Fwst: Charean Williams: Scouting Combine Notes

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Posted on Sat, Feb. 24, 2007


SCOUTING COMBINE NOTES

History with QB no help for Browns

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS - JaMarcus Russell and Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage have a long relationship, dating to Russell's high school days when he attended Savage's football camp.

But, even with the third pick in the NFL Draft this year, Savage's Browns have little chance of getting Russell.

Russell, who measured 6-foot-5 and weighed 265 pounds Friday, is expected to be drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the No. 1 overall choice.

"JaMarcus' talent is substantial," Savage said. "He's a rare combination of size and arm strength. It's a little bit out of the norm to take somebody 6-5-plus, 250 pounds-plus and can throw the ball around like he can. He is coming out as a junior, which leads you to think there's upside to him."

The Raiders cut ties with starting quarterback Aaron Brooks on Thursday by declining to pick up the option on his contract. Marques Tuiasosopo is expected to leave as a free agent, leaving Andrew Walter as Oakland's only returning QB and fueling speculation that the team has decided to draft Russell.

"It [would be] an honor to go so high, if God-[willing], that happens," Russell said. "I'm just honored to be here."

Ready for the Wonderlic

Running back Selvin Young, one of eight University of Texas players at the combine this year, said a counselor at UT put a copy of a Wonderlic test in every player's locker shortly after last year's combine.

Vince Young had not prepped for the test when he took it last year, and reports surfaced that he scored 6 out of a possible 50 on the test.

Selvin Young said Friday that he has taken the Wonderlic at least five times and will be ready for the test. But as a recent graduate of Texas, he said he would have been ready anyway.

Sepulveda stars

The 17 specialists worked out Friday.

Baylor's Daniel Sepulveda, the two-time Ray Guy Award winner, was the top punter. He had a 47-yard average and a 4.58-second hang time on eight kicks. Virginia Tech's Nick Leeson, who is left-handed, was the best long snapper. Arizona's Nick Folk was the top kicker, making 13 of 16 attempts. UCLA's Justin Medlock and Colorado's Mason Crosby each made 10 of 16.

Three rookie punters and one rookie kicker made rosters last season, and all four kicked for playoff teams.

Browns win third pick

The Cleveland Browns won a coin flip with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the third overall draft choice. The Bucs will draft fourth.

"I felt pretty content about being three or four," Browns GM Phil Savage said. Picking third is "going to be a good thing for the Browns, regardless of who it is. The second part of that is it's going to put us in a little bit better position to trade back. We're going to keep that option open to us."

Staff writer Clarence E. Hill Jr. contributed to this report.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760 cjwilliams@star-telegram.com