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OLB Gholston, TE Keller tops among pro day performances so far
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
(Archive)
Updated: March 11, 2008
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Ohio State DE/OLB Vernon Gholston continued his assault on the pre-draft process during the Buckeyes' pro day workout Friday in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-3, 266-pounder blazed a 40-yard dash time of 4.59 seconds and soared 42 inches in the vertical jump, both slightly better than his impressive numbers (4.67, 35.5) at last month's combine. Now that Gholston has twice verified in workouts the explosiveness scouts have seen on film for the past two seasons -- during which he had 22.5 sacks -- there should be no question about his standing as a top-10 prospect in this year's draft class. With the Jets, Patriots and Ravens -- all of whom employ 3-4 defensive schemes -- selecting sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, it's hard to imagine Gholston still being available when the Bengals select at No. 9.
Like Gholston, Purdue TE Dustin Keller used a recent pro day to improve on sensational combine results. His 41-inch vertical leap, three inches better than his showing in Indianapolis, stood out most and showed Keller's lower body explosiveness. While he never will be a good in-line blocker, Keller displays the speed, hands, athleticism and leaping ability of a true difference-maker in the NFL passing game. Creative offensive teams such as the Colts, Saints, Broncos, Eagles, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Rams should value Keller as a late-first-round prospect. In fact, don't be surprised if a team trades back into Round 1 to snatch him. There simply are not enough talented tight ends in this year's draft class for a team in need to be complacent.
USC TE Fred Davis is a very good athlete and has a bigger frame, but Keller is noticeably more explosive. Notre Dame's John Carlson is the most complete player of the three first-day prospects, but he never will be a seam-stretching receiver in the NFL. After Keller, Davis and Carlson, there's a sizeable drop-off in talent before prospects such as Michigan State's Kellen Davis, Tennessee's Brad Cottam, Texas A&M's Martellus Bennett and Texas' Jermichael Finley enter the picture on Day 2.
As for recent quarterback workouts, Kentucky's Andre Woodson was hardly as spectacular as hype would indicate. As expected, Woodson looked far more comfortable throwing to his own receivers in a scripted passing drill than he did working with 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz during Senior Bowl week. Woodson was able to show off his strong arm and touch as a passer, and while his delivery was not as slow as it was Mobile, Ala., he likely will always lack ideal quickness on his release. Furthermore, his receivers labored to haul in many of Woodson's throws. It should be noted that the 6-foot-4, 227-pound Woodson ran respectable times in his 40-yard dash attempts but disappointed in the vertical jump with a mark of only 27.5 inches.
In my opinion, Woodson remains in the third tier of quarterback prospects. Boston College's Matt Ryan stands alone as the elite class, followed by Brian Brohm (Louisville), Chad Henne (Michigan) and Joe Flacco (Delaware). Depending on team preference, Brohm, Henne and Flacco could go in any order, but all will likely come off the board between late in the first round to the middle of the second round. Woodson and John David Booty (USC) should be the next two quarterbacks selected, likely early on Day 2.
Here is a look at some of the results from other key pro day workouts around the country:
New Mexico Lobos ( March 6)
Marcus Smith and Travis Brown, a pair of mid- to late-round receiver prospects, worked out for coaches from eight NFL teams. Smith (6-1⅜, 221) improved his vertical leap to 29 inches, up three inches from the combine, but ran similar 40 times in the 4.5-second range. Brown, on the other hand, was able to significantly improve his combine marks, going from 4.64 down to 4.47 in the 40, from 30 to 34 inches in the vertical leap and from 10 feet to 10 feet, 4 inches in the broad jump. Smith had the more productive career and remains the higher-rated of the two prospects, but Brown certainly gained some ground with his surprising results.
TCU Horned Frogs (March 6)
DEs Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz were the biggest names among the 13 TCU prospects who worked out. Blake's free fall and questions about his mental health have been well-documented, and while it won't do much to change his status as a late-round prospect, he at least turned in a respectable showing for scouts after opting out of all workout drills at the combine. Blake ran respectable times of 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.37 seconds in the short shuttle and 7.14 in the three-cone drill, considering his 6-3, 272-pound frame. He also had solid results in the vertical jump (30.5), broad jump (9-3) and on the 225-pound bench press (23 reps).
