Combine a big step toward NFL draft

The NFL Scouting Combine is a cattle call, meat market and job fair rolled into one. And it unfolds today through Monday, turning Indianapolis into the center of the pro football universe.

Representatives from all 32 NFL teams will gather at the RCA Dome and Indiana Convention Center to scrutinize more than 300 prospects eligible for the April 29-30 NFL draft.

"It's an interesting time," said NFL consultant Gil Brandt, "because this is the first chance to see the rookie class of 2006."

Players undergo physical exams from every team along with several hours of interviews. They take the Wonderlic Test — a 12-minute, 50-question exam that gauges their intelligence — and are measured for height, weight, arm length, hand length and body fat.

Most players are tested in the 40-yard dash, bench press (lifting 225 pounds as many reps as they can), vertical jump, broad jump, 20- and 60-yard shuttles and the 3-cone drill.

Some of the top prospects who come to Indy — including the Southern Cal duo of tailback Reggie Bush and quarterback Matt Leinart, and Texas quarterback Vince Young — ditch the Combine workouts, choosing instead to point toward their "Pro Day" workouts on their college campuses prior to the draft.

It's an intense experience for everyone involved because livelihoods are at stake.

Gentlemen, start your stopwatches.


With the ever-increasing interest in the NFL Draft, the Scouting Combine has grown in both scope and significance. The combine allows select NFL Head Coaches & General Managers to sneak a peak at the upcoming college talent pool.

The Scouting Combine has come a long way since National, Blesto and Quadra Scouting services began back the workouts back in 1977. The Combine has always been 'by invite only', and other than the players and team officials that are invited, very few are permitted to attend. The invitees go through various physical and mental challenges for the team officials as clubs try to evaluate the talent pool available to them:

40 Yard Dash / Bench Press / Vertical Jump / Broad Jump / 20 Yard Shuttle / 3 Cone Drill / 60 Yard Shuttle / Position Specific Drills / NFL Team Interviews / The Wonderlic Test / Physical Measurements / The Cybex Test / Injury Evaluation / Urine test

Invitee List: http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9206978

Press conferences -- 8 hours (Thurs. 2/23 through Sun. 2/26 at 2 p.m. ET)
Player drills -- 12 hours (Sat. 2/25 through Tues. 2/28 at 11 a.m. ET) Re-airs 8 p.m. ET
News and interviews -- 5 hours (Thurs. 2/23 through Mon. 2/27 at 7 p.m. ET/PT)
Wrapup show -- 1 hour (Wednesday, March 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT)

In addition, NFL Network's signature show, NFL Total Access, will be on location from the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis with news, analysis and interviews featuring host Rich Eisen alongside former NFL and college head coach and current NFL Network analyst Butch Davis. NFLTA will air five consecutive nights of shows from Feb. 23-Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Even though former Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is considered by many draft analysts to be the top offensive tackle in the draft and a potential top-five pick, he didn't bypass the chance to showcase his wares at the Senior Bowl. He did, however, tell the media that he will not be working out this weekend, choosing to focus on his individual workouts in advance of his Pro Day next month.

Ferguson also said that he has put on 14 pounds since the Senior Bowl, increasing his weight to 312 pounds.

Though nobody said as much, Reggie Bush must have disappointed some onlookers when he checked at 201 pounds and also opted not to work out. He looked very defined, but several scouts said last week that they expected Bush to arrive bulked up to anywhere from 205 to 210 pounds.

That didn't happen and it should continue to fuel the questions about whether Bush is durable enough to survive on the NFL level.

One of the most interesting comments about Bush came from former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Chow said he believes Bush has the ability to be successful in the NFL, but added that he will have plenty of significant hurdles to clear.

"They're huge," Chow said. "Pass protection, blocking, running pass routes. He's played in a good system with a good staff, but the speed of the game – they're all going to be as fast as he is, you know?"

The best two quotes of the day:

Buffalo Bills general manager Marv Levy on the prospect of building for the future in the draft: "If you say you're building for the future, that's an incomplete sentence. You're building for a future coach and general manager if you're building for the future."

San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan on why he likes to see guys work out at the combine: "A great example is Tedy Bruschi. When he came here, he was too short, too slow, too a lot of things. But I remember – I was coaching linebackers when he came here – I followed his group around and every drill he did, he was berserko about being first. He wanted to do every drill. You only do the vertical jump twice, and I think he wanted to do it four times so he could beat the guy who was already No. 1. That told me a lot about him."

Southern California right tackle Winston Justice, the second-rated tackle prospect after Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson has a real chance to make the conversion to the left side at the pro level. At USC, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound Justice protected southpaw quarterback Matt Leinart's blind side.

One of the league's sharpest talent evaluators, Savage says he and the Browns scouting staff consider left tackle a "skill position" and that Justice has the rare skill set to play both tackle spots.

"I have watched him and I think he has the athletic ability to do it," Savage says. "I think it is difficult when you're played in a right-handed stance your whole life and then move over and have to play from the left side. That's something we'll have to determine this spring.

"I'm sure at the workout this weekend we'll get an opportunity to see him move out of that left-handed stance. I think he has the talent to play on the left side. His agent's going to give me a little money for saying that, too."

TALK, TALK, TALK

Dueling coach press conferences bracket the media room. At one end is new Detroit Lions sideline poobah Rod Marinelli, who fields a series of questions focused upon the team's collection of first-round wide receivers and how he'll try and cull more production from them. At the other is Kubiak, meeting the national press just four weeks after officially accepting his new job as Houston Texans head coach.


A CROWD OF QUARTERBACKS

Matt Leinart holds court at one end of the vast media room, surrounded by dozens of camers and a media throng that numbers in the triple digits. He was a star at USC; he's a star in this realm, too.

