2010 Combine Thread

[Little Whiskey]

IMO Bush has lived up to expectations. Injuries are the issue. Sure would be nice in Green Bay as a return man and 3rd down back.

I'm not sure you spend that kind of a pick on a PR/KR(maybe hester) and 3rd down back. I think the Saints expected more out of him from where they picked him.

[rbaloha1]

I'm not sure you spend that kind of a pick on a PR/KR(maybe hester) and 3rd down back. I think the Saints expected more out of him from where they picked him.

Many experts felt Bush was not an every down back. (Proven to be correct.) However Bush when healthy can have as big an impact as any player on the roster.

[packrulz]

Last years (2010) combine begins tomorrow. This year's combine (2011) will occur sometime in 2012.





Damn, I can be a smart ass.

Oops! Smart ass!

[mission]

Many experts felt Bush was not an every down back. (Proven to be correct.) However Bush when healthy can have as big an impact as any player on the roster.

You're right. Some experts did say that and were right.

The flip side of that, and I mean top upside projection, was that he was the next Jim Brown. So I think it's kind of an AJ Hawk situation. We can look at it and find ways to say it was a good pick for #5 given the quality of the draft and he's never missed a game and all of that. There are plenty of people that thought Houston was absolutely crazy for passing on the best thing since Barry Sanders. Texan fans were calling for their GM to be canned right there on the spot.

Massive expectations from a large segment of football in general. Reggie Bush "was amazing!". He's had a real nice pro career and produced well for the Saints at times. Not a Pro Bowl career at least -- no one drafts a RB at #2 and doesn't expect him to be at least a Pro Bowler. You can't really feel he's performed up to expectations.

[vince]

A pretty decent article that extensively quotes Dorsey on what the Packers look for at the combine:

http://www.packers.com/news-and-even...6-4c67565ec697

Thanks for posting that. I thought this was good in terms of how the Packers analyze character.

“One, are they a good guy? Two, do they work at their craft? Three, do they love football? Four, are they going to be good in the locker room? And five, would you like to have them as your neighbor?” Dorsey answered.

What kind of draft class is this?

“Average,” he said. “The strength of the draft is probably running back, defensive ends, offensive tackles, the top side of the (wide receiver) position. I think (cornerback) is good; I don’t think it’s great. I think safeties are down. I think tight ends are really down.

“The big unknown is the quarterback position. There’s no clear cut (number) one, yet. There are four, five guys who have a chance to establish themselves if they do that right,” Dorsey added.

It was expected that this would be a banner year for quarterbacks. Some scouts think it still is, but Dorsey is skeptical.

I think Dorsey's right to be skeptical about this year's QBs.

[Lurker64]

I think Dorsey's right to be skeptical about this year's QBs.

"Skeptical" is, I think, the optimist's perspective on this year's QBs. The realist who *has* to take one of these guys is more aptly described as "petrified."

[Freak Out]

I keep seeing Quinn come up as the first pick in the draft. Sit out 2010 and get picked #1? Nothing like working hard in school eh.....

[Lurker64]

I keep seeing Quinn come up as the first pick in the draft. Sit out 2010 and get picked #1? Nothing like working hard in school eh.....

It's important to keep in mind that you don't draft guys for what they did, you draft them because of what (you think) they'll do.

Robert Quinn had a more impressive college resume than Clay Matthews III, for the record.

[mission]

Robert Quinn had a more impressive college resume than Clay Matthews III, for the record.

So did Justin Harrell if I'm not mistaken.

But I get what you're sayin. Quinn is probably reminding a lot of people of Julius Peppers. Very intriguing prospect.

[Lurker64]

So did Justin Harrell if I'm not mistaken.

But I get what you're sayin. Quinn is probably reminding a lot of people of Julius Peppers. Very intriguing prospect.

Well, mostly what I was trying to say was to make two points, which I think got conflated in a confusing manner.

1) Clay Matthews III did not have an impressive resume coming out of college at all (3 years of special teams, and one year as a starter without great stats)... yet that didn't keep him from being taken in the first round, and that didn't keep him from being a great player.

2) Despite not playing for a year, Robert Quinn's resume isn't actually that bad. The years he did actually play? He was effective as a freshman and monstrous as a sophomore. This is slightly more encouraging than the guys who just did it for one year, and it happened to be the last one.

