rated him the 20th-best offensive tackle in the country...Earned first-team All-State honors from the Daily Oklahoman and the Tulsa World in 2002...That year, Keith tallied more than 70 pancake blocks, helping the team compile an 11-1 record on the way to playing in the state semifinals...The team also went 8-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs during his junior campaign.
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