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Just got his weekly email. This week is some good scoop on the combine.
Enjoy.
A View From the Sideline
NFL Combine Notes from Inside / Lance Zierlein
Okay, Ive been waiting for the inside scoop on what went down inside the RCA Dome and in the team interviews so I could pass as much info as I have along to you guys and Ive finally got some scoop. I also spent quite a bit of time watching the workouts of the different players on the NFL Network. However, after watching offensive linemen participate in the broad jump and the vertical leap, I began to feel like I was watching a glorified physical fitness test like we used to take in elementary school. While the combine drills are still very important for where guys get drafted, football players will rise to the top of the league when it is all said and done whether they run a fast short shuttle time or not. Here are some thoughts as well as direct comments from people inside the Combine.
* Reggie McNeal was described as a little too cocky in his interview with one team, but another scout said that he gave McNeal bonus points for not pointing the finger at others for his subpar performance this year which showed that hes not a blamer. While McNeal ran a great 40, everyone expected it. He struggled with his passing drills and one scout thought he hurt his draft prospects at the combine . . . at least as a QB. However, one scout said In the right offense he might be much better. Franchiones offense is horsesh-t. All three scouts see him as a second day pick (4th round or beyond) but I think hell go in the third round.
* Rod Wrights status hasnt really changed much amongst the people who scout him on a regular basis. Everyone still considers Wright a 3rd or 4th round pick but Wright did have a pretty good workout from what I was told and a team may decide he is a good fit for what they do which means he could go earlier than expected. Many scouts point out that he hasnt really made great strides since his freshman year.
* David Thomas, TE from Texas, had a solid workout with a 40 time of 4.67 and more important, he showed up much bigger than he was as a player at Texas which is something that teams wanted to see. Thomas didnt really help or hurt himself at the combine. He is what he is which is a pass catching tight end and while NFL people are split on whether hell be a 3rd or 4th round pick, I think most teams feel comfortable with his potential as a solid NFL player.
* TCU WR Cory Rogers hurt his draft stock by running right at 4.6 but blazing straight line speed arent necessarily what teams like about Rogers anyway. Hes got very good quickness and I thought he caught the ball great during the gauntlet drill at the combine. Rogers should end up being drafted around the 4th round which is probably right where he should be going.
* Michael Huff impressed teams with his sub 4.4 40-yard dash time but both scouts I spoke with who watched him during defensive back drills said he wasnt very impressive in those drills. One scout who has touted him to me as first round caliber CB since his sophomore year said that he still thinks Huff can be a CB but he wants to go back and watch some old tape on him now just to be sure. Regardless, Huff is considered a great defensive back prospect who will be highly drafted whether it is at safety or cornerback. If Huff gets down from 207 to 198, hell likely look better in his CB drills at UTs Pro Day March 22nd.
* One scout who sat in on Vince Youngs interview with his team said that VY had an average interview. When he was on the board (asked to explain coverages, reads and decision making) he was raw and unsure. He needs to sit and learn for a year or two before hell be ready. We already know about the Wunderlich debacle that took place whether it was an NFL mistake or a Vince Young mistake. Bottom line, VY needs to be more prepared to take the Wunderlich test than he was. Agents around the country have Wunderlich tests that they use for players to prepare and Vince should have done the same thing.
* Texas A&Ms Johnny Jolly didnt help himself at the combine by showing up overweight and seemingly out of shape. One scout was overheard telling Jolly he looked gooey and asked him what he had been doing since the end of the season. If Jolly had been in shape, he might have been a drafted in round 3 or 4 but now, according to all three scouts, he wont be drafted until round 5 or beyond.
* Texas Techs prospects all ran very disappointing 40 yard dash times leading one scout to say whatever they are doing over at Tech to prepare for the 40, they need to stop because it isnt working. Techs hard-hitting safety, Dwayne Slay, ran in the 4.8 range which didnt surprise some of the scouts who had seen him all year. If he had run in the mid to low 4.7 range, he might have still been drafted by the 4th round, but not now. Hes a great hitter and tough kid and supposedly a good kid, but you just cant run this slow and play safety in the NFL. Hell be drafted in the 6th round or beyond now.
Now for some players from around the nation:
* Jay Cutler had a good combine. Everyone knows that by now. Cutler repped out 225 pounds 23 times on the bench press and ran a 4.77 forty. Cutler also had the second strongest arm of any quarterback at the combine which was expected. While Cutler is moving up, two scouts I spoke with said that he wasnt quite as impressive throwing the ball as some media outlets have indicated. He was good but I didnt think he was great, said one scout while another added, There is still no way he should be drafted ahead of Leinart or Young.
