My buddy Botros sent me a text today suggesting I “Do a story on David Buehler’s combine performance. Amazing.” Naturally I had not effing clue who this David Buehler guy was, so I inquired for further details. “He out-lifted 27 olineman at the combine and ran a 4.56 40 which was faster than Kahlil Bell. And he’s a ****ing placekicker!” were the clues to the puzzle. Both of us are Bruins, so to hear that USC’s kicker is faster than our starting running back pretty much sums up the crosstown rivalry the past decade. But Botros was right; that little tidbit was nothing of which we should be ashamed — this David Buehler character seems like quite the athlete.
Upon further review, Buehler was a transfer from Santa Ana JC where he also went both ways as a linebacker and running back, in addition to serving as the team’s kicker. He also comes from some great football pedigree — two of his uncles played at Stanford, one of whom also went on to play for the Raiders and Browns. On the surface this seemed like a crazy story (the combine stats Botros texted me are accurate), but after digging deeper it makes a lot more sense. I think it really speaks to the all-around talent of Buehler as an athlete more than anything else. And do you think some of the top offensive lineman like Michael Oher and Eugene Monroe will be embarrassed to have been out-lifted by a kicker? Maybe not anymore. I’ll just leave it at this: If Buehler makes it to the NFL as a kicker, just watch out for the fakes. You have been forewarned.
