Official 2009 NFL Combine Thread

[JC]

I think Malcom Jenkins will be an absolute stud at CB. He is big physical and fast, in the mold of Champ. But i would rather have Crabtree at 6 than Jenkins.

[akiliMVP]

[quote name='JC' post='748526' date='Feb 22 2009, 11:57 AM']I think Malcom Jenkins will be an absolute stud at CB. He is big physical and fast, in the mold of Champ. But i would rather have Crabtree at 6 than Jenkins.[/quote]
Yeah 3 first round corners in 4 years is unnecessary and retarded.

[msharp16]

My top RB's (unofficial 40's)

Knowshon Moreno 4.55/4.63
Chris Wells 4.57/4.54
LeSean McCoy DNP (flu)
Rashad Jennings 4.49/4.62/4.62
Donald Brown 4.48
Andre Brown 4.45
Glen Coffee 4.5
Kory Sheets 4.38
Ian Johnson 4.38
Cedric Peerman 4.41
Shonn Greene 4.65

[msharp16]

[quote name='akiliMVP' post='748552' date='Feb 22 2009, 12:38 PM']Yeah 3 first round corners in 4 years is unnecessary and retarded.[/quote]


i think the only reason we would go after Jenkins is if we don't re-sign Crocker and plan to put Jenkins at FS. And that's a long shot

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Mickens discuss draft chances[/b][/size]
Posted by JoeReedy at 2/22/2009 2:33 PM EST on Cincinnati.com

UC cornerback Mike Mickens talked about not being able to workout at the NFL Combine due to a knee injury.

Hows the knee injury coming along -- It's progressing real good. My Goal is to be
ready by the March 19 pro day to run and workout. I'm just in here interviewing.


Regret playing in Orange Bowl -- Don't regret it all. I actually wasn't healthy in
the Orange Bowl. I was about 50 percent but that's my last college game and I wanted
to play for my teammates and give everything to the fans. It swelled back up on me
after the game. I tried to manage it and get it down before the Senior Bowl. Honor
to be elected to the Senior Bowl and I wanted to try but I just couldn't go. I gave
it a shot and now I'm just trying to rehab and get ready for my pro day.


Return yardage on INTs -- Just try to make plays. Anytime we get our hands on
the ball just want to help the offense and make it easier for them to score or score ourselves.


How competitive was it (playing with Underwood and Smith in the secondary) -- It was
real competitive. We got two great guys out there competing and brings your game up
to another level. Three going at it at practice every game and compete at a high level and it shows.


Leap from college to pros -- Biggest challenge is going to be facing big running backs
like (the Giants) Brandon Jacobs and not touching after five yards. In college your
allowed to put them on there al ittle bit. Learn new techniques.


How frustrating has it been the past couple months (not playing in Senior Bowl and
working out here) -- It's been frustrating but everything happens for a reason. I'm
not worried about it. I'll just keep pushing and know I'll be healthy soon.


What do you want teams to know about you -- I'm a great character guy. I'm a mature
guy. I'll work my butt off and just want to get on the field.


Schemes in college career -- I think first two years we pressed a whole lot. We had a defensive
coordinator my first two years Pat Narduzzi who wanted a whole lot of press. I had that background.
Our defensive coordinator the last two years, Joe Tracy, he had us playing off. I did the best
of both worlds -- played a lot of zone and man.


Preference -- Probably would press. I like to get up and challenge a guy and see how he is
and see how he responds. See if he can run by me honestly.


How about playing different offenses in practice (UC ran a power O the first two years,
spread the last two) --It gets you ready. It gets you tough when you play a power offense
in college. You have to tackle them real good and let you know how it's going to be.
Playing a finesse offense, a spread offense, it was a great honor. It helps you with
your ball skills and coverage.[/quote]




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[quote][size=5][b]Smith discusses draft chances[/b][/size]
Posted by JoeReedy at 2/22/2009 2:41 PM EST on Cincinnati.com

A look at how UC cornerback/safety DeAngelo Smith sees his draft chances:

-- You played corner and safety at Cincinnati. How are most teams looking at you?

"They're looking at me at both, kinda -- a corner, but they know I can play safety."

-- Do you have a preference?

"I like corner a lot, but I'll do whatever to help the team. Me playing safety,
it shows I can do multiple things."

-- When you worked with coach Zimmer (Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer)
at the Senior Bowl, did you get a sense of how important it is to be versatile? Did he stress that?

"Yeah, that's what most of the coaches talk to you about. They say, `The more you can do,
the better you are.' So I try to adjust myself and know all the plays -- free safety,
corner, nickel, anywhere in the defensive secondary."

-- Where did you play and practice at the Senior Bowl?

"It was split reps. We all played inside nickel. I played some safety in practice, but
I didn't play it in the game. So corner, nickel."

-- Who have you talked to this weekend?

"I can't remember. I've talked to a good amount of teams. I can't remember all of 'em."

-- What did you take from the Senior Bowl experience?