Meanwhile, a short out pass away at the other end of the room, D.J. Shockley bemusedly watched the proceedings. He got the star treatment in college, too; that goes with the territory when you take the University of Georgia to the Sugar Bowl -- heck, it comes with being a quarterback who leads the Bulldogs to a 7-5 season, such is the scrutiny between the hedges.

Today, though, Shockley peered at a milieu in which he was a distinct second banana. Shockley's desire to play quarterback even though some draft analysts see him as a receiver or defensive back, his intention to go through the full Combine workout, his aspirations to follow role models like Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb ... all that barely registered in the room.

"They should have let me wait a little bit," Shockley said. "Everybody wants to talk to Matt Leinart."


Bush world - The star of Thursday's interview sessions was USC running back Reggie Bush, the favorite to become the No. 1 pick to the Houston Texans. If that's the case, he would be the second consecutive top pick from Helix High School outside of San Diego. Alex Smith was the other.

Like most elite players, Bush won't work out at the combine, choosing instead to run and lift weights at USC on April 2. Bush said he was concentrating on gaining weight and proving he has the durability to be an every-down NFL back. He weighed in at 201 pounds Thursday and said he wants to be 205 by the start of the season.

Quote of the day - Bush, on what makes Houston a desirable place to play: "No state tax."

LOL@VINCE YOUNG FOR BEING ONE DUMB MOTHERFUCKER.

LOL@VINCE YOUNG FOR BEING ONE DUMB MOTHERFUCKER.

Agreed.

Boy, what a sucky draft. Those who stood out at the top either get in better standing or get a lot worse. No one really jumps out at you as a surprise early pick...at all.

According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, the original report of Young's 6 was false.

"I've been told it was inaccurate by a source good enough for me to quote it," Texans general manager Charley Casserly said Sunday afternoon.


"The combine officials assured us that score (6) was false and that the accurate score will be known when the combine results are given to each team," Young's agent Major Adams said.


"I heard about the 6," Tennessee general manager Floyd Reese said Sunday morning. "I heard the test was improperly given, and I heard they're going to try and correct it.

"It could be improperly given because of time. It could be improperly given because when you correct it, there are like six or seven different tests. If you correct Test A with a correct sheet for Test C, it's not going to come out very well."
Young's score on the Wonderlic is a 16 not 6 as reported.

According to a report in the Houston Chronicle, the original report of Young's 6 was false.

"I've been told it was inaccurate by a source good enough for me to quote it," Texans general manager Charley Casserly said Sunday afternoon.


"The combine officials assured us that score (6) was false and that the accurate score will be known when the combine results are given to each team," Young's agent Major Adams said.


"I heard about the 6," Tennessee general manager Floyd Reese said Sunday morning. "I heard the test was improperly given, and I heard they're going to try and correct it.

"It could be improperly given because of time. It could be improperly given because when you correct it, there are like six or seven different tests. If you correct Test A with a correct sheet for Test C, it's not going to come out very well."
Young's score on the Wonderlic is a 16 not 6 as reported.

He retook it and got a 16.

This reaks of BS.

He gets a complete shit score, waits, then they say oh shit, we fucked up after he starts getting ripped on? Maybe they did do it wrong, but I want to see all this shot for myself.

He did re-take it. But I am not sold on the fact that he got a 6 on his first try.

It's very possible that he did, but I would believe it coming from respectable sources not Pro Football Weekly.

Results here by position:

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/features/combine/results.html

The following are some of the most notable stories at the Combine:


Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
• Clocked the fastest time for any player yet with a 4.30 in the forty.

Daniel Bullocks, S, Nebraska
• Continues his rise up draft boards thanks to an outstanding 4.38 clocking.

Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida St.
• Did not run as well as he hoped () but looked great in the positional drills.

Jonathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
• Really put his name on the map with a 4.31 and could see his stock start to soar.

Michael Huff, S-CB, Texas
• Surprise and clocked an outstanding 4.35 in the forty.

Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida St.
• Continued to impress and after putting up 44 reps in the weight room he proceeded to run in the mid-4.9 range.

Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
• Did not run quite as well expected with a time in the 5.1 area but that is still pretty darn good for a guy who measured in at over 6-4 and 338 lbs.

Terna Nande, OLB, Miami (OH)
• Came through with the top performance in the bench press as he predicted with 41 reps of 22 lbs.

Manny Lawson, DE, North Carolina St.
• As expected he ran incredibly well and clocked a 4.41, which is amazing.

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
• Blazed and outstanding time in the forty, clocking in the high-4.3's to low-4.4's.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, U.C.L.A.
• Ran a Disappointing time in the 4.8 range as expected.

Vince Young Part II
• Upon further review Vince Young did not score a 6 on the Wonderlic after all. It has now come out that his initial test was scored wrong, but rather than just score it correctly they allowed him to take it again and he came through with a 16.

Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
• In just 4.32 seconds this guy made himself millions of dollars because that is the time he ran in the forty. Jackson also measured in at 6-0 and 213 lbs. and looked great in the receiver drills. He is now a likely first rounder who is on the rise in a big way.

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
• Ran a 4.77 in the forty, looked good in passing drills, has done great in interviews and even put up an amazing 23 reps of 225 lbs. in the bench press. This guy just continues to impress and he could very easily be chosen before Vince Young. In fact, in my next mock (which is coming soon) I will have Cutler going to the New York Jets at #4.

Mike Kudla, DE, Ohio St.
• Just tied the Scotuing Combine record for reps of 225 lbs. at 45 and he was actually a little disappointed.

Offensive Linemen Who Impressed
• Don't think the big guys can't impress at this venue! Eric Winston of Miami (FL) ran a 4.94 and looked excellent in all the drills. Ohio St.'s Nick Mangold ran a 5.05 and also handled himself really well and is now in serious contention for round one. Marcus McNeill of Auburn ran a very impressive 5.07 at 336 pounds but the medical checks on his back will be the key for him. Winston Justice of Southern Cal did not run but took part in all the drills and did very well, showcasing his athleticism. Charles Spencer of Pitt also did well and looked very athletic and nimble for a guy who checked in at 352 pounds.