[mission]

1) Clay Matthews III did not have an impressive resume coming out of college at all (3 years of special teams, and one year as a starter without great stats)... yet that didn't keep him from being taken in the first round, and that didn't keep him from being a great player.

Can you think of any other guys who took this route? First round picks based on numbers/film/whatever that didn't have college production of a 1st rounder but were taken there anyway. Obviously there are a lot of situations with guys drafted in later rounds who became great players... but to not really do "it" in college, still get drafted in the first round, and then play at an All Pro level in the NFL .. that's gotta be kind of rare ? </tangent>

[packrulz]

RaInside draft position: 10 key combine battles


By Chad Reuter

Feb. 23, 2011
From a player's perspective, the NFL Scouting Combine is all about separating from the competition.

Beyond running the fastest 40-yard dash or throwing up the most reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, it's up to each prospect to do something to separate himself from players at his position who have similar draft value in the minds of the NFL's 32 decision-makers.

Coaches and scouts view game film as the single-best tool for player evaluation. But because prospects play different schedules against widely varying levels of competition, teams cannot only rely on tape when trying to project players to the next level.


Texas' Aaron Williams is in a likely duel to become the No. 3 corner. (Getty Images) Relative athleticism is an important part of the equation when deciding between two nearly equally productive, durable and coachable players.
This year's draft class has several very close positional races that could be decided by combine workout numbers, interviews and physical and psychological evaluation.

Here are a few of those battles to watch this week:

Third-ranked cornerback:
Brandon Harris (Miami, Fla.) vs. Jimmy Smith (Colorado) vs. Aaron Williams (Texas)

Smith has the inside track behind Patrick Peterson (LSU) and Prince Amukamara (Nebraska) because of his size, length and aggression in run support. But Williams is similar in stature, and although Harris will measure 1-2 inches shorter than the two 6-footers, he's likely to be the fastest of the three. He's capable of making plays against ball carriers on the outside.

Scouts also want to see the prospects make plays on the ball in position drills.

Top-rated defensive end:
Da'Quan Bowers (Clemson) vs. Robert Quinn (North Carolina)

Quinn's medical issue (surgery on benign spinal tumor in high school) aside, both players have top-five talent but must display the athleticism necessary to be feared pass rushers in the NFL.

Bowers needs to be fast and agile in testing to get rid of the "not explosive" label, while Quinn looks to refresh teams' memory of his prowess chasing quarterbacks after sitting out all of the 2010 season due to NCAA suspension for accepting benefits from an agent.

First-round offensive guards:
Rodney Hudson (Florida State) vs. Mike Pouncey (Florida) vs. Danny Watkins (Baylor)

In most drafts, one or two interior offensive linemen go in the first round, so this battle could change the way draft Thursday plays out.

Pouncey played guard and center like brother Maurkice, but must prove he is as tough and competitive. Watkins will turn 27 next fall, but could be the top guard taken if he proves the athleticism to also start at tackle, as he did for two seasons at Baylor. Hudson's smallish frame turns some scouts off, or leads them to grade him as a center, but testing better than expected at about 300 pounds could tip the scales in his direction.

Second-tier 3-4 outside linebacker:
Sam Acho (Texas) vs. Jeremy Beal (Oklahoma) vs. Brooks Reed (Arizona) vs. Jabaal Sheard (Pittsburgh)

Teams using 3-4 schemes looking for pass rush help in the late first or second round may be evaluating these four college defensive ends.

Acho's strength and character will endear him to some teams, and an excellent combine could really push him up boards. Reed's pass-rush moves, long hair, and hustle will remind scouts of Green Bay star OLB Clay Matthews III, but he'll need to show his athleticism before making the comparison truly valid.

After an unimpressive Senior Bowl week, Beal really needs a big combine to have any chance at being a second-round pick. Sheard had a shoulder injury that prevented him from participating in Pitt's bowl game, as well as the Senior Bowl, but teams hope he'll be able to perform linebacker drills to see his fluidity in space.

Top offensive tackles:
Anthony Castonzo (Boston College) vs. Derek Sherrod (Mississippi State) vs. Tyron Smith (Southern Cal) vs. Nate Solder (Colorado)
The top spot among offensive tackle rankings has been fluid for a full year because these top four all have had moments in which they look exceptional -- and all have looked very ordinary. Testing could help determine the ranking order, but team and scheme preference might still dictate that five teams could rank them five different ways.

