Combine Interview: Arizona State Tackle Kellen Diesch
INDIANAPOLIS -- Perhaps it was fitting that Arizona State Sun Devils tackle Kellen Diesch's time at the podium was short and sweet, perfectly summarizing his stint with ASU after transferring from Texas A&M as a grad student.
"I just love playing football and getting better in practices, focusing on working on my technique and getting better each day even though I wasn't starting at Texas A&M. I just stayed patient, learned and got better from it," said Diesch, who spoke for all of six minutes during his press conference Thursday.
Indianapolis is notorious for throwing prospects into a frantic schedule of workouts, medical exams and interviews with clubs from across the league.
"It's been a great experience so far. I've been really busy, but I'm very excited to get out there tomorrow (Friday) and do everything. Grind, compete against everyone. Also I'm excited to go to St. Elmo's after. I heard it's a great place so I'm excited to try that out."
St. Elmo's is a notorious steakhouse, frequented by many of the visitors the Combine attracts each year for their shrimp cocktail and steak.
Diesch said he's met with "quite a few" teams since he's been at the Combine, but he's hoping to end his trip with a behemoth of a steak similar to the one pictured above, kindly provided by Pewter Report's Matt Matera.
If the steak isn't eye-popping, perhaps the amount of serious medical attention for each prospect while in Indianapolis can be, at least in Diesch's eyes when asked what outsiders may not truly grasp about the process.
He said, "Definitely the medical part, we have more physicals today but yesterday was a pretty long day with MRIs and x-rays and just the general med (evaluation). I think that's a big part of the Combine, a lot of people and I didn't know it was that excruciating.
"It is a little bit (intimidating), having different doctors poke at you from different angles and all that stuff, it's a little intimidating but it's something you have to do. Coach (Herm Edwards) told me what it was like here (and) told me what to expect. I didn't really know what to expect, he told me about all the medicals and how all the teams are going to be watching at all times."
Diesch is all about doing what he has to do, which will be required consistently through his time in Indy. The same applies for everybody watching him at all times, as the entire world of pro football will have their sights set on prospects within Lucas Oil Stadium.
"I'm just trying to show teams my athletic ability, being able to move, (my) body control, all important (skills) for offensive line play," said Diesch on what he hopes to accomplish at the Combine.
Diesch emerged as the highest-graded tackle in the Pac-12 conference in 2021, which helped confirm he made the right move to head to Tempe.
"That was a great decision of mine; Arizona State was very welcoming," he said. "I fit right in with everyone, coaching staff, strength staff, all the players, it was just a great transition because on the field I came from a similar offensive style with the same scheme.
"So it was an easy transition, just different terminology. But Arizona State was a great program to come into, and I really cherished my time there. Coach Edwards gave me the rundown right when I got there, he compared it to an NFL program with how he practiced and how we treat our bodies."
When asked if he felt like he was truly the best tackle in the Pac-12, Diesch didn't hesitate with his response, saying, "Yeah, I think so. I felt like every game I hit the field I performed to the best of my ability. Obviously there's room to make corrections, but there really wasn't a game that stuck out where I played too bad."
Arizona State fans know just how solid Diesch played throughout the season. Diesch now intends for the rest of the country to catch up when the lights are the brightest.