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2010 NFL Combine: Ten Players Who Got The Snub
by Eddie Garrison
Eddie Garrison
Featured Columnist
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ten-players-this-year-who-got-the-snub#page/9
The NFL offseason it seems starts the same every year, with the focus moving quickly from the Super Bowl to the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
Every February, the top 256 college football players make the trek to Indy for the most important job interviews of their lives.
For five days they will poked, prodded, asked questions and had background checks done on them to find out if they ever stole a stick of bubble gum when they were kids.
For these select 256 players, this is the beginning of a lifelong dream. But every year, there are some players who get left out of the combine. We are going to look at ten of those players today.
Keep in mind this is in no particular order.
No. 1 - Jonathan Crompton QB | Tennessee
Jonathan Crompton has had a very interesting career at the University of Tennessee. He has shown flashes of brilliance at the quarterback position and flashes of well, not so brilliant decisions for the Vols.
Standing at 6'4", 228 pounds, he has a nice frame for a quarterback at the next level. He saw much improvement in the 2009 season under then head coach Lane Kiffin.
Many scouts and NFL personnel had written Crompton off due to his up and down career in Knoxville.
These same personnel people should go back and look at the tapes of what Crompton was able to do against some very elite competition in the SEC last season.
The Vols played Florida tough for the first time in a few years and took the eventual SEC and National Champions Alabama to the brink with a blocked field goal by Alabama to win the game.
Look for Crompton to be drafted in the third or fourth rounds as I am sure he will impress scouts at Tennessee's pro day.
No. 2 - Ryan Perrilloux QB | Jacksonville State
Yes, this is the same Ryan Perrilloux that once played at LSU helping them win an SEC title over Tennessee.
And of course there are certainly the same character issues with him that were grounds for his dismissal from LSU.
Putting all that aside, when you just sit back and watch this young man throw the football, you have to be impressed.
Once his transfer to Jacksonville State was official and he could play football, he really seemed to show a lot of poise on and off the field.
Ryan has a very strong arm and uses his athleticism to make plays out of nothing with his legs. He may still be a work in progress, but I know an NFL will take a good hard long look at Perrilloux in the upcoming draft.
No. 3 - Rico McCoy OLB | Tennessee
Rico McCoy may lack the prototypical size for an outside linebacker at the next level, but this guy can flat out play football.
McCoy makes up for his size with his ability to fly to the ball wherever it is on the field.
His senior season at Tennessee, he really showcased his abilities to play in space and to be a very strong tackler.
He had 114 tackles and six forced fumbles last season for the Vols including a 16 tackle performance against Auburn and a 15 tackle game versus Vanderbilt.
McCoy is the ideal choice for a cover-two defense style of linebacker.
No. 4 - Andre Anderson RB | Tulane
The Tulane Green Wave may not be considered one of the elite football powerhouses in college football, but they sure boasted one of the country's lesser known running backs last season.
Anderson is a very strong and physical runner who breaks tackles and ran for a lot of big plays while he was at Tulane.
One thing that he lacks and may be the reason for his combine snub is that he does lack that breakaway speed that is talked about so much at the NFL level for running backs.
He did rush for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season for Tulane. I expect him to be a quality backup running back in the NFL and will show what he can do given his chances at the next level.
No. 5 - Chris Hall C | Texas
At 6'4", 300 pounds, Chris Hall might lack a little bit of the physical play that is a must at the center position in the NFL, but the competitiveness he has shown for the Longhorns gave him a spot on this list.
While he may lack the physicality of the position [debatable], he is a very tough player and was probably one of the most consistent guys at the position last season.
Hall gets his hands up and into defensive tackles quickly and stays into his blocks very nicely, always tying his man up at the point of attack.
With Hall not going to the NFL combine, he will have to wait until Texas's pro day to show the NFL what he can do, but his abilities at the position and showing the direct line speed to be able to get up field and block linebackers proves he may be worthy of a draft choice.
No. 6 - Curtis Steele RB | Memphis
Curtis Steele out of the University of Memphis is a very talented running back that has the ability to change directions in a blink of an eye.
He has a very powerful lower body to power his way through tackles and get into the open field.
Steele is also a good receiver out of the backfield and will be good on those little dump off screen plays that have become so popular in the NFL.
In his senior year at Memphis, he rushed for 1,239 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 198 attempts.
Steele caught 26 passes for 310 yards and a score as well.
He could be one of those hidden gem steals of the NFL draft this season.
No. 7 - Danny Batten OLB/DE | South Dakota State
The 6'3", 248 pound defensive end Danny Batten on many "experts" big board’s is ranked somewhere around No. 8 at his position but is considered a sixth round draft pick.
Batten has a great drive and motor inside that frame of his and has checked in pre-combine at workouts with a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash.
He has the versatility to play either defensive end or outside linebacker which to me will up his draft stock to NFL teams.
Batten polished off his collegiate year at South Dakota State as the Missouri Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year accumulating 15.5 tackles with 10 sacks in his final twelve games.