Running Back Results
• The first group of running backs worked out and Joseph Addai of L.S.U. (4.40), Maurice Drew of U.C.L.A. (4.39), and Andre Hall of South Florida (4.42) ran the best times. Wali Lundy of Virginia also impressed with both his speed (4.45) and ability in the drills. On the flip side Wisconsin's Brian Calhoun clocked a disappointing 4.60 and might slip just a bit.

The Big 4 RB's
• The top four running backs in the draft will not run the forty at the Combine with Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams, LenDale White and Laurence Maroney all choosing to sit it out. Didn't these guys learn anything from what Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams did a year ago?

Vince Young, QB, Texas
• There might be no bigger story coming out of this Combine than Young's Wonderlic score. Word is Young only managed a 6 out of 50, which is terrible no matter which way you slice it but when you factor in that quarterbacks are generally expected to register the highest scores and that the biggest question on Young beforehand was his ability to pick up and offense / read a pro defense this could spell disaster. To give you an idea of just how bad this score is just take a look at this study and you will see that for a top signal caller to do this poorly is literally unprecedented. There has been plenty of criticism of Young's representative, an inexperienced family friend, and this should being that talk to a fever pitch because Young should have been much better prepared to take such a crucial test. So how far might Young drop? It's still too early to tell but if Tennessee doesn't take him at #3 the next best options for him will probably be Oakland at #7, Detroit at #9 and Arizona at #10. We are talking millions and millions of dollars there folks and the concern over Young's ability to develop into a pro passer has just gone up ten-fold.

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
• Ran a 4.77 in the forty, looked good in passing drills, has done great in interviews and even put up an amazing 23 reps of 225 lbs. in the bench press. This guy just continues to impress and he could very easily be chosen before Vince Young. In fact, in my next mock (which is coming soon) I will have Cutler going to the New York Jets at #4.

Vernon Davis, a junior tight end from Maryland, likely performed his way into the NFL Draft's top 10 picks during a record-setting, second-to-last day of the NFL draft combine.

Davis began the day of workouts for tight ends and defensive linemen by clocking a pair of 40-yard dashes in the 4.4-second range. Several scouts had Davis running as fast as 4.35 seconds, a new record for tight ends.

The day before, Davis lifted 225 pounds 33 times on the bench press.

To put Davis' numbers into perspective, consider that only two wide receivers ran faster forty times on Sunday, while 75 percent of the offensive linemen did not match Davis' total on the bench press.

One-on-one interviews are an integral part of the combine process, and scouts say one of the most impressive players they interviewed this week was defensive end Tamba Hali of Penn State.

Hali, who escaped the war torn nation of Liberia with his father at 10 years old, has been confident, humble and never got rattled during the process, scouts say. Then again, as one head coach pointed out, this is nothing for a young man who lived his youth in the middle of a civil war.

Tight ends as a group was probably the best group and the fastest that we've ever had. Vernon Davis of Maryland produced the fastest time ever by a tight end, clocking 4.37. Other tight ends who turned in fast times were Leonard Pope of Georgia (4.53), Tony Scheffler of Western Michigan (4.56) and Garrett Mills of Tulsa (4.57). Of the 21 tight ends who were on the list to work out, 17 ran and three were medically excused. Another, Southern Cal's Dominique Byrd, chose not to run.

Saturday afternoon turned into a series of great conversations with a number of the top draft picks. Nick Mangold, the center from Ohio State, was so impressive in our conversation about his knowledge of the game, attitude about competing, and measurables that he has to be entering the top 32 picks in this draft. His 4.36 short shuttle tells me that he can get to the linebacker level and mirror a quick LB, no mater which way he goes.

Mangold plays low and has the power to handle a stout nose tackle, and the more I pressed the issue that colleges don't play a lot of 3-4 defense, the more he pointed to his own defense that he went against everyday. Ohio State had a 3-4 package on third downs, and Mangold says he's ready for the NFL's 350-pound nose tackles. "It will not surprise me if we hear his name called near the bottom of the first round," according to an NFL line coach I watched his drills with on Saturday.

The last player who really impressed me while we talked ball was Mathias Kiwanuka. The outstanding Boston College defensive end had 245 tackles, 65½ for a loss, and 37½ sacks in four seasons in Chestnut Hill. Then he went to the Senior Bowl and struggled against Ferguson and dropped in the eyes of many NFL people. Kiwanuka went back to work for the month between the bowl game and the Combine and is back on the rise. I asked him what went wrong at the Senior Bowl and he said he needs to use his hands better and keep the blockers off. Hard to tell in a few drills in shorts if he has accomplished that objective, but Kiwanuka was impressive in his ability to answer the question in a direct, mature fashion, and Kiwanuka convinced me that he has the ability to self correct his problems. One NFL defensive coordinator said to me, "I prefer to go with the things I see him do on game tape and I would be comfortable taking him in the first round. I hope he's there when we pick."

Quarterback Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt is quite strong. He threw the bar up 23 times. I believe this is the most a quarterback has lifted at the Combine. That is extraordinary. QB lifting is strictly optional.

The group of defensive backs blistered the track. Two guys ran under 4.3 -- Tye Hill of Clemson and Tim Jennings of Georgia. Four posted times below 4.4: South Carolina's Johnathan Joseph (4.36), Texas' Michael Huff (4.36), Tennessee's Jason Allen (4.35) and Florida State's Antonio Cromartie (4.39). And five were just above 4.4: Nebraska's Daniel Bullocks (4.40), Howard's Antoine Bethea (4.40), Miami's Devin Hester (4.41), Baylor's Willie Andrew (4.45) and Texas' Cedric Griffin (4.46).

