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February 17, 2016 at 3:14 pm #39163
znModeratorEleven potential NFL Scouting Combine workout freaks
Sports records can last decades before they fall.
However, at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, records fall all the time as football’s top prospects are always setting new standards with their physical prowess. Here’s a look at 11 prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft, listed alphabetically, with freakish athleticism who could create the most buzz around this year’s combine (Feb. 23-29) in Indianapolis.
Baylor DT Andrew Billings
A former national-champion weight lifter at the high-school level, Billings figures to rep 225 pounds on the bench press like he’s lifting balloons instead of iron. CFB 24/7’s pick for the nation’s strongest player for 2015 was bench-pressing 500 pounds before he ever set foot on campus at Baylor. If anyone is going to challenge Stephen Paea’s combine record of 49 reps on the bench press, Billings figures to be as good a bet as anyone.Ohio State DE Joey Bosa
No list of potential combine freaks is complete without a 6-foot-5, 280-pound lineman who can do a standing backflip. Along with being a strong possibility to be a top-five pick in the draft, Bosa should rate very high in explosiveness testing, such as the vertical jump. Agility drills tend to be more difficult for taller players, but Bosa should be the exception there, and don’t be surprised if he breaks 4.8 in the 40-yard dash.Miami (Fla.) CB Artie Burns
Football players who are also track standouts typically perform exceptionally well at the combine, which makes Burns one to watch in Indianapolis. Along with being a skilled cornerback for the Hurricanes, he was also one of the top hurdlers in the ACC, earning All-America honors in 2014 in the 60-meter hurdles event.Baylor WR Corey Coleman
Long before winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver, CFB 24/7 selected Coleman as the most freakish athlete in the nation. Before he even began training specifically for the combine, he tested off the charts in multiple combine events (4.38 40-yard dash, 11-3 broad jump, 45-0 vertical jump, and a 6.62 clocking in the three-cone drill ,which would have topped all receivers at the 2015 combine). He could set the bar at his position in multiple events in Indianapolis.UCLA LB Myles Jack
Jack’s coach at UCLA, Jim Mora, once put him in a class with Julius Peppers and Michael Vick among the best athletes he’s ever coached. If he’s in that neighborhood, there’s no reason the Pac-12’s former two-way star can’t leave most of the linebackers at the combine in his wake. He’ll be doing it on a reconstructed knee, but he could put on a show if he’s able to fully participate.Ohio State WR Braxton Miller
With more than 300 prospects in Indianapolis, there might not be anyone whose combine performance will be more heavily anticipated than that of the former Ohio State star. He was dynamic at 215 pounds at OSU, but trimmed down to 204 for the Reese’s Senior Bowl to help facilitate even more explosiveness. His minimum expectation in the 40-yard dash is in the low 4.3s, and that wouldnât surprise anyone at OSU.Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche
Ole Miss’ star defensive tackle was athletic enough to also contribute at running back and tight end for the Rebels, albeit sparingly, over the course of his college career. He’ll weigh-in in the neighborhood of 300 pounds and just might run in the 4.8-range in the 40-yard dash. His explosiveness bodes well for his vertical-jump and agility-drill testing as well. There shouldn’t be a player in Indy of Nkemdiche’s size who will have a better overall performance.Baylor DE Shawn Oakman
Yes, there is legitimate room for three Baylor players on this list. In fact, the Bears pass rusher should consider the combine his personal showcase. After all, his reputation as a freakish athlete comes more from his weight-room exploits than his play on the field. That’s what doing pull-ups with 120 pounds of iron hanging from your waist, and performing 40-inch box jumps while holding 70 pounds worth of dumbbells, will do for expectations. So with the body fat of a defensive back and the physical strength of a lineman, all eyes will be on the 6-foot-7, 269-pound monster in Indy.East Carolina LB Montese Overton
You want a sleeper to watch for at the combine? Try Overton, who could prove to be the fastest linebacker at the event. His ECU official bio claims a 4.31 40-yard dash that makes him the fastest at the position in school history. Combine 40 times are notoriously slower than the 40 times recorded at the college level, but Overton should nonetheless acquit himself very well.Florida State DB Jalen Ramsey
Florida State’s star defensive back can play any position in the secondary, and will bring the kind of track exploits to Indianapolis that foretell a stellar outcome. He was the long-jump champion of the ACC last year, and ran a 100-meter dash in 10.61 seconds. No, they don’t test in the long jump at the combine, but he’s a smart pick for a brow-raising measurement in the broad jump. He’ll test at more than 40 inches in the vertical jump as well. One NFL executive has already predicted that he’ll “win the combine.”Notre Dame CB KeiVarae Russell
Notre Dame’s top cover man was selected as one of CFB 24/7’s most freakish athletes entering the season, and he didn’t disappoint in his final college season. With reported sub-4.4 speed and a broad jump of 11-plus feet, he should fare very well in Indianapolis. Just this week, he posted a video clip claiming a 51-inch box jump that bodes well for his vertical leap measurement at the combine.February 17, 2016 at 9:57 pm #39191
InvaderRamModeratorcorey coleman, eh?
i’m gonna watch out for that guy.
February 18, 2016 at 11:01 am #39221znModeratorFive Scouting Combine questions
Daniel Jeremiah
The popularity of the NFL Scouting Combine annoys some folks in the media. They refer to it as “The Underwear Olympics” and often cite the misguided rise of players such as Mike Mamula, Vernon Gholston and Matt Jones. However, while it’s not the most important piece of the evaluation puzzle (the game tape will always carry this distinction), the combine is very valuable to all 32 NFL clubs.
More than anything else, the combine is about collecting information and answering questions. With that in mind, I’ve come up with five key questions that should be answered at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis (watch the workouts live on NFL Network, Feb. 26-29). Here they are:
1. What is the health status of Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith?
Both of these players are studs. They are three down linebackers with ideal speed, explosiveness and versatility. Unfortunately, both players suffered knee injuries during the 2015 season and won’t be 100 percent for the NFL Scouting Combine. All 32 teams will have the opportunity to evaluate their progress as they continue to recover. What is the timetable for a full recovery? We should have a better understanding following the week in Indianapolis.
2. How fast is Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell?
Treadwell is an outstanding player. He has excellent size, ball skills and toughness. However, the major question about him is the lack of top-end speed. He excels at winning 50/50 balls (contested catches), but he doesn’t create much separation from defenders. Scouts that have gone through Ole Miss during the fall were told Treadwell was likely to run the 40-yard dash in the mid 4.6s. If he could lower that time into the mid to low 4.5s, it would be a huge boost to his draft stock.
3. How big is Baylor WR Corey Coleman?
Coleman is one of my favorite players to watch on tape. He is a dynamic athlete and he generates a lot of big plays. His blend of speed, toughness and instincts reminds me a lot of Steve Smith. However, having not seen him play live, I’m very curious to see his official height/weight. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but I’ve been told he’s actually closer to 5-9 than 5-11. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
4. How will the QBs look taking snaps from under center?
Due to the rise of the spread offense, very few college quarterbacks spend much time taking snaps from under center. During the throwing drills in Indy, they will take snaps from under center and take full three-, five- and seven-step drops. Last year, Marcus Mariota impressed evaluators with his polished footwork at the combine. That was a concern coming into the week, but it was quickly alleviated following his performance. While most folks at home will focus on where the ball ends up, trained evaluators will focus more on footwork and mechanics.
5. Will Connor Cook start to build some momentum?
As it stands right now, there appears to be three top shelf quarterback prospects in this draft class: Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch. While the order of those three players varies by club, most agree those are the top signal-callers. However, there isn’t much consensus on the 4th quarterback. Cook took a lot of criticism, warranted in my opinion, for not showing up to participate in the Senior Bowl. However, this is his opportunity to start building some momentum. If he interviews well and has a good workout, the buzz will start to build.
February 18, 2016 at 6:49 pm #39233InvaderRamModeratorColeman is one of my favorite players to watch on tape. He is a dynamic athlete and he generates a lot of big plays. His blend of speed, toughness and instincts reminds me a lot of Steve Smith. However, having not seen him play live, I’m very curious to see his official height/weight. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but I’ve been told he’s actually closer to 5-9 than 5-11. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
yeah. i keep thinking steve smith when i read about him. scored 20 tds last year. 20!!!
don’t really care about size. if he measures in at 5’9″ that’s tall enough for me if he’s got the other measurables. i mean the previous post was saying crazy things like 11′ broad jump 45″ vert 6.6 three cone!?!?
February 18, 2016 at 8:15 pm #39244
AgamemnonParticipantNFL
Find this article at:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000637036/article/combine-top-five-candidates-to-break-chris-johnsons-40-record
Combine: Top five candidates to break Chris Johnson’s 40 recordBy Daniel Jeremiah
NFL Media analyst
Published: Feb. 18, 2016 at 12:24 p.m.
