Chester is a triple threat
Former Sooner starts for Ravens
Former Sooner starts for Ravens

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By John Rohde

Published: October 14, 2007

In a span of five years, Chris Chester went from being a fourth-string tight end that caught a touchdown pass with his elbows, to being a multi-faceted commodity in the National Football League.

Chester arrived at Oklahoma rated as the nation's No. 8 high school tight end by Rivals.com.

He left as a center drafted in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens.

Now in his second season with the Ravens, Chester is the starting offensive right guard, and also is the backup left guard and center.

He played in 11 games as rookie; started at both left guard and right guard; helped protect the quarterback on a team that allowed just 17 sacks (second fewest in the league); and also pitched in on special teams.

Today against the St. Louis Rams, Chester will make his ninth start in 17 career games.

"Whatever I can do to stick around this joint, I'm doing it,” said the 24-year-old native of Tustin, Calif.

OU played Missouri last night in Norman, and it was against the Tigers in 2002 when Chester hauled in his lone career touchdown pass in college.

Trailing 24-23 with 6½ minutes left in the game at Columbia, the Sooners lined up for an apparent 31-yard field goal on fourth-and-8.

OU coach Bob Stoops instead called for a fake and holder Matt McCoy lofted a 14-yard touchdown pass, which Chester — the Sooners' fourth-string tight end at the time — snared despite being double-covered.

"He caught the ball with his elbows,” Stoops joked, while impersonating Chester's form.

Chester still laughs about the play and said, "Hey, I'll take the credit.”

OU converted a two-point conversion and hung in to win 31-24.

Chester had two career catches with the Sooners, and both came as a redshirt freshman.

With an offensive attack highlighting running back Adrian Peterson, Chester was used as a blocking tight end his sophomore and junior seasons.

In the spring before his senior season, Chester officially became an offensive lineman.

"He was a good-blocking tight end, (but) we were short linemen, and so we said, ‘Hey, he could be a good center,' ” Stoops said. "We felt he wasn't a prototype tight end. He was not going to play in the NFL as a tight end, so we thought this might work out pretty good for him. I don't think he's complaining today.”

Shortly after arriving, Stoops made a similar move with Frank Romero, moving him from defensive end after his sophomore year and turning him into a two-time all-conference pick at offensive tackle.

Stoops did Chester a favor with the position switch, but it was Chester's athleticism that made the move possible.

"For his size, he's an excellent athlete,” Stoops recalled of Chester, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds. "Good feet; he can change direction; quick. He's that good an athlete with good size. I'm sure they're pulling him (at guard), doing a lot of things that fit.”

As for switching from left side, to right side, to center, Chester said, "It definitely is more complex than people realize. It helps if you're able to go from a right-handed stance to a left-handed stance. You also have to flip all the calls in your head, going from right to left. At Center, you have to make all the line calls and adjustments. There's quite a bit of mental adjustments that come with switching.”

Chester was the sixth OU player to be drafted by the Ravens, following wide receiver Mark Clayton, defensive end Dan Cody, tight end Trent Smith, defensive tackle Martin Chase and tackle Sammy Williams.