DMN: TODD ARCHER: OU's Peterson out to rally his stock

[Cbz40]

OU's Peterson out to rally his stock

Ex-Sooners star trying to allay teams' worries about his injuries

09:33 PM CST on Friday, February 23, 2007

By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com






Adrian Peterson answers questions at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Friday.




INDIANAPOLIS – During his senior year at Palestine High School, Adrian Peterson paid a visit to the Cowboys' locker room after a game at Texas Stadium, wondering one day if he would call a place like that home.

"That made it something to look forward to," the Oklahoma running back said.

One day is not far off.

Peterson is one of the prized prospects at this week's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and will work out on Sunday, which is somewhat surprising considering he is considered a top-10 pick, if not higher.

Peterson measured in at 6-1 ½, 217 pounds on Friday, and he said he hopes to run "a high 4.2 or low 4.3" second 40-yard dash.

"That's the kind of competitive person I am," Peterson said. "I don't see any reason not to work out. I just want to come out here and perform."

Peterson will also attempt to convince teams he is not injury prone after a high ankle sprain and a broken collarbone slowed his sophomore and junior seasons with the Sooners. After finishing second in the Heisman voting as a freshman after running for 1,925 yards, he missed all or half of four games as a sophomore and finished with 1,108 yards and the collarbone kept him out of seven games.

"Missed opportunities, but no regrets," Peterson said of his time at OU. "Things happen for a reason. What happened in the past is in the past. I'm looking forward to the NFL and my dreams."

Cleveland won a coin flip Friday with Tampa Bay to pick third overall and is seen as one of Peterson's possible landing spots.

"He's the kind of runner that will have four or five what you would characterize as ordinary runs and then he explodes for a 50-60 yard run," Cleveland general manager Phil Savage said. "I think it shows a lot about what he's made of when he decided to come back and play in the bowl game."

Titans may cut ties with Pacman: Adam "Pacman" Jones, entangled in a triple shooting at a Las Vegas strip club, might not be on the Tennessee Titans' roster next season, Mike Reinfeldt, the team's new general manager, said.

Jones, who is under contract through 2009, has not been charged in connection with the shootings that left one man paralyzed. But police seized more than $81,000 in bills that they say belongs to Jones and sparked the melee and the shooting.

Coughlin regrets Barber situation: Tom Coughlin has one regret about Tiki Barber: that he couldn't convince the New York Giants running back to keep his opinions out of the public spotlight.

On Friday, the New York Giants coach told reporters he wished Barber hadn't used the media to voice his strong opinions and wasn't sure why Barber blamed the coaching staff for pushing him into retirement.

Barber's latest comments came during a news conference when he was hired by NBC.

[big dog cowboy]

He looked awesome in his weigh in today. That guy was ripped.

[NickZepp]

The guy will be a star in the NFL if he's healthy.