* AJ Hawk had a very good workout with a solid forty time and outstanding shuttle times which determine a players ability to change direction quickly. One scout whose responsibility is scouting all of the linebackers in the draft said Hawk is a man. He can play any linebacker position in the 4-3 or a 3-4 and he will excel.
* Iowas linebacker combo of Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge werent as impressive. Greenway was okay but didnt run as well as expected while Hodge looked has been called a little stiff and overrated by one personnel man I spoke with. Look for Greenway to still go in the top 24 and Hodge to go late in the third or early in the fourth.
* OUs Clint Ingram had a solid workout and figures to end up being drafted late in the round two or three while Ernie Simms from Florida State is catching teams eyes despite being a little small. Simms is very explosive and a good hitter but his aggressiveness is going to get teams excited about his pro prospects. Hes a perfect fit for Tony Dungy but hell probably be gone by then.
* Joseph Addai continues to do just what I told you he would do a couple of issues ago and that is lock himself into the early 2nd round. The LSU RB ran extremely well and has good NFL size. Durability is the only concern with Addai.
* NC States defensive end Mario Williams and Maryland tight end Vernon Davis were the talk of the combine. At 6'7 and over 290 pounds (think Julius Peppers body), Williams cranked out a 4.66 forty yard dash and 35 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press which is insane considering how long his arms are. One scout told me that the Texans would be completely justified if they took Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft and then took a guy like Joseph Addai in the 2nd round as a big play threat at RB rather than Bush with the first pick. Davis ran a mind-boggling 4.38 forty even though he is a shredded 250 pounds. His numbers were so off the chart that none of the other tight ends at the combine were near him. Hes a top 6 or 7 talent but since hes a tight end, he might not get drafted until a little later than that.
* Look for South Carolina CB Johnathan Joseph to shoot up the board as he has size, speed and good ball skills. His rise up the boards is being likened to Fabian Washington from Nebraska last year who ended up in the first round. Look for Joseph to end up in the late first to early second round.
* Even though the thought has been that this is a weak year for cornerbacks that isnt really true. There arent as many top 15 picks as there have been in other years but from picks 15 through 60 there are some very good corner prospects. How good? A scout (who is usually dead on) says he likes Cedric Griffin from Texas but only ranks him about 14th among corners in this draft and he thinks that is good enough to get him drafted by the late 2nd to middle 3rd round.
* FSU cornerback Antonio Cramartie is looking great after missing last year with an injury. Cromartie might be the most talented corner in the group but Virginia Techs Jimmy Williams is also a solid prospect and figures to be the first corner off the board. Cornerback prospects are interesting because many times the best players arent drafted the earliest because of perceived deficiencies. According to one scout, 80% of the cornerbacks drafted after the first round are chosen based on their height, weight and speed and not how they played on tape.
John Harris Top 40
Top 40 Players (as of 2/18/2006)
1. Reggie Bush - RB, USC
2. Vince Young, QB Texas
3. Matt Leinart, QB USC
4. Mario Williams, DE NC State
5. Haloti Ngata, DT - Oregon
6. AJ Hawk, LB Ohio State
7. DBrickashaw Ferguson, OT Virginia
8. LenDale White, RB USC
9. DeAngelo Williams, RB Memphis
10. Chad Greenway, LB Iowa
11. Vernon Davis, TE Maryland
12. Laurence Maroney, RB Minnesota
13. Michael Huff, S/CB Texas
14. Tamba Hali, DE Penn State
15. Jay Cutler, QB Vanderbilt
16. Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio State
17. Tye Hill, CB Clemson
18. Marcedes Lewis, TE UCLA
19. Marcus McNeill, OT Auburn
20. DeMeco Ryans, OLB Alabama
21. Winston Justice, OT USC
22. Greg Eslinger, C Minnesota
23. Deuce Latui, G USC
24. Sinorice Moss, WR Miami
25. Manny Lawson, DE NC State
26. Brodrick Bunkley, DT FSU
27. Nick Mangold, C Ohio State
28. Mathias Kiwanuka, DE Boston College
29. Dominique Byrd, TE USC
30. Leonard Pope, TE Georgia
31. Orien Harris, DT Miami
32. Bobby Carpenter, LB Ohio State
33. Ernie Sims, LB FSU
34. Max Jean-Gilles, G Georgia
35. Anthony Fasano, TE Notre Dame
36. Jimmy Williams, CB/S Virginia Tech
37. Darnell Bing, S USC
38. Ko Simpson, S South Carolina
39. Gabe Watson, DT - Michigan
40. Charles Spencer, OT/OG - Pittsburgh
Enjoy.
