Spend five minutes with football offensive line consultant Duke Manyweather, and you realize he does not do much at half speed.
This is why his business, training current and future NFL offensive linemen with an organization called “OL Masterminds” has taken off in just a few short years.
“We’ve got a proven product in this part of the process, along with our training and development that sees a lot of these guys come from the college rankings all the way to Sundays and make a huge impact almost immediately,” Manyweather said.
The impact has been immense, both with his annual meeting that includes the who’s-who of offensive linemen around the league at a weekly gathering in Frisco each summer but also specializing in taking the top prospects in the draft, like Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal this spring, and working with them to be ready when their name is called by the NFL commissioner as official draft picks.
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“I think we had seven guys go in the first seventy picks (in 2021), and this year, it’ll be even more,” Manyweather said.
Even more, as Manyweather is taking on more responsibility – and a new project away from pass protection and run blocking drills. Now, teaming up with Grapevine-based Hop & Sting Brewery to launch the official OL Masterminds IPA, with a brewing process that reminded Manyweather of the way he coaches his players.
“Making a great beer, especially an IPA, it’s all about the process,” said Hop & Sting owner Brian Burton. “It’s about doing the little things correctly. You do the little things correctly, it goes a long way.”
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“The can design is awesome,” Manyweather said. “It’s right on brand, as you can see on our shirts. It’s exactly what the brand stands for. But, as he said, as soon when it hit my lips, it was everything that we wanted.”
Everything he wanted in an IPA, and a cause behind it that carries special meaning for Manyweather, with proceeds from the OL Masterminds IPA to be donated to help fund Alzheimer’s research.
“Alzheimer’s research and the outreach in terms of awareness is very near and dear to me,” Manyweather said. “My grandma lived and suffered with Alzheimer’s and passed away in 2019. It’s just such a debilitating disease.”
“If we can do our small part raising some money and getting more people thinking about it and donating to it and getting more great minds trying to find a cure and treatments for it if we can do our small part, all the better,” Burton said.
Doing a small part for a cause that matters the most to the man who is best known for his work with the NFL’s biggest players. On a journey to help offensive linemen make their way to professional football, going full speed at all times, and now, combining his career and hobby to make a difference in honor of a person who made a major impact on him.
“I don’t know how we got here, but very grateful that we did,” Manyweather said.
The official launch of the OL Masterminds IPA is set for Thursday, April 28 as Hop & Sting Brewery in Grapevine pours the first drafts for customers on the opening night of the NFL Draft.
