SUNDAY COMBINE REPORT - SPEED ON DISPLAY, BUT QUARTERBACKS A NO-SHOW
Sunday brought the speed guys into the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis & they put on a show. The wide receivers & running backs turned in some eye-popping times in the 40-yard dash. These two positions, more than any other can actually translate their combine speed to real game speed. You have to watch them run tho as some will take 8-10 steps before they even look up & that will could you killed in the NFL. A 40-yard dash time needs to be taken for what it really is, a reference, not an absolute. Jerry Rice ran two disappointing 4.60 passes at the combine & Cris Carter, who didn't attend the combine, ran an on-campus 4.63. The two of them have over 2,600 receptions & 338 touchdowns between them.
The top four QB's, Bradford, Clausen, McCoy & Tebow didn't throw, tho Tebow did the rest of the physical drills. He & West Virginia's Jarrett Brown showed exceptional athleticism for the position. Tony Pike of Cincinnati put 8 pounds on his very slim frame, he needs another 10, but he threw well. Oregon State's Sean Canfield isn't going to make it in my opinion. This is the second consecutive poor performance on the big stage, weak throws & poor accuracy is a terrible combination for a quarterback. Jevon Snead of Ole Miss was awful as well, he should have returned for his Senior year. He deep passing for pretty decent but everything else was sub-par. His drop needs work, he holds the ball too low in the pocket making his delivery slower. For a prospect who was touted as a 1st-round selection before his junior season began, he's fallen a long way, I can't see him being drafted before the 4th round now. One real intriguing quarterback prospect, John Skelton of Fordham, threw the ball very well & has great size at 6' 5" & 243. I have no concept if he can read a defense, but with his natural talent & passing skills, he could warrant a late round selection.
The wide receivers were first up & many of the guys I was looking at for K.C. did well. Two of the top prospects, Dez Bryant & Georgia Tech's Demaryius Thomas didn't workout due to injury. Thomas broke his foot 10 days ago, Bryant's injury is somewhat of a mystery with more than a few teams beginning to bail on Bryant. He's looking more & more like a high maintenance diva. One NFL player personnel director was quoted as saying "I'd take this guy if he has someone to wake him up everyday, get him to meetings on time, get him to practice on time & get him to games on time." This is an opinion shared by more than a few in attendance yesterday. Some thoughts on wide receivers who performed well yesterday:
Arrelious Benn--6' 1" 219
The Illinois wideout suffered thru a crummy junior year between injuries & QB issues. As a sophomore, Benn was productive & showed skills beyond his years. Benn ran a faster than expected 4.48 yesterday & he had a 37" vertical jump, adding to his chances to be a 1st round pick. Benn is a smooth route runner with good body control & excellent hands. First round.
Golden Tate--5' 11" 199
Did himself a lot of good yesterday running 4.42 in the forty. He is probably the best 'run-after-catch' wideout in this draft, he's more like a running back in the open field. Excellent ball skills & a very tough competitor. Low first round-high second round. Like to see him reunited with Charlie Weis.
Taylor Price--5' 11" 200
This prospect from Ohio of the Mid-American Conference impressed me twice during the season, he was the best receiver at the Senior Bowl & he looked good yesterday. Superior hands & a good route runner with 4.41 speed. His two gauntlet runs were the best of the day.
Emmanuel Sanders--5' 10 186
I was only able to watch Sanders twice with SMU, but he really caught my eye at the East-West Shrine Game. His ability to get into & out of his cuts without gearing down impressed me. His hands were exceptional as well. Running a 4.41 yesterday, then adding a 10' 6" broad jump & a 39 1/2" vertical, Sanders showed he has the speed & athletic ability. I like him a lot & see him as a high 4th round selection, possibly low 3rd.
Some of the prospects who saw their performance cause their stock to drop:
Dezmon Briscoe--6' 2" 207
Here's a kid I was very high on before last season began but father watching his performance at the combine, I was very disappointed. I don't know what Briscoe was doing since Kansas' season ended back in November, but I doubt it was preparing for an NFL career. He looked sluggish running 4.61, he looked slow in other drills as well. He managed only 9 reps in the bench press & was winded after every drill. By the time the wideouts time on the field was over, Briscoe was bent over, grabbing his shorts & sucking wind. I had him as a high 2nd rounder near the end of the season but now I believe he has fallen well into the third round.
Mike Williams--6' 1" 221
This kid is an immature train wreck waiting to happen. He was suspended at Syracuse for the entire 2008 season. He was reinstated last year but got himself suspended before the first game, missing it. He came back to play 6 games before being told he was being suspended for one game again at which point he quit the team. I've heard numerous reports from the personal interviews that make my point for me. Williams takes no accountability for his career at Syracuse. Major red flag. He is big, fast(4.49) & has a good pair of hands but is all that worth the risk a personality like this brings to your team? Fifth round at the earliest if it were up to me.
