sully
03-04-2005, 11:12 AM
QB Aaron Rodgers (California) is the possible first overall choice in this draft, and he boldly promised he would run the 40 at 4.8 -- a very frisky time for a QB. Rodgers was unofficially timed at 4.80 and 4.71 and lived up to his word. Neither Rodgers nor Utah’s Alex Smith (4.90) threw at the combines, preferring to wait for their Pro Day workouts. Both are still projected as consensus top-3 picks; either guy going to San Francisco, Miami, or Cleveland.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard) got every single question right on the Wonderlic test. That ties him with Pat McInally (Bengals punter from the 70’s) as the only two people who scored a perfect 50. Fitzpatrick is ranked somewhere around the 8th or 9th best QB prospect coming out -- but this IQ stuff might bump him up a few spots.
QB David Greene (Georgia) did not participate, saving his arm for a personal on-campus workout next month. He set numerous SEC passing records (11,528 yards & 72 TD passes) but has a lot of doubters on lack of arm strength. Many scouts believe Greene has slipped to 6th among QB prospects – behind Aaron Rodgers (Cal), Alex Smith (Utah), Charlie Frye (Akron), Jason Campbell (Auburn), and Kyle Orton (Purdue).
QB Matt Jones (Arkansas) blew away everybody with a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash on Sunday. It is believed to be the fastest time ever run by a quarterback at the Combine. Matt’s 6’6” and 237 lbs. and might actually get drafted higher as a TE instead of a QB. Either way, he made himself some money with that run.
QB Adrian McPherson (Florida State) ran a nice 4.72 for a QB but injured his left quadriceps. Adrian was the guy who was booted off the Seminoles squad two years ago for gambling on college football games. He’s the only high school player in Florida history to earn the prestigious Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball honors in the same year. Last year he played for the Indiana Firebirds of the Arena Football League.
RB Maurice Clarett (Ohio State) had a chance to resurrect himself but flopped around in the 4.75 range. Clarett might have dropped to the 6th or 7th round when scouts add this debacle to the off-field problems. One club had his fastest time at 4.78, while others actually clocked him at 4.90. Of course, guys like Rudi Johnson and Priest Holmes couldn’t break 4.70 at their combines and they turned out to be pretty good players.
RB Cedric Benson (Texas) did not participate at the Combine, preferring to save himself for his Pro Day at Texas. Some said it was a terrible decision, but he can erase all doubts by consistently running under 4.5 on the campus track.
RB J.J. Arrington (California) is the big sleeper among RBs according to many experts. He ran a blazing 4.41 and might have jumped into the 2nd round. J.J.’s barely 5’9” but is powerfully built and cat-quick. He led the NCAA in rushing with 1,845 yards. Some believe Arrington will be the 4th back taken after the “Big Three” – Auburn RBs Ronnie Brown and "Cadillac" Williams, & Texas' Cedric Benson.
RB Ronnie Brown (Auburn) clocked in as low as 4.33 on three stopwatches and was the story of the combine. His teammate, RB Cadillac Williams, ran an official 4.50 (though NFL.com’s Gil Brandt had him at a terrific 4.43) and just lost the spotlight to Brown for the first time. And Brown was only expected to run in the 4.6’s so his stock has really exploded. “Ronnie Brown can fly,” said Cardinals HC Dennis Green. It’s possible that both Brown and Williams are taken in the top 6 or 7 picks -- before Cedric Benson.
RB Darren Sproles (Kansas State) fired off a laser at 4.38 and 4.39, then ESPN reported Sproles was so quick out of the blocks that he had to start over because scouts couldn't hit the stopwatch fast enough. Sproles rushed for over 3,300 yards in the last two years (3rd most in the NCAA) and has a sinister cutback “hop” that reminds us of Barry Sanders. But Sproles stands at only 5’7” and might fall to the 3rd or 4th round.
WR Mike Williams (USC) said to “bet the farm” on a sub 4.45 time, then went out and ran a pair of 4.59’s. Still, most scouts admired his overall workout, and his huge frame (6’4” ½, 229 lbs) and glue-dripping hands will assure Williams of a first-round selection.
WR Braylon Edwards (Michigan) did not run. He was the only one out of 20 WRs invited not to participate. It won’t affect his blue-chip status unless he stumbles at his Pro Day workout.
WR Taylor Stubblefield (Purdue) was not invited to the NFL Combine. He is the NCAA's all-time receptions leader with 325 catches. Go figure.
WR Troy Williamson (South Carolina) ripped off a 4.38 and got himself positioned up near the first round. At 6-1, 200 pounds, he’s got the entire package. The only reason he didn’t have the stats at South Carolina (43 catches last year) is because their QBs were terrible. SI.com projects Williamson as the 14th overall pick (Carolina).
WR Roscoe Parrish (Miami) ran a nifty 4.43 but he was the lightest receiver at the combine at 168 lbs.
WR Mark Clayton (Oklahoma) also ran a 4.43 and might have jumped into the 1st round. Chiefs scout John Bonaventura said Clayton was “the most consistent guy in the drills as far as being near the top.”