"You just learn different styles of coaching and how different people approach the game.
Other players are out there working to get to the same goal I'm getting to,
so there's competition out there."

-- What do you hope to accomplish this weekend?

"I want to run a fast 40 and do pretty good in my position drills, just show them that
I'm not necessarily what my time said before."

-- Where have you been training?

"I've been with Tom Shaw down in Orlando."

-- What do you want teams to know about you as a person?

"That you get the total package. You get a returner, a corner, corner/safety, nickel back.
I can do a lot of different things. You get a total package."

-- Twenty interceptions in high school and 12 at Cincinnati. Where did you develop those ball skills?

"I played receiver in high school, too. Being able to play receiver, you work on your
ball skills. Converting over to defense, it helps a lot when you're looking for the ball up in the air."

-- It's been said that receivers with bad hands play corner.

(smiles) "Nah. Some people think that, but not in my case."

-- Did you line up much in the slot in college?

"Some of my (sophomore) year I did. My last two years I didn't."

-- Do you think that will be much of an adjustment in the NFL?

"No. The way our defense played, we kind of played the slot because we played `over' corner,
so you had to play the slot at the same time. So I don't think it will be a big adjustment.
You just have to get used to it."

-- Did Ohio State recruit you? (Smith is a Columbus native)

"No."

-- Did you want to go to Ohio State?

"Not really."

-- Want to get out of Columbus?

"Just whoever had interest in me, that's who I had interest in. I just looked at what was
best for me, and that was Cincinnati."

-- When you got an interception, you usually took it back a long way.

"After you make the interception, your approach is, `Get to the end zone.' I guess I got there pretty good."

-- Was there much competition between you three? (UC DBs Mike Mickens and Brandon Underwood
also are here; Smith and Underwood split time b/w safety and corner.)

"It was very competitive. We even challenged each other in practice. If you dropped a pick,
you got 10 pushups. We all know we're here competing against each other. We're still friends,
but at the same time we're here competing against each other for a job. We know we have to
play ball and see what's best for each other."

-- What was your major?

"Criminal justice/psychology."

-- What is your backup plan if football doesn't work?

"Probably DEA or going into coaching."

-- What does it mean to have so many UC guys here and at the Senior Bowl?

"It means a lot. It just shows UC ain't a small-time school. They've got players, too. Sometimes
UC gets the one-star, two-star recruits, but a player is a player. If he can make plays, he'll
be able to get himself to the combine and the Senior Bowl."

-- When teams talk to you about playing corner, are they looking at you more in the Tampa 2,
where you're looking into the backfield more, or more man?

"I really haven't got that question, but I can play both man scheme and a Tampa 2-type."

-- What did you play at Cincinnati?

"We played zone and man. It was pretty even."

-- Did you practice at both positions?

"Summer practice I did. My first three games, I played safety. Then they moved me back to corner."

-- You played the slot at the Senior Bowl, right?

"Yes."

-- It looked like you struggled in the game. Will that be a tough adjustment for you?

"Nah, I don't think I struggled that much. I think I did pretty good. Just the deep ball,
but hey, that happens to all corners."[/quote]




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[Jason]

[quote name='globetrotter' post='748369' date='Feb 21 2009, 07:06 PM']Mine is
LB Aaron Curry
LT Eugene Monroe
LT Jason Smith
LB Rey Mualaga
DT BJ Raji
T Andre Smith
WR Michael Crabtree
WR Jeremy Maclin



[b]How many games didnt he finish[/b][b][/b][/quote]

2. Youngstown State where he had the foot injury and Texas where he had a concussion.

To my knowledge any other game he started and did not finish was because OSU was blowing someone out.

[claptonrocks]

[quote name='bengaled' post='748518' date='Feb 22 2009, 10:34 AM']no[/quote]

[texbengal]

[quote name='msharp16' post='748555' date='Feb 22 2009, 01:48 PM']My top RB's (unofficial 40's)

Knowshon Moreno 4.55/4.63
Chris Wells 4.57/4.54
LeSean McCoy DNP (flu)
Rashad Jennings 4.49/4.62/4.62
Donald Brown 4.48
Andre Brown 4.45
Glen Coffee 4.5
Kory Sheets 4.38
Ian Johnson 4.38
Cedric Peerman 4.41
Shonn Greene 4.65[/quote]

Wait... that can't be right for Beanie Wells. A few folks on this board guaranteed he'd run faster than McFadden did last year (4.33) at the Combine.

Anyway, a couple of intriguing guys, to me, are Kory Sheets, who looked really good at the Combine and the Bengals had a good look at him on the North squad, and Glen Coffee, who I think is a really underrated back who was consistently a threat at Alabama. I love the way he runs - kind of a slasher with power -- though he does run upright -- and he can catch and block, too.

[msharp16]

[quote name='texbengal' post='748619' date='Feb 22 2009, 05:00 PM']Wait... that can't be right for Beanie Wells. A few folks on this board guaranteed he'd run faster than McFadden did last year (4.33) at the Combine.

