How 'Sneaky' Pete Werner got his name: New Saints LB was a 'swagged-out dude' for Buckeyes

SmashMouth · 05-21-2021, 08:26 AM

Pete Werner was not the loudest guy in the Ohio State locker room.

Really, he didn’t have that one trait that would make you use that -est suffix. Not the biggest, not the fastest, not the strongest, not the brashest.

Well, at least consider that rule applicable to initial appearances. Because at first blush, you may go up to Werner and think he’s not so big and not so fast and not so loud, and then your next impression may be from the ground with Werner flexing and screaming over you.

All of which led to the nickname bestowed upon Werner, the New Orleans Saints' second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, from his time in the Ohio State locker room: Sneaky Pete.

“It’s making light of the fact that he’s very unassuming. … You get around guys and get to learn guys and get a feel for who they are, you don’t always get the whole story until the pads come on,” said Al Washington, who was Werner’s position coach his last two seasons at Ohio State.

“I was just like, ‘Man, this guy’s rugged, physical, he’s an adult and he’s got the swagger — he is a swagged-out dude.’ ”

Werner did not sneak up on the Saints, who were so enamored with the linebacker’s combination of athletic traits and football intellect that they spent their second-round pick on him in last month’s draft.

Earning that reputation has been a long work in progress, often starting with Werner exceeding someone’s initial expectations of him.

Werner comes from an athletic family. His father, Greg Werner, is in the DePauw University Athletics Hall of Fame and had a brief NFL career. His older brother, Dan, played football at Harvard.

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05-21-2021, 08:26 AM	#1
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,477 Blog Entries: 29	How 'Sneaky' Pete Werner got his name: New Saints LB was a 'swagged-out dude' for Buckeyes Pete Werner was not the loudest guy in the Ohio State locker room. Really, he didn’t have that one trait that would make you use that -est suffix. Not the biggest, not the fastest, not the strongest, not the brashest. Well, at least consider that rule applicable to initial appearances. Because at first blush, you may go up to Werner and think he’s not so big and not so fast and not so loud, and then your next impression may be from the ground with Werner flexing and screaming over you. All of which led to the nickname bestowed upon Werner, the New Orleans Saints' second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, from his time in the Ohio State locker room: Sneaky Pete. “It’s making light of the fact that he’s very unassuming. … You get around guys and get to learn guys and get a feel for who they are, you don’t always get the whole story until the pads come on,” said Al Washington, who was Werner’s position coach his last two seasons at Ohio State. “I was just like, ‘Man, this guy’s rugged, physical, he’s an adult and he’s got the swagger — he is a swagged-out dude.’ ” Werner did not sneak up on the Saints, who were so enamored with the linebacker’s combination of athletic traits and football intellect that they spent their second-round pick on him in last month’s draft. Earning that reputation has been a long work in progress, often starting with Werner exceeding someone’s initial expectations of him. Werner comes from an athletic family. His father, Greg Werner, is in the DePauw University Athletics Hall of Fame and had a brief NFL career. His older brother, Dan, played football at Harvard. more on NOLA Attached Thumbnails iceshack149, jeanpierre and K Major like this.