A View From the Sideline
NFL Combine Notes from Inside / Lance Zierlein
Okay, Ive been waiting for the inside scoop on what went down inside the RCA Dome and in the team interviews so I could pass as much info as I have along to you guys and Ive finally got some scoop. I also spent quite a bit of time watching the workouts of the different players on the NFL Network. However, after watching offensive linemen participate in the broad jump and the vertical leap, I began to feel like I was watching a glorified physical fitness test like we used to take in elementary school. While the combine drills are still very important for where guys get drafted, football players will rise to the top of the league when it is all said and done whether they run a fast short shuttle time or not. Here are some thoughts as well as direct comments from people inside the Combine.
* Reggie McNeal was described as a little too cocky in his interview with one team, but another scout said that he gave McNeal bonus points for not pointing the finger at others for his subpar performance this year which showed that hes not a blamer. While McNeal ran a great 40, everyone expected it. He struggled with his passing drills and one scout thought he hurt his draft prospects at the combine . . . at least as a QB. However, one scout said In the right offense he might be much better. Franchiones offense is horsesh-t. All three scouts see him as a second day pick (4th round or beyond) but I think hell go in the third round.
* Rod Wrights status hasnt really changed much amongst the people who scout him on a regular basis. Everyone still considers Wright a 3rd or 4th round pick but Wright did have a pretty good workout from what I was told and a team may decide he is a good fit for what they do which means he could go earlier than expected. Many scouts point out that he hasnt really made great strides since his freshman year.
* David Thomas, TE from Texas, had a solid workout with a 40 time of 4.67 and more important, he showed up much bigger than he was as a player at Texas which is something that teams wanted to see. Thomas didnt really help or hurt himself at the combine. He is what he is which is a pass catching tight end and while NFL people are split on whether hell be a 3rd or 4th round pick, I think most teams feel comfortable with his potential as a solid NFL player.
* TCU WR Cory Rogers hurt his draft stock by running right at 4.6 but blazing straight line speed arent necessarily what teams like about Rogers anyway. Hes got very good quickness and I thought he caught the ball great during the gauntlet drill at the combine. Rogers should end up being drafted around the 4th round which is probably right where he should be going.
* Michael Huff impressed teams with his sub 4.4 40-yard dash time but both scouts I spoke with who watched him during defensive back drills said he wasnt very impressive in those drills. One scout who has touted him to me as first round caliber CB since his sophomore year said that he still thinks Huff can be a CB but he wants to go back and watch some old tape on him now just to be sure. Regardless, Huff is considered a great defensive back prospect who will be highly drafted whether it is at safety or cornerback. If Huff gets down from 207 to 198, hell likely look better in his CB drills at UTs Pro Day March 22nd.
* One scout who sat in on Vince Youngs interview with his team said that VY had an average interview. When he was on the board (asked to explain coverages, reads and decision making) he was raw and unsure. He needs to sit and learn for a year or two before hell be ready. We already know about the Wunderlich debacle that took place whether it was an NFL mistake or a Vince Young mistake. Bottom line, VY needs to be more prepared to take the Wunderlich test than he was. Agents around the country have Wunderlich tests that they use for players to prepare and Vince should have done the same thing.
* Texas A&Ms Johnny Jolly didnt help himself at the combine by showing up overweight and seemingly out of shape. One scout was overheard telling Jolly he looked gooey and asked him what he had been doing since the end of the season. If Jolly had been in shape, he might have been a drafted in round 3 or 4 but now, according to all three scouts, he wont be drafted until round 5 or beyond.
* Texas Techs prospects all ran very disappointing 40 yard dash times leading one scout to say whatever they are doing over at Tech to prepare for the 40, they need to stop because it isnt working. Techs hard-hitting safety, Dwayne Slay, ran in the 4.8 range which didnt surprise some of the scouts who had seen him all year. If he had run in the mid to low 4.7 range, he might have still been drafted by the 4th round, but not now. Hes a great hitter and tough kid and supposedly a good kid, but you just cant run this slow and play safety in the NFL. Hell be drafted in the 6th round or beyond now.
Now for some players from around the nation:
* Jay Cutler had a good combine. Everyone knows that by now. Cutler repped out 225 pounds 23 times on the bench press and ran a 4.77 forty. Cutler also had the second strongest arm of any quarterback at the combine which was expected. While Cutler is moving up, two scouts I spoke with said that he wasnt quite as impressive throwing the ball as some media outlets have indicated. He was good but I didnt think he was great, said one scout while another added, There is still no way he should be drafted ahead of Leinart or Young.
