Some times from some of the more notable players... NCAA | Cutler runs 4.77 on 40-yard Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:29:37 -0800 Michael Oldham, of AtlantaFalcons.com, reports Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler ran a 4.77 on the 40-yard dash Sunday, Feb. 26, at the NFL Combine. NCAA | S. Green runs 4.44 on 40-yard Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:22:24 -0800 Michael Oldham, of AtlantaFalcons.com, reports LSU WR Skyler Green ran a 4.44 on the 40-yard dash Sunday, Feb. 26, at the NFL Combine. NCAA | C. Jackson runs 4.32 on 40-yard Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:20:46 -0800 Michael Oldham, of AtlantaFalcons.com, reports Florida WR Chad Jackson ran a 4.32 on the 40-yard dash Sunday, Feb. 26, at the NFL Combine. NCAA | Norwood runs 4.4 on 40-yard Sun, 26 Feb 2006 10:16:28 -0800 Andrew Mason, of DenverBroncos.com, reports Mississippi State RB Jerious Norwood ran a 4.40 on the 40-yard dash Sunday, Feb. 26
Roman Harper/DB/Alabama -Measured in at 5-11 7/8/199 pounds. -He described himself as a good cover guy who enjoys covering the slot. -Fractured his leg his senior year in high school but hasn’t had major injuries since. -Played quarterback, but joked that he set that aside for Brody Croyle and played in the secondary for the team. -He said he likes playing free safety, but said he is being told that with the way he hits he could play strong safety at the pro level. Gabriel Watson/DL/Michigan -Measured in at 6-3/341 pounds. -Has talked to the Bengals, Eagles, Giants, Rams, Falcons, Jets, Raiders, and Saints so far. -Did 36 reps for his bench press. -Said one of his greatest strengths is the way he learns during a game and adapts to what’s going on live in the game. Jason Allen/DB/Tennessee -Measured in at 6-0 7/8/210 pounds. -Will do a full workout except the defensive back drills. Charlie Peprah/DB/Alabama -Has talked to the Lions, Falcons, Giants, Panthers, Dolphins, and Raiders so far. He said he talked to the Patriots at the East-West Shrine game. -Described himself as a physical back who is not afraid to get in his opponent’s face. -Some teams are looking at him as a safety in addition to cornerback. Darnell Bing/DB/USC -Measured in at 6’2/227 pounds. -He said he will do all workouts except the 40. -He described himself as a back who is big and physical with speed. Says he also possesses good ability to make big hits. Danieal Manning/DB/Abilene Christian -Measured in at 5’10 and 202 pounds. -Has talked to the Colts, Chiefs, Bears, Seahawks, Jets, Cowboys, Jets, and Bills. -Teams primarily looking at him at cornerback, safety and as a returns specialist although he has played numerous positions. Kelly Jennings/DB/Miami -Measured in at 5’11/178 pounds. -Will do a full workout except the bench press because he strained a pectoral muscle recently. -Feels his quickness and speed will help raise his stock. Said he doesn’t think most teams realize how fast he is. Plans to run a 4.45 or better. -Has talked to the Falcons, Bills, Cardinals, Eagles and Cowboys so far. Also talked with the Patriots at the Senior Bowl. Dwayne Slay/DB/Texas Tech -Measured in at 6’3 ½/217 pounds. -Will do a full workout. -Has talked to the Redskins, Texans, Dolphins, and Broncos so far. -The thing he wants teams to know most during his interviews is that he’s a man of character and community oriented. Chijioke Onyenegecha/DB/Oklahoma -Measured in at 6’2/216. -Thinks his size, strength, speed and man-to-man coverage skills are his top attributes. -Main aspect of his game he wants to showcase here is his speed. -Has talked to the Raiders, Bengals and Panthers so far. Dee Webb/DB/Florida -Measured in at 5’10/183 pounds. -Will be doing full workout except the bench press. -Believes practicing against Chad Jackson every day helped raise his game. -Dislocated his shoulder in August, 2005. Said it feels fine, but had a routine MRI here to prove that to the teams. -Has played on special teams since his freshman year and feels he excels at blocking punts and field goals. Jon Alston/LB/Stanford -Measured in at 6006/223 pounds. -After he got back from the Senior Bowl, he got food poisoning and dropped ten pounds. He’s been putting it back on. -He may get consideration as a safety and said he has the range, hips and athleticism to do it, but not the playing experience. -Said he has played on all special teams during his collegiate career and feels that’s an asset for a rookie. -6 ½ sacks as a senior. 