trickblue
Not Old School...Old Testament...
- Messages
- 31,439
- Reaction score
- 3,961
[SIZE=+2]Link
La Quinta grad set to show off for NFL teams[/SIZE]
Thomas St. Myer
The Desert Sun
February 23, 2006 February 23, 2006
Do you think you are a funny person? If you had a job and you didn't like it would you take it seriously? If you really liked your job would you work really hard at it?San Diego State senior wide receiver Jeff Webb, a 2001 La Quinta High School graduate, answered these questions for NFL personnel in mid-January when he played in the East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio, Texas. Webb is in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, today through Tuesday, where similar questions along with NFL personnel ready to clock him in the 40-yard dash await.
Projected by NFL draft analysts to be selected somewhere in the third to fifth round, his football future comes down to how he performs at the combine.
"It's a business now. It's time to grow up, be a man and get a job," Webb said. "I'm just looking forward to the combine and the draft.
"They're saying I'll go in the third to fifth round, but it really goes to what I run in the 40. If I run in that 4.3 range, I'll go second round. It's a different type of pressure, but my father said once those lights come on it's show time."
Ideally sized for an NFL wide receiver at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Webb trained for the combine in New York City with 19 other draft prospects who signed with Sportsstar Marketing Inc., an agency based out of Midtown. He dropped his 40 time from 4.5 to around 4.4.
"Training every day, twice a day, 90 minutes to two hours," Webb said in the midst of his stay in New York. "Just been working on shuttle drills and all the drills at the combine to try to get faster and faster and faster. The talent level here is so overwhelming. It'll bring out the best in anybody. You got guys like (Florida State running back) Leon Washington and (Virginia Tech linebacker) James Anderson here."
While in New York, Webb corresponded with his professors through e-mail and he will return to the classroom after he returns from Indianapolis. If he passes his two courses, the senior will follow through on his promise to his family by graduating this May with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
Before his stay in New York, Webb showcased his skills for scouts the week of the East-West Shrine Game played on Jan. 21.
His father, Jeff Smith, said his son caught virtually every pass thrown to him in the practices and his precise route-running caught the eye of scouts and possibly moved him up a few draft boards.Smith said representatives from the Chiefs, Dolphins, Giants, Eagles and Buccaneers spoke to Webb in San Antonio and representatives from both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders contacted his agent, Jim Ivler, the following week.
"We're not looking to go in the third round," Smith said. "He has his sights set on the first round, though we won't be disappointed if he gets drafted in the second round. He really improved his draft status at the Shrine. He made phenomenal strides."
A dominant receiver in the Mountain West Conference, Webb hauled in 92 receptions for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns but he only faced a couple of cornerbacks with NFL potential.
"He was a man among boys when it came to the corners he went against. They just didn't go to the well often enough," Smith said. "In my mind that's the reason Coach (Tom) Craft isn't there anymore."
Fired in December, Craft coached the Aztecs to a 19-29 record over four years. Tired of the losing, Webb contemplated entering the 2005 NFL Draft and he submitted paperwork to the NFL office to evaluate his draft prospects. Projected to be selected in the later rounds if at all, Webb turned to Craft for guidance and the coach convinced him to come back to school.
"He was telling him we're going to throw to you 90 times a game and you're going to be on the cover of all the magazines," La Quinta varsity head coach Dan Armstrong said. "Stuff you shouldn't be promising."
Failed promises aside, Webb put up gaudy numbers in 2005 and probably elevated his stock. He feels confident an NFL franchise will select him in the draft, and the only questions in his mind are by whom and in what round. His showing this week at the combine should answer both.
"There's some football players this year that might just run a 4.6, but on the field they're 4.3 players," Webb said, "and unfortunately they won't get drafted as high as they should. It's unfortunate it goes like that."
La Quinta grad set to show off for NFL teams[/SIZE]
Thomas St. Myer
The Desert Sun
February 23, 2006 February 23, 2006
Do you think you are a funny person? If you had a job and you didn't like it would you take it seriously? If you really liked your job would you work really hard at it?San Diego State senior wide receiver Jeff Webb, a 2001 La Quinta High School graduate, answered these questions for NFL personnel in mid-January when he played in the East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio, Texas. Webb is in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, today through Tuesday, where similar questions along with NFL personnel ready to clock him in the 40-yard dash await.
Projected by NFL draft analysts to be selected somewhere in the third to fifth round, his football future comes down to how he performs at the combine.
"It's a business now. It's time to grow up, be a man and get a job," Webb said. "I'm just looking forward to the combine and the draft.
"They're saying I'll go in the third to fifth round, but it really goes to what I run in the 40. If I run in that 4.3 range, I'll go second round. It's a different type of pressure, but my father said once those lights come on it's show time."
Ideally sized for an NFL wide receiver at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Webb trained for the combine in New York City with 19 other draft prospects who signed with Sportsstar Marketing Inc., an agency based out of Midtown. He dropped his 40 time from 4.5 to around 4.4.
"Training every day, twice a day, 90 minutes to two hours," Webb said in the midst of his stay in New York. "Just been working on shuttle drills and all the drills at the combine to try to get faster and faster and faster. The talent level here is so overwhelming. It'll bring out the best in anybody. You got guys like (Florida State running back) Leon Washington and (Virginia Tech linebacker) James Anderson here."
While in New York, Webb corresponded with his professors through e-mail and he will return to the classroom after he returns from Indianapolis. If he passes his two courses, the senior will follow through on his promise to his family by graduating this May with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
Before his stay in New York, Webb showcased his skills for scouts the week of the East-West Shrine Game played on Jan. 21.
His father, Jeff Smith, said his son caught virtually every pass thrown to him in the practices and his precise route-running caught the eye of scouts and possibly moved him up a few draft boards.Smith said representatives from the Chiefs, Dolphins, Giants, Eagles and Buccaneers spoke to Webb in San Antonio and representatives from both the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders contacted his agent, Jim Ivler, the following week.
"We're not looking to go in the third round," Smith said. "He has his sights set on the first round, though we won't be disappointed if he gets drafted in the second round. He really improved his draft status at the Shrine. He made phenomenal strides."
A dominant receiver in the Mountain West Conference, Webb hauled in 92 receptions for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns but he only faced a couple of cornerbacks with NFL potential.
"He was a man among boys when it came to the corners he went against. They just didn't go to the well often enough," Smith said. "In my mind that's the reason Coach (Tom) Craft isn't there anymore."
Fired in December, Craft coached the Aztecs to a 19-29 record over four years. Tired of the losing, Webb contemplated entering the 2005 NFL Draft and he submitted paperwork to the NFL office to evaluate his draft prospects. Projected to be selected in the later rounds if at all, Webb turned to Craft for guidance and the coach convinced him to come back to school.
"He was telling him we're going to throw to you 90 times a game and you're going to be on the cover of all the magazines," La Quinta varsity head coach Dan Armstrong said. "Stuff you shouldn't be promising."
Failed promises aside, Webb put up gaudy numbers in 2005 and probably elevated his stock. He feels confident an NFL franchise will select him in the draft, and the only questions in his mind are by whom and in what round. His showing this week at the combine should answer both.
"There's some football players this year that might just run a 4.6, but on the field they're 4.3 players," Webb said, "and unfortunately they won't get drafted as high as they should. It's unfortunate it goes like that."