2009 Combine Notes
Indianapolis, Indiana
Over the past week, more than 330 of
college football's finest congregated en masse in Indianapolis
for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. As usual, young men were poked,
prodded, gawked at, interviewed, measured, congratulated, confronted,
and physically and mentally tested. It's no wonder that by the end of
their stay, they all looked like getting back to their vigorous twice
daily workouts would be a welcome change.
After taking in all of the activities
and festivities, here are some general thoughts:
1. Maybe we've been spoiled over the
past couple of years, but the running back and cornerback positions are
mediocre classes at best this year. In 2007 and 2008, there were several
starters drafted for each of these positions, and they were found in all
rounds of the draft. This year, there are only a couple of players that
will be able to make significant contributions to their teams from the
beginning.
2. The league can say whatever it wants, but there is no doubt that the
new track in Lucas Oil Stadium is a slow one. I understand that the
overall speed of a draft class is going to vary, but the times over the
past few days were agonizingly slow. Yes, Darrius Heyward-Bey clocked a
4.3 40-yard dash, but he has world class speed and had been rumored to
run a low 4.2. In addition, it's hard for me to believe that not a
single corner ran a sub-4.4. We'll find out how bad it is in March after
these guys run at their school.
3. My emotions ran the gamut for two of the more visible players.
Michael Crabtree has done nothing but produce at Texas Tech over the
past two years, but could only hope to get away from questions about his
injured foot. Watching him squirm as reporter after reporter asked him
about finding a time to run for the scouts made me realize how
ridiculous the importance of the 40-yard dash has become. Crabtree is
one of the only players in this draft who has nothing to prove. On the
other hand, Andre Smith's cranial meltdown is enough to make you wonder
what his agent is telling him. It's bad enough to show up and admit
you're out of shape and that one of your goals is to "not be a cancer"
in the locker room, but then to leave early without telling the proper
people just makes you wonder if he realizes how many millions he just
cost himself.
4. You'll notice that I didn't list Aaron Curry below, but it certainly
isn't because he didn't impress. As a matter of fact, if there were an
MVP award for the Combine, he would have won in a landslide. However,
since he won't make it out of the top-3 picks in April, I figured it
would be repetitive to include him as someone who helped himself in
Indianapolis.
The players who helped themselves the
most by position:
Quarterback: Mark Sanchez, USC,
6'2", 227 lbs. - he threw the ball pretty well, showed athleticism and
his competitive nature by participating in all of the drills, and was
one of the more charismatic players at the combine.
Running Back: Donald Brown, Connecticut, 5'10", 210 lbs. - with
Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno fighting over who will be the first
running back to be taken in April, Brown put his best foot forward by
proving that he was the most athletic back in Indy.
Wide Receiver: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland, 6'0", 210 lbs. -
everyone knew he would run fast, but his overall performance was one of
the Combine's best. He ran good routes and displayed strong hands.
Tight End: James Casey, Rice, 6'3", 246 lbs. - he did well in all
of the drills, but really impressed with his soft hands, athleticism,
and versatility.
Offensive Tackle: Jason Smith, Baylor, 6'5", 309 lbs. - he
displayed incredible agility for a man his size in regards to lateral
movement and his kick-slide is at an elite level. He also benefitted
from Andre Smith's temporary labotomy.
Guard: Andy Levitre, Oregon State, 6'3", 313 lbs. - in addition
to being one of the better athletes as an offensive linemen (usually
reserved for tackles and centers), he looked very fluid in the drills.
He looked much better moving laterally and in pass protection than he
did at the Senior Bowl.
Center: Eric Wood, Louisville, 6'4", 310 lbs. - he was among the
leaders in all of the measureable tests, and showed great change of
direction and looked good when pulling. In addition, and I know this
sounds silly, but usually coaches use the first person in alphabetical
order in a group to demonstrate the drills, but Wood was chosen most of
the time. It shows that the coaches understood that he learns quickly.
Defensive End: Mike Johnson, Georgia Tech, 6'7", 266 lbs. - like
Darrius Heyward-Bey, he had one of the most impressive performances at
the combine. He's a great athlete who moves like someone who weighs 60
pounds lighter. The only questions about him is his effort level. In
that regard, he reminds me of Mario Williams - that didn't work out too
badly, did it?
