To take the next step to the National Football League, mammoth Grambling State lineman Andre Bennett will have to dominate his competition in his final season in a G-Men uniform.

Bennett, the 6-foot-7, 345-pound former Vicksburg High Gator, was back home last week lending a hand to Grambling State coach Melvin Spears’ camp for high school players.

&#8220I think I dominated a good bit last year,” the soft-spoken Bennett said, watching some of the younger Vicksburg Gators and others work through drills. &#8220Especially on pass blocking.”

He made an impression on the nation’s coaches and media in being named a Division I-AA All-American. Bennett led the Tigers to an outstanding 11-1 season and a Southwestern Athletic Conference title.

&#8220Andre Bennett is every bit an All-American,” Spears said, emphatically. &#8220The only question that he has had has been his weight. But in three years, he’s lost 65 pounds. He’s near the weight he’ll need to play in the NFL, between 330 and 340.

&#8220He’s played a lot of tackle for us, but I think he’s going to benefit from moving inside to guard. That’s where he’ll play in the NFL and it’s going to help us because it cuts down the amount of space he has to protect. He won’t have to worry blocking those little guys coming off the edge,” Spears added.

Grambling State line coach Carl Roberts says, though, Bennett will still have to play every down and be special.

&#8220At our level, he has to dominate. The pancake blocks have got to come,” Roberts said.

&#8220But I have all the confidence in the world in Andre Bennett. He’s been my security blanket for the past three years. He’s shown his versatility by being able to play both tackle and guard. Pound for pound, he’s the best lineman in our conference.

&#8220We just need to make his body a little more presentable. He’s run a decent time, 5.5 in the 40-yard dash, he just needs to lose a little more weight.

&#8220Blocking wise, he’s one of the best I’ve ever coached. He’s a guy that leads by example. His peers know he’s going to get the job done,” Roberts said.

Bennett got down to the magical number of 330 during spring practice but since being back in Vicksburg, his weight has crept upward.

&#8220It’s been a little bit of mama’s cooking and being off,” Bennett said. &#8220Right now I’m at 345 but it’ll drop off again once we get back to work. When I hit 330, that’s the lightest I’ve been.”

Another area where Spears is especially proud of Bennett is his work in the classroom. Bennett will have enough credits by the end of the summer to earn his degree in Computer Information.

&#8220We were 11-1 and we won the SWAC, but a number I’m even more proud of is that we graduated 33 players this year. By the end of the summer, Andre Bennett will have his degree,” Spears said.

Getting work done in the classroom was a big part of Spears’ focus during the one-day camp at Vicksburg. It’s a lesson Bennett knows well.

&#8220I hope the young guys realize, it’s a big deal to get that high school education. When I was a senior, it almost cost me my chance,” Bennett said. &#8220But now, with this summer school, I’ll be able to graduate with a degree by the end of this summer.

&#8220Being back on this field (Memorial Stadium) brings back old memories. I know this place. But I also remember the guys I played with who didn’t do the things in the classroom,” Bennett said.

Bennett’s focus then shifts back to the present and his upcoming senior year at Grambling.

&#8220We’re going to have a little bit of change this season. We don’t have Bruce (Eugene),” he said of the record-setting Tiger quarterback now with the New Orleans Saints. Eugene led an offense that passed for 3983 yards last season and averaged 44 points per game. &#8220I really look for us to be more 50/50 this season. We’re going to do more run blocking and that’s fine with me. I thought I did pretty good last year, but really, my sophomore year was better.”