Jordan Shipley--5' 11" 193
I was really disappointed in Shipley yesterday. He didn't run well(4.57), his gauntlet wasn't very good & he looked too nervous in everything he did. I think he's no better than a mid-3rd round pick now.
Brandon LaFell--6' 2" 211
The LSU prospect had a bad day yesterday in front of everybody that matters in the NFL. He ran slow(4.59), didn't catch the ball consistently, especially in the gauntlet & he had a difficult time keeping his feet. Many thought LaFell could be a low 1st round selection, I thought he was a solid 2nd round pick, but after yesterday, I'd say Brandon might have dropped into round three.
Other prospects:
Mardy Gilyard--6' 0" 187
He didn't run fast in the forty(4.56), but he jumped 39" in the vertical & his game has always been more quick than fast. He runs good routes, gets separation but sometimes his hands are inconsistent. A game-breaking return man whose quick feet give him the ability to take any kick back all the way. Mid-second to mid-third round pick.
Jacoby Ford--5' 9" 186
Ford ran 'lights out' with a 4.28 in the forty. Unfortunately his speed doesn't often translate to on-field production as he has to gear down too much in his breaks. He has very small hands(7 5/8") & it shows in his inconsistency catching the ball.
Brandon Banks--5' 7" 149
Awesome return man who brought back 5 kickoffs for touchdowns plus he caught 60 passes as a senior. Small, almost frail looking, he is ultra quick & pretty fast too(4.42). The former K-State Wildcat will get drafted as a return man.
Kerry Meier--6' 2" 224
The former Kansas quarterback actually did pretty well yesterday. To me, he's been an intriguing prospect all along. Meier has ideal size, excellent hands & knows how to get open consistently. His 199 receptions & 16 touchdowns the last two seasons is productive in anyone's book. Meier won't run away from the defense(4.62), but he reads coverages like a quarterback, giving him the chance to get open. He ran an excellent 2nd gauntlet & looked good planting his foot & cutting in the short route drills. He'll be a late pick, but I think he has a chance to stick. I know the Chiefs had a scheduled interview with Meier Friday night.
Two other injured prospects I wanted to see were Minnesota's Eric Decker & Mizzou's Danario Alexander. I wanted to see them run & compete in the passing drills. Decker has a Lisfanc fracture in his foot. He's going to need surgery this month to remove a plate & some screws that were installed to mend the fracture. Though I doubt he'll run before the draft, I still think he'll be no worse than a 4th round pick. Alexander on the other hand probably won't be able to run before training camp, if then. He's had his knee repaired 3 times & you wonder if an NFL team will even risk a draft choice on him. Alexander led the nation in receiving yards as a senior & was ahead of Jeremy Maclin on Mizzou's depth chart as a sophomore. He got injured, Maclin got his chance, the rest is history.
I'll have my take on the running backs tonight.
The top four QB's, Bradford, Clausen, McCoy & Tebow didn't throw, tho Tebow did the rest of the physical drills. He & West Virginia's Jarrett Brown showed exceptional athleticism for the position. Tony Pike of Cincinnati put 8 pounds on his very slim frame, he needs another 10, but he threw well. Oregon State's Sean Canfield isn't going to make it in my opinion. This is the second consecutive poor performance on the big stage, weak throws & poor accuracy is a terrible combination for a quarterback. Jevon Snead of Ole Miss was awful as well, he should have returned for his Senior year. He deep passing for pretty decent but everything else was sub-par. His drop needs work, he holds the ball too low in the pocket making his delivery slower. For a prospect who was touted as a 1st-round selection before his junior season began, he's fallen a long way, I can't see him being drafted before the 4th round now. One real intriguing quarterback prospect, John Skelton of Fordham, threw the ball very well & has great size at 6' 5" & 243. I have no concept if he can read a defense, but with his natural talent & passing skills, he could warrant a late round selection.
The wide receivers were first up & many of the guys I was looking at for K.C. did well. Two of the top prospects, Dez Bryant & Georgia Tech's Demaryius Thomas didn't workout due to injury. Thomas broke his foot 10 days ago, Bryant's injury is somewhat of a mystery with more than a few teams beginning to bail on Bryant. He's looking more & more like a high maintenance diva. One NFL player personnel director was quoted as saying "I'd take this guy if he has someone to wake him up everyday, get him to meetings on time, get him to practice on time & get him to games on time." This is an opinion shared by more than a few in attendance yesterday. Some thoughts on wide receivers who performed well yesterday:
Arrelious Benn--6' 1" 219
The Illinois wideout suffered thru a crummy junior year between injuries & QB issues. As a sophomore, Benn was productive & showed skills beyond his years. Benn ran a faster than expected 4.48 yesterday & he had a 37" vertical jump, adding to his chances to be a 1st round pick. Benn is a smooth route runner with good body control & excellent hands. First round.