Anyway, a couple of intriguing guys, to me, are Kory Sheets, who looked really good at the Combine and the Bengals had a good look at him on the North squad, and Glen Coffee, who I think is a really underrated back who was consistently a threat at Alabama. I love the way he runs - kind of a slasher with power -- though he does run upright -- and he can catch and block, too.[/quote]


all of those times were what NFL network reported at the time. The trend seems to be when the official times are released they are slower, with only a couple of exceptions. Also, Rashad Jennings time was in the 4.6 range, not 4.4's..... fucking NFL network

[Jamie_B]

Robiskie is having a good camp.

[akiliMVP]

[quote name='Jamie_B' post='748639' date='Feb 22 2009, 09:17 PM']Robiskie is having a good camp.[/quote]
He's going to be a damn good receiver in the NFL. Size, hands, smart, great route runner, good blocker, great character. He isn't an all world athlete but he does all the small things that make a receiver great.

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='akiliMVP' post='748641' date='Feb 22 2009, 08:25 PM']He's going to be a damn good receiver in the NFL. Size, hands, smart, great route runner, good blocker, great character. He isn't an all world athlete but he does all the small things that make a receiver great.[/quote]


OSU has been putting out some good WRs the past few years.

[msharp16]

[quote name='akiliMVP' post='748641' date='Feb 22 2009, 06:25 PM']He's going to be a damn good receiver in the NFL. Size, hands, smart, great route runner, good blocker, great character. He isn't an all world athlete but he does all the small things that make a receiver great.[/quote]


sounds like the receiver we are letting go into free agency

[Jamie_B]

[quote name='msharp16' post='748650' date='Feb 22 2009, 08:53 PM']sounds like the receiver we are letting go into free agency[/quote]


I was watching him and he looks to be a faster version of it. If we didnt have so many other needs and if I didnt think Caldwell will fill that role....

[|kennethmw|]

[quote name='msharp16' post='748650' date='Feb 22 2009, 09:53 PM']sounds like the receiver we are letting go into free agency[/quote]

Except he's 23 and doesn't want 10 million a year. I wouldn't be opposed to us getting him depending on what we do in FA. I wouldn't consider him a huge reach at 38, if we soldify the C position in FA. I'd prefer to get him in the third, though.

[Bengals1181]

[quote name='Jamie_B' post='748651' date='Feb 22 2009, 08:54 PM']I was watching him and he looks to be a faster version of it. If we didnt have so many other needs and if I didnt think Caldwell will fill that role....[/quote]


I'd be all for getting Robiskie, but only if we move Chad. Chad, Henry, and Simpson all don't play special teams. Can't add Robiskie (who also doesn't have much teams experience) unless one of the 4 decides to learn. We dress 5 WR's max on gameday, and at least 2 of them have to be able to contribute on special teams.

[msharp16]

[quote name='Jamie_B' post='748651' date='Feb 22 2009, 06:54 PM']I was watching him and he looks to be a faster version of it. If we didnt have so many other needs and if I didnt think Caldwell will fill that role....[/quote]

Best Player Available. I know we have needs, but you never see the winner teams reach... i.e. Patriots. I guess you have to make a splash in FA every once in awhile for that formula to work.

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Notebook: Times in 40 aren't so cut, dried[/b][/size]
Feb. 22, 2009
NFLDraftScout.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- There's far more than meets the eye when it comes to the 40-yard dash, the television darling of the combine workouts.


Exactly how fast did Jeremy Maclin run the 40-yard dash at the combine? (Getty Images)
The times posted by the NFL Network, the only media outlet allowed on the field during the event, are unofficial. And they're taken independent of the three official times clocked by National Football Scouting -- two electronic and one handheld. Of those, only the top 10 electronic times are posted to the league's website. Throw in the fact that coaches, scouts and personnel men take their own handheld times, and you have a mush pot of times to sift through.

Oh yeah, and everyone runs twice.

Hence, the confusion regarding the times of players such as Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. The NFL Network posted 4.40 seconds immediately after one of his two runs Sunday, while scouts and personnel men on hand were buzzing about clockings as low as 4.29 while other sources told NFLDraftScout.com that he was in the 4.45-4.50. The top 10 "official" electronic times posted didn't list Maclin at all. South Carolina's Kenny McKinley was listed 10th at 4.44, meaning Maclin's top electronic time was 4.5 or higher.

That doesn't concern St. Louis Rams general manager Billy Devaney, who said, "The bottom line is he can run away from people. And he runs as fast in pads as he does in shorts. A lot of players don't, but he does.

"Larry Fitzgerald ran more than 4.6 when he was here (Fitzgerald didn't work out at the combine, but did post a 4.63 in another workout), and I don't hear too many people now talking about what he ran at Indianapolis."

Maclin fell during a drill and banged his knee on the turf. He got up and continued to work briefly, but then pulled himself out again. The injury appeared to be a hyperextension and not serious, but Maclin will have an MRI to be sure.