WR Jerome Mathis (Hampton) ran like a scalded dog at 4.32. Gil Brandt and Cowboys coach Bill Parcells clocked Mathis at an incredible 4.25, which would be one of the fastest combine 40’s ever, up there with Deion Sanders and Joey Galloway. A small college All-American, Mathis may have jumped up into the mid-2nd round with that run.
WR Courtney Roby (Indiana) ran a 4.36 and trailed only Mathis among wideouts.
TE Heath Miller (Virginia) did not run at the combine but it won’t affect his first-round status.
TE Jerome Collins (Notre Dame) ran the fastest 40 among tight ends at 4.65.
C Richie Incognito (Nebraska) ran a 4.90 -- best among offensive linemen -- and was also 5th among O-linemen with 29 repetitions in the 225-pound bench press. But he suffered a strained MCL in his right knee and had to leave early. Richie was booted off the Nebraska squad for an off-field incident.
T Alex Barron (Florida State) chose to wait for his Pro Day in two weeks. Some scouts believe he’ll go as high as the 6th overall pick (Tennessee Titans).
G Bryan Young (BYU) did 44 reps of 225 lbs, tops among all players at the combine. To put his strength in perspective, Cowboys DT La’Roi Glover won the NFL Strongest Man competition in Honolulu with only 32 reps.
DE Marcus Spears (LSU) did not participate in the combine. He just had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair damage that he suffered in his pre-combine workouts. ESPN reported his knee should be fine and no medical "red flags" have been raised.
DE Erasus James (Wisconsin) ran a frisky 4.78 -– then had a superb broad jump of 10 feet, 2 inches. He’s a sure first-rounder (6’4”, 268) and Mel Kiper projected James to Dallas with the 11th overall pick.
LB Channing Crowder (Florida) was advised by his agent not to run because of a sore knee.
LB Robert McCune (Louisville) surprised a lot of coaches with a 4.50.
LB Demarcus Ware (Troy State) was the best athlete on the Troy St. roster (6’4”/245 lbs) and “did everything well” at the combine, according to NFL Network.
S Terry Holley (Rice) bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times, tops among DBs. He got a lot of sleeper buzz after his workouts.
S Thomas Davis (Georgia) has great size (6’1”, 231) and his 4.52 time in the 40 did nothing to hurt him. SI.com says the Chiefs are interested with their 15th overall pick.
CB Brandon Browner (Oregon State) measured in at 6-feet-3¾ and 221 lbs., prompting many to wonder if he should play safety in the NFL. Some scouts project Browner to go as high as 17th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.
DB Marlon Jackson (Michigan) played both safety and corner in college and led all DBs at the combine with 23 reps of 225 lbs. The Packers are rumored to be interested with their 24th overall pick.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard) got every single question right on the Wonderlic test. That ties him with Pat McInally (Bengals punter from the 70’s) as the only two people who scored a perfect 50. Fitzpatrick is ranked somewhere around the 8th or 9th best QB prospect coming out -- but this IQ stuff might bump him up a few spots.
QB David Greene (Georgia) did not participate, saving his arm for a personal on-campus workout next month. He set numerous SEC passing records (11,528 yards & 72 TD passes) but has a lot of doubters on lack of arm strength. Many scouts believe Greene has slipped to 6th among QB prospects – behind Aaron Rodgers (Cal), Alex Smith (Utah), Charlie Frye (Akron), Jason Campbell (Auburn), and Kyle Orton (Purdue).
QB Matt Jones (Arkansas) blew away everybody with a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash on Sunday. It is believed to be the fastest time ever run by a quarterback at the Combine. Matt’s 6’6” and 237 lbs. and might actually get drafted higher as a TE instead of a QB. Either way, he made himself some money with that run.
QB Adrian McPherson (Florida State) ran a nice 4.72 for a QB but injured his left quadriceps. Adrian was the guy who was booted off the Seminoles squad two years ago for gambling on college football games. He’s the only high school player in Florida history to earn the prestigious Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball honors in the same year. Last year he played for the Indiana Firebirds of the Arena Football League.
RB Maurice Clarett (Ohio State) had a chance to resurrect himself but flopped around in the 4.75 range. Clarett might have dropped to the 6th or 7th round when scouts add this debacle to the off-field problems. One club had his fastest time at 4.78, while others actually clocked him at 4.90. Of course, guys like Rudi Johnson and Priest Holmes couldn’t break 4.70 at their combines and they turned out to be pretty good players.
RB Cedric Benson (Texas) did not participate at the Combine, preferring to save himself for his Pro Day at Texas. Some said it was a terrible decision, but he can erase all doubts by consistently running under 4.5 on the campus track.
RB J.J. Arrington (California) is the big sleeper among RBs according to many experts. He ran a blazing 4.41 and might have jumped into the 2nd round. J.J.’s barely 5’9” but is powerfully built and cat-quick. He led the NCAA in rushing with 1,845 yards. Some believe Arrington will be the 4th back taken after the “Big Three” – Auburn RBs Ronnie Brown and "Cadillac" Williams, & Texas' Cedric Benson.