I see him going in the later rounds, maybe in the fifth but no lower than the sixth.
Previous Next
No. 8 - Walter McFadden CB | Auburn
The 5'10", 176 pound cover corner from the University of Auburn may lack the overall size some NFL teams look for in a cornerback.
That could most likely was the number one reason for his snub of an invite to Indy and the combine.
McFadden though does posses very good instincts and nose for the football. Evident in his nine career interceptions at Auburn. He also tallied up 87 tackles while a Tiger as well.
He always seems to put himself in the best possible position to minimize the size advantage most receivers have on him. McFadden may lack the "prototypical" size of a cover corner, but his football instincts and good footwork give him a good shot at the next level.
No. 9 - Freddie Barnes WR | Bowling Green
What can you say about the NCAA's all-time leader in a single season for receptions?
Well apparently that does not get you an invite to the NFL combine these days.
Yes he may not be the fastest wide out in history but he has good size at 6'0", 212 pounds to play at the next level.
And then of course, there are his stats from Bowling Green, 298 receptions for 3,299 yards and 30 touchdowns in his collegiate career there.
155 of those catches, and yes that says 155 catches, came in his senior season alone for the Falcons, where he set the NCAA singe season mark for receptions in a single season.
If that and that alone are not evidence enough he deserves his shot, maybe the NFL should rethink how they evaluate players then.
Previous Next
No. 10 - MiQuale Lewis RB | Ball StateSlide 11 of 12
Standing at only 5'6", but weighing in at 195 pounds, Ball States senior running back already had one strike against him heading into the NFL combine.
In the NFL, size does seem to matter. Especially at running back.
Though his size may throw some NFL teams from looking at him, they need only remember what players like Darren Sproles has done for the Chargers.
Now I am not saying he is the next Sproles here, but he does have that same sort of game going for him, minus the speed.
Lewis knew he would have to put up video game numbers to be noticed by the NFL especially playing at Ball State, but odds were stacking up against him as his offensive line was young and inexperienced his senior season.
He was dancing around too much and needed and wanted to hit the holes harder, but the holes were just not there.
Still, Lewis was able to put up 3,334 yards on 643 attempts and 30 touchdowns during his career at Ball State. His biggest year was his junior season, where he rushed for 1,736 yards and 22 touchdowns.
He might have been better served to make the NFL had he came out last season, but the NFL teams should not hold that against him.
I foresee him to be a very nice backup in the NFL, but most likely will have to go as a free agent or in the seventh round.
by Eddie Garrison
Eddie Garrison
Featured Columnist
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ten-players-this-year-who-got-the-snub#page/9
The NFL offseason it seems starts the same every year, with the focus moving quickly from the Super Bowl to the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
Every February, the top 256 college football players make the trek to Indy for the most important job interviews of their lives.
For five days they will poked, prodded, asked questions and had background checks done on them to find out if they ever stole a stick of bubble gum when they were kids.
For these select 256 players, this is the beginning of a lifelong dream. But every year, there are some players who get left out of the combine. We are going to look at ten of those players today.
Keep in mind this is in no particular order.
No. 1 - Jonathan Crompton QB | Tennessee
Jonathan Crompton has had a very interesting career at the University of Tennessee. He has shown flashes of brilliance at the quarterback position and flashes of well, not so brilliant decisions for the Vols.
Standing at 6'4", 228 pounds, he has a nice frame for a quarterback at the next level. He saw much improvement in the 2009 season under then head coach Lane Kiffin.
Many scouts and NFL personnel had written Crompton off due to his up and down career in Knoxville.
These same personnel people should go back and look at the tapes of what Crompton was able to do against some very elite competition in the SEC last season.
The Vols played Florida tough for the first time in a few years and took the eventual SEC and National Champions Alabama to the brink with a blocked field goal by Alabama to win the game.
Look for Crompton to be drafted in the third or fourth rounds as I am sure he will impress scouts at Tennessee's pro day.
No. 2 - Ryan Perrilloux QB | Jacksonville State
Yes, this is the same Ryan Perrilloux that once played at LSU helping them win an SEC title over Tennessee.
And of course there are certainly the same character issues with him that were grounds for his dismissal from LSU.
Putting all that aside, when you just sit back and watch this young man throw the football, you have to be impressed.
Once his transfer to Jacksonville State was official and he could play football, he really seemed to show a lot of poise on and off the field.
Ryan has a very strong arm and uses his athleticism to make plays out of nothing with his legs. He may still be a work in progress, but I know an NFL will take a good hard long look at Perrilloux in the upcoming draft.
No. 3 - Rico McCoy OLB | Tennessee
Rico McCoy may lack the prototypical size for an outside linebacker at the next level, but this guy can flat out play football.
McCoy makes up for his size with his ability to fly to the ball wherever it is on the field.
His senior season at Tennessee, he really showcased his abilities to play in space and to be a very strong tackler.