* AJ Hawk had a very good workout with a solid forty time and outstanding shuttle times which determine a players ability to change direction quickly. One scout whose responsibility is scouting all of the linebackers in the draft said Hawk is a man. He can play any linebacker position in the 4-3 or a 3-4 and he will excel.
* Iowas linebacker combo of Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge werent as impressive. Greenway was okay but didnt run as well as expected while Hodge looked has been called a little stiff and overrated by one personnel man I spoke with. Look for Greenway to still go in the top 24 and Hodge to go late in the third or early in the fourth.
* OUs Clint Ingram had a solid workout and figures to end up being drafted late in the round two or three while Ernie Simms from Florida State is catching teams eyes despite being a little small. Simms is very explosive and a good hitter but his aggressiveness is going to get teams excited about his pro prospects. Hes a perfect fit for Tony Dungy but hell probably be gone by then.
* Joseph Addai continues to do just what I told you he would do a couple of issues ago and that is lock himself into the early 2nd round. The LSU RB ran extremely well and has good NFL size. Durability is the only concern with Addai.
* NC States defensive end Mario Williams and Maryland tight end Vernon Davis were the talk of the combine. At 6'7 and over 290 pounds (think Julius Peppers body), Williams cranked out a 4.66 forty yard dash and 35 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press which is insane considering how long his arms are. One scout told me that the Texans would be completely justified if they took Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft and then took a guy like Joseph Addai in the 2nd round as a big play threat at RB rather than Bush with the first pick. Davis ran a mind-boggling 4.38 forty even though he is a shredded 250 pounds. His numbers were so off the chart that none of the other tight ends at the combine were near him. Hes a top 6 or 7 talent but since hes a tight end, he might not get drafted until a little later than that.
* Look for South Carolina CB Johnathan Joseph to shoot up the board as he has size, speed and good ball skills. His rise up the boards is being likened to Fabian Washington from Nebraska last year who ended up in the first round. Look for Joseph to end up in the late first to early second round.
* Even though the thought has been that this is a weak year for cornerbacks that isnt really true. There arent as many top 15 picks as there have been in other years but from picks 15 through 60 there are some very good corner prospects. How good? A scout (who is usually dead on) says he likes Cedric Griffin from Texas but only ranks him about 14th among corners in this draft and he thinks that is good enough to get him drafted by the late 2nd to middle 3rd round.
* FSU cornerback Antonio Cramartie is looking great after missing last year with an injury. Cromartie might be the most talented corner in the group but Virginia Techs Jimmy Williams is also a solid prospect and figures to be the first corner off the board. Cornerback prospects are interesting because many times the best players arent drafted the earliest because of perceived deficiencies. According to one scout, 80% of the cornerbacks drafted after the first round are chosen based on their height, weight and speed and not how they played on tape.
John Harris Top 40
Top 40 Players (as of 2/18/2006)
1. Reggie Bush - RB, USC
2. Vince Young, QB Texas
3. Matt Leinart, QB USC
4. Mario Williams, DE NC State
5. Haloti Ngata, DT - Oregon
6. AJ Hawk, LB Ohio State
7. DBrickashaw Ferguson, OT Virginia
8. LenDale White, RB USC
9. DeAngelo Williams, RB Memphis
10. Chad Greenway, LB Iowa
11. Vernon Davis, TE Maryland
12. Laurence Maroney, RB Minnesota
13. Michael Huff, S/CB Texas
14. Tamba Hali, DE Penn State
15. Jay Cutler, QB Vanderbilt
16. Santonio Holmes, WR Ohio State
17. Tye Hill, CB Clemson
18. Marcedes Lewis, TE UCLA
19. Marcus McNeill, OT Auburn
20. DeMeco Ryans, OLB Alabama
21. Winston Justice, OT USC
22. Greg Eslinger, C Minnesota
23. Deuce Latui, G USC
24. Sinorice Moss, WR Miami
25. Manny Lawson, DE NC State
26. Brodrick Bunkley, DT FSU
27. Nick Mangold, C Ohio State
28. Mathias Kiwanuka, DE Boston College
29. Dominique Byrd, TE USC
30. Leonard Pope, TE Georgia
31. Orien Harris, DT Miami
32. Bobby Carpenter, LB Ohio State
33. Ernie Sims, LB FSU
34. Max Jean-Gilles, G Georgia
35. Anthony Fasano, TE Notre Dame
36. Jimmy Williams, CB/S Virginia Tech
37. Darnell Bing, S USC
38. Ko Simpson, S South Carolina
39. Gabe Watson, DT - Michigan
40. Charles Spencer, OT/OG - Pittsburgh