The big name who didn't take the field was Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree. He didn't pull an Andre' Smith and bolt town without telling anyone. He was still in Indianapolis, and took the podium just long enough to confirm that he will delay surgery on the stress fracture in his foot until after working out for scouts at his March 26 Pro Day.

"I come here today involving my injury report. It's an old injury I've been having," Crabtree said. "I've never had any pain in it. I will run my 40 (March 26). After I do that I'm going to do surgery and I'm looking forward to going to the next level. And that's it."

Even before the news of his foot injury surfaced, Crabtree wasn't scheduled to run at the combine because of an ankle injury. However, he did agree to catch some passes from quarterbacks when requested to. He was stationary, but caught roughly 100 balls without a drop from quarterbacks trying to impress scouts with their arm strength.

The quarterback positional drills are the only drills the media is allowed to attend, with NFLDraftScout.com analysts Rob Rang and Chad Reuter each watching a group Sunday.

Southern Cal's Mark Sanchez and Georgia's Matt Stafford were part of the same workout group. Stafford chose not to throw, giving Sanchez the chance to make up some ground. Although the former Trojan was clearly the most technically sound of the quarterbacks in his group, he did not have a jaw-dropping throwing session that will threaten Stafford for the first quarterback off the board. Although Sanchez's 40 times were only adequate, his efficient footwork and ability to throw on the run gave teams an indication of his mobility inside and outside the pocket.

Juniors Josh Freeman (Kansas State) and Nate Davis (Ball State) were the two quarterbacks scouts were most interested to see in the morning session. Freeman has good arm strength, but his accuracy was inconsistent. On many of his shorter and intermediate routes, he often was a bit high or wide with his throws. Overall, it was a solid performance, but not as spectacular as some had projected. Davis was a little erratic early, but improved as the practice went on. He has the best deep ball (in terms of accuracy, velocity and trajectory) of any of the quarterbacks here. He did not wear gloves, as he did in college.

Perhaps the most impressive player on the field in the morning session was Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Scouts were impressed, but not altogether surprised, by his 4.30-second 40-yard dash -- the fastest time recorded yet at this year's event. It was his improved fluidity and consistency of his route-running and his secure hands that really caught their attention.

Fresno State's Tom Brandstater was the most consistently impressive passer of the first session. He was accurate with good velocity.

Central Arkansas's Nathan Brown also helped himself. His passes had enough zip to assure scouts that he can make every throw. His accuracy and trajectory on the post corner routes were particularly impressive.


[b]Workout watch [/b]

• Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" posted a 4.59-second 40-yard dash. It was the 10th-fasted official time among running backs Sunday, but it was a bit slower than the mid-4.5s most experts expected to see.

• Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno appeared to get off the line slowly and failed to record an official 40 time among the top 10 running backs. The unofficial time listed by NFL Network was 4.62.

• Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin continues to have a strong combine. Measuring in taller than expected at 5-feet-11 3/4, Harvin followed it up with a 4.41 times in the 40. He will wait until Florida's Pro Day on March 18 to do positional drills.

• North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks pulled up during receiver drills with what was reported to be a strained hamstring.

• Rice tight end James Casey was expected to work out extremely well. While he didn't post a 40 time among the top 10 tight ends, he did tie Wisconsin's Travis Beckum for the lead among the position with 28 reps at 225 pounds. He also posted a 36.0-inch vertical jump.

• Connecticut's Donald Brown and Boise State's Ian Johnson turned in impressive all-around workouts. Brown was among the top five running backs in the 40-yard dash (4.51 seconds), broad jump (10'5") and led the group in the vertical jump (41.5 inches). Johnson impressed scouts with his rare blend of speed -- second among running backs at 4.46 seconds -- and strength (26 reps at 225 pounds).

• Texas A&M's Stephen McGee blew away the rest of the quarterback field with a 4.66 clocking in the 40, well ahead of Sam Houston State's Rhett Bomar (4.82).

• Virginia running back Cedric Peerman led all running backs with a 4.45 in the 40 in official electronic times posted Sunday. He was second with a 40.0-inch vertical jump and fourth among the position group with 27 reps at 225 pounds.

• Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson did not work out. Gibson pulled a hamstring at the Senior Bowl, which might have limited his combine preparation, but the decision not to run here could be costly, as few scouts will be willing to travel to Pullman, Washington to see him work out.

• Abilene Christian wide receiver Johnny Knox caught the attention of scouts by running a 4.34 and catching the ball cleanly throughout his workout.


[b]Worth nothing [/b]

• Florida State defensive end Everette Brown, listed by the Seminoles at 6-4, 252 pounds, measured in at 6-1 7/8, 256 pounds. The two-inch difference is significant for teams who wonder if Brown has the height required to remain at defensive end. Brown told the media that he'd be participating in defensive end and linebacker drills this week.

• Despite playing for a high-profile Louisiana State program, defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois is one of the more underrated players at the combine. However, he's known mostly for the academic suspension that cost him his sophomore season and his statement about trying to take Florida quarterback Tim Tebow "out of the game." He stuck to talking about his own game Sunday, saying he has "spidey sense" for when the snap is about to come. That quick get-off, combined with his natural strength, makes Francois a versatile lineman who could play 3-4 defensive end or any interior spot.