To earn the top grade on NFL teams' final draft boards, Castonzo needs to look like a left tackle in agility testing and pass-protection drills, Smith must come in over 300 pounds -- he played last season at around 285 -- and meet high expectations in testing, while both Sherrod and Solder need to prove stronger and more flexible than expected.

No. 3 quarterback:
Jake Locker (Washington) vs. Ryan Mallett (Arkansas) vs. Christian Ponder (Florida State)

Unfortunately, most top quarterback prospects decide not to throw at the combine because they prefer to pass to familiar receivers in their scripted pro day. However, the second-tier prospects could really help themselves with a strong performance.

Locker has the most to gain by throwing and needs to make up ground after a lackluster career and Senior Bowl week. Mallett's ability to sling the ball is much less in doubt than his agility, so solid testing there, as well as in interviews, could have his stock on the rise. And a strong medical check could satisfy teams' worries about Ponder's throwing (right) arm, which underwent multiple surgeries over the past two years.

Second-tier running backs:
Kendall Hunter (Oklahoma State) vs. DeMarco Murray (Oklahoma) vs. Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State) vs. Daniel Thomas (Kansas State) vs. Shane Vereen (Cal)

There is an absolute logjam of running backs with second- and third-round value. The group ranges in size from diminutive but tough 'Quizz Rodgers (5-7, 190) to big Daniel Thomas (6-2, 225), and the other three are all legitimate rushing/receiving threats who may only be separated by team preference.

Any back exceeding expectations with a hot 40-yard dash (as well as the 10- and 20-yard splits) or agility tests could break away from the rest of the group and follow likely first-rounders Mark Ingram and Mikel LeShoure off the draft board.

No. 1 safety:
Quinton Carter (Oklahoma) vs. DeAndre McDaniel (Clemson) vs. Rahim Moore (UCLA)

Moore was considered the favorite to be the first safety picked this season, but scouts aren't sure he has the instincts or tackling ability to be a first-round pick.

If the bigger, stronger Carter and/or McDaniel can prove nearly as fast and agile as Moore, or display exceptional hands in drills, they cannot only close the gap but surpass the former Bruin on teams' boards.

No. 1 wide receiver:
A.J. Green (Georgia) vs. Julio Jones (Alabama)

Comparisons between these two receivers have been hot and heavy since Green returned from suspension in October. Green's superior agility and big-play ability wowed scouts over the past three years, but Jones' physicality may give him an advantage over the lanky Bulldog at the next level.

If there is little difference between the two receivers in the various tests, Jones' size could push him over the top (if teams can put aside his occasional drops).

First-round wide receivers (pick No. 22-32 range):
Jon Baldwin (Pittsburgh) vs. Leonard Hankerson (Miami, Fla.) vs. Torrey Smith (Maryland)

Baldwin and Hankerson are the sort of tall or big-bodied receivers teams seem to covet late in the first (Dwayne Bowe, Kenny Britt, Michael Jenkins). A better-than-expected 40-yard dash time, or even excellent work in the gauntlet or other receiving drills, could help them gain comparisons to Britt or Jenkins, and not second-round disappointments Dwayne Jarrett, Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed.

Smith's after-the-catch ability challenges defenses in other ways, but without the size to match Baldwin and Hankerson -- he's expected to measure around 6-foot, 205 pounds -- he needs to prove he can separate from NFL corners with exceptional speed and short area quickness. Thus his agility tests, not just his 40-yard dash time, must be top-notch to earn a first-round slot.

Chad Reuter is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange. Follow him on Twitter at @ChadReuter.

[packrulz]

Gabe Carimi
Height:6'7"
Weight:327 lbs.
College:Wisconsin
Conference:Big 10
Position:OL



Carimi was the 2010 Outland Trophy winner as the best interior lineman in college football and it appears likely that he will have continued success at the next level. Carimi is simply a "bad man" who looks to punish defensive ends on every play. His non-stop motor, coupled with his ideal size, make him a terror in the running game and he has enough athleticism to hold his own in pass protection. Like all tall lineman, Carimi struggles at times with leverage and may have to make the move to right tackle in the NFL. Overall, Carimi is a beast who should be picked in the middle of the first round.

[vince]

Obligatory combine post to remind us all how far the Packers have come.

[Fritz]

"Reed's pass-rush moves, long hair, and hustle will remind scouts of Green Bay star OLB Clay Matthews III."

Some NFL GM: "Hey, that Reed guy has long hair like Clay Matthews, and he hustles like him, too. Let's take him!"