Golden Tate--5' 11" 199
Did himself a lot of good yesterday running 4.42 in the forty. He is probably the best 'run-after-catch' wideout in this draft, he's more like a running back in the open field. Excellent ball skills & a very tough competitor. Low first round-high second round. Like to see him reunited with Charlie Weis.
Taylor Price--5' 11" 200
This prospect from Ohio of the Mid-American Conference impressed me twice during the season, he was the best receiver at the Senior Bowl & he looked good yesterday. Superior hands & a good route runner with 4.41 speed. His two gauntlet runs were the best of the day.
Emmanuel Sanders--5' 10 186
I was only able to watch Sanders twice with SMU, but he really caught my eye at the East-West Shrine Game. His ability to get into & out of his cuts without gearing down impressed me. His hands were exceptional as well. Running a 4.41 yesterday, then adding a 10' 6" broad jump & a 39 1/2" vertical, Sanders showed he has the speed & athletic ability. I like him a lot & see him as a high 4th round selection, possibly low 3rd.
Some of the prospects who saw their performance cause their stock to drop:
Dezmon Briscoe--6' 2" 207
Here's a kid I was very high on before last season began but father watching his performance at the combine, I was very disappointed. I don't know what Briscoe was doing since Kansas' season ended back in November, but I doubt it was preparing for an NFL career. He looked sluggish running 4.61, he looked slow in other drills as well. He managed only 9 reps in the bench press & was winded after every drill. By the time the wideouts time on the field was over, Briscoe was bent over, grabbing his shorts & sucking wind. I had him as a high 2nd rounder near the end of the season but now I believe he has fallen well into the third round.
Mike Williams--6' 1" 221
This kid is an immature train wreck waiting to happen. He was suspended at Syracuse for the entire 2008 season. He was reinstated last year but got himself suspended before the first game, missing it. He came back to play 6 games before being told he was being suspended for one game again at which point he quit the team. I've heard numerous reports from the personal interviews that make my point for me. Williams takes no accountability for his career at Syracuse. Major red flag. He is big, fast(4.49) & has a good pair of hands but is all that worth the risk a personality like this brings to your team? Fifth round at the earliest if it were up to me.
Jordan Shipley--5' 11" 193
I was really disappointed in Shipley yesterday. He didn't run well(4.57), his gauntlet wasn't very good & he looked too nervous in everything he did. I think he's no better than a mid-3rd round pick now.
Brandon LaFell--6' 2" 211
The LSU prospect had a bad day yesterday in front of everybody that matters in the NFL. He ran slow(4.59), didn't catch the ball consistently, especially in the gauntlet & he had a difficult time keeping his feet. Many thought LaFell could be a low 1st round selection, I thought he was a solid 2nd round pick, but after yesterday, I'd say Brandon might have dropped into round three.
Other prospects:
Mardy Gilyard--6' 0" 187
He didn't run fast in the forty(4.56), but he jumped 39" in the vertical & his game has always been more quick than fast. He runs good routes, gets separation but sometimes his hands are inconsistent. A game-breaking return man whose quick feet give him the ability to take any kick back all the way. Mid-second to mid-third round pick.
Jacoby Ford--5' 9" 186
Ford ran 'lights out' with a 4.28 in the forty. Unfortunately his speed doesn't often translate to on-field production as he has to gear down too much in his breaks. He has very small hands(7 5/8") & it shows in his inconsistency catching the ball.
Brandon Banks--5' 7" 149
Awesome return man who brought back 5 kickoffs for touchdowns plus he caught 60 passes as a senior. Small, almost frail looking, he is ultra quick & pretty fast too(4.42). The former K-State Wildcat will get drafted as a return man.
Kerry Meier--6' 2" 224
The former Kansas quarterback actually did pretty well yesterday. To me, he's been an intriguing prospect all along. Meier has ideal size, excellent hands & knows how to get open consistently. His 199 receptions & 16 touchdowns the last two seasons is productive in anyone's book. Meier won't run away from the defense(4.62), but he reads coverages like a quarterback, giving him the chance to get open. He ran an excellent 2nd gauntlet & looked good planting his foot & cutting in the short route drills. He'll be a late pick, but I think he has a chance to stick. I know the Chiefs had a scheduled interview with Meier Friday night.
Two other injured prospects I wanted to see were Minnesota's Eric Decker & Mizzou's Danario Alexander. I wanted to see them run & compete in the passing drills. Decker has a Lisfanc fracture in his foot. He's going to need surgery this month to remove a plate & some screws that were installed to mend the fracture. Though I doubt he'll run before the draft, I still think he'll be no worse than a 4th round pick. Alexander on the other hand probably won't be able to run before training camp, if then. He's had his knee repaired 3 times & you wonder if an NFL team will even risk a draft choice on him. Alexander led the nation in receiving yards as a senior & was ahead of Jeremy Maclin on Mizzou's depth chart as a sophomore. He got injured, Maclin got his chance, the rest is history.
I'll have my take on the running backs tonight.
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