21 ½ sacks during his career. - He said he played more defensive end in the 3-4 during his senior year even though being light for that. Has experience at SAM and rush defensive end. -Has casually talked to the Patriots, but no official interview. Kevin Simon/LB/Tennessee -Measured in at 5’10/235 pounds. -He has met with the Dolphins, Broncos, Eagles, and Panthers. -Feels he can go to any NFL team and start right away. Played all three LB positions at Tennessee. -He’s not going to do the 40, vertical jump, or long jump here. -Described his strengths as his aggressiveness, instincts, and knowledge of the game. Also feels his personality will come across well during interviews and work to his advantage. -He thinks his position drills, shuttle, and 225 reps will help distinguish him. -Has had some injury history, but said he is telling teams he had a good senior season and is feeling fine. Doing well with his physicals. Thomas Howard/LB/UTEP -Measured in at 6033 and 239 pounds. -Was coached by Mike Singletary at UTEP, feels that has helped him tremendously. - He hasn’t had any interviews yet. -He said his strengths are rushing the passer and said that he’d like to work in a 3-4 rushing off the edge. -Said his top attributes are his confidence, being a quick learner, and his commitment to never giving up. Frostee Rucker/DL/USC -Measured in at 6’3/267 pounds. -Says he’s a disciplined player who won’t try to make a play out of position to make himself look good at the possible expense of the team. -He said he will do full workout except the bench press. -He has talked at least casually with all the teams. -He feels his attitude on the field shows that he’s a good leader and very aggressive. Elvis Dumervil/DE/Louisville - Measured in at 5-11/257 pounds. - He said he just tries to do his best with the height and weight he’s been given. - His dad was 5-7 and played soccer. - Has been working out in Los Angeles on his speed and change of direction. - Some teams are interested in him as a linebacker, a position he hasn’t played since the little league. - Says anticipation is his strength. - - Liked Derrick Thomas growing up and now likes the Colts’ Dwight Freeney. - - Comes from a military family and said he “got kicked around” by his eight brothers. - Believes his name came from his mother’s interest in Elvis Presley. - Had 10 forced fumbles last year. Timoyhy Day/TE/Oregon - Checked in at 6-3 ½, 256 pounds. - Did 24 reps of 225 pounds on the bench. - Was a first-team all-state selection in basketball in high school. - Was recruited by Pepperdine and UNLV for basketball, but had more interest and saw a better future for him in basketball. - Can play on the line or as an H-back. - Oregon went to a spread offense in 2005, which changed his role to playing more in the slot and dropped his production. - Was recruited to Oregon as a defensive end or tight end, practicing five weeks at each position before settling on tight end. A.J. Nicholson/LB/Florida State - Checked in at 6’0 3/8/254 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Training in California. - No charges have been filed in two separate incidents involving him. In one, he said he let a woman in his room after curfew before the their bowl game and when he asked her to get out, she got angry. -I’m very remorseful, very sorry,” he said of that incident. -Earlier in the year, he was stopped by police for matching a description of a person they were searching for. He was already running to get something he forgot, and when he saw police he tripped and that was interpreted as an attempt to flee. “Bad place, bad time,” he said. - Says he has learned to appreciate his potential after these incidents. - His Pro Day is March 16. Calvin Lowry/S/Penn State - Measured in at 5-11, 200 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Says he plays a physical game, sometimes with an “angry streak” about him. - Is training in Orlando. - Has returned punts. - Has a military family and lived in Germany, Georgia and North Carolina. - His father grew up in Pennsylvania, spurring him to attend Penn State. - Was recruited as a wide receiver but moved to safety. - Hopes to run a 4.3 to 4.4 in the 40. - Says “people know me as the quarterback of our defense.” - Has met with the Vikings and Jaguars. - Pro Day is March 16. Michael Huff/S/Texas - Measured in at 6-0, 224 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Calls Mark Clayton the best wide receiver he has faced, but he held him to three catches for 19 yards. - Thinks a potential move to cornerback will depend largely on his Tuesday workout. - Likes to do it all—hit, blitz and cover. - Has never hit Vince Young in practice with a hands-off policy. - Played wide receiver in high school. - Working out at Athlete’s Performance in Arizona. - Thinks the success of Ed Reed and Troy Polumalu will help the perception of draft safeties in the upper half of the first round. - Would be happy with a 4.3 in the 40. - Has played strong and free safety. - He said most of the top 10 or 15 teams have shown an interest and has had interviews with Cleveland and Atlanta. another update Gabe is very Strong would be the perfect NT in our 3-4 system
That can't be right. He weighed in at 341 at the combine. Maybe they accidentally switched the 1 and 4.