RB Ronnie Brown (Auburn) clocked in as low as 4.33 on three stopwatches and was the story of the combine. His teammate, RB Cadillac Williams, ran an official 4.50 (though NFL.com’s Gil Brandt had him at a terrific 4.43) and just lost the spotlight to Brown for the first time. And Brown was only expected to run in the 4.6’s so his stock has really exploded. “Ronnie Brown can fly,” said Cardinals HC Dennis Green. It’s possible that both Brown and Williams are taken in the top 6 or 7 picks -- before Cedric Benson.
RB Darren Sproles (Kansas State) fired off a laser at 4.38 and 4.39, then ESPN reported Sproles was so quick out of the blocks that he had to start over because scouts couldn't hit the stopwatch fast enough. Sproles rushed for over 3,300 yards in the last two years (3rd most in the NCAA) and has a sinister cutback “hop” that reminds us of Barry Sanders. But Sproles stands at only 5’7” and might fall to the 3rd or 4th round.
WR Mike Williams (USC) said to “bet the farm” on a sub 4.45 time, then went out and ran a pair of 4.59’s. Still, most scouts admired his overall workout, and his huge frame (6’4” ½, 229 lbs) and glue-dripping hands will assure Williams of a first-round selection.
WR Braylon Edwards (Michigan) did not run. He was the only one out of 20 WRs invited not to participate. It won’t affect his blue-chip status unless he stumbles at his Pro Day workout.
WR Taylor Stubblefield (Purdue) was not invited to the NFL Combine. He is the NCAA's all-time receptions leader with 325 catches. Go figure.
WR Troy Williamson (South Carolina) ripped off a 4.38 and got himself positioned up near the first round. At 6-1, 200 pounds, he’s got the entire package. The only reason he didn’t have the stats at South Carolina (43 catches last year) is because their QBs were terrible. SI.com projects Williamson as the 14th overall pick (Carolina).
WR Roscoe Parrish (Miami) ran a nifty 4.43 but he was the lightest receiver at the combine at 168 lbs.
WR Mark Clayton (Oklahoma) also ran a 4.43 and might have jumped into the 1st round. Chiefs scout John Bonaventura said Clayton was “the most consistent guy in the drills as far as being near the top.”
WR Jerome Mathis (Hampton) ran like a scalded dog at 4.32. Gil Brandt and Cowboys coach Bill Parcells clocked Mathis at an incredible 4.25, which would be one of the fastest combine 40’s ever, up there with Deion Sanders and Joey Galloway. A small college All-American, Mathis may have jumped up into the mid-2nd round with that run.
WR Courtney Roby (Indiana) ran a 4.36 and trailed only Mathis among wideouts.
TE Heath Miller (Virginia) did not run at the combine but it won’t affect his first-round status.
TE Jerome Collins (Notre Dame) ran the fastest 40 among tight ends at 4.65.
C Richie Incognito (Nebraska) ran a 4.90 -- best among offensive linemen -- and was also 5th among O-linemen with 29 repetitions in the 225-pound bench press. But he suffered a strained MCL in his right knee and had to leave early. Richie was booted off the Nebraska squad for an off-field incident.
T Alex Barron (Florida State) chose to wait for his Pro Day in two weeks. Some scouts believe he’ll go as high as the 6th overall pick (Tennessee Titans).
G Bryan Young (BYU) did 44 reps of 225 lbs, tops among all players at the combine. To put his strength in perspective, Cowboys DT La’Roi Glover won the NFL Strongest Man competition in Honolulu with only 32 reps.
DE Marcus Spears (LSU) did not participate in the combine. He just had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair damage that he suffered in his pre-combine workouts. ESPN reported his knee should be fine and no medical "red flags" have been raised.
DE Erasus James (Wisconsin) ran a frisky 4.78 -– then had a superb broad jump of 10 feet, 2 inches. He’s a sure first-rounder (6’4”, 268) and Mel Kiper projected James to Dallas with the 11th overall pick.
LB Channing Crowder (Florida) was advised by his agent not to run because of a sore knee.
LB Robert McCune (Louisville) surprised a lot of coaches with a 4.50.
LB Demarcus Ware (Troy State) was the best athlete on the Troy St. roster (6’4”/245 lbs) and “did everything well” at the combine, according to NFL Network.
S Terry Holley (Rice) bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times, tops among DBs. He got a lot of sleeper buzz after his workouts.
S Thomas Davis (Georgia) has great size (6’1”, 231) and his 4.52 time in the 40 did nothing to hurt him. SI.com says the Chiefs are interested with their 15th overall pick.
CB Brandon Browner (Oregon State) measured in at 6-feet-3¾ and 221 lbs., prompting many to wonder if he should play safety in the NFL. Some scouts project Browner to go as high as 17th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals.
DB Marlon Jackson (Michigan) played both safety and corner in college and led all DBs at the combine with 23 reps of 225 lbs. The Packers are rumored to be interested with their 24th overall pick.