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Combine winners and losers
Nolan Nawrocki, ProFootballWeekly.com Mar 2, 3:14 pm EST
For as much is made about workout results at the NFL Scouting Combine, it is not numbers that have the greatest meaning to NFL teams, as they have already spent most of the fall assessing talent, with most teams having held meetings in the weeks leading up to the Combine to set their draft boards based on football-playing evaluations, which will comprise 90 percent of a player’s final grade.
Combine testing helps separate ties and forces evaluators to re-visit the tape of performers who stand out, good or bad. What is valued most highly by NFL decision makers are the medical evaluations performed by team doctors and the 15-minute interview sessions with players, which help give a glimpse of player personalities and allows teams to assess any blemishes on their records and figure out if they would like to spend more time courting prospects through the spring workout process.
With evaluators having had the least amount of time to assess the junior class that only became official in mid-January, the evaluation of the underclassmen is especially important, as measurables are verified and character is dissected.
Following are 10 players that have helped themselves in Indianapolis and 10 who have raised concerns, with the highly scrutinized underclassmen marked by an asterisk. The players are listed alphabetically.
10 Risers
OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland*
The football gods could not sculpt a better-looking physical specimen, and Campbell worked out like a phenom, clocking in the high 4.7s in the 40-yard-dash, producing times better than some receivers and defensive backs at 314 pounds. His 36 1/4-inch arms were a Combine-best for offensive linemen and will allow him to recover much more easily at the next level when he gets out of position, which he unfortunately does too much. The tape of Campbell playing like a first-round talent does not exist, but with impulsive decision makers dotting the first round, Campbell very well cemented his place in Round One with his performance, right or wrong. Whether he will ever live up to that lofty draft status remains to be seen.
DE-OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
A college defensive end who projects to rush linebacker in the pros, Hughes was not asked to drop heavily at TCU, but he looked as smooth and fluid as any defensive lineman when he was passed through LB drills, with very clean footwork and balance that should allow for a wrinkle-free transition. Was clocked at an exceptionally quick 1.53 seconds in the 10-yard time, showing the type of burst and acceleration that could make him a feared pass rusher in an even or odd front. Very likely solidified a spot in the first round, with much better production and tape than Larry English(notes) a year ago.
OG John Jerry, Mississippi
Has gradually cut his weight during the season from 350-plus pounds a year ago to a svelte 328 at the Combine and moved much better than expected, showing good agility and natural bend for a big body. Has excellent bloodlines and may not fit into the first round like his brother, Peria, did last year, with questions still remaining about how well he will be able to adapt to sliding protections in a pro-style offense, but he may have slid into the second round with his performance.
DT Linval Joseph, East Carolina*
The early entrant showed exceptional strength when he repped out 225 pounds 39 times and his strength and overall length, with 34 1/2-inch arms, could make him a commodity for an odd front, with ability to play inside or outside and stack the point. He is still raw on tape and has room to develop, but he is very unlikely to fall out of the top three rounds after how he performed in Indianapolis.
RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State*
In an uninspiring RB class, Mathews stood out as a gem of the Combine, along with Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty and Auburn’s Ben Tate, by clocking in the mid-4.4s in the 40-yard dash at 218 pounds. Despite not being used much in the passing game, he also caught the ball very well in drills, even showing he could track it over his shoulder. He is the best bellcow back in the draft and may slide into the first round after performing very well.
OLB Eric Norwood, South Carolina
Entered the Combine with questions about where he would play, having appeared less instinctive playing on his feet than when he lined up with his hand on the ground to rush the passer on third downs, but he moved around very well in drills and despite measuring barely above 6-feet flat, he did have among the longest arms of any linebacker at 33 3/8 inches and should have a very safe landing spot potentially in the second round in an aggressive “30” front such as the Steelers or Ravens.
TE Dennis Pitta, BYU
For a player not known for his athletic ability, Pitta tested much better than expected, clocking in the low 4.6s in the 40-yard dash and pacing all tight ends in each of the three shuttle drills, demonstrating the impressive agility that allows him to separate with quickness on the field. But even more impressively, when it came to drill work, he caught everything, appeared smooth adjusting to the ball and made the game look very easy with how seamlessly he caught it in stride. He may have solidified a place in the second round after how well he showed in Indianapolis.