Code: Full Name School Pos 40-1 40-2 [B]David Anderson [/B] Colorado State WR 4.58 4.61 [B]Devin Aromashodu [/B] Auburn WR 4.48 4.43 [B]Miles Austin[/B] Monmouth WR 4.55 4.62 [B][B]Jason Avant[/B] Michigan WR INJ Hank Baskett [/B] New Mexico WR 4.49 4,45 [B]Damarius Bilbo[/B] Georgia Tech WR 4.68 4.73 [B]William Blackmon [/B]Boston College WR 4.52 4.50 [B]Jeremy Bloom[/B] Colorado WR 4.53 4.52 [B]Jovon Bouknight [/B] Wyoming WR 4.83 4.75 [B]Jason Carter[/B] Texas A&M WR 4.63 4.63 Marques Colston Hofstra WR 4.55 4.63 Chris Denney Nebraska-Omaha WR 4.72 4.72 Skyler Green LSU WR 4.55 4.55 Derek Hagan Arizona State WR 4.52 4.47 Marques Hagans Virginia WR 4.72 4.67 Chris Hannon Tennessee WR 4.49 4.46 Mike Hass Oregon State WR 4.63 4.63 Ed Hinkel Iowa WR 4.53 4.56 Santonio Holmes Ohio State WR DNR Chad Jackson Florida WR 4.38 4.35 Adam Jennings Fresno State WR 4.48 4.45 Greg Jennings Western Michigan WR 4.48 4.53 Greg Lee Pittsburgh WR 4.63 4.60 Brandon Marshall Central Florida WR 4.60 4.55 Anthony Mix Auburn WR 4.51 4.53 Sinorice Moss Miami-Fl WR 4.39 INJ Martin Nance Miami-Oh WR 4.55 4.63 Ben Obomanu Auburn WR 4.48 4.53 Jonathan Orr Wisconsin WR 4.44 4.46 Willie Reid Florida State WR 4.45 4.50 Cory Rodgers TCU WR 4.58 4.66 Richie Ross Nebraska-Kearney WR 4.60 4.65 Clinton Solomon Iowa WR 4.70 4.70 Maurice Stovall Notre Dame WR 4.63 4.61 Hubert Walker Central Missouri State WR 4.53 4.55 Todd Watkins BYU WR 4.45 4.44 Jeff Webb San Diego State WR 4.45 4.44 Brandon Williams Wisconsin WR 4.52 4.52 Demetrius Williams Oregon WR DNR Travis Wilson Oklahoma WR 4.60 4.52 Practice Notes: Chad Jackson of Florida was easily the star of the show. After being the only receiver to get under 4.4-seconds twice, Jackson then put on a pass catching clinic. Jackson practiced as fast as he timed, out running some of the passes thrown by the quarterbacks. His routes were sharp and he caught all but one pass, the final one thrown which was basically uncatchable. Central Missouri State's Delanie Walker made a lot of money for himself today. Weighing in at 240-pounds on Friday, Walker had a terrific pass catching session today after solid forty times. He showed a lot of natural pass catching skills and was impressive. Travis Wilson from Oklahoma looked solid as did Demetrius Williams of Oregon. Richie Ross of Nebraska-Kearny stood out, though he was a bit slow. Greg Jennings from Western Michigan also elevated his draft stock with good forty's and a solid pass catching workout. Former Virginia quarterback Marques Hagans looked solid making the transition to receiver. Hagans displayed good eye-hand coordination, body control and route quickness. Michigan's Jason Avant also caught the ball well. Though scouts were surprised that, after making the announcement he would not run the forty because of a strained hamstring, Avant took part in the pass catching workout. Some did not fare as well. Hank Baskett practiced slower then he timed. Martin Nance was slower then expected and had a tough day catching the ball. Hofstra's Marques Colston ran well then was hot and cold catching the ball.