• Hampton defensive lineman Chris Baker, an Auburn transfer, said his role in a campus fight was overblown. He said he took a plea agreement to lessen the financial burden on his family, explaining "trials are expensive." Despite his size (6-2, 308), Baker played end in the Pirates' 3-4 defense as a junior and performed very well. He expects to run a sub-5.0 40-yard dash. If that happens, you'll hear a lot about him in the coming weeks.

• Tennessee DE Robert Ayers proved himself a potential top 40 pick by matching strength and quickness with All-American left tackle Michael Oher at the Senior Bowl. He measured in at 6-3, 272 pounds at the combine, helping his cause for teams looking at him at defensive end. He's yet another potential 3-4 linebacker if he looks good in linebacker drills Monday. Ayers is one of the few players who said he wanted to improve his overall game during pre-combine workouts, not just working on becoming a "track star."

[b]Quote book [/b]

"Maybe the media wants access because it doesn't have access -- I think that's an important element to evaluate. Is there really some value in it or is it just perception? And if it's just perception, then are we compromising the working environment for the sake of perception or is there really some value? It's something we need to collectively discuss in the offseason. -- National Football Scouting president Jeff Foster, on why the media is only granted access for the quarterback workouts at the combine.[/quote]


[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11412544/1"]http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11412544/1[/url]

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Complete package Curry campaigns to be No. 1[/b][/size]
Feb. 22, 2009
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the moment, there's a shift at the top of the NFL Draft board, with Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry in and Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree out. That could change by April 25, of course, but until we know more about Crabtree's foot injury he's no longer numero uno.

Curry is.

"I didn't know about Crabtree," Curry said after he heard reports of Crabtree's stress fracture. "I'm sorry to hear that. That's a tough situation, but injuries have never been a concern of mine."

That's one reason to like the guy. Another is that he makes a lot of plays, returning three of four interceptions his junior year for touchdowns. Still another is that he is the best linebacker in the country.

"I just work hard and play hard all the time," he said. "Some people say I'm the best (in the draft); some people say I'm not the best. I'm just going to keep grinding."

Good idea. It got him here, and it should take him to or near the top of this year's draft. Now let's get something straight: That doesn't mean he will be the first pick. That's Detroit's choice, and the feeling -- at least for now -- is that the Lions take Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. But stay tuned.

In the meantime, it's time to appreciate Curry, and not just for what he is or what he has done but for where he came from. I'm talking about a tough upbringing that culminated with the eviction of his family from their Fayetteville, N.C., home during the summer between Curry's sophomore and junior years of college.

Curry and his brother went to live with friends. His mother went to live with Curry's great grandmother. None of them would be the same again.

"To know that at any given moment anything can be just stripped from you like that ... that was one of the biggest turning points of my life," said Curry. "I realized I had to do something, and football was it.

"We didn't have the funds to get into another house, and those are the moments you think about in the fourth quarter when there's a play that needs to be made, and you know you have the opportunity to provide for your family for the rest of their lives."

So the guy is motivated, too. Just another reason to pay attention, class.

"I'm always a motivated person," said Curry. "The doubters helped me get here, but they're not the only thing that motivated me. My family -- my mother and my two brothers, Brandon and Christopher -- did a good job of making sure I was always motivated. And the situations I faced in life, as far as housing and whether the lights were on or not, kept me motivated."

If Stafford is Detroit's choice, Curry is a possibility for St. Louis at the second spot. First of all, he fits a need at outside linebacker. Second, the Rams can't get enough defense. They ranked last in 2008 in points allowed. Third, he's high on character. And fourth, he's so productive he was last season's Butkus Award winner, given annually to the country's top collegiate linebacker.

If the Rams don't fall in love with the guy on film, they will when they talk to him. I listened to him Saturday, when Curry captivated his audience for 20-25 minutes, and he was gracious, informative and downright engaging. In fact, he was so engaging it's a wonder he wasn't treated to a standing ovation when he finished.

At one point he was asked about tattoos on his wrists. One, he said, was for one brother; one was for the other. But he didn't stop there. He rolled up his sleeves to reveal others, explaining that "they represent myself and my family because they (his mother and brothers) mean the world to me." But there was one tattoo nobody could figure out ... until, that is, Curry explained it was the bar code for his favorite box of candy.

"Jujubes," he said, laughing.

His audience laughed with him. And that's the other thing about Aaron Curry. He's irresistible. There are plenty of players here with talent but few who pass the personality test as easily as Curry. He's smart, graduating in December with a degree in sociology. He's sincere. And he's only too willing to reveal everything about himself -- as he demonstrated when he took reporters on a guided tour of his body.

In short, he is not a risk. He can play in a 4-3. He can play in a 3-4. He can rush the passer. He can drop into coverage. He works hard. He plays hard. He stays out of trouble. He isn't hurt. And he loves the game.