The combine had plenty of winners and losers. Here are some of the most prominent ones:

THE WINNERS

Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland – Davis produced the jaw-dropper moment of the combine, running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash – a ridiculous feat for a guy who checked in at 6-foot-3 3/4 and 254 pounds. In terms of sheer shock, it rivaled Matt Jones' 4.38 time in the 40 last year. According to some scouts, Davis' physique was the most impressive, too. Davis did well in pass-receiving drills and actually looked dominant at times in pass-blocking drills. His 42-inch vertical jump amazed, and he won the broad jump for his position (10-8) by almost 10 inches over the next best effort. Davis likely pushed himself into the draft's top eight selections.

Manny Lawson, DE, North Carolina State – He's been overshadowed by Mario Williams, but he could be a spectacular 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL. Lawson, who may have moved himself into late first-round consideration, will have to make that move with his current size (6-5, 241). He played some linebacker as a freshman and sophomore for the Wolfpack, but after seeing his performance in Indy, Lawson might be a star in the making. He ran 4.43 seconds in the 40, had a vertical of 39½ and had great times in the shuttle and cone drills. Remember Lawson's name.

Ohio State and USC – While not all of their best players worked out, the Buckeyes and Trojans practically owned the combine with 26 total invitees (14 for USC and 12 for Ohio State). Most of those who did participate in drills were very impressive and also seemed to have scored high marks in team interviews. When it's all said and done, there could be as many as 10 first-round picks from these two schools.

Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt – He had the potential to have a big week and really delivered. Cutler's passing drills weren't flawless, but they were very good. He showed he could make any pass asked of him and had the best arm. He finished second overall in ball speed (60 miles per hour), ran a 4.77-second 40 and then showed his competitive nature by volunteering for the weight lifting portion and putting up a very impressive 23 reps. With USC's Matt Leinart and Texas' Vince Young taking voluntary passes on workouts, Cutler walked out of the combine having delivered a great argument why he should be the draft's No. 1 quarterback.

Chad Jackson, WR, Florida – Jackson had to come in and run fast if he wanted to challenge for the draft's top receiver spot. He posted the fastest 40 time of the week (4.32) and had a good round of drills as well. It helps that Ohio State's Santonio Holmes skipped the workouts, giving Jackson the stage. It remains to be seen if he has supplanted Holmes as the No. 1 wideout, but the door is now wide open.

San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers won the coin toss with Oakland to determine the owner of the sixth overall selection. They should be in position to take the guy they covet – Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk.

Teams with top-10 picks – Unlike last year, there is a wealth of "elite" players at the top of this draft. It's also a very diverse group of both defensive and offensive players. There is at least one dominant player from almost everywhere on the field – quarterback, defensive line, offensive line, linebacker, tight end and the secondary. There is a lot of help waiting for needy NFL teams.

Second-tier quarterbacks – With Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst deciding to throw (and looking very sharp), there now appears to be three second-tier quarterbacks who could be very worthwhile projects. Along with Whitehurst, Alabama's Brodie Croyle and Bowling Green's Omar Jacobs looked like guys who have the skills to be quality investments in Rounds 2, 3 and 4.

Tight ends – Davis wasn't the only impressive tight end. Personnel people say this is the best tight end class they have seen in several years, and as many as three could be drafted in the first round: Maryland's Davis, Georgia's Leonard Pope and USC's Dominique Byrd.

Offensive linemen – There is always one position that stands out as having the combine's best group of characters. This year, it was the offensive line. Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Auburn's Marcus McNeill were two of the best interviews, while several others had media members buzzing with their charisma.

Tamba Hali, DE, Penn State – His escape from war-torn Liberia and struggle to get his mother out of that country captivated everyone when he interviewed with the media. But it didn't end there. Several personnel people said they walked out of their individual talks with Hali simply amazed.

Broderick Bunkley, DT, Florida State – Bunkley's physique had a lot of coaches buzzing about the athletic-looking tackle. Then he pumped out 44 reps at 225 pounds and ran a 4.95 in the 40. In a relatively weak defensive tackle class, he secured himself in the first round.

NFL Network – The network was a winner for the second straight year, even though the festivities lacked the Maurice Clarett drama. While 26 hours of live coverage seemed excessive, it actually came off well. The analysts, player interviews and news updates kept the shows from being too bland, and the on-field cameras during drills gave fans a chance to hear what the coaches were teaching. One suggestion for next year, though: a handful of Hollywood-style feature stories – like those on typical pregame shows during the regular season. They would definitely add to the entertainment value.

Running backs – This looks like a deeper position than originally thought with the quality times posted by LSU's Joseph Addai, UCLA's Maurice Drew and several others. Addai (4.4 seconds in the 40) may sneak into the first round, but if he ends up in the second round, someone may have found a steal. Drew (4.39) – who has the most muscular lower body of all the running backs – could be another one who surprises. More than likely, we'll see another productive NFL running back plucked after the first round.

THE LOSERS

Vince Young and Major Adams – Hardly anything positive came out of this week for Young, who skipped workouts and then had a plethora of personnel people question his ability to fit in a conventional offense. But the real blow came when his Wonderlic test issues got leaked out. Not only did almost 48 hours pass before Adams (Young's agent) started damage control, but it highlighted what has seemed to be utter mismanagement of one of the draft's elite players. No matter what Young's score is revealed to be, he clearly wasn't prepared for the test – which is unfathomable. Everybody is saying something different, and nobody knows who's telling the truth. This will rank as one of the worst public relations jobs ever for a top-five pick at the combine.