CORRECTION: The consensus from Scouts at the combine is that they are not happy that players such as Reggie Bush/USC, DeAngelo Williams/Memphis and Lendale White/USC are chosing to wait until their Pro Day to work out for scouts. Many scouts feel that they are failing to follow in the footsteps of Auburn 's Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, who both opted to participate in the combine last year. Their results really boosted their draft stock and many scouts would rather see those results at the Combine with all the other prospects. 40 Times: Reggie McNeal/QB/Texas A&M: 4.38 || 4.43 Todd Watkins/WR/BYU: 4.45 || 4.44 Jeff Webb/WR/San Diego State: 4.48 || 4.45 Sinorice Moss/WR/Miami (Fl): 4.39 || Quad Injury Hubert Walker/WR/Central Missouri State: 4.53 || 4.55 Practice Notes: Hubert Walker/WR/Central Missouri State: Weighed in at 240 pounds and looked great in pass catching drills. Greg Jennings/WR/Western Michigan: Looked good in practice. Erik Meyer/QB/Eastern Washington: Looked good in practice. Greg Blue/S/Georgia - Will do a full workout. - Said Georgia just recruits guys who works hard. - Likes the label of being a big hitter, and appreciates the skills of former Oakland Raider DB Jack Tatum. - Played mostly Cover-2 or 3 or covered tight ends. - Says he needs work on his coverage skills because he didn?t do much of that. - Thinks most of the big-time safeties are big hitters. D?Qwell Jackson/LB/Maryland - Measured in at 6?0 4/8/230 pounds. - Says every team wants to see how he runs. - Expects to run in the 4.5 range. - Feels he had an advantage in coverage with his position coach being a former defensive backs coach. - Was part of a 3-4 defense at Maryland. - Said his mental preparation is one of his strengths. - Has spoken with the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings so far.
Gerris Wilkinson/LB/Georgia Tech - Checked in at 6?3,/233 pounds. - Teams are trying to figure out where to play him. Figures he?d be a strong-side lienbacker in a 4-3 and inside in a 3-4 scheme. - Played at 229 pounds. Most teams wants him to put on 10 to 15 pounds. - Played a lot of zone in college. - Describes himself as a sideline-to-sideline player. - Feedback from the Senior Bowl says his weakness is 1-on-1 coverage of tight ends. - Talked to the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals at the Senior Bowl. - Has met with the Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Dolphins so far. Brandon Johnson/LB/Louisville - Checked in at 6?4/228 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Played in the East-West Shrine game. - Has always played in the 4-3 defense. - Said he needs to get bigger. Played at 224 pounds. - Likes the NFL game of Cato June and Derrick Brooks. - Has interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders. Chad Greenway/LB/Iowa - Checked in at 6?2 ?/242 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Said his best asset is his versatility. - Played weakside linebacker at Iowa. Would play outside in a 3-4 defense. - Iowa was the only Division I offer he received. - Tore his ACL his freshman year and was playing in a Big Ten game four months after surgery. - Did 16 reps at 225 pounds. - Expects to run under 4.6 in the 40. - Said he didn?t blitz much in college. - Played nine-man football in high school in Mt. Vernon, S.D. - Parents own a farm, where they have hogs, cows. - San Francisco 49ers were his favorite team growing up because of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. - Call Chris Perry the toughest running back he faced. - Says his style is similar to Brian Urlacher, although not at his level. - Has talked with the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants. Roger McIntosh/LB/Miami-Fla. - Measured in at 6-2/237 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Says he needs to work on his upper body strength and getting off blocks. - His best asset is his speed; runs about a 4.4 40. - Played on the tight end a lot. - Played on the