Updated: Feb. 18, 2016 at 12:50 p.m.As the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine quickly approaches (the first players arrive in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Feb. 23), it’s time to take a look at a few players who could challenge Chris Johnson’s 40-yard-dash record (4.24 seconds) in Indianapolis.
We know from past combines that Johnson pays attention to the proceedings. Who are some of the guys who could make CJ2K sweat? Here are my top candidates …
NFL Scouting CombineDates: Feb. 23-29
TV: NFL Network and NFL Combine LiveNOTE: Click on each player’s name for a full combine scouting report.
1) Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCUListenbee is my choice to run the fastest 40-yard dash in Indy. He has a legitimate track background at TCU, having posted a 10.04-second 100-meter time in 2015. I don’t know if he’ll be able to set the record, but I do think he is likely to run 4.30 or better. I predict Listenbee, who averaged a whopping 19.9 yards per catch for the Horned Frogs last season, will gain some traction in scouting circles after the combine. And ultimately, I believe he will be drafted in the third or fourth round.
2) LeShaun Sims, CB, Southern UtahNFL scouts clocked Sims in the mid 4.3’s last spring. Now that he’s had a couple months to train for the 40, he should be able to lower that time in Indianapolis. Sims, who offers solid a size-speed combo at the CB position, projects as a fourth/fifth-round pick in April.
3) Will Fuller, WR, Notre DameFuller’s speed is easy to notice on tape. USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson is an outstanding track athlete for the Trojans, and Fuller ran away from him with ease in their meeting last October. The start will be crucial, but I think he’s capable of posting a time in the mid-4.3s. Fuller, a big-play machine who scored 29 touchdowns during his last two years in South Bend, cracked my initial list of the top 50 prospects for 2016 NFL Draft. (Related note: I’ll be providing an updated ranking next week.)
4) Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio StateOhio State has more 2016 NFL prospects than any other team in the country — and every time I watch Buckeyes film, Miller looks like the fastest player on the field. OSU coaches have told scouts that they’ve timed Miller in the mid-4.3s. He definitely looked that fast at the Senior Bowl practices. I believe he’s likely to land in the second round of the upcoming draft, as an enticing athlete who’s still learning the receiver position. (Remember, Miller was twice named Big Ten MVP as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback.)
5) Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida StateRamsey is an elite talent on the football field, but he was also a track star at FSU. He won the ACC long-jump title in both indoor and outdoor track. He also placed seventh in the conference in the 100 meter, posting a time of 10.61. He might not run the top 40 time in Indy, but his overall workout will be outstanding. Bottom line: He’s one of the most gifted players in this entire draft class. In my latest mock draft, I have him going to the San Diego Chargers with the third overall pick.
Three more burners to watch: Artie Burns, CB, Miami; Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State; Kevon Seymour, CB, USC.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
Listenbee, is one of my dark horse WRs. This seems to be the sort of WR Pitt. takes in the mid rounds and he becomes a star.
AgamemnonFebruary 20, 2016 at 6:07 pm #39373znModeratorNFLDraftScout.com
2016 NFL Combine: Here are seven must-know underrated prospects
Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
Evaluating NFL prospects is a year-round undertaking, beginning with a first look at the next class of top projected talent before the wake of a completed NFL Draft has even fully settled.
The process continues through the college football season and countless hours of film review leading into the all-star game circuit. Now 332 of the top prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft class are prepping for their biggest job interview — next week’s scouting combine.
Below are some players who made a strong impression during this year’s pre-combine film study grind — including several under-the-radar prospects who I had previously underrated.
Clicking on the player name will take you to a full profile, which includes a brief overview of the prospect’s career along with specific strengths and weaknesses.
Players are listed alphabetically.
Kamalei Correa, OLB/DE, Boise State: Given that he recorded 19 sacks over the past two seasons, Mountain West fans certainly know Correa but most of the country won’t learn his name (pronounced KAH-muh-lay / corr-AY-uh) until after the combine, where the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder will create buzz with his athleticism.
Keyarris Garrett, WR, Tulsa: Like Correa, Garrett’s athleticism matches eye-popping production, with the 6-3, 223-pounder simply dominating the American Athletic Conference with his height, speed and body control to the tune of an NCAA-best 1,588 receiving yards in 2015.
Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor: The focus on any Art Briles-coached team is going to be on offense, but don’t sleep on the rangy and athletic Howard, a classic press corner I expect to be the Bears’ highest-drafted defensive back since the Baltimore Ravens selected Gary Baxter 62nd overall 15 years ago.
The athletic Howard is strong in press coverage and shows good range. (USATSI)
Joe Schobert, OLB, Wisconsin: It will be interesting to see how well the 6-2, 247-pound Schobert performs during the combine, but I really liked him on tape. Instinctive and slippery, he has a knack for slipping blocks and ripping the ball free.Pearce Slater, OT, San Diego State: An immediate standout after signing as a JUCO transfer two years ago, the 6-7, 342-pound Slater is the earth-mover his size indicates, while also showing surprising coordination to block on the move.
NFLDraftScout.com2016 NFL Combine: Here are seven must-know underrated prospects
Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
Evaluating NFL prospects is a year-round undertaking, beginning with a first look at the next class of top projected talent before the wake of a completed NFL Draft has even fully settled.
The process continues through the college football season and countless hours of film review leading into the all-star game circuit. Now 332 of the top prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft class are prepping for their biggest job interview — next week’s scouting combine.
Below are some players who made a strong impression during this year’s pre-combine film study grind — including several under-the-radar prospects who I had previously underrated.
Clicking on the player name will take you to a full profile, which includes a brief overview of the prospect’s career along with specific strengths and weaknesses.
Players are listed alphabetically.
Kamalei Correa, OLB/DE, Boise State: Given that he recorded 19 sacks over the past two seasons, Mountain West fans certainly know Correa but most of the country won’t learn his name (pronounced KAH-muh-lay / corr-AY-uh) until after the combine, where the 6-foot-3, 245-pounder will create buzz with his athleticism.
Keyarris Garrett, WR, Tulsa: Like Correa, Garrett’s athleticism matches eye-popping production, with the 6-3, 223-pounder simply dominating the American Athletic Conference with his height, speed and body control to the tune of an NCAA-best 1,588 receiving yards in 2015.
Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor: The focus on any Art Briles-coached team is going to be on offense, but don’t sleep on the rangy and athletic Howard, a classic press corner I expect to be the Bears’ highest-drafted defensive back since the Baltimore Ravens selected Gary Baxter 62nd overall 15 years ago.
The athletic Howard is strong in press coverage and shows good range. (USATSI)
Joe Schobert, OLB, Wisconsin: It will be interesting to see how well the 6-2, 247-pound Schobert performs during the combine, but I really liked him on tape. Instinctive and slippery, he has a knack for slipping blocks and ripping the ball free.Pearce Slater, OT, San Diego State: An immediate standout after signing as a JUCO transfer two years ago, the 6-7, 342-pound Slater is the earth-mover his size indicates, while also showing surprising coordination to block on the move.
Clint Van Horn, OT, Marshall: While perhaps not athletic enough to remain outside at right tackle (where he started the past three seasons for the Herd), Van Horn, a former walk-on, has the size (6-5, 310 pounds), strength and brawler mentality to project nicely inside at guard.
D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech: I’m a sucker for players who perform their best under the bright lights, and that kind of poise is exactly what White demonstrated over his career. White may lack ideal size at a shade under 5-11, 189 pounds, but his awareness, competitiveness and knack for producing turnovers project well to the next level.
Clint Van Horn, OT, Marshall: While perhaps not athletic enough to remain outside at right tackle (where he started the past three seasons for the Herd), Van Horn, a former walk-on, has the size (6-5, 310 pounds), strength and brawler mentality to project nicely inside at guard.D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech: I’m a sucker for players who perform their best under the bright lights, and that kind of poise is exactly what White demonstrated over his career. White may lack ideal size at a shade under 5-11, 189 pounds, but his awareness, competitiveness and knack for producing turnovers project well to the next level.
February 22, 2016 at 2:40 am #39438znModeratorFrom Peter King’s MMQB
It’s combine time
Time to vastly overrate NFL draft prospects!
That’s what happens when 32 NFL teams gather with their shopping lists, and 1,150 members of the news media are on hand to document the running and the testing and the interviewing of 335 top NFL prospects for the 2016 draft.
That’s about three media people and two coaches/scouts/club officials per prospect.