National Scouting – Wonderlic test results always fall into the hands of the media, but those typically get leaked through team channels a few days after the combine concludes. Because of the environment of rumor-mongering at the combine, it's a disaster when scores get out before the combine is finished. And having Young's testing issues become news this week – no matter what those issues really were – is a black eye for the scouting service that runs the combine.

Quarterbacks moving to receiver – There are at least three quarterbacks that are going to be forced to wide receiver because of accuracy issues: Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal, Penn State's Michael Robinson and Missouri's Brad Smith. But none of those guys took reps at the position, despite being encouraged to do so by coaches. Robinson didn't even work out, severely agitating a number of teams. These passers may not like the reality that they can't be NFL quarterbacks, but that's exactly what it is – reality.

Marcus Vick, QB, Virginia Tech – Vick ran fast, but a handful of team sources said he failed to put his character issues to bed in individual interviews. While his physical talents will get him a look in the draft, he needed to come off as a saint when he met with teams. Apparently that didn't happen.

New York Jets coach Eric Mangini – He was by far the most boring interview. If you could bottle what Mangini was dishing out, you could cure insomnia worldwide. You don't have to puke personnel information, but at least say something when you have a national platform. After all, your fans are watching.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AkayrN8GdA26R2LXzH0x3aY5nYcB?slug=cr-combine022806&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

For now, here are my top 10 observations from this year's combine:

1. Florida wide receiver Chad Jackson was the biggest winner at the combine. He ran the best time, a 4.32. Jackson caught 88 passes last season for Florida, but his receiving yardage average was below 10, usually a sign of a possession receiver. That's clearly not the case with his blistering time at Indianapolis. He's fast. He's big. He's now going to challenge Santonio Holmes of Ohio State and Sinorice Moss for consideration in the later portion of the first round. Holmes didn't run and might jump well ahead of the pack at his Ohio State workout. But Jackson has the physical dimensions and the speed teams are seeking.

2. It's hard to get excited about this year's receiving class. Reggie McNeal and Marcus Vick were just as fast as the best receivers, and these guys are quarterbacks. Derek Hagan of Arizona State ran well, at 4.49, but he still struggled catching the ball. Moss is electric, but he's short, which works well in a Rams-type offense but maybe not for West Coast teams. You'd almost get more excited if quarterbacks such as Michael Robinson of Penn State or McNeal switched to receiver just to spice up this class. Years of top underclassmen turning pro early finally caught up at the receiver position. It was inevitable.

3. Jay Cutler is clearly the third-best quarterback in this draft and he won many fans by throwing at the combine. He throws stronger than Matt Leinart and purer than Vince Young. But he didn't have the wow factor to put him in the top five unless team needs dictate that jump. His mechanics weren't great on the long passes in the middle of the field. His accuracy wasn't great inside the numbers, either . All this says is that he needs work. Teams in need of a quarterback need to move into a position to take him toward the top of the first round, but his showing at the combine doesn't change that it's too early to label him a top-five pick.

4. The only thing you can say about the Vince Young Wonderlic controversy is how an underclassman can be blindsided without having experienced guidance. He's fortunate that Jeff Foster, who runs the combine, took care of him Sunday with a quick retest. Reports were inaccurate that he scored a 6, but he did score single digits or he wouldn't have needed to retest. His 16 score on the retest is good enough, and I'm sure he'll do better on a later test. Young isn't dumb. That's pretty clear. But top-three picks shouldn't be blindsided. They need to know the preparation for a combine if they are coming out as an underclassman; otherwise, they're better off staying in school for another year. Young has been busy with public appearances he earned from his fabulous season and Rose Bowl victory. But the combine is the time to start the job interview process, and he was clearly behind. That shouldn't affect his draft rating, but it might cause a team or two to think a little bit.

5. Vernon Davis is a freak. He's 254 pounds and he ran a 4.38 40 at the combine. Think about that for a second. Only three wide receivers did better than that. Davis ran as fast on the electronic time as Moss, who is 5-foot-8. The Maryland tight end is a rare physical talent who merits top-10 consideration based on his résumé in college and his athletic abilities. He blocked guys in drills 20 yards downfield. In other drills, he was a second or so faster than most participants in a great tight end class. Who wouldn't want a tight end who is faster than a wide receiver and can block?

6. Last year's running back group was great at the top. Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams went in the top five, but the drop-off after that was huge. This year's class might have only one top choice -- Reggie Bush -- but it's depth is stronger for longer. Bush, DeAngelo Williams of Memphis, LenDale White of USC and Laurence Maroney of Minnesota didn't run but seem like locks as first-round picks. The big winner at the combine was Joseph Addai of LSU. He ran a 4.4 and did well in just about everything else, too. Addai is a complete back who does all things well, along with being fast. Five potential first-round backs will impact free agency because teams will be looking for cheaper ways to fill positions if there is no CBA extension. Instead of teams paying $5 million to $7 million on an aging back, this class of five candidates will be studied closely and compared with the veterans.

7. Defensive end Mario Williams is a little lost in the spotlight of top prospects such as Leinart, Young and Bush, but he shouldn't be. As much as teams talk about trading up for quarterbacks, what about moving up for Williams? Super Mario made that more likely with his combine workouts. Even more impressive, it wasn't necessary for him to work out. Listed at 6-7 and 295 pounds, he ran a 4.66 40. That's Julius Peppers territory. Williams has the dominating body that can fit into a 3-4 or a 4-3. He would seem to be a perfect fit for the Green Bay Packers with the fifth pick, but other teams might try to move higher than that to get him.

8. The linebacker class of 2006 is the best of this millennium. Hawk solidified a top-six selection by running a 4.6 and doing the agility drills with ease. Ernie Sims of Florida State improved his first-round stock with a 4.5 40. Thomas Howard of UTEP, listed at 6-3 and 239 pounds, moved up boards with his 4.42 40. Chad Greenway of Iowa didn't wow anyone with his workouts, but he has the tape behind him to be a middle first-round pick.