strong side or in the middle. - Says he?s a ?tweener? at the linebacker positions. A.J. Hawk/LB/Ohio State - Measured in at 6?1/248 pounds. - Bench press: 24 reps - Will do a full workout. Didn?t want to wait until Pro Day because he feels the Combine is part of what you?ve been working for. Keith Ellison/LB/Oregon State - Measured in at 6-1 and 235 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Most people see him more as an inside linebacker, but he has experience at both. - Really wants teams to know he?s a high-character guy. - His kickoff coverage and punt coverage skills will be an asset at the pro level. - Feels he gets out in coverage well. - Needs to work on shedding blockers. Anthony Schlegel/LB/Ohio State - Measured in at 6?0/250 pounds. - Says he is a straight inside linebacker that can play 3-4 or 4-3. - Will do full workouts. - Wants to show his sideline-to-sideline speed at the Combine and prove that he can run. - So far he?s only met with the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints. Bobby Carpenter/LB/Ohio State - Measured in at 6?2 ?/256 pounds. - Ankle problem will keep him from working out, but will be ready for his Pro Day. - Said the ankle is coming along but it?s still gets sore the day after he works out. - Has played inside linebacker earlier in his career but feels he?s best on the edge. - Met with 12 teams but didn?t specify who he met with. Ernie Sims/LB/Florida State - Measured in at 5-11 ? and 231 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Has met with the Vikings, Falcons and Bucs. - Was a strongside backer at Florida State but thinks he projects better as a weakside linebacker at the pro level. - Has a reputation of throwing his body around on the field and says he goes out with the attitude of punishing people. Donte Whitner/S/Ohio State - Measured in at 5?10/204 pounds. - Decided to come out early because wanted to go against the best players in the country. - Will do a full workout. - NFL gave him a second-round grade. - Calls Philadelphia Brian Dawkins one of his favorite players. - Said Ohio State has an NFL style of defense with it?s adjustments on the fly. - Played nickel back three years and came to OSU as a cornerback. - Managed to get 73 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and four sacks behind a great linebacker corps. - Compares his game to Indianapolis? Bob Sanders. - Has met with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Derrick Martin/CB/Wyoming - Measured in at 5?10/202 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Expects to go between the second and fourth rounds. NFL returned a grade of third or fourth round. - Declared early because teams had already begun throwing to the other side of the field and didn?t want to see his stats suffer more. - Hoping to run a 4.3 to 4.4 in the 40. Nate Salley/S/Ohio State - Measured in at 6-1/216 pounds. - Likes being down near the line of scrimmage. - Talks with former Buckeye CB Will Allen about once a week and keeps in contact with S Mike Doss. - Played basketball and long jump in high school. - Hopes to run the 40 in the low 4.5s, saying he?s never been known as a speed guy. - Has talked with the Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, and New York Giants. Bernard Pollard/S/Purdue - Checked in at 6?1/224 pounds. - Not sure if he?ll do the full workout, depending on how he feels. - Will do all the defensive back drills. - Played a lot of Cover-2 and quarters in college. - Didn?t blitz a lot. - Has interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and the Indianapolis Colts. Richard Marshall/CB/Fresno State - Checked in at 5?11/189 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Hopes to run the 40 in the low 4.4s to maybe 4.3. - Played mostly quarters and man defense. - Says he can play all styles of defense. - When asked who was the toughest receiver he?s faced, he said ?There really wasn?t anybody that tough.? - Received a projection of the second or third rounds from the NFL. - Has interviewed with the Miami Dolphins. Pat Watkins/S/Florida State - Measured in at 6-4, 211 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Believes his size will attract NFL teams. - Was a gunner on punt team and blocked kicks. - Played both on and off the line. - Has played mainly free safety, but played strong safety at the Senior Bowl. - Ran track and played basketball in high school. - Says he?s a first-day guy. Marcus Maxey/CB/Miami (Fl) - Checked in at 6?1 ?