What could get overblown?!I digress. What follows is the Ten Things I Think I Learned From A 51-Minute Chat With Mike Mayock the other day on the eve of this week’s combine, which runs from Tuesday to next Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis:
1. It’s an A draft for defense, C for offense. Mayock thinks there could be 19 defensive players among the 31 first-rounders. “We can talk quarterbacks and other sexy positions,” Mayock said, “but the nuts and bolts of this draft is defense. And think about this: There are 10 to 12 interior defensive linemen who could have first-round grades from some teams. It is by far the best year for interior defensive linemen in my memory.”
2. The two biggest mystery guys? Two huge front-seven prospects. Mississippi defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche fell from a fourth-floor window of a Hyatt in Atlanta in December, and police found seven marijuana cigarettes in his hotel room, leading him to be suspended for Ole Miss’ bowl game. So there’s that. “If you watched his Alabama tape from this year, and we lived in a vacuum with no concerns for off-the-field stuff, you’d think he could be the first player picked in the draft,” said Mayock. Then there’s defensive end Noah Spence, booted out of Ohio State for failing multiple drug tests, including one for ecstasy; he transferred to Eastern Kentucky and had 11.5 sacks last fall in his only season there. “One of the most talented kids in the draft,” said Mayock, “but obviously, you’ve got to be careful.” Spence is similar in size (6-2 5/8, 252 pounds) to Von Miller.
3. Rising defensive star? Sheldon Rankins. “He made one of the great plays I’ve seen on tape this year—a scoop-and-score against Boston College,” said Mayock. “But not only that, he made a move on a BC guy while he’s finishing picking up the ball. He’s one of the great three-technique prospects in the draft this year, and he’s played all over the line. His value’s really going up.” Mayock says Oregon’s DeForest Buckner, a tackle or end, will be a certain top 10 pick.
4. Mississippi tackle Laremy Tunsil makes sense for Tennessee at number one. Mayock compares him to Washington’s Trent Williams. “Great feet, long arms, but I don’t know if he’s as strong as Trent,” Mayock said. “If you’re Tennessee, and you’ve got your franchise quarterback, step two is how you enhance his position, protecting him up front and getting him enough weapons. The one thing I say about the first pick is he better be a good football player on day one, an eight-to-10-year starter barring injury, an alpha male, good in the locker room … or you don’t want to take him there. But does Tunsil make sense for Tennessee? Sure he does, and he enhances two positions, because you can move Taylor Lewan to the right side, which is probably a better position for him.”
5. Now for the quarterbacks: It looks like Jared Goff of Cal and Carson Wentz of North Dakota State, in some order, at the top. But watch out for Memphis’ Paxton Lynch. “Goff’s by far the most polished quarterback in this draft,” said Mayock. “Quick release, natural feel in the pocket, good arm strength and accuracy and ability to read progressions better than anyone in this draft. He is your guy today, if you’re Cleveland. But say you’re Dallas (with the fourth pick), and you don’t need one today, maybe you think Wentz can learn behind Tony Romo, and maybe you think his upside is higher than Goff. Who you like better depends on what you need from your QB on day one.”
6. I can see it now: Wentz is going to be everyone’s story late in the week, when teams interview quarterbacks, and then on Saturday, when he throws. A North Dakota State kid, from the metropolis of Bismarck, N.D., going two? Or four? Or seven, to the Niners? “After the Senior Bowl,” said Mayock (Wentz starred in Mobile), “the level of competition doesn’t concern me. I can see him do everything on tape I need to see, all the physical traits—strong arm, roll out left and throw, roll right and throw, make all throws. Does he have further to go than Goff? Of course. But we don’t take the time in the NFL to develop young quarterbacks, and you have to have this in mind when you draft Wentz.” I asked Mayock how Wentz would react to the pressure of, say, Cleveland, where the list of failed quarterbacks is very long. It’s a place where quarterbacks go to die. “Totally legit question,” Mayock said. “Playing in Jacksonville, say, is different, no doubt, than stepping into the cauldron that is the Cleveland Browns. Better make sure you get to know the kid very well. There has been nothing about him so far but, wow, this is the real deal. Solid, gets it, nothing fazes him. You can imagine all the people who will be curious about him in Indy.”
7. How many quarterbacks in the first round? Those three, probably, plus maybe Connor Cook of Michigan State. Enigma, as you’ll hear this week. Many love him, some question his leadership and consistency. “Cook’s a distant fourth in that group right now,” said Mayock.
8. The storyline that will be hidden, but that’s important, is the next tier of quarterbacks. Very good point by Mayock: He’s talked to multiple scouts/coaches who wonder if there’s a Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson in this draft, a mid-rounder you can steal on day two or three and develop into your quarterback of the future. Mayock’s candidates: Stanford’s Kevin Hogan (Mayock loves him), Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, N.C. State’s Jacoby Brissett, USC’s Cody Kessler, Indiana’s Nate Sudfeld, Brandon Allen of Arkansas. (Mayock didn’t included Christian Hackenberg or Cardale Jones here, thinking they’ll tempt some team higher than the fourth round.)
9. Most telling line from Mayock: “It’ll be really interesting to see if Hackenberg gets past Bill O’Brien in the second round.” The Texans coach loved Hackenberg at Penn State, and Hackenberg basically fell of a cliff since O’Brien left.
10. Most interesting player at the combine? Could well by Penn State pass-rusher Carl Nassib, the younger brother of Giants backup quarterback Ryan Nassib. Carl Nassib was not a starting player in high school, walked on at Penn State, didn’t start a game till this year, and ended up leading the nation in sacks. He had 15.5 sacks. Mayock says he reminds him a little of Jared Allen, the effort and the production and the love of the game.
February 22, 2016 at 9:54 pm #39465znModeratorNFL Scouting Combine 2016: Who to watch at every position
By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160222/nfl-scouting-combine-2016-who-to-watch-at-every-position
Call it the National Football League’s version of an annual job fair, but every February 300 or so of the top college football players in the country descend upon Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This year’s combine begins on Wednesday.
What unfolds is a week-long job interview in which the players are tested, probed, evaluated, dissected and judged by all 32 NFL teams coaches, general managers, scouts and medical staffs
It’s an intense, thorough and relentless process that taps into players’ physical and mental make-ups, with their ability to run and jump and throw and catch as valuable as their capacity to connect, excel and demonstrate in classroom and interview settings.
For the top prospects in the country, it’s an opportunity to validate or refute positive or negative aspects of their scouting breakdowns, or to flash in a way that sends them surging up draft boards.
Although the high point for fans and scouts are the on-field drills – a series of universal agility tests applicable to all participants and drills specific to each player’s position – the behind-the-scenes interview sessions with each team can sometimes make or break a prospect in the eyes of certain clubs.
Here is a look at the top prospects to keep an eye on at each position over the next week and some of the key drills in which they’ll be evaluated.
QUARTERBACK
JARED GOFF, CALIFORNIA
Goff ended his career at Cal by setting Pac-12 conference records with 4,719 passing yards and 43 touchdowns during a stellar senior year. Having played almost exclusively in the shotgun, he needs to show he can adapt to the footwork of playing under center and also clean up mechanics that caused accuracy issues.
Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
Despite his small-school upbringing Wentz is surging up draft boards due to his prototypical size (6-5, 232), arm strength and passing-game aptitude. Has a chance to develop into a franchise quarterback. Long ball accuracy, polished footwork and adapting to the enhanced speed of the NFL game are concerns he can help alleviate in Indianapolis.
PAXTON LYNCH, MEMPHIS
More of a dual-threat quarterback than a conventional pocket passer, Lynch might need a year of grooming. But if a team is willing to be patient, the payoff is a ceiling is as high as any quarterback in the draft. Accuracy on the run was a problem, and needs to show improvement in that area this week.
RUNNING BACK
EZEKIEL ELLIOTT, OHIO STATE
Rushed for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2015. A tremendous athlete, he won four Missouri state track and field titles in the 100 and 200 meters and the 110 high hurdles and 300 hurdles. Can really help himself this week with a positive showing in pass-catching drills.
DERRICK HENRY, ALABAMA
Won the Heisman Trophy last year while rushing for a national best 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. A bit of a sluggish athlete, his footwork isn’t top end. Speed and agility tests could push him up or down the draft board.
DEVONTAE BOOKER, UTAH
Ran for 1,261 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games in 2015, but also had 80 receptions over his junior and senior years. Needs to show improved speed this week.
WIDE RECEIVER
LAQUON TREADWELL, MISSISSIPPI
Despite coming off a serious knee injury in 2015, Treadwell finished his senior year with 82 catches, 1,153 yards, and 11 scores and was as a Biletnikoff Award finalist,and first-team All-SEC selection. Not a speed guy by any means, so he can help himself considerably with a great 40 time.
