Browns rookie cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is six months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL, which he suffered in December while practicing for Oregon’s NCAA playoff game. He’s still not running at full speed.
Ekpre-Olomu, who suffered both a torn ACL and a dislocated kneecap and needed a second surgery after the first one six months ago, says he’s hoping he can run as fast as ever once he’s fully healed.
“The running, they say, will come easily once that’s back so right now I’m really focusing on strengthening the quad and hamstring again,” he told ESPN. “I’m not running full speed at all yet. I’m actually going back to California to meet with my doctor and from there he’ll take me to the next step. If I can play, I want to play. So that’s going to be up to the head coach and GM. IF not, then I’m going to prepare every day like I’m going to play. I do everything everyone else is doing. I just spend extra time in the physical therapy room, so I spend about three hours in the physical therapy room every day and other than that I’m with the team every other second.”
A projected first-round pick heading into last season, Ekpre-Olomu fell all the way to the seventh round. He’s still wearing a heavy brace on his knee, and he’s expected to miss his entire rookie season. If he can heal fully this year and play like a first-round pick in 2016, however, the Browns will feel like they got a steal. Even if they had to wait a year.