Official 2016 Combine Thread

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WR Laquon Treadwell – Didn’t run a 40 and put up pedestrian workout numbers, but did so at 221 pounds. So often we forget to check out size when talking about verticals, broad jumps and the agility drills. Treadwell caught the ball well and certainly passed the eye test. He just plucks the ball very naturally. If you want a big, physical WR, this is your guy.

WR Tyler Boyd – Another receiver who didn’t run well, but looked good in the drills. Could use a really good showing at his Pro Day to help his status. Has very good hands and looked great in the gauntlet drill. Good possession receiver.

WR Will Fuller – Ran 4.32, fastest among all WRs. Big question with him was how he would catch the ball. Fuller actually did a good job and looked much improved in that area. He still let the ball get into his body a few times. His drops on tape are still an issue, but the fact he’s making progress in that area helps his value. Beyond just showing straight-line speed, was fluid and agile. That’s critical for good route-running.

WR Josh Doctson – Outstanding showing. Looked great in the drills and then had a 41-inch vertical and a 6.84 3-cone time. He ran 4.50 at 202 pounds. That shows speed, explosion and agility, pretty much everything you would want in a WR. And he might have the best hands in the entire draft.

WR Braxton Miller – Good day. Solid showing in the drills and then posted good numbers. Had 35-inch VJ and ran 4.50. Posted great 3-cone time of 6.65. Miller is a project, but sure feels like someone that will pan out and reward the team that takes him.

WR Malcolm Mitchell – Won’t be an early pick, but helped himself. Measured in at 6-0, 198. Ran 4.45 and then had 36-inch VJ. Posted a 3-cone time of 6.94. Ran poor SS at 4.34, but that was the only negative. Also did well catching the ball.

WR Sterling Shepard – I don’t know that Shepard is in the mix for a 1st round spot, but he did everything he could to impress teams. At 5-10, 194, he lacks ideal size, but that’s the only time he comes up small. Ran 4.48. Did 20 reps on the bench. Strength isn’t a necessity for WRs, but watch Shepard block and you’ll understand how it helps him. Had a 41-inch VJ and ran 7.00 in the 3-cone. Really good in workouts as well.

WR Trevor Davis – Kenny Lawler (great name) was supposed to be the Cal wideout that got everyone’s attention. Davis stole the show in Indy. Davis ran 4.42 at 188 pounds. He had a 38.5-inch VJ and did 6.60 in the 3-cone. Beyond posting good times, he looked smooth. Looked very cool and calm while running that outstanding 40 time. Davis looked good in the drills, showing good hands. You can bet teams will be re-watching some Cal tape to take another look at Davis.

WR Devon Cajuste – In terms of raw numbers, Cajuste had the most interesting day of any pass catcher. Measured in at 6-4, 234. Ran 4.62 and jumped 36 inches. Ran amazing 3-cone time of 6.49. Is he a WR, TE or H-back? Different teams will have different opinions, but that size/speed/agility is going to intrigue a lot of people.

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OL Laremy Tunsil – Solidified himself as the top OL prospect. His movement skills were simply outstanding. Really stood out in the drills. Naturally gifted.

OL Ronnie Stanley – A notch below Tunsil, but still outstanding in the drills. Measured in at 6-5, 312 with almost 36-inch arms. Ran 5.20 in the 40. Had a disappointing 3-cone of 8.03. Will need to improve that at his Pro Day.

OL Jack Conklin – Solid showing. Looked natural in the movement drills. We all love the physicality he shows on tape, but I was curious how athletic he would be. Conklin ran 5.00 in the 40. Had an 8’7 BJ and ran 7.63 in the 3-cone. Looks like Top 20 pick.

OL Cody Whitehair – The top OG prospect, but had one red flag. Only did 16 reps on the bench. You need OL, especially interior players, to be stronger than that. Was outstanding on the move. Ran 5.08 and posted a 3-cone time of 7.32. Looked good in drills as well.

OL Josh Garnett – Stanford’s LG is known as a mauler. I was pleasantly surprised by how well he moved in the drills. Looked natural on the move. Did solid in the tests as well, running 5.32 in the 40 and 7.62 in the 3-cone. Put up 30 reps on the bench.

OL Christian Westerman – Mid-round OG who had a solid showing. Ran 5.17. Had a 3-cone time of 7.69. Did 34 reps on the bench. Did a good job in the field drills. Showed a good combination of athleticism and positional ability.

OL Darrell Greene – Interesting guy. Has a thick, powerful lower body. Measured in at 6-3, 321. Ran 5.20. Did 28 reps. He’s a bit stiff, but showed solid movement ability for someone who is more of a power blocker.

OL Jason Spriggs – Great showing. Gifted athlete and posted terrific numbers. Fastest OL, running 4.94. Was tops in the broad jump and second in the 3-cone. Also did 31 reps. Has 34-inch arms so those reps were legit. Looked good on the field. Good LT prospect.