COREY COLEMAN, BAYLOR
The Biletnikoff Award winner, Coleman caught 74 passes for 1,363 yards and led the country with 20 touchdown receptions in 2015. Dropped 10 passes a year ago, so his hands will be under a microscope at the combine.
MICHAEL THOMAS, OHIO STATE
Still a developing prospect, Thomas finished with 56 catches, 781 yards, and nine touchdowns last season. Footwork getting off the line of scrimmage and polished route running are areas scouts will be scrutinizing.
TIGHT END
AUSTIN HOOPER, STANFORD
An effective run blocker who can also line up wide, Hooper caught 34 passes for 438 yards and six touchdowns last year. Top-end athletic ability and quickness has been a concern, so a good agility showing will help.
HUNTER HENRY, ARKANSAS
A PREMIER, PHYSICAL, INTENSE RUN BLOCKER, HENRY IS NO SLOUCH IN THE PASS GAME AND FINISHED LAST SEASON WITH 51 CATCHES FOR 739 YARDS. NOT MUCH BY WAY OF WEAKNESSES, BUT DOES NEED TO SHARPEN HIS PASS ROUTES. JERRELL ADAMS, SOUTH CAROLINA
More of a pass-game threat then a sure blocker, Adams has enough athletic ability to be a down-field threat and finished with 28 catches for 421 yards and three touchdowns last year. Can really help himself by answering questions about his hands.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LAREMY TUNSIL MISSISSIPPI
Generally regarded as the top pick in the draft. His elite footwork, agility and athletic ability are reflective of a franchise altering left tackle. More of a finesse blocker than a pure power blocker, but whatever weaknesses he has are minimal at best. Merely needs to show a clean bill of health to solidify his spot atop the draft.
RONNIE STANLEY, NOTRE DAME
A technically sound pass blocker with a quality motor. Very well coached with great hands and awareness. Has prevailed with technique and acumen, but can really help himself by showing better core power.
JACK CONKLIN, MICHIGAN STATE
A polished, sound pass blocker who can also mix it up in the run game. Showed average foot speed, which could be an issue against top-end edge pass rushers. Can enhance his status with a solid athletic showing.
DEFENSIVE LINE
JOEY BOSA, DE, OHIO STATE
Among defensive lineman, has the best hand coordination and power combination in the draft. A relentless pass rusher and to-the-whistler player. Needs to show improved athletic ability, strength and technique.
DEFOREST BUCKNER, DE, OREGON
Long armed pass rusher who plays with great effort and is a surprisingly good run defender. His technique is still a work in progress, and needs to show he’s cleaned up that part of his game.
NOAH SPENCE, DE, EASTERN KENTUCKY
There is no questioning his on-field talent. He is an elite pass rusher who can create havoc. The issue is off the field, where two failed drug tests at Ohio State earned him a lifetime ban from the Big 10 and resulted in treatment for drug addition, He was also arrested in 2015 for alcohol intoxication and second-degree disorderly conduct. Spence has owned up to his past issues, and had a great season in 2015 at Eastern Kentucky. He will be scrutinized this week about his past digressions and subsequent recovery, which by all measures has been a success.
SHAQ LAWSON, DE-OLB, CLEMSON
Played as a stand-up five technique defensive end last season, and some see him as an outside linebacker in the NFL. Consistently made plays behind the line of scrimmage while finishing with 25.5 tackles for losses and 12.5 sacks. Needs to show better athletic ability and endurance – the later of which was noticeable as games wore on.
ROBERT NKEMDICHE, DE, MISSISSIPPI
Looks the part of an NFL All-Pro, but it’s difficult getting past the lack of productivity as he produced just 6.5 sacks over three seasons. Needs to show better technique and position nuance. Scouts and coaches will want answers why the production never matched the obvious physical tools.
CHRIS JONES, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
Tremendously powerful interior player who can also create a formidable pass pocket push. Still a work in progress but his needle is pointed up. Endurance can be a problem, as is technique
LINEBACKER
JAYLON SMITH, NOTRE DAME
At 6-3, 245 pounds Smith was one of the elite prospects throughout the 2015 season but tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee during Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State. Smith won’t be available to do on-field activities, but teams will take a close look at the progress of his knee.
MYLES JACK, UCLA
As versatile, productive and dynamic a player in the country the last three years, a torn anterior meniscus knee injury ended his junior season after three games. Jack, who is ideally suited as an NFL weak inside backer, will be limited this week to the bench press testing, interviews and medical examinations as he isn’t yet cleared for full agility participation.
REGGIE RAGLAND, ALABAMA
Emerged as a run-stopping MLB while leading Alabama with with 97 tackles to earn EC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Speed and coverage skills will be under the microscope this week.
DARRON LEE, OHIO STATE
A fluid linebacker with tremendous instincts, Lee plays well in the run game and is an apt pass coverage defender. NFL scouts want him to bulk up and add strength, as his ability to stand up and withstand the pro game is a question.
CORNERBACKS
JALEN RAMSEY, FLORIDA STATE
A world-class athlete with the necessary size, strength and savvy to completely disrupt an opponent’s passing game. Needs to show better footwork, as NFL teams will make him prove he can match up to quicker receivers.
VERNON HARGREAVES, FLORIDA A SMOOTH, ATHLETIC, INSTINCTIVE CORNERBACK WHO AMASSED 38 PASSES DEFENSED AND 10 INTERCEPTIONS OVER LAST THREE YEARS. ALTHOUGH NO ONE QUESTIONS HIS COMPETITIVENESS, HIS CLOSING SPEED WASN’T IDEAL SO A GOOD 40 TIME CAN SEND HIM SOARING UP THE DRAFT BOARD.
MACKENSIE ALEXANDER, CLEMSON
A lock down cornerback at Clemson who teams rarely challenged, Alexander is a film room junkie and a mentally sound and apt corner. His mental acumen hides average footwork and technique – an area scouts will be scrutinizing this week.
SAFETY
KARL JOSEPH, WEST VIRGINIA
A devastating knee injury suffered during practice at West Virginia last year cut short a terrific season, but Joseph is regarded as the top safety in the draft class. A clean medical report will determine just how high he goes in the draft.
VONN BELL, OHIO STATE
An instinctive player in the pass game who shows great feel for the game at free safety. His speed didn’t always show up on the field, but he can dispel some of those concerns this week with a good workout.
DARIEN THOMPSON, BOISE STATE
A big, physical, productive ball-hawker who is also an intimidating player on the back end of a defense. However, instincts, awareness and technique were lacking and it’s an area scouts will scrutinize this week.
DRILLS
• 40-yard dash Over the years – and for better or worse – the 40-yard dash has grown into the signature event at the NFL scouting combine, providing a glimpse at players explosion from a set position and straight ahead speed while being timed at 10, 20 and 40-yard intervals. With so much of football played in short spaces, the 10-yard interval readings are more applicable for some positions compared to others. Nevertheless, a player’s stock can soar or fall based on the final numbers.
BEST MARK: (electrical timing didn’t begin until 1999) 4.24 Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina 2008
• Vertical jump From a flat-footed stance, players explode upward and reach as high as possible to measure his vertical jump. The objective is to assess a player’s lower-body power through his explosion out of a stance. Any mark in the 40 inch range is considered top-end athleticism.
BEST MARK: 46.0 Gerald Sensabaugh, S, North Carolina 2005
• Bench press This is all about strength and endurance as players bench press 225 pounds as many times as possible. Somewhat flawed as it’s suited better for shorter-armed players than longer armed, it does offer insight into a players strength and conditioning.
BEST MARK: 51 Justin Ernest, E. Kentucky DT 1999
• Broad jump From a set position, the player explodes forward as far as possible. The key is sticking the landing without moving or falling. The objective is assessing a players balance and lower-body power. A jump of 10 feet is considered top-end athleticism
BEST MARK: 12-3 Byron Jones, Connecticut, CB 2016
•3-cone drill With three cones set up as an L, the player sprints five yards to the first cone and then back before turning back to the second cone, curling around the third cone and then back around the second before finishing. The objective is to test a players ability to reach peak speed then change direction and get back to peak speed as quickly as possible. Scouts put a high emphasis on this drill as it emulates movement and body positioning applicable of football. Any mark under seven seconds represents great agility.
Best Mark: 6.42 Jeff Maehl, Oregon WR 2011
• Shuttle run Staring from a three-point stance, the player maneuvers five yards to his right and touches a line then pushes 10 yards to his left and touches a line before pivoting and maneuvering five yards back to his right. The objective is to assess short-area explosion, lateral quickness and change of direction. Scouts consider four seconds the optimal mark high-end agility.