Ortiz, who projects as a mid- to late-round pick, only slightly improved upon his combine results by running a 4.90 in the 40 and posting a 31-inch vertical leap. Safeties Brian Bonner and David Roach did not significantly improve upon their combine numbers, and both project as late-round picks.
Texas A&M Aggies ( March 5)
Red Bryant ran a pair of impressive 40s (4.89, 4.94) for a 6-4, 313-pound defensive tackle, both of which were better than his combine results. Bennett had a strong showing in terms of catching the ball and running routes during his position drills, and he opted to stand pat on his combine numbers.
Troy Trojans (March 4)
CB Leodis McKelvin was the only player of real significance to work out, but he had little to prove after an outstanding all-around showing at the combine. Considered one of the premier corners and punt returners in the 2008 class, McKelvin participated in position drills and improved his results in the vertical jump (38.5) and broad jump (10-5) before calling it a day.
Boise State Broncos (March 3)
OT Ryan Clady did not participate in the full combine workout after straining his right pectoral during the bench press, but by all accounts, Clady turned in a strong showing for the 50 or so NFL brass in attendance for his pro day. At 6-foot-6, 311 pounds, Clady ran 40 times in the low 5.2s, the short shuttle in 4.68 and the three-cone in 7.05. He also turned in a 31-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot broad jump. Clady is considered by most to rank just behind consensus No. 1 tackle Jake Long of Michigan. For puposes of comparison, Long had similar 40 times at the combine (5.22, 5.24), but Clady was faster in the short shuttle (4.73) and three-cone (7.44) and had a better vertical leap (27.5) and broad jump (8-6) in Indianapolis.
CB Orlando Scandrick improved on some of his jaw-dropping combine results, running a 4.31 in the 40, a 4.36 in the short shuttle and a 6.79 in the three-cone drill. He put up only eight reps in the bench press, but it should be noted that he has been battling a shoulder injury.
Miami Hurricanes (Feb. 29)
The most surprising of the 16 Hurricanes who worked out was WR Lance Leggett, who was not invited to this year's combine but turned heads on campus with a pair of 40s in the low 4.4s and a 37-inch vertical. The 6-3, 189-pound Leggett never played to his potential at Miami, but don't be surprised if the talented underachiever hears his name called on Day 2.
Miami's top two prospects -- S Kenny Phillips and DE Calais Campbell -- did little to affect their standings as late-first- or early-second-round prospects. Phillips slightly improved his vertical jump to 34 inches, while Campbell failed to break the five-second barrier in the 40 but improved his combine times in the short shuttle (4.61) and three-cone drill (7.17). They both participated in position drills and stood on their results from the remaining combine drills.
LB Tavares Gooden, a second-round prospect in my opinion, improved his 40 time to 4.57, but he seemed to tweak a muscle during his second attempt. His vertical jump was short of the 35 inches he showed at the combine, and Gooden stood on the rest of his numbers from Indy.
Upcoming workouts
Here's a look at the most important remaining pro days on the schedule:
March 11: California, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee
March 12: Alabama, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State
March 13: Georgia Tech, Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, West Virginia
March 14: Clemson, Houston, Michigan, Oregon State
March 18: Boise State (Part 2), Boston College, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, Syracuse, Virginia
March 19: Colorado, Florida State, Mississippi, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Texas
March 20: Central Florida
March 21: Tennessee State, Vanderbilt
March 24: Appalachian State, Iowa, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Southern Mississippi
March 25: Arkansas, Mississippi State, Wake Forest
March 26: Connecticut, LSU, Rutgers, South Carolina
March 27: Virginia Tech
March 28: Coastal Carolina, Kansas State
March 31: Arkansas State
April 1: Hawaii
April 2: USC
Todd McShay is the director of college football scouting for Scouts Inc. He has been evaluating prospects for the NFL draft since 1998.