OL Joe Thuney – Lit up the athletic tests. 6-5, 304 and ran 4.95. Did 4.54 in the SS and had 28 reps. As good as those numbers were, I didn’t think his drill work was as good. Definitely a player I need to study more due to versatility and athleticism.

OL Joe Haeg – Small school player who struggled. Did not look good in the drills. Teams will focus on his game tape, but lost a chance to impress the coaches and scouts who were watching up close.

OL Willie Beavers – I thought he showed potential when I watched his game tape. Then disappointed me at the Senior Bowl. I was shocked when Mayock had him listed as his #5 OT prospect. Shocked. Then Beavers went out and looked very good in the OL drills. Showed good feet and natural movement skills. Another player I need to study more closely.

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TE Jerrell Adams – Ran the fastest 40 of any TE at 4.64. Only 247 pounds, but Adams is an athletic pass-catcher. Had a good Senior Bowl and built on that with a good workout in Indy.

TE Beau Sandland – You love when small school guys come to the Combine and put on a show. Sandland is from Montana State so this was a huge opportunity for him. He measured in at 6-4, 254 with long arms and big hands. Did 23 reps on the bench, the kind of strength you want in a TE. Ran 4.74 and had a 35-inch VJ. Had a 3-cone time of 7.10. Caught the ball well in the drills and looked good on the move.

TE Nick Vannett – Followed up his strong showing in Mobile with a good one in Indy. 6-6, 257. Didn’t run the 40, but posted 7.05 in the 3-cone. Had 30.5-inch VJ. Looked very good catching the ball.

TE David Morgan – Another guy from a small school who helped himself. 6-4, 262. Did 29 reps on the bench. Had 3-cone time of 6.93, which is very impressive. Only ran 5.02 in the 40 so he lacks good speed. Did a solid job of catching the ball.

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RB Ezekiel Elliott -The top RB in the class showed his ability. Measured in at 6-0, 225. Ran 4.47. VJ of 32.5 inches was a bit disappointing. Looked good in the drills. You could see he will need to work on his receiving skills. Let the ball get into him too much.

RB Keith Marshall – Ran the fastest time of any RB with a 4.31. Did 25 reps on the bench, showing impressive upper body strength. Only did a 30.5-inch VJ, which is an issue for a RB. He’s 219 pounds. His VJ should be 2 or 3 inches higher…to be mediocre.

RB Derrick Henry -Big man. 6-3, 247. Normally I hate big RBs, but Henry is unique. Great college player who can succeed in the NFL if used right. Ran 4.54, a good time for his size. Had a 37-inch VJ. Had 4.38 SS time, which isn’t great. Solid in the drills. There were times when his length was an issue. Caught most of the passes thrown his way, but doesn’t have good hands. Needs to work on that.

RB Daniel Lasco – Great showing. Measured in at 6-0, 209. Ran 4.46. Had 41.5-inch VJ. His broad jump was an amazing 11’3. Posted 4.26 SS time, which is okay. Looked good in the drills and caught the ball well. Definitely a player to check out more thoroughly.

RB Tyler Ervin -Small RB at 5-10, 192, but showed speed with 4.41 in the 40. Jumped 39 inches. Caught the ball well in drills, which is critical for him.

RB Peyton Barber – People questioned why Barber came out. He explained that his mother is homeless and he desperately needs money. That makes you feel better about his decision to come out. Measured in at 5-10, 228. Ran 4.64 which is okay for that size. Had a good 3-cone time of 7.00. Interesting player.

RB Jordan Howard – Measured in at 6-0, 230. Only did limited tests. Didn’t run the 40. Stood out to me in the drills, but not in a good way. Looked stiff. Need to check for that on his game tape.

RB Wendell Smallwood – Good showing. 5-10, 208. Ran 4.47 and posted great 3-cone time of 6.83. Only jumped 33.5 inches. I was impressed by him in the drills. Also looked good catching the ball.

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[Joemailman]

http://walterfootball.com/combine2016rumors_tony.php

NFL Combine: Sunday Notes. 12:35 p.m.

Monday's defensive back workout will set the pecking order at safety with the prime suspects being Keanu Neal of Florida, Darian Thompson of Boise State and Vonn Bell of Ohio State. As previously mentioned, Neal has been outperforming Bell regularly in combine training.

The belief is at least one safety will go in the late part of the opening round, and there's a chance two end up in the first frame. I'm hearing if you want a chance of selecting one of the top safeties, you'll have to move in front of Tennessee at the top of Round 2. I'm told the Baltimore Ravens are a team that could trade back into the bottom part of Round 1 to grab one of the safeties.

I'm told the Oakland Raiders won't let Darian Thompson get past them in the second round.

As of right now, people feel Jack Conklin is the player most desired by the Green Bay Packers, but it's very unlikely the Michigan State tackle falls that far. The contingency plans for the Pack seems to be Jason Spriggs at this point.