OT Rodger Saffold, Indiana
Despite starting at left tackle the last four years, Saffold has been projected to guard by many NFL teams because of concerns about his overall length. However, after appearing very fluid in drills and measuring out longer than expected, at 6-4 5/8 with 33 5/8-inch arms, more than an inch longer than they registered in the spring of 2009, there is a good chance he could stick at left tackle, and there has been discussion of considering him in the bottom of the first round. Medical results regarding back pain he has played through could still have an effect.
QB Tim Tebow, Florida
Did not throw at the Combine, but did take the time to thoroughly explain his enhanced mechanics on camera, worked out extremely well for a quarterback and commanded the room during interview sessions. Whether he can effectively overhaul his pitcher-like, long delivery remains a big question that has left the vast majority of evaluators skeptical, but he left no questions about his intelligence, determination or intangibles, carrying himself like a pro’s pro. And some evaluators were quietly enthused about his potential as an H-back after leaping 38 1/2 inches, clocking in the low 4.7s in the 40-yard dash and producing a blistering 6.66-second 3-cone time.
FS Earl Thomas, Texas*
After playing late in the season considerably lighter than he weighed in, evaluators were left to wonder whether he was one of the bloated-looking Combine participants who downed a gallon of water before he stepped on the scale, with the old trick known for adding 8-10 pounds of water weight. Regardless of how he put on the weight, the key is that it did not affect his performance in the Combine drills, as he still registered a sub-4.5 time in the 40, looked very agile in drills and showed the ball skills that made him stand out at Texas. Interviewing very well should only further enhance his status.
10 Sliders
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas*
Despite catching the ball well in the gauntlet drills, the long strider registered a rather pedestrian 40-yard dash, clocking in the low-to-mid 4.6s on NFL watches, and only bench-pressed 225 pounds nine times, less than all three specialists who worked out, including the 166-pound Trindon Holliday. Briscoe’s lack of strength and speed very clearly will reduce him to a possession role and will diminish his value.
OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers*
Known to abhor the weight room at Rutgers and rely far too much on his natural ability, Davis showed up at the Combine looking sloppy-bodied and overweight. At 323 pounds, he clocked above 5.4 in the 40 on some watches and managed only 21 reps of 225 pounds, the least of any of the top four tackles who grade out the highest in the draft on tape. Known for consistently being late and not being accountable in college, his immaturity came across during interviews.
DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida*
Did not come to Indianapolis appearing ready mentally or physically, looking too stiff, upright and narrow-based as he went through drill work and coming off as extremely immature during the interview process, clearly not knowing what he does not know, as one executive described it. A DWI arrest four days in advance of the SEC Championship and subsequent suspension have done nothing to convince evaluators that he is ready to shake the career underachiever label that he is expected to carry to the pro level.
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
Cut nearly 20 pounds after playing this season around 250, but the rapid weight loss was noticeable in his appearance, and he carried a lot of extra flesh, showing little to no muscle definition, and his speed did not improve, as he barely cracked the 4.6 mark. Having played in a triple-option offense where he was utilized similar to a traditional fullback, Dwyer had enough questions to answer about how his skills would translate to a pro-style offense. Now he has evaluators left wondering if he might not be best in the pros as an athletic fullback. With former Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey having said that Dwyer’s weight has fluctuated greatly dating back to high school, executives are only left to wonder what weight he will show up at in a training camp after a big payday. The fourth-round grade some evaluators stamped on him based on tape evaluations now does not look far out of reach.
CB Joe Haden, Florida*
Expected to clock in the 4.3s heading into the Combine with explosive short-area quickness out of his breaks on tape, Haden ran slower than some linebackers in the 40-yard dash timing above 4.6 on some watches and appearing heavy in his movement. Although he does play faster than he timed, his marginal times will force evaluators to revisit his tape and could quite possibly knock him off the perch as the draft’s top corner. Taking false steps out of his transition while making speed turns and not appearing crisp with his footwork in drills did not help his cause, as he appeared very ill-prepared all the way through the event. With a chance to have warranted top-10 consideration had he lived up to the hype, the 40-game starter now has questions to answer and may want to consider finding a more experienced speed coach than his overinvolved father before the Gators’ pro day in several weeks.
