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UW stars frozen out of Lambeau visits
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 18, 2006
As the University of Wisconsin's top prospects in the National Football League draft April 29 and 30, running back Brian Calhoun and receiver Brandon Williams won't have logged a lot of visits before selection day.
Really, they havent shown a lot of interest (in the draft) with Wisconsin guys the last five or 10 years. I don't think they're mad or anything or they don't like Wisconsin guys, it's just they don't seem to have a need there.
Neither has a history of off-the-field problems, lingering injury issues or not enough exposure to the pre-draft evaluation process, so few questions regarding them exist.
Still, both played their football less than 150 miles from Lambeau Field and thought they would be prime candidates to visit the Green Bay Packers before draft day. Given that players who are considered "local" prospects don't count toward the 30 visits each NFL team is allowed, they would seem to be logical picks for a Lambeau tour.
But neither Calhoun and Williams nor any of the other top-rated Badgers has been in for a visit, and none has an idea if the Packers have an interest.
"Really, they haven't shown a lot of interest (in the draft) with Wisconsin guys the last five or 10 years," said Calhoun, who visited St. Louis last week and is scheduled to visit Atlanta and Detroit this week. "I don't think they're mad or anything or they don't like Wisconsin guys, it's just they don't seem to have a need there."
“But I would imagine they are very familiar with me. Also, I don’t know what direction they’re going in, whether they need a running back in the second round or later. That may be why.â€ÂÂ
Some teams around the NFL bring in players from state schools as a friendly gesture since it doesn't affect the number of overall visits they're allowed and it builds goodwill with the local college coaches. The cost of bringing in players has become significant, however, and according to a number of agents, more and more teams are limiting visits to character risks, medical re-checks and non-combine invitees.
Calhoun said he wasn't aware of any Badgers making visits to Green Bay, and agents for center Donovan Raiola, wide receiver Brandon White, tight end Owen Daniels and linebacker Dontez Sanders confirmed that their clients had not been in. Most won't make any visits at all before the deadline hits this week, so it's not as if other teams are wining and dining them.
Both Calhoun and Williams fit a need for the Packers, although not necessarily one they have to fill early in the draft. Both have return ability and the Packers were one of a half-dozen teams that spent extra time with them after their pro day workout in Madison watching them field punts and kickoffs.
The Packers are bereft of returners and could also use a pass-catching running back for third downs and another wide receiver to protect them if Javon Walker and Terrence Murphy aren't back. Neither Calhoun nor Williams fits the mold of the big, strong skill players new coach Mike McCarthy prefers, but their return ability could force him to make an exception.
Regardless, Williams, who ranks second all time in all-purpose yardage at UW, has no idea what interest the Packers might have in him.
"I've talked with them," said Williams, who visited St. Louis last week and will visit Atlanta this week. "I don't think they feel they need a private visit. It's possible I could still have one, but nothing so far. They were at my workout, so you wouldn’t necessarily expect them to bring me in."
Williams was brought in by the Rams, who happen to be located in his hometown, and the 5-foot-10, 179-pound receiver said it was special to be invited there. He got to talk to various coaches and players and personnel executive Charley Armey while he was there and said he came away comfortable with the organization.
The Packers had an opportunity to do the same for Williams, and although he admitted it would have been fun to visit Green Bay, he said: "I'm not mad at all. I'm the kind of guy who doesn't have character problems so they don't have to bring me in. I won't say I don't care where I go, but I just want to go somewhere."
Packers general manager Ted Thompson said last week that most of the players who visit Green Bay would be medical re-checks and non-combine invitees. Thompson plays things close to the vest and the fact he has not brought in some of the top prospects in the draft means he's not going to tip his hand.
Calhoun, an Oak Creek native who ranked sixth in the nation last year with 1,636 rushing yards and also caught 53 passes, had a private visit with the Packers at the combine in Indianapolis, meeting with Thompson, McCarthy and running backs coach Edgar Bennett, so he figures Green Bay knows all it needs to know about him.
They watched him perform at Wisconsin's pro day March 8 but haven't had any contact with him since then. Calhoun thinks he can be successful in a zone-blocking system, which the Packers are installing, but he has no idea whether they consider him a candidate for their team.
"Initially when I came out, I thought Green Bay was a possibility because they were going through some changes," Calhoun said. "But they've got Samkon Gado and they re-signed Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, so I don't know. Who knows, really? You never really can tell."
JSO 4-19-06
Hey JPopp!! Check out where Calhoun's from. I never noticed that before.
