Player Profile

PRO: In drafting Andre Gurode (pronounced ger-ODD) in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys viewed the offensive lineman as a talent who had the physical maturity and competitiveness necessary to become a contributor early in his career. He soon answered the call by becoming the first rookie in club history to start at center on opening day. Blessed with intelligence and versatility, Gurode handled the pressure of starting at two different offensive line positions throughout a year that was disrupted by injuries and uncertainty along the Dallas front. Gurode stepped in at the starting center position mid-way through the summer and didn't look back. When the dust had settled on his rookie season, Gurode compiled six starts at center and another eight at right guard. While using each game as a learning experience, he displayed poise and production in handling the difficult task of changing positions as a rookie starter. Throughout the year, he showed flashes of the intensity and athleticism that made him one of the nation's top offensive line prospects coming out of Colorado. As the Cowboys second-round draft choice (37th overall), Gurode was the highest offensive lineman drafted by Dallas since 1981 (Howard Richards - 25th overall).

2002: As the first Cowboys rookie to ever start the season at center, Gurode also became the first rookie starter at the center position since Mark Stepnoski started four games in 1989. In his NFL debut at Houston (9/8), Gurode was part of an offensive line that led the way to 155 rushing yards for Dallas. In the following week's win over Tennessee (9/15), he helped the Dallas line limit the Titans to just one sack in 25 pass plays. Despite numerous changes and injuries on the offensive line at St. Louis (9/29), Gurode was a constant force for a unit that allowed just two sacks in 38 pass plays and helped Dallas rush for 122 yards on 27 carries (4.5 avg.). He missed the following week's loss to the Giants (10/6) and the victory over Carolina (10/13) after suffering a sprained great toe on his left foot in practice on Oct. 2. Gurode returned to the lineup at Arizona (10/20) and helped Dallas rush for 148 yards and a 4.1 yards-per-carry average. He then became part of history against Seattle (10/27) as the starting center on the Dallas line that helped Emmitt Smith eclipse Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Smith earned his first 100-yard rushing day against the Seahawks with 109 yards and a 4.5 average. Gurode made the move to the starting right guard spot in the last-second loss at Detroit (11/3) - helping provide protection for Chad Hutchinson who threw for over 200 yards against the Lions. In the win over Jacksonville (11/24), the Dallas line provided time for Hutchinson to throw for 301 yards and opened holes for the running game to rush for 118 yards. The 405 net yards was a season-high. Gurode personally helped limit Jaguars defensive tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud to two tackles and no sacks on the day. In the Thanksgiving Day win over Washington (11/28), Gurode suffered a strained groin on the extra point following the first Dallas touchdown and missed the rest of the game. Despite suffering a bruised jaw in the second quarter against San Francisco (12/8), Gurode returned to action and helped hold the 49ers without a sack in 28 pass plays. That outing marked the first game of the 2002 season that the line did not allow a sack. He also helped Dallas rush for 110 yards against the 49ers.

COLLEGE: Gurode allowed just 7.5 sacks in 2,653 plays over three-plus years as a starter for the Buffaloes at guard and center. He started his first two and a half seasons at center for Colorado before moving to guard in the middle of his junior year. As a senior in 2001, Gurode earned All-America honors after starting every game at right guard. He was also a unanimous All-Big 12 selection, while pacing a balanced offensive attack that averaged 228.5 rushing yards-per-game and 205.9 passing yards. The 2001 season marked only the third time in school history that both the ground game and aerial attack averaged over 200 yards each in the same season. As a junior, Gurode earned All-Big 12 honors and the John Mack Award, as selected by the coaches for being CU's most outstanding offensive player. Gurode started the first six games of the year at center and the final five games at guard. As a sophomore, Gurode earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors while helping the Buffaloes to a 7-5 record and a win over Boston College in the Insight.com Bowl. He was the starter all season at center, playing the second-most snaps from scrimmage on the team. After starting 1998 summer practice as the team's right guard, Gurode was switched to center to start the year. In the second week of the season, he tore cartilage in his right knee that forced him to miss the next six games. Gurode returned to start the final three regular season games and the 51-43 win over Oregon in the Aloha Bowl.

PERSONAL: As a senior at North Shore High School in Houston, Texas, Gurode was a PrepStar and SuperPrep All-America, while USA Today selected him as an honorable mention All-America. He was also named to the prestigious Houston Chronicle Top 100 List and made the Austin American-Statesman "Fab 55" team. He earned all-area honors as a senior (second team honors as a junior), and was all-district and all-Greater Houston as a junior and senior (when he also was his team's most outstanding offensive lineman). Gurode lettered three times in basketball and four times in track with personal bests of 186-0 in the discus and 54-1 in the shot put. As a high school junior, he won third place in a drafting competition for intermediate computer design. He earned a degree in ethnic studies at Colorado, where he was a member of the school's "Academic Starters" team. He is currently pursuing another degree in psychology. As a member of the Cowboys 2002 Rookie Club - a program designed to introduce rookie team members to community service in the Dallas area - Gurode participated in monthly charity visits to non-profit organizations serving children.