Best Mark: 3.73 Kevin Kasper, Iowa WR 2001
February 23, 2016 at 8:23 pm #39480znModeratorThe NFL Combine and You
By Robert MaysAs the NFL descends on Indianapolis for the annual draft combine, a look at five themes that come up every year and how they apply to the draft class of 2016
1. Who are these new head coaches and GMs?
The press conferences that (nearly) all the league’s general managers and head coaches are compelled to give in Indianapolis can somehow be both utterly fascinating and mindlessly boring—sometimes both at the same time. For the most recent hires, the combine podium is one of the first times they will speak publicly about their new teams since introductory press conferences (which rarely dig into details about offseason plans). On Wednesday, Adam Gase, Doug Pederson, Dirk Koetter and Ben McAdoo will all field questions from reporters—both onstage and off—in a setting they never have experienced before.
But even for coaches who have never had the top job, there’s not much anonymity at this point. (We’ve worried about Ben McAdoo’s barber choices for a while now.) With general managers, that familiarity doesn’t exist. When I went to the combine in 2014, Dave Gettleman was a 63-year-old second-year GM in Carolina. I wouldn’t have been able to pick him out of a lineup. But when the questions started, he was an engaging, (relatively) honest presence who was still in the throes of learning how to build a team. Arizona’s Steve Keim was also in year two, and he gave some insights on everything from his strategy for pursuing free agents to why he felt compelled to ride with Carson Palmer rather than reach for a quarterback with the 20th pick. In a day full of non-answers and monotonous repetition, there were still nuggets worth hearing from new voices.
This year features plenty of first-time general managers with compelling questions to answer. After 12 years in the scouting ranks for New England and two working with Jason Licht in Tampa Bay, Titans GM Jon Robinson has the No. 1 overall pick. Right behind Tennessee are the Browns, who, in January, handed the reins of their personnel department to 39-year-old Sashi Brown, a Harvard J.D. whose main role during his decade in Cleveland has been managing the salary cap and negotiating player contracts. The two couldn’t have more disparate backgrounds, but for the first time they’ll be on stage in front of the entire football world. And they’ll be discussing the first two picks of the NFL draft. Even if they say nothing of substance, the chance to put a name to a face and get a feel for these people is inherently interesting.2. How will these (supposedly) meaningless drills affect draft boards?
Let’s skip the argument about whether combine numbers should impact where players are drafted. The reality is that, even if they shouldn’t, they do. And even with the notable exceptions trotted out every year around this time, they can be an indicator of future success. Aaron Donald’s testing numbers—1.59 in the 10-yard dash, a 4.68 40-yard dash at 285 pounds, and a 116-inch broad jump—were the stuff of science fiction. It turns out that Aaron Donald is pretty good. The same goes for Geno Atkins, who ran a 4.75 in the 40 and bested Donald’s jump by an inch.
Size concerns ultimately hurt them both come draft time, but there are plenty of players who destroy the combine and turn into superstars. For players who check the height and weight boxes, testing can mean making a significant push from where experts originally had them penciled. At 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, defensive back Byron Jones was missing from most first-round mock drafts pre-combine last year. After a world-record leap in the broad jump (147 inches; the event is not contested in high-level track and field these days) and a silly 44-inch vertical leap, Jones went 27th to the Cowboys. Breshad Perriman, who went one pick earlier to Baltimore, missed last year’s combine but had a similar rise after his pro day. At 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, Perriman ran an impossible 4.24 in the 40 and solidified his status as a first-round pick.
There will almost surely be 2016 versions of Jones and Perriman. On the opposite end of the spectrum, people wanting an answer to one popular question will have to wait a little while longer. Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder thought by many to be the top pass catcher in the draft, won’t run the 40 in Indianapolis this week. Top-end speed is reportedly a concern for Treadwell, who announced yesterday that he just hadn’t spent enough time focusing on the sprint during his combine preparation. So it won’t be Treadwell, but there will be others at positions where speed is a necessity—running back, wide receiver, defensive back and pass rusher among them—who run a slow time and really bum out a scout who loved them on film. Timed runs are rarely the deciding factor for any player, but there are certain benchmarks prospects have to hit to have a shot at NFL productivity.3. Will players with checkered pasts assuage some worries during the interview process?
Treadwell isn’t the only Ole Miss star that will have to do some convincing during this process. Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, once the top high school recruit in the country, should face plenty of questions about his fall from an Atlanta-area hotel in December and subsequent arrest for marijuana possession and suspension from the team’s bowl game.
These sorts of questions come up at the combine every year, and based on retellings from players, coaches often want to know every tiny detail of past transgressions. It can often be more of a lie-detector test than an information-gathering tool.
But by the time the combine actually comes around, teams have done their homework. The interviews are a way for teams to prod players in a manner that gives them a better understanding of the personalities they’re dealing with. Eastern Kentucky’s Noah Spence has been nothing but forthright about the extensive ecstasy use that eventually got him booted from Ohio State. The questions he’ll get from teams—and their psychologists—trying to decide whether he’s worth a top-15 pick will be aimed at learning why it happened at all.4. What medical surprises will arise?
The combine’s original purpose might be its most boring element, but it has a very real impact. Pro football’s annual pilgrimage to Indy began as a way to centralize pre-draft medical testing, and those tests still affect where players are taken. Originally thought to be a first- or a second-round pick last year, Pitt offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings fell all the way to the 11th pick of the fourth round, in large part because of concerns over a stress fracture in his foot that was identified at the combine. Jay Ajayi, once considered one of the top running backs available in last year’s draft, fell all the way to the fifth round because of issues stemming from a knee surgery he had way back in 2011.
Players with recent injuries—two linebackers, UCLA’s Myles Jack and Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith, among the most prominent—are the main health stories heading into the combine. But every year, less publicized issues creep up and send players tumbling down the draft. If a name player suddenly plummets, you can usually bet injuries are the reason, and many of those discoveries happen this week.5. Who will continue riding the Senior Bowl wave?
One reason Spence is such an attractive option right now, despite his checkered past, is the show he put on all week during the Senior Bowl. From the start, Spence was reportedly the best edge rusher in Mobile, which lessened concerns that his dominance at Eastern Kentucky was a product of facing inferior talent.
That week in Mobile is the first chance for players to build a narrative as the draft process really gets going. Recent history is lined with players who rode a great showing at Senior Bowl practices to a higher-than-expected draft slot. Perhaps the best example is Eric Fisher, who came to Mobile in 2013 as the best offensive lineman from the MAC and ended up the No. 1 overall pick. Recent leaps haven’t been as drastic, but every year they happen. For instance, former Duke guard Laken Tomlinson performed well against top-end competition at the Senior Bowl (in his case, first-round pick Danny Shelton), aced the interviews and eventually went to Detroit in Round 1.
Spence has made his case, but the two most relevant names from Senior Bowl week are (shockingly) quarterbacks. North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz looked perfectly comfortable amid all the talent in Mobile; with decision makers feeling better about the level of competition, the nimbleness and arm that the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Wentz shows on tape look even better. The privilege of being the first quarterback taken—in all likelihood, the privilege of playing for the Cleveland Browns—is still up for debate, and with a great combine to go along with his Senior Bowl showing, Wentz has a chance to take the inside track. For Connor Cook, the opposite is true. Cook decided to sit out the Senior Bowl, only recently revealing that a lingering shoulder issue is what kept him on the shelf. As Wentz rides a stellar end of the season and spotless pre-draft showing into Indianapolis, Cook is already trying to sway the conversation back in his favor.February 23, 2016 at 9:13 pm #39495znModeratorRams will be looking at more than quarterbacks at combine
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rams-nfl-combine-20160224-story.html
During more than two decades as a scout, player personnel director and general manager, Les Snead has watched the NFL scouting combine morph into an off-season spectacle, replete with television coverage and an overwhelming media presence.
Despite the potential distractions, the weeklong event remains purposeful for talent evaluators.
“It’s our one chance when you’ve got 300 players in the draft in one place,” said Snead, preparing for his fifth draft as the Rams’ general manager, his first with the Los Angeles Rams.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour>>
A Rams contingent of about 65 people, including Snead and Coach Jeff Fisher and his entire staff, will be present this week to observe and interview prospects at the combine as part of the run-up to April 28-30 draft.
The Rams have the 15th overall pick.
After finishing last season with a 7-9 record — and the NFL’s worst passing offense — the Rams are expected to take a long look at quarterbacks and receivers this week at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Case Keenum replaced Nick Foles as the Rams’ starting quarterback for five of the final seven games last season, and Fisher and Snead have said that Keenum, who is set to become a restricted free agent next month, would go into training camp as the starter. Former Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion also is on the roster.
But Fisher said last month that “We’re always looking,” so the Rams could seek alternatives via trades, free-agent signings and the draft.
Asked if his focus this week would be on quarterbacks and receivers, Snead said the Rams would not be limited.