/198 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Went to Miami because he thought it gave him the best chance to win a national championship. - Has spoken with the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. - Hoping to go in the first or second round. - Said teams like his versatility; plays against inside and outside receivers and has played safety. - Played a lot of press coverage. - Said the toughest wideout he faced in the ACC was his teammate, Sinorice Moss. - Played safety his first two years, but is viewed as more of a cornerback. - Characterizes himself as a laid-back guy who likes to hang out and watch movies. DeMario Minter/DB/Georgia - Measured 5-11, 190 pounds. - Played around 195 pounds. - Said people don?t know how fast he is. - Will do a full workout. - Was hearing he?d be drafted early in the second round. - People question him about his lack of interceptions, but he said he had a lot of passes broken up. - People like his physical nature. - Was all-state in track in high school, but feels he lost a little speed with the weight he gained in college. - Has interviewed with the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jimmy Williams/CB/Virginia Polytech Institute - Measured in at 6?2/213 pounds. - Will do the defensive back drills, but no running or lifting. - Considers himself the top cornerback in the draft and a top-10 pick. - More comfortable at cornerback. - Feels he?s the best defensive back in the country. - Has been playing cornerback for two years and practicing it for three years. - Talked to coaches about making the switch from safety to cornerback in his sophomore year. - Played safety and quarterback in high school. - On his trash talk: ?I need you guys; I need the media.? - Like hitting?says he knocked six players out of games this year. - Nicknamed ?Dubb.? Ko Simpson/S/South Carolina - Checked in at 6?0/209 pounds. - Will do a full workout. - Says Ed Reed and Troy Polumalu changed the way safeties play the game. - Coaches want him to be more vocal. - Played in a 4-3 man defense. - Declared early because he felt his skills after two years showed he was ready. - Has covered mostly tight ends and running backs when matched in coverage. - Liked playing for a ?laid-back? Steve Spurrier. - Says his ball skills are his strength. - Views Ed Reed as the model safety. - Hasn?t played cornerback at all. - Trains in New Jersey. Alan Zemaitis/CB/Penn State - Measured in at 6-1, 195 pounds. - Will not work out; wants to feel comfortable in familiar surroundings. - Pro Day is March 16. - Is working out in Phoenix, trying to improve his explosion. - Ran a 4-3, Cover-2. - Can play press man, just tries to disguise the coverage. - Hopes to run a 4.4 at his March 16 Pro Day. - Confident in his ability to react to the ball.
NCAA | Ma. Vick runs his 40 Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:01:05 -0800 Virginia Tech QB Marcus Vick clocked a 4.42 time in his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. NCAA | McNeal runs a fast 40 Sun, 26 Feb 2006 15:59:22 -0800 Texas A&M QB Reggie McNeal ran the fastest 40 time at quarterback when he turned in a 4.35 time. NCAA | Cutler throws at the Combine Sun, 26 Feb 2006 15:57:43 -0800 Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler was the only one of the top three quarterbacks to workout at the NFL Combine, and he threw very well Sunday, Feb. 26, according to an AFC personnel executive. McNeal ran a 4.3 hmy: hmy: Maybe we should consider him as our Randle-El type.