Defensive Tackle: Ziggy Hood, Missouri, 6'3", 300 lbs. - his
speed, quickness, and power were very evident in all of the drills. He continues
to build on an impressive offseason.
Inside Linebacker: Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina, 6'2", 252
lbs. - Brinkley impressed everyone by showing up about 20 pounds lighter
than his playing weight during the season, and the improvement in his
burst and lateral movement was very apparent.
Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews, Southern California, 6'1", 240
lbs. - the least heralded of the Trojan starting linebackers, Matthews
is quickly becoming one of the more recognized players in the 2009
draft, and his effort at the Combine didn't hurt. His agility and
explosion were on full display and he may be the best value of all of
the USC products.
Cornerback: Darius Butler, Connecticut, 5'10", 183 lbs. - in a
weak cornerback draft, Butler solidified himself as a first-rounder. Not
only was he explosive, but he was extremely fluid in the drills, flipped
his hips better than anyone, and showed great ball skills.
Safety: Louis Delmas, Western Michigan, 5'11", 203 lbs. - a case
could be made that Delmas was the best of all the secondary participants
this year. He ran very well (4.50 in the 40), was agile and loose in the
drills, and proved with his hands that he is a natural center fielder.
The players who hurt themselves
the most by position:
Quarterback: Josh Freeman, Kansas
State, 6'6", 248 lbs. - his skills have personnel guys in the league
salivating, but his inconsistency in college is a concern.
Unfortunately, he didn't do anything to put those concerns to rest this
weekend.
Running Back: Javon Ringer, Michigan State, 5'9", 205 lbs. - his
4.60 40-yard dash time won't help the fact that scouts are already
concerned about his size and the number of carries (390 in 2008 alone)
he endured while with the Spartans.
Wide Receiver: Jaison Williams, Oregon, 6'4", 237 lbs. - towards
the end of his workout, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He
wouldn't have held onto the ball if they stapled it into his hands.
Tight End: Cornelius Ingram, Florida, 6'4", 245 lbs. - after
missing most of last season because of an injury, this workout was
extremely important, but he looked very rusty and uncomfortable catching
the ball.
Offensive Tackle: Andre Smith, Alabama, 6'4", 332 lbs. - see
explanation above.
Guard: Seth Olson, Iowa, 6'5", 306 - the guard class appears to
be one of the more consistent of the class, so this isn't necessarily an
indictment of Olson, but he was way too high in most of the drills which
allowed him to look off-balance and was beaten regularly in the pass
protection drills.
Center: Antoine Caldwell, Alabama, 6'3", 309 - simply put, he
just looks slow and immobile. Centers need to be able to move at the
next level, and I can see his next team having to move him to guard
because of his difficulty with foot speed.
Defensive End: Aaron Maybin, Penn State, 6'4", 249 - I've taken
some flack about my evaluation of Aaron Maybin, but his performance at
the combine did nothing to change my mind. He looked tentative in the
drills and wasn't as natural as I thought he'd be among the 3-4
conversion group.
Defensive Tackle: B.J. Raji, Boston College, 6'2", 337 lbs. - one
of the best players at the Senior Bowl was a huge disappointment here.
First of all, he gained about 10 unnecessary pounds over the last month
and it showed. He was nowhere near as quick - he just looked sloppy in
everything he did.
Inside Linebacker: James Laurinaitis, Ohio State, 6'2", 244 lbs.
- he re-enforced the idea of the slow, Big 10 linebacker. It wasn't just
his disappointing 4.81 40 yard dash time, either. He looked tight and
slow in transition in almost every drill.
Outside Linebacker: Clint Sintim, Virginia, 6'3", 249 lbs. - it
appeared to me as though he needed extra coaching at the Senior Bowl,
something that personnel people frown upon. This weekend, he appeared
ordinary at best, which is disappointing for a player most thought had
the athleticism to play outside in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.
Cornerback: Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State, 6'0", 204 lbs. - never
has a 40 time meant so much to a player than Jenkins'. Unfortunately,
his time and very visible stiffness confirmed the idea that many teams
will only view him as a safety prospect now. The difference could equal
millions of dollars.
Safety: Kevin Ellison, Southern California, 6'1", 227 lbs. - his
lack of speed and agility may have turned teams off to his being a
secondary player. If that's the case, he'll have a hard time being
noticed in a strong linebacker class.
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