Michael Crabtree, move over.

"It would be great to go No. 1 overall," said Curry. "Detroit knows that in Aaron Curry they're getting a great linebacker and a great person. I mean, what more could you ask for?"

Exactly.[/quote]



[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11412287"]http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/11412287[/url]

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]NFL scouting combine: Middle linebackers lose draft stature[/b][/size]
Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:49 AM
By Scott Priestle

The Columbus Dispatch

INDIANAPOLIS -- From Dick Butkus' vicious hits and Jack Lambert's toothless snarl to Mike Singletary's wide eyes and Ray Lewis' wild dance, middle linebacker has been a celebrated position in professional football. Except during draft weekend.

When teams gather to build their rosters, they place a premium on momentum-changing plays: the quarterbacks, running backs and receivers who produce them on offense, and the pass rushers and pass defenders who produce them on defense.

In recent years, there also has been a run on offensive tackles, to protect quarterbacks from the opposing rushers.

The men in the middle have been pushed aside.

"The game has grown to evolve around the quarterback," said Singletary, now coach of the San Francisco 49ers. "So if that is the most important guy, supposedly, then now you go from inside -- where teams aren't running the ball as much -- to the outside, where you've got pass rushers trying to get to the quarterback. That's why there's so much of a premium on pass rushers rather than focusing on the inside linebackers."

Since 2000, only seven players have been selected in the top half of the first round as middle or inside linebackers, and only one in the top eight picks: former Ohio State standout A.J. Hawk, who was drafted fifth overall by Green Bay in 2006. During the same time, 17 defensive ends were taken in the top half of the first round, including 10 in the first eight picks.

Eight offensive tackles were picked in the first round last year. Eight inside linebackers were picked in the first round in the past six years combined.

Ohio State middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and Southern California's Rey Maualuga might be worthy heirs at the iconic position, but they likely will be ignored during the first two hours of the draft April 25. Each is projected as a mid- to late first-round pick, and no other inside linebackers are creating buzz this weekend at the scouting combine.

"I think my production on the field can speak for itself, but I'm excited about an opportunity like this," Laurinaitis said. "When we do drills without pads on and you're in space and you're breaking and cutting, I'm not afraid to do it and I'm going to hopefully be an eye-opener at that."

That said, Laurinaitis knows that he is unlikely to climb too far up teams' draft boards. Outside linebacker, not middle linebacker, is "what's hot right now," he said.

It has been that way for more than a few years. Lambert and Singletary were second-round picks. Lewis was the 26th overall pick in 1996 and the Baltimore Ravens' second pick of the draft.

The Ravens took offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden with the fourth overall pick. General manager Ozzie Newsome said yesterday that he did not consider Lewis with that pick, in part because of the position he plays.

"We put the premium on quarterbacks, corners, left tackles and pass rushers," Newsome said. "Those are the guys who, for the most part, are going to come off the board early."

Regardless of where he is drafted and how it affects his first paycheck, Laurinaitis relishes playing middle linebacker.

"I like being in charge, being the leader of the defense and (making) the calls," he said. "I like having a chance to make every play, being in on every tackle.

"I think the middle, you're held more accountable kind of like being a second coach on the field. I take pleasure in that."

spriestle@dispatch.com[/quote]



[url="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/02/22/nfl_combine_LB_0222.ART_ART_02-22-09_C1_J8D0ED7.html?sid=101"]http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sport...D7.html?sid=101[/url]

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Combine winners, losers: QB White shines[/b][/size]
By Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports
7 hours, 47 minutes ago


INDIANAPOLIS – Pat White says that when someone signing his NFL paycheck tells him to stop playing quarterback, that’s when he’ll let the position go. But after Sunday, NFL coaches might not be in such a hurry to put the brakes on White’s development as a passer.

Left out of the conversation among this year’s big-time quarterbacks, White put up what appeared to be the strongest throwing performance of this year’s combine. This coming from a player who had been projected as an Antwaan Randle-El type – a future NFL wideout with occasional passing gadgetry.

But after appearing to outshine USC’s Mark Sanchez in drills, he might have changed some minds.

“I think he showed that he can be a legitimate quarterback prospect,” said an NFC assistant coach who watched White’s workout. “If you cover one eye and just watch where the football is going, I don’t think you would question the skill level there. But the whole package is where you uncover that eye and say, ‘OK, he’s not the [ideal size].’ Then you have to get into some judgment calls.”

But at the very least, White is forcing those thoughts, and that made him Sunday’s biggest winner. He said earlier this past week that he’d consider a move to wideout if that’s what it took to make it on the NFL level. But he also avoided combine drills at that position, hoping to deliver a strong quarterback evaluation. He’ll still show his potential as a receiver at his West Virginia pro day, but not until maximizing his exposure as a passer.

“I am still working to be a quarterback,” White said. “And until somebody tells me ‘no,’ I am going to continue to. I also want to keep my options open and the best opportunity to play football. If that is the case, I do whatever is best for me.”