Teams were impressed with Germain Ifedi's workout, and there's a feeling the Texas A&M offensive tackle could slide into the late part of Round 1. I'm told right now Seattle and Denver are the teams targeting Ifedi late in round one.

Read more at http://walterfootball.com/combine201...7t5AmLr2b11.99

Finally, those in attendance when Jaylon Smith weighed in yesterday tell me his injured leg looked terrible when he stepped on the scale. Smith struggled moving the leg as well as controlling the leg. I was told it was a glum mood and there was a lot of sadness for Smith from the scouts and coaches on hand. From one source I heard, "I felt like crying for the kid." There are a number of teams who think Smith could fall into the draft's last day.
Read more at http://walterfootball.com/combine201...MeBz5Qpg6fC.99

[call_me_ishmael]

if Jaylon Smith falls to the Packers in the second, you pick him up and stash him. Give him a red shirt and have 10 successful years of a top 10 talent. Too bad Myles Jack isn't still banged up and will fall. That cat is going to be good.

[wist43]

I think I like Spriggs over Conklin long-term... Spriggs will take a year or two to muscle up. He lifted well at the combine, but functional strength on the football field is more than pumping 225 lbs to exhaustion.

As for Smith - it all depends on each teams medical report on him. A lot of teams will take him off their board entirely. If he goes fairly early, at least one teams medical staff told their front office that he will eventually be fine. If he drops and continues to drop - then it is obvious that there is universal concern about his injuries.

Devon Cajuste is an interesting guy that could be had a little further down in the draft - I liked his tape; but whoever takes him will have to do so with idea of creating specific matchups for him. Can't in-line block at all, but is a good open field blocker on DBs. All depends on a team having some imagination in how they use him. I think he could be an effective weapon if used correctly.

[Deputy Nutz]

If Smith has nerve damage to the knee that could take more than 8-10 months to heal and that would have a significant delay to him getting back to the football player he was in college. I simply don't think Ted Thompson is willing to take that risk.

I think I had Cajuste in an earlier mock draft I did where I focused heavy on the TE position. I thought he would be a good fit and create a match up problems in the slot.

Spriggs is a better athlete but Conklin is good football player that would push to start at left tackle. The Packers don't exactly need a left tackle right now so Spriggs could have time to polish his game.

[Deputy Nutz]

I thought Joe Schoberts numbers were going to be better. He had a decent day at the combine, but I thought he would run under a 4.7 and that his vertical would have been better than 33.5". They are not terrible numbers, I just thought that he could do better and with a great combine he could move into the second day of the draft.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Smith is going to be an UDFA. I don't really see teams using a draft pick on someone who's got his issues.

[Guiness]

Smith is going to be an UDFA. I don't really see teams using a draft pick on someone who's got his issues.

Wow, from a potential top 5 pick (I don't believe #1) to possibly un-draftable. Haven't heard anything about him having insurance, either. Kid is a poster child for fixing some of the money issues with college ball. There's a chance he never gets an NFL contract.

I wonder why he didn't stay in school, why he showed up at the combine at all. He's getting some bad advice, IMO.

[Patler]

Wow, from a potential top 5 pick (I don't believe #1) to possibly un-draftable. Haven't heard anything about him having insurance, either. Kid is a poster child for fixing some of the money issues with college ball. There's a chance he never gets an NFL contract.

I wonder why he didn't stay in school, why he showed up at the combine at all. He's getting some bad advice, IMO.

He didn't stay in school because he probably wouldn't have played this Fall, and by next year he would be nothing but an afterthought. If he did try to play this Fall, and played poorly, his stock would drop for sure. His best shot at a decent rookie contract might be to hope a team is willing to take a risk on him based on his stellar season this year and some recent notable injury recoveries by other players.

[Guiness]

RB Peyton Barber – People questioned why Barber came out. He explained that his mother is homeless and he desperately needs money. That makes you feel better about his decision to come out. Measured in at 5-10, 228. Ran 4.64 which is okay for that size. Had a good 3-cone time of 7.00. Interesting player.

I don't know how you can question an RB coming out if he's going to get drafted. With the shelf life those guys have they have to collect their paychecks while they can. Is there any reason to believe another year in college would've improved his draft status?

[Guiness]

He didn't stay in school because he probably wouldn't have played this Fall, and by next year he would be nothing but an afterthought. If he did try to play this Fall, and played poorly, his stock would drop for sure. His best shot at a decent rookie contract might be to hope a team is willing to take a risk on him based on his stellar season this year and some recent notable injury recoveries by other players.

You have a point, and it's a hard thing to gauge. I don't think a guy like that would be an afterthought a year from now, he needs to get healthy and pass a physical, then teams will want to talk to him.

I think the question is will a team take a flyer on him, put him on the payroll, and he can rehab with NFL facilities? That's a chance. If he'd stayed in school, he'd have another year of education, but what sort of medical facilities/health insurance? I'm sure I have no idea how that would work.