9. Cornerbacks treated the 40 like a track meet. Those who posted impressive times: Tye Hill of Clemson (4.3), Johnathan Joseph of South Carolina (4.31), Tim Jennings of Georgia (4.32), Michael Huff of Texas (4.34), Willie Andrews of Baylor (4.38), and Jason Allen of Tennessee, Antoine Bethea of Howard and Kelly Jennings of Miami (4.39). Also, safety Daniel Bullocks of Nebraska ran a time of 4.38.

10. Perfect Competition, a training group out of Davie, Fla., moved its operation to Indianapolis for seven days and had a players suite that had a chef, a 40-inch flat-screen TV, PlayStation and computers with wi-fi. Many of its clients had great combines, including Moss, Chad Jackson of Florida, Maurice Drew of UCLA and Nick Mangold of Ohio State, just to name a few. They had a massage therapist and coaches to get them ready for the workouts. It worked.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2349421

Around the combine

• Here's the story on Vince Young's supposedly low score on the Wonderlic Test. He took a test before the combine and was rumored to have a low score, but according to a league source, it was not the 6 that was rumored over the weekend. Regardless, he took the test again Sunday and got a 16. While it's clearly an improvement, such a low score might make teams question his ability to learn and run an NFL offense, and scare franchises from investing a top-five pick on him. Young made his decision to turn pro late, so he might have been ill-prepared for the exam. By taking the test again and getting a 16, the panic should pass. Young will also get to take another test before the draft.

• Bad first scores on the Wonderlic aren't rare. One agent who represents a potential first-round pick told the tale of his client, who first scored a 10. He had taken the test with a bunch of teammates who were joking around and shooting spitballs at each other. The test is given in 12 minutes and has 50 questions. Few in that room took the test seriously and several had bad scores. The agent said his client took the test again after doing some prep work and more than doubled the score.

• Texans general manager Charley Casserley said one team inquired about trading up for the first pick in the draft, and he was approached by a couple of other teams during the combine. "We already had a conversation with one team before we got here, we had a couple of conversations since we've gotten here," Casserley said. "I think this is early in the game. Really, it's going to be April when things get serious &

"What do we have, 10 new coaching staffs? Or whatever the number was. They have to go in and evaluate their players. They're right now going to be a little bit behind in getting ready for the draft, so as they go through and evaluate the draft, finish free agency, you get to April, people put those draft boards up, that's when people are really going to focus in. And I think the quarterbacks are going to be the focus for that first pick, as far as trade goes."

Don't expect the Texans to trade the pick unless there is an offer they can't refuse. The Texans are undecided on whether to take Reggie Bush or Vince Young, and Gary Kubiak, a first-year coach himself, will need a month or so to go through his analysis of the team. By the end of last season, many Texans ticket holders weren't attending games, so the team needs to get a big name out of the draft to keep the crowds happy.

• The funny part about Mike Kudla's 45 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press is that no one told him that he could be approaching a record. Kudla is an Ohio State defensive tackle who kept lifting until he tired. He was told his 45 reps tied a combine record held by Leif Larsen, the defensive tackle from UTEP, who went in the sixth round of the 2000 draft. There are records that indicate Eastern Kentucky defensive tackle Justin Ernest had 51 in 1999. He wasn't drafted.

• The big winner Sunday was Florida wide receiver Chad Jackson, who ran a blistering 4.32 40-yard dash and solidified a first-round grade. Jackson is a big receiver who had 88 catches last season and has the breakaway speed teams are looking for.

• The 4.49 40-yard dash of Colorado wide receiver Jeremy Bloom was impressive because he had virtually no preparation. He spent the past several months training for the Olympics (mogul skiing) and, as he said, it's hard to run in snow boots. He didn't start running until four or five days ago, and he's not at his football weight of about 185. Instead, he's at 170. When he runs it again in a month, he can probably post a 4.4 or lower.

• The word around the combine on the CBA talks is that the NFLPA is asking for 61 percent of total revenues and that the NFL is willing to give 57 percent. Each percentage point is worth around $1 billion over the six-year extension being talked about. It's likely that the sides could settle at 59 or 59.5. NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw insists he won't extend the start of free agency past March 3, but commissioner Paul Tagliabue is trying to get a deal done by Wednesday at 4 p.m., and hoping to push free agency back to March 10.

• Size no concern for Moss: University of Miami wide receiver Sinorice Moss checked in at 5-8, 185 pounds and doesn't have any fears of being short for the NFL. "It's been something since I've been a young child," Moss said. "I've been shorter than mostly everybody else. It doesn't affect me much." By being a short, compact player, Moss said he has a lot of explosiveness in his legs and he can go under defenders on different routes.

• LenDale in Glendale?: So many people are thinking the Cardinals might draft USC halfback LenDale White that he's being labeled GlenDale White for the site of the Cardinals new stadium.

• Kiwanuka caught off guard: The funniest moment of the combine came when Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka was asked if he thought about sacks when he was on the field. "Do I think about sex on the field?" Kiwanuka said, turning the press conference into a laughfest. "I wondered where you were going with that one." He said he does think about sacks because that's why defensive ends get paid.

• Rush to glory: The big winners among the running backs who ran at the combine on the first day were Joseph Addai of LSU and Maurice Drew of UCLA. Drew ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, even though his thighs are so muscular they look like they were pumped up with air. Addai ran a 4.4, but some had him at 4.37. Addai may have moved himself into the first round with his efforts at the combine on Saturday. Washington State's Jerome Henderson continued his bid for the second or third round by running a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. Reggie Bush didn't run.