S Chad Jones, LSU*
Having stood out on the diamond as an outfielder at LSU and gone on record saying baseball is his first passion, Jones had some questions to answer during interviews about how he would handle adversity if his football career did not go his way, and he did nothing to squash perceptions that he cannot be trusted to maximize his talent, as his interview was described as one of the worst of the allotted 60 that every team is given. Not only did he appear dispassionate in interviews, he clocked in the high 4.5s in the 40 — slower than expected — and only repped 225 pounds nine times at 221 pounds, poor for a safety of his size irrelevant of whether baseball has affected his conditioning.
TE Anthony McCoy, USC
Registered fairly pedestrian 40 times above 4.8 and followed it up by getting beat up by the ball in the gauntlet drills, where he weaved off the line, showing stiff hips, and slowed to absorb the ball, letting it into his body instead of catching it naturally in his hands. He also struggled to adjust to a catchable ball thrown behind him and lacked concentration, double-catching and bobbling the ball.
OG Dace Richardson, Iowa
Appeared very heavy-legged running the 40-yard dash, coming close to clocking a Rich Eisen-esque 6.0-flat, and looked like a wagon was attached to his waist as he went through drills. Posting a marginal 19 reps in the 225-pound bench-press test also showed his lack of physical development and strength.
OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
For as well as Weatherspoon worked out on the field and for as much as his “character” is praised within the Missouri program, he has turned off a number of decision makers just as much with his outlandish, look-at-me, loudmouth personality and has been criticized for worrying too much about his image and post-football career aspirations before he has accomplished anything in the National Football League.”He never shuts up,” one top executive said. “He was the loudest guy in the room for the bench press. He gives me a headache. I think he is full of (it). It’s all about himself. I don’t want him in my locker room.”
WR Mike Williams, Syracuse*
Entering the draft early after having had to sit out the 2008 season due to academics and having quit the Orange squad midway through his junior campaign, Williams came into the Combine with mighty questions to answer. Instead of coming clean with coaches and executives who questioned his motives, he continually talked in circles, refused to own up to his mistakes and was left being compared to Maurice Clarett from a maturity and intelligence standpoint by one GM who suffered through the interview. Producing a Combine WR-worst eight reps in the 225-pound bench-press test despite being one of the three heaviest receivers at the event also did nothing to convince executives that he works as hard as he claims or that football is important to him.
Nolan Nawrocki, ProFootballWeekly.com Mar 2, 3:14 pm EST
For as much is made about workout results at the NFL Scouting Combine, it is not numbers that have the greatest meaning to NFL teams, as they have already spent most of the fall assessing talent, with most teams having held meetings in the weeks leading up to the Combine to set their draft boards based on football-playing evaluations, which will comprise 90 percent of a player’s final grade.
Combine testing helps separate ties and forces evaluators to re-visit the tape of performers who stand out, good or bad. What is valued most highly by NFL decision makers are the medical evaluations performed by team doctors and the 15-minute interview sessions with players, which help give a glimpse of player personalities and allows teams to assess any blemishes on their records and figure out if they would like to spend more time courting prospects through the spring workout process.
With evaluators having had the least amount of time to assess the junior class that only became official in mid-January, the evaluation of the underclassmen is especially important, as measurables are verified and character is dissected.
Following are 10 players that have helped themselves in Indianapolis and 10 who have raised concerns, with the highly scrutinized underclassmen marked by an asterisk. The players are listed alphabetically.
10 Risers
OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland*
The football gods could not sculpt a better-looking physical specimen, and Campbell worked out like a phenom, clocking in the high 4.7s in the 40-yard-dash, producing times better than some receivers and defensive backs at 314 pounds. His 36 1/4-inch arms were a Combine-best for offensive linemen and will allow him to recover much more easily at the next level when he gets out of position, which he unfortunately does too much. The tape of Campbell playing like a first-round talent does not exist, but with impulsive decision makers dotting the first round, Campbell very well cemented his place in Round One with his performance, right or wrong. Whether he will ever live up to that lofty draft status remains to be seen.
DE-OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
A college defensive end who projects to rush linebacker in the pros, Hughes was not asked to drop heavily at TCU, but he looked as smooth and fluid as any defensive lineman when he was passed through LB drills, with very clean footwork and balance that should allow for a wrinkle-free transition. Was clocked at an exceptionally quick 1.53 seconds in the 10-yard time, showing the type of burst and acceleration that could make him a feared pass rusher in an even or odd front. Very likely solidified a spot in the first round, with much better production and tape than Larry English(notes) a year ago.