February 27 (12:01 AM): Six into one may not go… The buzz at the Scouting Combine is supposed to come from fast 40 times and the like, however, the key number at this year’s event could have nothing much at all to do with football per se. Texas QB Vince Young, who is projected to be one of the top 3 players elected at this year’s draft but isn’t working out this week, may have seriously hurt his final draft grade when he reportedly scored only a 6 on the Wonderlic test given to all prospects this week. The average score for an NFL prospect is roughly 19, but QBs generally score somewhat higher. Matt Leinart of USC quarterback, the other top-rated QB this year, scored a 35 on his test, while Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler reportedly has scored in the upper-20s in the past. The low score has set of alarm bells among teams thinking about taking Young with a high pick this year as it has raised further questions about his ability to grasp the myriad of responsibilities of an NFL quarterback. Indeed, prior to the test, there had been stories floating about that the Texas offense really didn’t take off under Young until the Longhorn coaches dramatically simplified the scheme by instructing the athletic Young to just make one or two reads and if nothing was open just take off. That worked in college, but is a much longer shot in the pros. Trade talk starts to heat up in Indy… Houston G.M. Charlie Casserly, who’s Texans hold the #1 pick at the 2006 draft, let it be known in no uncertain terms that the top pick this year is very much up for sale when he made the media rounds at the Combine in Indianapolis on Sunday. In fact, Casserly admitted that the Texans have already talked with at least a couple of other teams about a possible deal involving the #1 pick. According to Casserly, the possibility of a trade is out there because unlike last year “there is something to go get” with this year’s pick. What he means of course is that there are talented football players this year worth the top pick, including Southern Cal RB Reggie Bush, whom the Texans are expected to take if they keep the top pick, as well as QBs Matt Leinart of Southern Cal, Vince Young of Texas and Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt. Casserly, though, also indicated that even if the Texans traded out of the #1 slot they still wanted to come out of the 2006 draft with an impact player meaning they likely won’t want to move down all that far. And we are just speculating here, but the only teams with top picks likely to be willing to move up to the #1 slot would be the New York Jets sitting at #4 and Oakland with the 7th pick. Both the Jets and Raiders desperately need an upgrade at QB and might be very tempted to move up if they felt that the player or players they wanted weren’t going to be available at their respective positions. Meanwhile, Houston may be tempted to move down because while USC’s Bush is a terrific prospect he doesn’t really fit a need; indeed, the Texans for example have much bigger problems along an offensive line which has allowed QB David Carr to get hammered year in and year out since he arrived in Houston and might be tempted to drop down 3-4 spots and still grab Virginia OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson. There is also a scenario in which the Texans could still select Bush if they somehow ended up with the 4th pick overall and the three QBs went 1-2-3. The wild card in all of this may be Oakland which has been very interested in Texas’ Young at the Combine and could be tempted to get into the bidding for the #1 pick. Houston may not want to drop down all the way to the #7 slot, but just having the Raiders in the mix could force another team – say the Jets – to figure they’d better get into the top 3 if they want one of the young QBs. This is just starting to get interesting so stay tuned. Vandy QB states case at Combine… Speaking of the 2006 draft QB class, Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler’s gamble to fully participate in the Combine while Texas’ Young and USC’s Leinart waited for their respective pro days to work out appears to have paid off nicely for the former Commodores’ signal caller. Certainly, Cutler didn’t do anything to hurt his case as he showed good mobility running the 40 in a respectable (for a QB) 4.77 seconds, while also posting a very respectable (for any position) 23 reps pressing 225 pounds. More to the point, Cutler was simply head and shoulders above the rest of the field when it came to the velocity on his passes. Cutler also showed nice touch and a very compact easy delivery. While Cutler was impressing with his arm, a number of other QBs put on a show with their feet. Reggie McNeal of Texas A&M, for example, gave NFL personnel people who are thinking he might be a better fit an another position something to chew on when he blitzed a 4.35 40; indeed, McNeal was just of three QBs to run under 4.5, while just about everyone at the position ran under 4.8 seconds. McNeal also showed some arm strength, but wasn’t very accurate. On the other hand, other QBs who threw the ball well on Sunday include Omar Jacobs of Bowling Green, who wasn’t