• Back on track: Tackle Eric Winston was the big winner among the offensive linemen who ran Saturday. He clocked a 4.94, second only to Chris Chester of Oklahoma. This was a big day for Winston, after not playing with his full leg strength last season because he was coming off a 2004 knee reconstruction. His time showed that he has regained the explosion in his legs. He also did well in the agility drills, moving himself back toward the first round.

• Colledge on the rise: Another player who impressed was tackle Daryn Colledge of Boise State. He ran a 5.01. Colledge is vying for second-round consideration.

• Making presence felt: Players are finally understanding the importance of running at the combine. Of the 53 offensive linemen who attended the combine, 44 worked out and most of those who didn't had medical excuses. Naturally, top prospects such as D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Winston Justice didn't run, but most of the other top linemen did. From the first group of running backs, 13 of 14 ran, with Reggie Bush being the lone exception.

• What's in a name? If you are wondering where D'Brickashaw Ferguson got his first name: It comes from the movie "The Thorn Birds," a miniseries from 1983 starring Richard Chamberlain. "It dealt with a priest and some of the issues he had with his religious relationship and his love relationship with a particular female," Ferguson said. "The whole miniseries dealt with the interplay between the two. … His name was Father [Ralph] de Bricassart, and my name was changed slightly." And Ferguson has watched the movie himself.

Ferguson showed up at the combine weighing 312 pounds, further helping an already good rating. Previously listed at 300 pounds, he was considered a little light for a left tackle. Now at 6-foot-6, 312, Ferguson should go in the top five.

One last update, this one by Scott Wright:


2006 NFL Scouting Combine Review

Well after all the buildup the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine in now and in the books and as always there were successes, surprises, disappointments and everything in between. The following is a quick position-by-position look at some of the notable performances:

Quarterbacks
Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler continues his rise up draft boards and once again took advantage of the opportunity to be the top quarterback working out with Leinart and Young sitting the event out. In addition to looking good in the throwing drills Cutler also ran a respectable 4.77 and put up an astounding 23 reps in the bench press. There is now talk that he could go Top 5 overall and may have even passed up Vince Young. Omar Jacobs of Bowling Green was also impressive and probably helped himself while Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal blazed a 4.35 forty and his momentum is still upwards. Keep an eye out for sleeper Ingle Martin of Furman, who had the strongest arm of anyone in attendance and looked good in drills. On the downside Vince Young of Texas did poorly on the Wonderlic, scoring a 16, which further heightens doubts about his ability to master a complex offensive scheme and to read pro defenses. Marcus Vick of Virginia Tech also needed to come off great in interviews but by all accounts failed to do so and looks like a late round pick at best.

Running Backs
This could have been fun to watch if the top prospects had followed the lead of Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams from a year ago and worked out. Unfortunately that wasn't the case with Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams, LenDale White and Laurence Maroney all opting to wait for their Pro Day's, which left little to get excited about at the position. The standouts were Joseph Addai of L.S.U. (4.40), Maurice Drew of U.C.L.A. (4.39), Andre Hall of South Florida (4.42), Jerome Harrison of Washington St. (4.47), Wali Lundy of Virginia (4.45), Jerious Norwood of Mississippi St. (4.40), Leon Washington of Florida St. (4.42) and Wendell Mathis of Fresno St. (4.51). These times have led many to believe that this running back class may be a little deeper than originally thought. The biggest loser might have been Brian Calhoun of Wisconsin, who turned in a very disappointing 4.60 clocking and may now drop a bit.

Fullbacks
Obviously this isn't a glamour position and there really weren't any standouts this year. However, Lawrence Vickers of Colorado probably maintained his spot at the top fullback in the draft despite a less than desirable forty time while Matt Bernstein of Wisconsin (4.90) and Gilbert Harris of Arizona (4.85) were as slow as molasses.

Wide Receivers
Without a doubt one of the stars of this year's Combine was Florida's Chad Jackson, who ran a blistering 4.32 at 6-0 and 213lbs. Last year Troy Williamson put up similar numbers and saw his stock soar, which might be the case this year with Jackson. He is now definitely a first rounder and could slide into the top half of round one. In other words he made himself millions of dollars and after not working out Santonio Holmes might need to start watching his back. Sinorice Moss of Miami (FL) was impressive as expected and clocked in the 4.3's while others who ran well include Devin Aromashodu and Ben Obomanu of Auburn, Willie Reid of Florida St., Jonathan Orr of Wisconsin, Adam Jennings of Fresno St. Meanwhile Derek Hagan of Arizona St. also clocked an impressive 4.42 forty but continued to drop balls while a couple of sleepers in Miles Austin of Monmouth and Marques Colston of Hofstra more than held their own. Among the losers were Greg Lee of Pittsburgh and Cory Rodgers of T.C.U., who both clocked poor times and should have gone back to school for their senior seasons.

Tight Ends
Perhaps no player in the history of the Combine has put on a show like Maryland's Vernon Davis did, running a phenomenal 4.38 and just looking brilliant in the drills. He was already a Top 15 pick but after that performance people are now putting him in the elite category and he has a shot at the Top 5-7 overall. Leonard Pope of Georgia also looked very good while Tony Scheffler of Western Michigan has scouts buzzing about his size, speed, and athleticism. As expected Marcedes Lewis of U.C.L.A. ran a poor time (mid-4.8's) and could see his stock slip a little.

Offensive Tackles
Even though D'Brickashaw Ferguson opted not to work out he did make some headlines by checking in at 312lbs., which is 15 more than he weighed a month ago at the Senior Bowl. The standout among the tackles was Eric Winston of Miami (FL) who ran an excellent 4.94 and was among the top players in each positional drill. Guy Whimper of East Carolina and Jeromey Clary of Kansas St. also clocked in at under 5.00 and put their names on the map while Marcus McNeill ran a 5.07 which is simply tremendous for a guy who is over 6-7 and 336lbs. Even though he didn't run Winston Justice of Southern Cal looked very athletic in the drills and his stock is also on the rise. Among those who disappointed was Jonathan Scott of Texas, who didn't run quite as well as most thought he would.

