NFL Draft rumors: Dr. James Andrews says Cyrus Kouandjio’s knee is okay
By Josh Sanchez
Former Alabama Crimson Tide offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio is expected to be a first-round pick, but there are growing concerns about the health of his knee.
Kouandjio failed multiple physicals at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis because of a “failed” operation on his knee, but now one of the best surgeons in the world is saying Kouandjio’s knee should not be a concern.
According to the one and only Dr. James Andrews, there was misinformation about the health of Kouandjio’s knee and he is sending teams around the league a medical update.
Dr. Andrews elaborated on Kouandjio’s knee to CBS Sports.
“I wrote a letter to send to every team about his true medical history,” Andrews told CBSSports.com. “I’m trying to put out fires that aren’t even justified and to clear the record, I guess, is the best way to put it. It came out he had a failed ACL surgery — that’s not even close to the truth. His performance at the combine had nothing to do with his knee situation, and that was blown way out of proportion and that’s not fair to the kid.
“First of all, at the combine, there are 36 independent doctors and trainers making their own conclusions in a numerical system about how they rate each player relative to their previous injuries and concerns. There is no way in the world someone could say Cyrus failed the physical.
“He has some wear patterns on the knee that are consistent with someone who is that big, and who plays that position and who had the procedure Cyrus underwent. That surgical procedure was anything but a failure. I examined him again this week after he was working out and he’s able to do all the work outs and everything since the bowl game and he’s had no trouble with his knee.”
This is obviously good news for any team that was interested in Kouandjio, since one of the best surgeons in the world seems to have no concerns.
When the draft rolls around in May, expect Kouandjio to go anywhere from the mid-to-late first-round.