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 18, 2006
As the University of Wisconsin's top prospects in the National Football League draft April 29 and 30, running back Brian Calhoun and receiver Brandon Williams won't have logged a lot of visits before selection day.
Really, they havent shown a lot of interest (in the draft) with Wisconsin guys the last five or 10 years. I don't think they're mad or anything or they don't like Wisconsin guys, it's just they don't seem to have a need there.
Neither has a history of off-the-field problems, lingering injury issues or not enough exposure to the pre-draft evaluation process, so few questions regarding them exist.
Still, both played their football less than 150 miles from Lambeau Field and thought they would be prime candidates to visit the Green Bay Packers before draft day. Given that players who are considered "local" prospects don't count toward the 30 visits each NFL team is allowed, they would seem to be logical picks for a Lambeau tour.
But neither Calhoun and Williams nor any of the other top-rated Badgers has been in for a visit, and none has an idea if the Packers have an interest.
"Really, they haven't shown a lot of interest (in the draft) with Wisconsin guys the last five or 10 years," said Calhoun, who visited St. Louis last week and is scheduled to visit Atlanta and Detroit this week. "I don't think they're mad or anything or they don't like Wisconsin guys, it's just they don't seem to have a need there."
“But I would imagine they are very familiar with me. Also, I don’t know what direction they’re going in, whether they need a running back in the second round or later. That may be why.â€ÂÂ
Some teams around the NFL bring in players from state schools as a friendly gesture since it doesn't affect the number of overall visits they're allowed and it builds goodwill with the local college coaches. The cost of bringing in players has become significant, however, and according to a number of agents, more and more teams are limiting visits to character risks, medical re-checks and non-combine invitees.
Calhoun said he wasn't aware of any Badgers making visits to Green Bay, and agents for center Donovan Raiola, wide receiver Brandon White, tight end Owen Daniels and linebacker Dontez Sanders confirmed that their clients had not been in. Most won't make any visits at all before the deadline hits this week, so it's not as if other teams are wining and dining them.
Both Calhoun and Williams fit a need for the Packers, although not necessarily one they have to fill early in the draft. Both have return ability and the Packers were one of a half-dozen teams that spent extra time with them after their pro day workout in Madison watching them field punts and kickoffs.
The Packers are bereft of returners and could also use a pass-catching running back for third downs and another wide receiver to protect them if Javon Walker and Terrence Murphy aren't back. Neither Calhoun nor Williams fits the mold of the big, strong skill players new coach Mike McCarthy prefers, but their return ability could force him to make an exception.
Regardless, Williams, who ranks second all time in all-purpose yardage at UW, has no idea what interest the Packers might have in him.
"I've talked with them," said Williams, who visited St. Louis last week and will visit Atlanta this week. "I don't think they feel they need a private visit. It's possible I could still have one, but nothing so far. They were at my workout, so you wouldn’t necessarily expect them to bring me in."
Williams was brought in by the Rams, who happen to be located in his hometown, and the 5-foot-10, 179-pound receiver said it was special to be invited there. He got to talk to various coaches and players and personnel executive Charley Armey while he was there and said he came away comfortable with the organization.
The Packers had an opportunity to do the same for Williams, and although he admitted it would have been fun to visit Green Bay, he said: "I'm not mad at all. I'm the kind of guy who doesn't have character problems so they don't have to bring me in. I won't say I don't care where I go, but I just want to go somewhere."
Packers general manager Ted Thompson said last week that most of the players who visit Green Bay would be medical re-checks and non-combine invitees. Thompson plays things close to the vest and the fact he has not brought in some of the top prospects in the draft means he's not going to tip his hand.
Calhoun, an Oak Creek native who ranked sixth in the nation last year with 1,636 rushing yards and also caught 53 passes, had a private visit with the Packers at the combine in Indianapolis, meeting with Thompson, McCarthy and running backs coach Edgar Bennett, so he figures Green Bay knows all it needs to know about him.
They watched him perform at Wisconsin's pro day March 8 but haven't had any contact with him since then. Calhoun thinks he can be successful in a zone-blocking system, which the Packers are installing, but he has no idea whether they consider him a candidate for their team.
"Initially when I came out, I thought Green Bay was a possibility because they were going through some changes," Calhoun said. "But they've got Samkon Gado and they re-signed Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, so I don't know. Who knows, really? You never really can tell."
JSO 4-19-06
Hey JPopp!! Check out where Calhoun's from. I never noticed that before.
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