“We’ll look at QBs, we’ll look at wide receivers, but we’ll look at every other position as well,” he said during a phone interview last week.
California’s Jared Goff, North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and Michigan State’s Connor Cook are part of a quarterback class that also includes Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, Oregon’s Vernon Adams Jr., Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, and USC’s Cody Kessler, among others.
Snead observed Wentz and others during workouts leading up to last month’s Senior Bowl, but this will be an opportunity to see Goff, Lynch, Cook and the complete class for the first time in the same setting.
“It’s a deep class,” Snead said. “There’s more numbers, from top to bottom, that have the ability to find spots on a roster.”
He added that “95% of where they’re at on your board is from what they did” during their college careers. But combine performance and interviews, for all players, “may help you break a tie” when deciding who might be selected and when.
“There’s going to be one QB we’re not talking about that’s going to end up starting for someone,” he said. “It happens every year. I tell our staff, ‘Tell me which one that is.’ ”
Identifying a playmaking receiver could also be a priority for the Rams.
Tavon Austin, a 2013 first-round pick, had a team-best 52 catches last season for a receiving corps that otherwise lacked production.
Mississippi’s Laquon Treadwell, Baylor’s Corey Coleman, Ohio State’s Michael Thomas, Texas Christian’s Josh Doctson and Notre Dame’s Will Fuller are among the receivers in this year’s draft.
The Rams, of course, have other holes to fill as they attempt to put together a winning season for the first time since 2003.
The team recently released middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Chris Long and tight end Jared Cook, in part, because of salary-cap considerations. So the Rams might seek to augment those position groups through the draft. Cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson are among several key defensive players who are set to become free agents. The Rams are expected to make a push to keep both, but it would seem prudent to prepare for a possible departure.
Snead pointed to two recent examples of how information gathered at the combine translated to draft-day success.
Two years ago, Snead said defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s outstanding performances in agility drills negated any lingering questions about size. “He had numbers that were close to some big corners and safeties in our league,” Snead said. The Rams chose tackle Greg Robinson second overall and then selected Donald — who has become a two-time Pro Bowl player — with the 13th pick.
Last year, running back Todd Gurley was coming off knee surgery and did not participate in the on-field combine drills.
Snead said the Rams evaluated the results from his combine physical, interviewed him for 15 minutes, “and closed the book” on Gurley.
“We never talked to him again,” Snead said, until the Rams drafted Gurley with the 10th overall pick.
Gurley finished third in the NFL in rushing, made the Pro Bowl and was voted the league’s offensive rookie of the year.
February 27, 2016 at 9:54 am #39672znModeratorIn just four years Russell Wilson has become something of a legend at NFL combine
While Russell Wilson has been busy with things such as being with Ciara at the Grammys in Los Angeles, the legacy of the quarterback is obvious listening to the coaches and collegians across the country at the NFL combine.
Here this week, the name “Russell Wilson” is a comparison of honor and admiration — and in the case of Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams, a “blessing.”
New 49ers coach Chip Kelly met away from the combine site on Thursday with beat writers from San Francisco. As my pal and former Sacramento Bee colleague Matt Barrows tells it, Kelly went on and on about one of the hottest (and weirdest) topics at this combine: hand size.
In doing so, Kelly went on and on about Wilson.
Kelly told Barrows and the Niners beat writers the importance of hand size is “huge” for quarterbacks.
“You better have big hands,” Kelly said, according to Barrows’ story in The Bee. “Russell Wilson is 5-10 1/2 — but he’s got 10¼ (-inch) hands. You better have a big paw to manipulate the football.”
Seahawks Pete Carroll spent part of Thursday here at Lucas Oil Stadium reciting all the qualities he saw in Wilson at this combine four years ago, before he and general manager John Schneider made him Seattle’s third-round draft choice and then, a few months later, its starting quarterback from day one of his career.
“We thought he had an extraordinary list of characteristics that would allow him to be a great player, some that no other player in the draft have, that few players ever have: the savvy, the escapeability, the creativity, the great work ethic,” Carroll said. “Mix all of those things together, he’s a marvelous talent.
“He just came in a different package.”
Even some of this year’s college quarterbacks, four years, two Super Bowls and a Seahawks NFL title removed from when Wilson was going through this draft process, revere Wilson almost as much as Carroll does.
“Most definitely,” Jacoby Brissett said, his voice rising.
Brissett is like Wilson, a North Carolina State quarterback who transferred to play a final college season and is now getting overlooked beneath the top tier of QBs at the combine. He’s been seeking advice from Wilson on what awaits him.
“He has a camp there (the Russell Wilson Passing Academy in Raleigh) and he comes through a couple times a summer,” Brissett said. “I got to help work out his camp two times and be around him for a while.
“He just said it’s a business, and you just have to work at it,” said Brissett, who transferred from Florida to NC State for last season when the Gators chose Jeff Driskel over him as their quarterback. “It’s a job that you never fully understand or fully know it, you won’t have fully have all the answers to. So you have to work. I mean, you watch his game and it’s evident that’s all he does is work. He tries to perfect his craft.”
Adams has also done a camp with Wilson. He said he’s flattered people are comparing him to the Seahawks’ $87.6 million franchise quarterback.
Adams is the former Eastern Washington Eagle that shredded Washington with 475 yards and seven touchdowns in the Huskies’ 2014 home opener. He transferred to Oregon for last season then wondrously ran around the backfield extending plays for the Ducks, Wilson style.
Adams is 5 feet 11. So the Wilson comparisons keep coming.
“I think that’s a blessing,” Adams said. “I’m blessed to be compared to Russell Wilson, a great quarterback like that.
“I’ve always rooted for him. I did a quarterback camp with him,” Adams said. “Drew Brees too; he’s been getting it done for a long time. I don’t think too much about being a short quarterback. You find a window. It’s about your football IQ, I think. If you’re prepared well, I think you’re going to do well. This is nothing against Tom Brady or Brock Osweiler, but I see those guys get their balls batted down a lot.
“So it’s not about being short—you get your balls batted down if you’re tall or short—it’s about getting the ball out on time, having the right pocket, stuff like that.”
February 27, 2016 at 10:14 am #39675znModeratorDaily Combine Wrap-Up: Friday
Myles Simmons
INDIANAPOLIS — After two days filled with press conferences, groups of players at the 2016 NFL Combine began their on-field workouts. Specialists, offensive linemen, and running backs went through those events on Friday, while a few big-name players spoke to the media.
TOP STORIES
1) Henry is a stellar athlete
When you’re the Heisman Trophy winner, there’s going to be plenty attention on you at the Combine. And Alabama running back Derrick Henry did not disappoint when he hit the field on Friday.
Keep in mind that Henry checked in at 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds this week. On Friday, he ran a 4.54-second 40-yard dash, put up a 37-inch vertical jump, and a 130-inch (or 10-foot, 10-inch) broad jump. Those are some serious numbers, which Rotoworld’s Josh Norris effectively pointd out on Twitter.
Last year’s top SPARQ RB, Ameer Abdullah, posted a 10’10” broad jump at 205 lbs.
Derrick Henry posted a 10’10” at 247 lbs.
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 26, 2016
Based on his remarkable season — 395 carries, 2,219 yards, 28 touchdowns — Henry didn’t have much to prove on Friday. But he certainly still did look impressive.2) Elliott is one serious competitor
If there was one thing that became clear from listening to running back Ezekiel Elliott, it’s his competitiveness. Yes, the back helped lead Ohio State to a National Championship for the 2014 season. And yes, he’s amassed over 4,000 yards from scrimmage and 41 touchdowns over the last two years. But to him, the most important element of his game may be his pass blocking.
“Not everyone is willing to go out there and play with a lot of effort,” Elliott said. “And blocking is another thing that running backs aren’t really willing to do. So that’s a part of my game I really made important to me to become very good at.”
He also had a strong on-field day at the Combine, solidifying himself as one of the top-two backs available in this year’s draft. He recorded a 32.5-inch vertical, a 118-inch broad jump, and ran a 4.47 40.
For more on Elliott, check out our therams.com feature on him here.
3) Run fast, jump high, etc.
Henry and Elliott may be the consensus top two picks, but two other running backs were arguably the top performers in the agility drills.
Daniel Lasco of Cal was in the top four of running backs with a 4.46 40, a 41.5-inch vertical, and a 135-inch broad jump. He had some injury issues in 2015, but could be a nice pickup for a team.
Tyler Ervin of San Jose St. had a similar day recording a 4.41 40, a 39-inch vertical, and a 130-inch broad jump. He had a nice final collegiate season, rushing for 1,469 yards and 13 touchdowns.