text book but got the ball where it was supposed to be with authority, along with Kellen Clemens of Oregon, Brodie Croyle of Alabama, Barrick Nealy of Texas State, and Drew Olson of UCLA, as well as small school stars Tavaris Jackson of Alabama State, Travis Lulay of Montana State and 6-0, 260-pound Bruce Eugene. Ingle Martin of Furman, a former starter at Florida, was also something of a revelation. Martin got good velocity on his passes, getting them off from a nice high release point; he also showed surprising athleticism, although his release and footwork in the pocket as a little on the lazy side. On the other hand, Brett Basanez of Northwestern, Bruce Gradkowski of Toledo, Paul Pinegar of Fresno State, and Marcus Vick of Virginia Tech appeared to struggle at times with accuracy. Mixed bag for receivers… While the QBs were, for the most part, on the mark at yesterday’s Combine workout, it was something of an up-and-down day for the WRs. In particular, there were an inordinate number of dropped passes on the day. No such problems, though, for Jason Avant of Michigan or Mike Hass of Oregon State who showed the most consistent hands on the day. On the other hand, Will Blackmon of Boston College, who caught the ball like the CB he will likely end up as a pro, Devin Aromoshodu of Auburn, and Cory Rodgers of TCU really struggled catching the ball. On the other hand, the WR corps showed plenty of speed. Indeed, Florida junior Chad Jackson emerged as the star of the day when he scorched a 4.32 40. Jackson also caught the ball reasonably well, but still showed some roughness at the edges. The Gators’ Jackson edged out Florida State’s Willie Reid (4.34), Auburn’s Aromoshodu (4.35) and Sinorice Moss of Miami (4.38) among the fastest WRs. A number of other WRs also made some money posting unexpectedly fast 40 times including Greg Jennings of Western Michigan, Derek Hagan of Arizona State, Jeff Webb of San Diego State, and Ed Hinkel of Iowa, all decent possession type receivers each of whom answered questions about a lack of pure foot speed with unexpected times in the 4.4-4.5 range. Meanwhile, former Colorado WR Jeremy Bloom, who was last seen skiing in the Winter Olympics in Italy, ran a respectable 4.49 for the 40. Meanwhile, the RB contingent at the Combine wrapped up their week when a second group went through their workouts today. Florida State scatback Leon Washington, for example, had a solid day, posting a 4.42 40 time as well as some good times in the quickness drills. Jerious Norwood of Mississippi State, though, was even quicker, running a 4.41 in the 40, while Wendell Mathis of Fresno State was also very fast, posting a 4.51 40 time, along with times of 4.22 in the 20-yard shuttle and 6.94 in the 3-cone drill. Bigger backs DonTrell Moore of New Mexico and Terrence Whitehead of Oregon also showed some nice short-area quickness. Going to new heights... The other highlight of the day yesterday came when Ohio State DE/OLB Mike Kudla tied the Combine's all-time bench press record when he posted 45 reps pressing 225 pounds. Kudla tied the record set by former Hawaii and current San Francisco DT Isaac Sopoaga who had the same number a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, Florida State DT Brodrick Bunkley came within a rep of tying the record himslef when he racked up 44 reps.
Vikes to play keep-away with QB Culpepper … The top off-field story in Indianapolis – other than whether the league and player’s association will come to an agreement on a new CBA before the beginning of the free agent signing period this Friday – is the ultimate football fate of Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper. Indeed, there appears to be a lot of bluffing and rebluffing between the Vikings and potential destinations for Culpepper. The Vikings had reportedly talked to several teams around the league, including Miami and Baltimore, to gauge potential interest in Culpepper, however, didn’t get any nibbles, in large part because other teams expect the Vikings to release Culpepper outright in the next 2-3 weeks rather than pay him a $6M roster bonus he is due on March 17th. The Vikings, though, countered over the weekend, saying they would pay Culpepper the bonus to maintain his rights rather than get nothing in return. The Vikings reportedly would like “more” than a 2nd round pick as compensation for Culpepper, who is coming off season-ending knee surgery which may keep him on the sidelines until at least September. Complicating the situation for the Vikings is the fact a number of veteran QBs are likely to be available this off-season in one fashion or another including Drew Brees of San Diego and Jon Kitna of Cincinnati, both of whom will be free agents as of the end of the week, along with Chad Pennington of the Jets, Kerry Collins of Oakland and Aaron Brooks of New Orleans, among others who may be released in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, a much cheaper trade option for teams looking to upgrade at QB may be Patrick Ramsey of Washington who is also being shopped. The Redskins are reportedly seeking a 2nd or 3rd round pick in return for Ramsey, however, Washington may be forced to take less