He had 114 tackles and six forced fumbles last season for the Vols including a 16 tackle performance against Auburn and a 15 tackle game versus Vanderbilt.
McCoy is the ideal choice for a cover-two defense style of linebacker.
No. 4 - Andre Anderson RB | Tulane
The Tulane Green Wave may not be considered one of the elite football powerhouses in college football, but they sure boasted one of the country's lesser known running backs last season.
Anderson is a very strong and physical runner who breaks tackles and ran for a lot of big plays while he was at Tulane.
One thing that he lacks and may be the reason for his combine snub is that he does lack that breakaway speed that is talked about so much at the NFL level for running backs.
He did rush for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season for Tulane. I expect him to be a quality backup running back in the NFL and will show what he can do given his chances at the next level.
No. 5 - Chris Hall C | Texas
At 6'4", 300 pounds, Chris Hall might lack a little bit of the physical play that is a must at the center position in the NFL, but the competitiveness he has shown for the Longhorns gave him a spot on this list.
While he may lack the physicality of the position [debatable], he is a very tough player and was probably one of the most consistent guys at the position last season.
Hall gets his hands up and into defensive tackles quickly and stays into his blocks very nicely, always tying his man up at the point of attack.
With Hall not going to the NFL combine, he will have to wait until Texas's pro day to show the NFL what he can do, but his abilities at the position and showing the direct line speed to be able to get up field and block linebackers proves he may be worthy of a draft choice.
No. 6 - Curtis Steele RB | Memphis
Curtis Steele out of the University of Memphis is a very talented running back that has the ability to change directions in a blink of an eye.
He has a very powerful lower body to power his way through tackles and get into the open field.
Steele is also a good receiver out of the backfield and will be good on those little dump off screen plays that have become so popular in the NFL.
In his senior year at Memphis, he rushed for 1,239 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 198 attempts.
Steele caught 26 passes for 310 yards and a score as well.
He could be one of those hidden gem steals of the NFL draft this season.
No. 7 - Danny Batten OLB/DE | South Dakota State
The 6'3", 248 pound defensive end Danny Batten on many "experts" big board’s is ranked somewhere around No. 8 at his position but is considered a sixth round draft pick.
Batten has a great drive and motor inside that frame of his and has checked in pre-combine at workouts with a 4.6 time in the 40-yard dash.
He has the versatility to play either defensive end or outside linebacker which to me will up his draft stock to NFL teams.
Batten polished off his collegiate year at South Dakota State as the Missouri Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year accumulating 15.5 tackles with 10 sacks in his final twelve games.
I see him going in the later rounds, maybe in the fifth but no lower than the sixth.
Previous Next
No. 8 - Walter McFadden CB | Auburn
The 5'10", 176 pound cover corner from the University of Auburn may lack the overall size some NFL teams look for in a cornerback.
That could most likely was the number one reason for his snub of an invite to Indy and the combine.
McFadden though does posses very good instincts and nose for the football. Evident in his nine career interceptions at Auburn. He also tallied up 87 tackles while a Tiger as well.
He always seems to put himself in the best possible position to minimize the size advantage most receivers have on him. McFadden may lack the "prototypical" size of a cover corner, but his football instincts and good footwork give him a good shot at the next level.
No. 9 - Freddie Barnes WR | Bowling Green
What can you say about the NCAA's all-time leader in a single season for receptions?
Well apparently that does not get you an invite to the NFL combine these days.
Yes he may not be the fastest wide out in history but he has good size at 6'0", 212 pounds to play at the next level.
And then of course, there are his stats from Bowling Green, 298 receptions for 3,299 yards and 30 touchdowns in his collegiate career there.
155 of those catches, and yes that says 155 catches, came in his senior season alone for the Falcons, where he set the NCAA singe season mark for receptions in a single season.
If that and that alone are not evidence enough he deserves his shot, maybe the NFL should rethink how they evaluate players then.
Previous Next
No. 10 - MiQuale Lewis RB | Ball StateSlide 11 of 12
Standing at only 5'6", but weighing in at 195 pounds, Ball States senior running back already had one strike against him heading into the NFL combine.
In the NFL, size does seem to matter. Especially at running back.
Though his size may throw some NFL teams from looking at him, they need only remember what players like Darren Sproles has done for the Chargers.
Now I am not saying he is the next Sproles here, but he does have that same sort of game going for him, minus the speed.
Lewis knew he would have to put up video game numbers to be noticed by the NFL especially playing at Ball State, but odds were stacking up against him as his offensive line was young and inexperienced his senior season.
He was dancing around too much and needed and wanted to hit the holes harder, but the holes were just not there.
Still, Lewis was able to put up 3,334 yards on 643 attempts and 30 touchdowns during his career at Ball State. His biggest year was his junior season, where he rushed for 1,736 yards and 22 touchdowns.
He might have been better served to make the NFL had he came out last season, but the NFL teams should not hold that against him.
I foresee him to be a very nice backup in the NFL, but most likely will have to go as a free agent or in the seventh round.