But when it comes to the 40 times, Keith Marshall of Georgia was the fastest on Friday, running a blazing 4.31. After a strong freshman year, Marshall suffered a torn ACL in his sophomore season and was essentially passed over the rest of his collegiate career. But Nick Chubb’s injury in 2015 did allow Marshall some opportunities later in the season. He’ll be an intriguing prospect to monitor not only through the draft process, but also in the 2016 season.
AROUND THE TWITTERVERSE
A few of my favorite Tweets from Day 3 at the Combine…
Alabama LB Reggie Ragland promised he’d come down from 259 (Senior Bowl). Did just that. Weighed 247 in Indy. Dropped 12 in only a month.
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) February 26, 2016
DeForest Buckner on his huge 11 3/4 hands: “Growing up my siblings would make fun of me for em.When I got here, I was shooting for that 12.”— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 26, 2016
#LetsGetWeird with Joey Bosa. Future son to be a 1st Rd pick?
“I guess I’ll have to marry a tall, athletic girl to breed football players.”— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) February 26, 2016
I’ll admit, it’s narcissistic to put my own Tweet in there, but I thought this was pretty funny. For some background: Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is likely to get picked high in the first round. The Dolphins picked his father, John Bosa, in the first round of the 1987 draft. So a reporter asked Bosa how he could keep the family streak going, resulting in that quote.Let’s get weird, indeed.
QUOTABLE
“I would say that would be a mistake if they did that. Like I said, I plan on doing my pro day, so if they feel like there’s a red flag or anything, that’s my job to go out there and get rid of it. So that would be a big mistake if they did that and they slept on me.”
—UCLA LB Myles Jack on if team doctors may think he’s too risky to select with a high draft pick.
“There were times where I didn’t finish. There’s times I was lazy on some plays. But I told them, I’m going to keep growing as a player and I’m going to keep learning how to finish. Become more of a student of the game and just focus on being the best NFL player I can be. … I know what’s at stake. And I know what I have to do as a player to be great in the NFL. And I’m just going to keep focusing on the things I need to focus on as a player that I didn’t focus on so much in college that I need to get better at.”
—Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche on the on-field improvements he has to make heading into his rookie year.
“Definitely. Just because of being in the shotgun, and I know a lot of teams in the NFL — basically all of them — are under-center teams. But there have been some coaches spitting some facts to me — about 61 percent percent of snaps were out of the shotgun this year. I think the game is kind of going that way. But, obviously, it’s still not fully that way. So I have to get used to those three-step, five-step, and seven-step drops. But that’s all I’ve been doing, so I’m very confident in that.”
—Memphis QB Paxton Lynch on if his footwork may be the aspect of his game that needs the most work.
UP NEXT
It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for, as the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends will have their on-field workouts. That means we’ll get to see the top QBs like Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch throw one right after the other. Stay tuned, because it should be a pretty interesting day
February 27, 2016 at 3:13 pm #39685znModeratorfrom off the net
==
Deadpool
Wentz is gone unless the Rams are willing to move to #1 overall. I just don’t see how The Factory doesn’t pick him at 2. Goff is right behind him, then Lynch and Cook. To me they all look like 1st rounders.
The WRs are slow this year. Except for Fuller, who does not have natural hands. And it showed in the gauntlet.
Duke Williams is a UDFA after a sweet 4.73 40 time. That is horrid for a 6′-2″ WR.
Treadwell should have ran, but even though he didn’t, I just don’t see anyone pushing him for #1 spot, and in a way, may push Treadwell up the draft.
One of my personal favorites Tajae Sharpe is having a day. Good for him. So did Peake from Clemson.
QB trumps BPA, so if Lynch or Cook is their guy,then he’s the pick.
But a DT or DE is prolly going to be BPA.
Jaylon Smith couldn’t have had a worse combine. Nerve damage all the way down to his ankle. He looks done for AT LEAST 2016. On top of that, he weighed 223. Thats safety/ OLB tweener size. At 6′-2″, thats thin. I cannot imagine he doesn’t slide. Su’a Cravens by comparison was 6′-1″ 226. So if you think his knee and ankle will be fine and want a rare talent at 15, maybe Smith is your cup of tea.
So many DTs, its hard to imagine 1 not being available at the Rams spot.
As far as DEs, Shaq Lawson at 6′-2 3/8″ and 275 doesn’t have the prototypical length for a 4-3 DE. her might be there. Dodd will be there. So there is going to be plenty of talent at 15.
Wentz just put a beating on a bunch of big school FCS Qbs in drills with his footwork and arm. And laughing and smiling the whole time like he was warming up before a game. He’s locked up a top 5 pick IMO today. His pro day is a formality at this point. And his interviews are a non-factor.
Lynch’s feet didn’t look too bad, but his passes were a little off, so he is getting used to dropping back. He seems like he is picking it up and have no issues with him at 15.
Hogan has a newish delivery and is still getting used to it. Still like him in the 3rd or 4th.
February 27, 2016 at 8:47 pm #39698znModeratorConquering the Combine
Pat Kirwan
https://realfootballnetwork.com/2016/02/26/conquering-the-combine/
It only took 4.24 seconds for the buzz to begin. That’s how long it took Chris Johnson to run 40 yards at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine—the fastest electronically timed performance in the event’s history. In less than five seconds, he went from being a third-round sleeper to one of the more intriguing weapons available in the ’08 Draft.
Speed alone wouldn’t have turned Johnson into a 2,000-yard back by his second NFL season, of course. The 40-yard dash is just one piece of the puzzle, and the combine refers not only to a collection of players; it’s really a combination of tests given to the 300 or more prospects who come to
Indianapolis every February to open eyes (and doors) .Beyond the position specific drills, each player at the combine will be subjected to the following battery of tests.On the Field
40 Yard Dash: Many prospects elect not to run in Indianapolis on what is considered a slow track, but those who do run three times, all of which are timed electronically and with hand-held stopwatches. Scouts also track a player’s explosiveness by taking his times at the 10- and 20-yard intervals, which can indicate how long it takes a player to reach full speed, an important piece of data for, say, receivers.
Vertical Jump: This drill demonstrates a prospect’s lower body explosiveness. A poor showing can raise red flags about a player’s quickness or ability to come off the ball.
Broad Jump: The broad jump is another measure of a player’s lower-body explosiveness. A sluggish or non-explosive player can get exposed when asked to perform this movement.
20-Yard Shuttle: The player starts by straddling a line in the middle of the course, then runs 5 yards in one direction, touches another line, then runs 15 yards in the opposite direction, touches another line, then finishes by sprinting through the line where he started. This demonstrates a player’s
ability to change directions and his short-area explosiveness.60-Yard Shuttle: This tests endurance more than explosiveness. Players start on a line, run 5 yards, touch a line, and come back. They touch the starting line again, then run 10 yards and come back, then run 15 yards and return. It exposes the same things as the short shuttle, but it’s really a measure of conditioning, especially for bigger guys .
Three-Cone Drill: The course is set up in the shape of an “L,” with three cones set 5 yards apart. The player begins in his three-point stance and runs to the first cone and then back to the start. Then he runs around the second cone on his way to the third cone. He circles that cone and around the middle
cone again on his way back to his starting point. Scouts and coaches are looking to weed out players who look stiff or straight-lined when they run.Flexibility Drills: These are designed to check an individual’s flexibility in such critical areas as the hamstring and groin. Tightness or stiffness could be warning signs of a player who might have injury problems at the next level.
Bench Press: This measures how many times a player can bench press 225 pounds. It’s more instructive for the big-man positions, where upper body strength is so important. A good showing won’t raise many eyebrows; a bad one will.
Off the Field
Height and Weight: Something as basic as a player’s size can still be a mystery at the end of his college career. When players get weighed and measured in Indianapolis, their stats can be quite different from what’s listed in their schools’ media guides.
Wonderlic: A standardized IQ test that asks 50 questions in 12 minutes. Really smart players will get between 25 and 35 answers right. I’m not a big believer in the applicability of the Wonderlic, especially at certain positions, but it can be an indicator of potential problem areas.
Psychological Tests: Many organizations now have team psychologists on staff; the Giants, for example, put prospects through a 500-question exam (it’s considerably longer than most, and some players never finish it). But the Giants value the insight it provides into a player’s personality, competitiveness, and desire, and the results directly affect their draft decisions.
Team Interviews: The head coach, general manager, and personnel director will meet with a player in a controlled environment for about 15 minutes. It’s an opportunity for a basic Q&A session, which most players rehearse for in advance. Still, it can be the first opportunity for coaches and staff to meet with a player face to face.
Physical Exam: The exams administered at the combine are likely the most extensive a player will undergo in his entire life. Team doctors will conduct every conceivable test, from blood work to a complete cardiovascular workup. And, of course, they will examine the status of any injury a player may have suffered in college.