Offensive Guards
As it was at the Senior Bowl the story at this position was once again Charles Spencer of Pittsburgh, who looked very athletic despite checking in at 352 pounds. Chris Kuper of North Dakota also stood out a bit and might have helped himself while Max Jean-Gilles of Georgia ran one of the worst times of anyone in attendance.

Centers
Nick Mangold of Ohio St. performed very well and solidified himself as the top center in the draft and a possible first round pick. Also keep an eye on Oklahoma's Chris Chester, who can play a number of positions and really impressed with a 4.88 clocking.

Defensive Ends
Any conversation about the defensive ends has to start with Mario Williams of North Carolina St., who checked in at 6-7 and 295 pounds yet still managed to run an impressive 4.66 time in the forty. Let's not leave out his teammate Manny Lawson though because he too helped himself by running an amazing 4.43 time. Honestly there were so many who impressed it would be tough to list them all but a few who deserve mention were Kamerion Wimbley of Florida St., Stanley McClover of Auburn and Mark Anderson of Alabama. As for those who did not do so well Parys Haralson of Tennessee didn't show the speed needed to play linebacker while Victor Adeyanju of Indiana did not run quite as well as most expected him to. Of course you can't not mention Mike Kudla of Ohio St., who tied the all-time Combine bench press record with 45 reps of 225lbs.

Defensive Tackles
One of the most impressive players in Indy, regardless of position, was Brodrick Bunkley of Florida St. The guy is simply a beast with a cut frame and sub-5.00 speed which could help land him in the Top 20 overall. Two of the bigger names, Haloti Ngata of Oregon and Gabe Watson of Michigan, did not run quite as well as most thought they would but that won't be a big issue since they are nose tackles. Perhaps the biggest disappointed here was Tommy Jackson of Auburn who only ran in the high-5.2's which is not very good for a player his size.

Outside Linebackers
This might have been one of the fastest groups of linebackers in recent memory with Jon Alston of Stanford (4.40), Thomas Howard of U.T.E.P. (4.42), Brandon Johnson of Louisville (4.44), and Ernie Sims of Florida St. (4.50) leading the way. Terna Nande of Miami (OH) not only ran well by clocking a 4.51 but also impressed in the weight room by putting up 41 reps of 225lbs. Chad Greenway of Iowa did not run nearly as well (4.7's) as many thought he would while A.J. Nicholson of Florida St. and Stephen Tulloch of North Carolina St. both failed to impress with their times in the high-4.8 to low-4.9 range.

Inside Linebackers
This position was highlighted not so much by guys who did well but moreso by guys who did not do very good. Kai Parham of Virginia ran over 5.0 in his forties and looked awkward in the drills while Kevin Simon of Tennessee, whose game is supposed to be speed, only managed to run in the 4.9's. If there was a bright spot it might have been Leon Williams of Miami (FL) who looked athletic and ran a 4.54 time in the forty. This was an under whelming group overall.

Cornerbacks
There were some impressive times logged in the forty from this group but to be honest most of them were expected. Tye Hill of Clemson showcased his track speed and came through with the fastest time of any player in attendance at 4.30 while Jonathan Joseph of South Carolina was just behind him with a 4.31 time. Tim Jennings of Georgia, Kelly Jennings of Miami (FL), Dee Webb of Florida and Richard Marshall of Fresno St. also put on a show by clocking outstanding times. Among those who disappointed was Charles Gordon of Kansas and while Miami's Devin Hester ran a 4.45 it wasn't exactly the type of electrifying time he needed for a guy with so many question marks. That just might not be enough to entice a team to use a day one pick on him.

Safeties
What a group this was and the speed some of these guys showed was eye-opening. The performance of Texas' Michael Huff really stood out and after running a 4.34 at 6-0 and 204lbs. he probably guaranteed himself a spot in the Top 10 overall. Daniel Bullocks carried over the momentum he started at the Senior Bowl and impressed with his 4.38 clocking, which leads some to believe he might be an even better prospect than his brother Josh was a year ago. You also have to be happy for Jason Allen of Tennessee, who is returning from a serious hip injury yet still clocked a 4.39 which should send his stock upwards. Donte Whitner of Ohio St. showed his strength (18 reps) and speed (4.40) and looks like a first rounder while Ko Simpson of South Carolina measured in at about what he was listed at in college and ran a solid 4.45 time in the forty. There were also some so-so performances but mentioning them would just take away from the outstanding effort put in by the others. This could be one of the better safety classes to come around in a very long time both in terms of quality at the top as well as depth throughout.

Kickers / Punters
There wasn't a whole lot happening here but Ryan Plackemeier of Wake Forest stood out the most while John Torp of Colorado and Steve Weatherford of Illinois struggled. Josh Huston of Ohio St. looked to be the top kicker in attendance.

H1Man deserves a gold star or SOMETHING for this work. God DAMN.

^ Thanks. [smilie=yup.gif]

I was starting to think no one even bothered to read this thread.

^ Thanks. [smilie=yup.gif]

I was starting to think no one even bothered to read this thread.

I read every fucking word.

Hoping that Clemens, Whitehead, Ngata, Day, and Demetrius Williams all get good draft spots with good teams. Also hoping that the Lions get some good players from a bumper crop of offensive linemen.

Dumb question.

What is the difference between an H-Back and TE?

Dumb question.

What is the difference between an H-Back and TE?

A Tight End usually lines up on either side of the Offensive Line (next to the tackles).

A H-Back is an hybrid TE/Fullback position and replaces the Fullback on the field. They usually line up right behind the TE and are usually used to block on the outside or run a pass route.