As expected, White ran the best 40-yard dash of any quarterback at the combine, notching times in the 4.48-4.54 range. But he opened eyes when he began throwing, working out in the same quarterback group with Sanchez. White squared up well and showed a good arm, particularly on a set of out routes, which typically separate the best quarterbacks from the pack. He delivered with good timing, and appeared to have consistently good ball placement.

It was a nice change considering the performance of some other notable quarterbacks – particularly Kansas State’s Josh Freeman and Ball State’s Nate Davis. Both had some erratic moments in their passing performances, and Freeman looked like a ball of raw skill that still had a lot of work ahead of him.

Sanchez had a solid performance, but it wasn’t jaw-dropping, which is what many evaluators thought he needed in order to challenge Georgia’s Matthew Stafford as the No. 1 quarterback in the class. Nobody is going to rush to put White in the Stafford-Sanchez category, largely because he has a frame (6-feet and 197 pounds) that will lend itself to durability issues on the next level. But if he shows he can consistently deliver with his arm, it might engender some patience from teams who will take a shot at developing his skills. At the least, he’s an intriguing option for a Wildcat-type package. At the most, White displayed Sunday that he could be much more.

Here are some of Sunday’s other winners and losers …


[b]WINNERS[/b]

• Wideouts with speed.
With all the workout camps predicated on speed these days, it’s almost a shock when fast wideouts don’t live up to what scouts expect. Certainly it happens, but almost none of the perceived “fast” wideouts let anyone down this year.

Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin and Florida’s Percy Harvin, came close this year, each being clocked in the 4.37-4.45 seconds range in the 40. But maybe that tells you just how fast guys are getting, when they are upset for posting numbers that average in the low 4.4 range. Neither Harvin nor Maclin hurt their first-round grades, but they may have been upset at getting shown up by Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Heyward-Bey said he would run in the low 4.3 range and then did it, also settling in the top five of every major agility drill and showing respectable upper body strength for a wideout with 16 reps on the 225 bench press. With good size (6-2, 210 pounds) he solidified himself as a first-round grade. Three others who fared well and moved up from late-round consideration: Penn State’s Deon Butler, Abilene Christian’s Johnny Knox and Mike Wallace from Ole Miss. All ran their 40’s in the 4.3-4.35 range and made upward strides.

• Boise State running back Ian Johnson.
He said he didn’t want to be known only as the guy who proposed to his future wife on the sidelines of a win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. After his combine outing, he won’t be. Johnson put up an eye-opening performance, and arguably the best all-around numbers of any running back at the combine. Not only did he showcase speed (4.45 range in the 40), he also had good upper body strength (26 bench reps – one more than Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno) and superior change of direction (6.93 in the 3-cone drill and 4.18 in the 20-yard short shuttle). He still carries the knock that he’s not a compact runner and is injury prone, but he’s got good size (5-10, 212) and can catch the ball. Those workout numbers give him a shot at being a good utility back at the next level. Think Mewelde Moore with some additional speed.

• Nebraska offensive tackle Lydon Murtha.
An injury prone but very talented player, scouts knew Murtha was going to come in and wow with his athleticism. He didn’t disappoint, leading the offensive linemen in almost every conceivable measurable. He showed quickness and top notch change of direction by leading all tackles in the 20-yard shuttle (4.34 seconds) and three cone drill (7.06 seconds). He showed explosion with a 35 inch vertical leap and 9-foot-2 broad jump. And though it doesn’t matter all that much, he tacked on a 40 in the 4.9 range as well. Add it in with size that shows room for growth (6-7, 307), and he’s an intriguing prospect.

An NFC personnel man said one of the knocks on Murtha is that he lets some players get under him and isn’t a staggering run blocker. But clearly he’s got some talent to work with – showing why he was one of the nation’s most heavily recruited tackles as a high school senior. His performance likely cemented a mid-round grade and could persuade a team to take a chance on him earlier than expected.


The Detroit Lions.
The thing that was important for the Lions was to walk away from this combine with options at the No. 1 pick – not just one worthy player, but several. And by all accounts, they did just that, leaving with four players who could be targeted with the selection. The left tackles from Baylor and Virginia – Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe – both showed enough in workouts to justify consideration, and at the same time, Detroit was able to weed out Alabama’s Andre Smith in the vetting process.

Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford didn’t do anything to take him out of the running, but he has yet to throw the football, too. And unless Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry melts down in his workouts, he appeared as impressive a person as anyone in this draft. Certainly, any one of that foursome could be a bust, but one thing the Lions won’t be forced to do is lock onto one player because of lacking alternatives.


• New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Anytime he talks, it’s a winning situation. And Sunday was an all-time classic. In what could only be described as a ship roaming the open sea, Belichick opened his meeting with the media – the first time in my eight years at the combine I can recall him meeting with the media – with a 12-minute statement. It touched on seemingly all things … his coaching tree … the coaches whom he’s surprised aren’t in the league right now … the combine in general … even a story about the time he watched William “Refrigerator” Perry do his vertical jump many, many years ago.