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Time for the Combine
Pat Kirwan
https://realfootballnetwork.com/2016/02/25/time-for-the-combine/
This time of year, everyone can start drawing his own comparisons at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. It’s at the combine that players are often reduced to a bunch of numbers referred to as their “measurables.” These numbers include everything from height and weight to the number of times a player can bench press 225 pounds. They include a prospect’s time in the 40-yard dash and the short shuttle (which tests agility and lateral movement), how far he can broad jump, and how high he can jump vertically. At the combine, players will have the length of their arms measured as well as their hand size, and they’ll all take the Wonderlic test. These numbers will stick to a prospect throughout the rest of the pre-draft process. Objective for the most part, they will be used relentlessly in comparing players who play the same position.
Scouts and coaches rely on measurables because they allow them to compare a prospect’s physical characteristics with those of a player who’s been successful in the NFL. Each evaluator has a chart defining key traits at each position, and each prospect is graded based on how his measurables stack up. If, for example, an offensive tackle is 6’5″, he gets 10 out of 10 points for that category. If he’s more than 300 pounds, he gets another 10 out of 10. That player is a 20-point prospect on this particular scale. A tackle who’s 6’4″ and 290 might only score an 18 on this chart, which could affect his eventual grade in the eyes of a particular team.
But not all numbers are equal, of course.
Hand size matters more when evaluating receivers and defensive linemen than when evaluating other positions. Arm length is a key factor for offensive linemen. If a scout finds a 6’0″ cornerback who can run a 4.3 in the 40 and the short shuttle in under 4.0, he won’t care if the player scores in the single digits on the Wonderlic.
Everyone comes back from the combine with a ton of information. They’ve watched prospects in drills, conducted interviews with hundreds of players, and seen them all put through various tests of athleticism. Such a mass of information can be paralyzing, so sorting it all into a functional system is as important a part of the process as gathering it is.
Decision makers have to recognize that some scouts are great at gathering information but not as great at delivering it. Their scouting reports might be convincing, but they aren’t good at selling their players when they’re sitting in a meeting with the rest of the front office. Some people prefer to receive their information in certain ways. For example, Mike Shanahan always liked to watch highlight tapes. He watched cut-ups of 100 plays from a certain player on tape, and then made his decisions with them in mind. That can be a dangerous way of operating if you don’t have the eye and experience of Shanahan.
And, of course, there’s a ton of personal information that scouts accumulate for each prospect. Some of the information speaks to a player’s intangibles—qualities that are immeasurable, like leadership or poise. The rest comes from a background check that will paint a more three-dimensional picture of a prospect’s character.
For instance, let’s say a scout likes a player and he has all the requisite measurables, but he played at Tulane. It may be helpful to know why he went there coming out of high school instead of a powerhouse like Alabama or LSU. Maybe he was a late-bloomer. Maybe his body didn’t develop until he was 20 years old. Whatever information a scout can gather may prove useful down the road.
After the combine comes the worldwide tour of pro days, when players work out on their own campuses. Again, they are put through all the requisite position drills and run all the tests that define a player’s measurables—the short shuttle, the bench press, the 40-yard dash, and so on. If there’s no one with a first- or second-round grade working out at a particular pro day, teams might only send a scout.
But to some coaches, pro days are critical. Paul Alexander, the offensive line coach of the Bengals, will show up at a pro day at South Dakota State because he saw a tape of the left tackle and observed some traits that he wanted to see in person. When coaches do attend pro days, they’re very interested in giving a guy instruction and seeing how fast he can learn it, take it out onto the field, and perform. At the pro day, teams will videotape their interviews with a player. It may be the third time they’ve taped an interview with him—first at the Senior Bowl, then at the combine, and now at his pro day.
Teams sort through all the canned answers that players have prepared for these interviews, looking for any tiny bit of information that can be used in his overall evaluation. We interview a lot of draft-eligible prospects on the radio show, and coaches around the league love it because they know we’re asking the questions they want answers to. Because we know the process, we don’t let guys get away with canned answers. We ask football questions, and players know their interviews with us are going to be recorded and sent to clubs around the league. I know a lot of coaches are sitting in their cars listening to our interviews to see if anything gets revealed that they couldn’t elicit themselves. After about five weeks of pro days, coaches and scouts are brought back to the team headquarters. At this point, players can’t be worked out again, but a team can bring up to 25 players to its facility for one last visit and for team doctors to examine him one final time. He’ll meet with coaches, the owner, and possibly the team psychologist.
There’s a bit of gamesmanship involved at this point. Teams bring in not only players they will consider drafting; they also bring in players they want other teams to think they are considering drafting. This is where much of the buzz that contributes to the dramatics that surround the draft is created.
February 27, 2016 at 9:48 pm #39716znModeratorLot of interesting stuff here, including Kirwan
I moved a lot of qb discussion (mine, ag’s, invaders) to a new qbs in the draft thread:
combine/post-combine qbs in the draft thread…Lynch, Cook, etc.: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/nfl-combine-2016-paxton-lynch-has-a-shoulder-injury/
February 28, 2016 at 12:03 am #39725znModeratorfrom off the net
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alyoshamucci]
So as I said yesterday, these are just stand out impressions to note as I watch the combine, not too technical. I’m going to try to do one every day.
Overall
1) I have very rarely seen an entire day lack energy like today’s groups. Kinda depressing. I don’t know how harshly to judge the QBs for not getting energy flowing, but it’s gotta be someone’s fault, and since it’s someone’s, it’s gonna be everyone’s. I’m dinging every player today (except Michael Thomas and David Morgan 2).
QBs
2) The accuracy was good across the board. It’s a good class, although it may lack personality.
3) Doughty and Allen were the most accurate passers. Doughty’s deep ball was inspiring actually.
4) Wentz and Goff were totally ready to go, mellow going through the drills. I predicted them going 1-2 a while back, and I can’t see that changing.
5) Lynch’s footwork seemed to be practiced, but was solid. He should be able to transition without losing more than half a season getting used to the drops.
6) They spent a lot of time with Cook, talking up his game and questioning his lack of being a captain … someone said there was “something missing.” I can’t imagine he’s not being hurt by comments like that. But as far as his command of the drills and the footwork he looked fine. Accuracy was slightly off compared to the others … weird feel I have on it is that he doesn’t have a grip on the ball he likes. Velocity drops, ball comes out funny sometimes.
7) The kid from Liberty Woodrum looked good again. He and the Rivers younger brother may have a future if they get into a camp and study. Watch the Patriots take him. lol
8) I have no recollection of Cardale throwing … did I miss it?
9) Driskel looked good. I also didn’t know that he was a #1 coming out of high school (just like Hackenburg).
TE
10) BOOOOO … Run your 40s. Henry, Vannett, Mcgee … none ran.
11) Morgan looked great even though he could only be a replacement for Harkey …
12) McGee was the best in the drills … although I will say Vannett grades out higher overall and has some really solid arm length for receiving. He made a seriously great catch.
13) Duarte is a WR, Cajuste is a TE.
14) I don’t know if there’s anyone in this class I would think are valuable where they would be picked.
WR
15) Treadwell should have run. The times were so bad that even running a 4.7 would not have made him look bad. He would have been middle of the pack and not stood out. His hands were excellent, and he moved well in all the drills. I think getting stuck on his timed speed is going to mess with some clubs, but he’s tenacious, aggressive and has great hands. He should be picked around the tenth overall … but could easily slide.
16) Michael Thomas ran a 4.58? Wild. Did NOT see that coming. He was competing though, really high intensity.
17) Josh Doctson probably made the most money today (besides Cal’s Davis … he may have jumped multiple rounds) … he may jump to the top of the class in some eyes. He had one of the best gauntlets I’ve ever seen, bad throws and he made all the catches in stride. He doesn’t have the best hands, but his “rapid cognition and ability to pick up the ball” is superior.
18) Duke Williams 4.75 and D Wilson 4.9? Valuable possession receivers and Duke can play football. Cayleb Jones and Lawler high 4.6s too.
19) Malcolm Mitchell nice time, and Ricardo Louis … both had a good day. 6th round? I’m game. Charone Peake had a nice day … so did Payton, who ran better than expected.
20) Marquez North ran a serious time at his size. 4.48 He was one of the most powerful freshman then he fell off the map.
21) Keyarris Garrett is huge and ran a 4.53. That, with his crazy production? Surprised he isn’t being talked about in round 2.
22) There is depth in this class, we can get quality in the 6th. High quality in the 4th.
Thoughts and comments/questions welcome
February 28, 2016 at 10:28 am #39736znModeratorCombine One-On-One with Taylor Morton
Rams Reporter Dani Klupenger gets the scoop on the Rams scouting efforts from Director of Player Personnel Taylor Morton at the NFL Combine.
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