OG John Jerry, Mississippi
Has gradually cut his weight during the season from 350-plus pounds a year ago to a svelte 328 at the Combine and moved much better than expected, showing good agility and natural bend for a big body. Has excellent bloodlines and may not fit into the first round like his brother, Peria, did last year, with questions still remaining about how well he will be able to adapt to sliding protections in a pro-style offense, but he may have slid into the second round with his performance.
DT Linval Joseph, East Carolina*
The early entrant showed exceptional strength when he repped out 225 pounds 39 times and his strength and overall length, with 34 1/2-inch arms, could make him a commodity for an odd front, with ability to play inside or outside and stack the point. He is still raw on tape and has room to develop, but he is very unlikely to fall out of the top three rounds after how he performed in Indianapolis.
RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State*
In an uninspiring RB class, Mathews stood out as a gem of the Combine, along with Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty and Auburn’s Ben Tate, by clocking in the mid-4.4s in the 40-yard dash at 218 pounds. Despite not being used much in the passing game, he also caught the ball very well in drills, even showing he could track it over his shoulder. He is the best bellcow back in the draft and may slide into the first round after performing very well.
OLB Eric Norwood, South Carolina
Entered the Combine with questions about where he would play, having appeared less instinctive playing on his feet than when he lined up with his hand on the ground to rush the passer on third downs, but he moved around very well in drills and despite measuring barely above 6-feet flat, he did have among the longest arms of any linebacker at 33 3/8 inches and should have a very safe landing spot potentially in the second round in an aggressive “30” front such as the Steelers or Ravens.
TE Dennis Pitta, BYU
For a player not known for his athletic ability, Pitta tested much better than expected, clocking in the low 4.6s in the 40-yard dash and pacing all tight ends in each of the three shuttle drills, demonstrating the impressive agility that allows him to separate with quickness on the field. But even more impressively, when it came to drill work, he caught everything, appeared smooth adjusting to the ball and made the game look very easy with how seamlessly he caught it in stride. He may have solidified a place in the second round after how well he showed in Indianapolis.
OT Rodger Saffold, Indiana
Despite starting at left tackle the last four years, Saffold has been projected to guard by many NFL teams because of concerns about his overall length. However, after appearing very fluid in drills and measuring out longer than expected, at 6-4 5/8 with 33 5/8-inch arms, more than an inch longer than they registered in the spring of 2009, there is a good chance he could stick at left tackle, and there has been discussion of considering him in the bottom of the first round. Medical results regarding back pain he has played through could still have an effect.
QB Tim Tebow, Florida
Did not throw at the Combine, but did take the time to thoroughly explain his enhanced mechanics on camera, worked out extremely well for a quarterback and commanded the room during interview sessions. Whether he can effectively overhaul his pitcher-like, long delivery remains a big question that has left the vast majority of evaluators skeptical, but he left no questions about his intelligence, determination or intangibles, carrying himself like a pro’s pro. And some evaluators were quietly enthused about his potential as an H-back after leaping 38 1/2 inches, clocking in the low 4.7s in the 40-yard dash and producing a blistering 6.66-second 3-cone time.
FS Earl Thomas, Texas*
After playing late in the season considerably lighter than he weighed in, evaluators were left to wonder whether he was one of the bloated-looking Combine participants who downed a gallon of water before he stepped on the scale, with the old trick known for adding 8-10 pounds of water weight. Regardless of how he put on the weight, the key is that it did not affect his performance in the Combine drills, as he still registered a sub-4.5 time in the 40, looked very agile in drills and showed the ball skills that made him stand out at Texas. Interviewing very well should only further enhance his status.
10 Sliders
WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas*
Despite catching the ball well in the gauntlet drills, the long strider registered a rather pedestrian 40-yard dash, clocking in the low-to-mid 4.6s on NFL watches, and only bench-pressed 225 pounds nine times, less than all three specialists who worked out, including the 166-pound Trindon Holliday. Briscoe’s lack of strength and speed very clearly will reduce him to a possession role and will diminish his value.
OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers*
Known to abhor the weight room at Rutgers and rely far too much on his natural ability, Davis showed up at the Combine looking sloppy-bodied and overweight. At 323 pounds, he clocked above 5.4 in the 40 on some watches and managed only 21 reps of 225 pounds, the least of any of the top four tackles who grade out the highest in the draft on tape. Known for consistently being late and not being accountable in college, his immaturity came across during interviews.
DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida*
Did not come to Indianapolis appearing ready mentally or physically, looking too stiff, upright and narrow-based as he went through drill work and coming off as extremely immature during the interview process, clearly not knowing what he does not know, as one executive described it. A DWI arrest four days in advance of the SEC Championship and subsequent suspension have done nothing to convince evaluators that he is ready to shake the career underachiever label that he is expected to carry to the pro level.
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
Cut nearly 20 pounds after playing this season around 250, but the rapid weight loss was noticeable in his appearance, and he carried a lot of extra flesh, showing little to no muscle definition, and his speed did not improve, as he barely cracked the 4.6 mark. Having played in a triple-option offense where he was utilized similar to a traditional fullback, Dwyer had enough questions to answer about how his skills would translate to a pro-style offense. Now he has evaluators left wondering if he might not be best in the pros as an athletic fullback. With former Yellow Jackets coach Chan Gailey having said that Dwyer’s weight has fluctuated greatly dating back to high school, executives are only left to wonder what weight he will show up at in a training camp after a big payday. The fourth-round grade some evaluators stamped on him based on tape evaluations now does not look far out of reach.
CB Joe Haden, Florida*
Expected to clock in the 4.3s heading into the Combine with explosive short-area quickness out of his breaks on tape, Haden ran slower than some linebackers in the 40-yard dash timing above 4.6 on some watches and appearing heavy in his movement. Although he does play faster than he timed, his marginal times will force evaluators to revisit his tape and could quite possibly knock him off the perch as the draft’s top corner. Taking false steps out of his transition while making speed turns and not appearing crisp with his footwork in drills did not help his cause, as he appeared very ill-prepared all the way through the event. With a chance to have warranted top-10 consideration had he lived up to the hype, the 40-game starter now has questions to answer and may want to consider finding a more experienced speed coach than his overinvolved father before the Gators’ pro day in several weeks.
S Chad Jones, LSU*
Having stood out on the diamond as an outfielder at LSU and gone on record saying baseball is his first passion, Jones had some questions to answer during interviews about how he would handle adversity if his football career did not go his way, and he did nothing to squash perceptions that he cannot be trusted to maximize his talent, as his interview was described as one of the worst of the allotted 60 that every team is given. Not only did he appear dispassionate in interviews, he clocked in the high 4.5s in the 40 — slower than expected — and only repped 225 pounds nine times at 221 pounds, poor for a safety of his size irrelevant of whether baseball has affected his conditioning.
TE Anthony McCoy, USC
Registered fairly pedestrian 40 times above 4.8 and followed it up by getting beat up by the ball in the gauntlet drills, where he weaved off the line, showing stiff hips, and slowed to absorb the ball, letting it into his body instead of catching it naturally in his hands. He also struggled to adjust to a catchable ball thrown behind him and lacked concentration, double-catching and bobbling the ball.
OG Dace Richardson, Iowa
Appeared very heavy-legged running the 40-yard dash, coming close to clocking a Rich Eisen-esque 6.0-flat, and looked like a wagon was attached to his waist as he went through drills. Posting a marginal 19 reps in the 225-pound bench-press test also showed his lack of physical development and strength.
OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri
For as well as Weatherspoon worked out on the field and for as much as his “character” is praised within the Missouri program, he has turned off a number of decision makers just as much with his outlandish, look-at-me, loudmouth personality and has been criticized for worrying too much about his image and post-football career aspirations before he has accomplished anything in the National Football League.”He never shuts up,” one top executive said. “He was the loudest guy in the room for the bench press. He gives me a headache. I think he is full of (it). It’s all about himself. I don’t want him in my locker room.”
WR Mike Williams, Syracuse*
Entering the draft early after having had to sit out the 2008 season due to academics and having quit the Orange squad midway through his junior campaign, Williams came into the Combine with mighty questions to answer. Instead of coming clean with coaches and executives who questioned his motives, he continually talked in circles, refused to own up to his mistakes and was left being compared to Maurice Clarett from a maturity and intelligence standpoint by one GM who suffered through the interview. Producing a Combine WR-worst eight reps in the 225-pound bench-press test despite being one of the three heaviest receivers at the event also did nothing to convince executives that he works as hard as he claims or that football is important to him.