And all of this came before a single member of the media could ask a question. Thank goodness someone finally did, or Belichick would probably be getting to his thoughts on the economic stimulus plan right about now.


[b]LOSERS[/b]



• “Elite” running backs.
Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno and Ohio State’s Beanie Wells failed to show top end speed it would have taken to crack the draft’s top 10. Wells posted a 40 in the 4.55-4.6 range, which was a solid but not stunning number for his size. Moreno’s time was troubling.

When the week started, a handful of coaches and personnel suggested Moreno as the guy who could help himself with a great workout. And while he fared well in the agility drills, his 40 was clocked in a lukewarm 4.55-4.65 range. Some personnel men were predicting something closer to 4.45. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s enough to keep Moreno in the 20-32 range in the first round, rather than inside the top 15.

• USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.
He didn’t lose much ground this week. But he couldn’t seize the opportunity to change a lot of minds about who the best quarterback in the draft may be. Stafford still wears that crown coming out of the combine, and unless he crashes next week at Georgia’s pro day (not likely), or simply has terrible ink board sessions with coaches (also not likely), he’ll still be the first quarterback off the board. If anything, Sanchez’s solid performance in passing drills Sunday underscores what most people suspected about this quarterback class anyway: it’s just plain weak.

• Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman.
The player who had the most “upside” in terms of size and tools didn’t blow anyone away Sunday. He’s got a strong arm, likely second only to Stafford. But Freeman was inconsistent Sunday, missing some passes and generally not featuring great consistency with his ball placement. His footwork, like most guys going into the league, needs some work as well. In short, he looks like a project, and that might knock him out of the first round. Now it’s clear why so many talent evaluators thought he made a mistake in bypassing his senior season. He could have used that polish in this setting.

• Iowa running back Shonn Greene.
Already criticized as a one-year wonder with limited “wiggle” to make guys miss, he posted 40 times that hovered around 4.7. He’s a powerful bruiser who mashed out chunks of yardage in college, but he’s going to have a hard time getting to where he can inflict that damage without a major burst. He was a second-round pick who might fall back into the third.[/quote]




[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AoeOq3eK7AGANFEyebKHPLdDubYF?slug=cr-combinewinners022209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns"]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AoeO...o&type=lgns[/url]

[Jason]

[quote name='Jamie_B' post='748642' date='Feb 22 2009, 08:32 PM']OSU has been putting out some good WRs the past few [s]years[/s] [b]decades[/b].[/quote]

Fixt.

[oldschooler]

[quote][b][url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/You-want-to-see-freakish-athleticism-Meet-Jarro?urn=nfl,142014"][font="Georgia"][size=4][color="#011740"]You want to see freakish athleticism? Meet Jarron Gilbert[/color][/size][/font][/url][/b]
By MJD



There are a lot of crazy athletic feats on YouTube ([url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vL19q8yL54"][color="#0069aa"]like this one[/color][/url], for example), but this one below might be the all-time world heavyweight champion in the category of YouTube Videos That Make You Say [i]"Daaaaaaaaamn."[/i] This is Jarron Gilbert, defensive end out of San Jose State. He's 6'5" and 287 pounds. And he's going to jump [i]out[/i] of a swimming pool.





That's bananas.

Now, I'm not Mel Kiper, so I'd never heard of this gentleman [url="http://deadspin.com/5155059/the-newest-nfl-combine-event-reverse-pool-jumping"][color="#0069aa"]before running across this video at Deadspin[/color][/url]. [url="http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=72823&draftyear=2009&genpos=DE"][color="#0069aa"]NFLDraftScout.com[/color][/url], however, describes him as "a freakish athlete" who can "jump out of the building." They'll get no argument from me.

Lest you think he's all sizzle and no steak, though, he also led the NCAA last year with 22 tackles for a loss. That's pretty good.

Related: [url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner?keyword=NFL+Draft"][color="#0069aa"]NFL Draft[/color][/url][/quote]

[url="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/You-want-to-see-freakish-athleticism-Meet-Jarro;_ylt=AuKhznxRLOJG4Y.LR_U2rBBDubYF?urn=nfl,142014"]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_...?urn=nfl,142014[/url]




Yeah, but can he do a cartwheel?

[msharp16]

Well, mark Aaron Curry off all of your boards.

6'1 3/4"
254
4.54 40 time
25 reps


Detroit would be stupid not to take him at #1 and then hope like hell the Stafford or Sanchez pull a Brady Quinn in April.

[Since 87]

[quote name='msharp16' post='748632' date='Feb 22 2009, 08:48 PM']all of those times were what NFL network reported at the time. The trend seems to be when the official times are released they are slower, with only a couple of exceptions. Also, Rashad Jennings time was in the 4.6 range, not 4.4's..... fucking NFL network[/quote]


They made him run it a 3rd time because his times were so different. I don't see why they threw out his 4.49 just because it was the anomaly. If he ran it, he ran it. That probably cost him a lot of money.