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
(Archive)
Updated: March 11, 2008
Comment
Ohio State DE/OLB Vernon Gholston continued his assault on the pre-draft process during the Buckeyes' pro day workout Friday in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-3, 266-pounder blazed a 40-yard dash time of 4.59 seconds and soared 42 inches in the vertical jump, both slightly better than his impressive numbers (4.67, 35.5) at last month's combine. Now that Gholston has twice verified in workouts the explosiveness scouts have seen on film for the past two seasons -- during which he had 22.5 sacks -- there should be no question about his standing as a top-10 prospect in this year's draft class. With the Jets, Patriots and Ravens -- all of whom employ 3-4 defensive schemes -- selecting sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, it's hard to imagine Gholston still being available when the Bengals select at No. 9.
Like Gholston, Purdue TE Dustin Keller used a recent pro day to improve on sensational combine results. His 41-inch vertical leap, three inches better than his showing in Indianapolis, stood out most and showed Keller's lower body explosiveness. While he never will be a good in-line blocker, Keller displays the speed, hands, athleticism and leaping ability of a true difference-maker in the NFL passing game. Creative offensive teams such as the Colts, Saints, Broncos, Eagles, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Rams should value Keller as a late-first-round prospect. In fact, don't be surprised if a team trades back into Round 1 to snatch him. There simply are not enough talented tight ends in this year's draft class for a team in need to be complacent.
USC TE Fred Davis is a very good athlete and has a bigger frame, but Keller is noticeably more explosive. Notre Dame's John Carlson is the most complete player of the three first-day prospects, but he never will be a seam-stretching receiver in the NFL. After Keller, Davis and Carlson, there's a sizeable drop-off in talent before prospects such as Michigan State's Kellen Davis, Tennessee's Brad Cottam, Texas A&M's Martellus Bennett and Texas' Jermichael Finley enter the picture on Day 2.
As for recent quarterback workouts, Kentucky's Andre Woodson was hardly as spectacular as hype would indicate. As expected, Woodson looked far more comfortable throwing to his own receivers in a scripted passing drill than he did working with 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz during Senior Bowl week. Woodson was able to show off his strong arm and touch as a passer, and while his delivery was not as slow as it was Mobile, Ala., he likely will always lack ideal quickness on his release. Furthermore, his receivers labored to haul in many of Woodson's throws. It should be noted that the 6-foot-4, 227-pound Woodson ran respectable times in his 40-yard dash attempts but disappointed in the vertical jump with a mark of only 27.5 inches.
In my opinion, Woodson remains in the third tier of quarterback prospects. Boston College's Matt Ryan stands alone as the elite class, followed by Brian Brohm (Louisville), Chad Henne (Michigan) and Joe Flacco (Delaware). Depending on team preference, Brohm, Henne and Flacco could go in any order, but all will likely come off the board between late in the first round to the middle of the second round. Woodson and John David Booty (USC) should be the next two quarterbacks selected, likely early on Day 2.
Here is a look at some of the results from other key pro day workouts around the country:
New Mexico Lobos ( March 6)
Marcus Smith and Travis Brown, a pair of mid- to late-round receiver prospects, worked out for coaches from eight NFL teams. Smith (6-1⅜, 221) improved his vertical leap to 29 inches, up three inches from the combine, but ran similar 40 times in the 4.5-second range. Brown, on the other hand, was able to significantly improve his combine marks, going from 4.64 down to 4.47 in the 40, from 30 to 34 inches in the vertical leap and from 10 feet to 10 feet, 4 inches in the broad jump. Smith had the more productive career and remains the higher-rated of the two prospects, but Brown certainly gained some ground with his surprising results.
TCU Horned Frogs (March 6)
DEs Tommy Blake and Chase Ortiz were the biggest names among the 13 TCU prospects who worked out. Blake's free fall and questions about his mental health have been well-documented, and while it won't do much to change his status as a late-round prospect, he at least turned in a respectable showing for scouts after opting out of all workout drills at the combine. Blake ran respectable times of 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.37 seconds in the short shuttle and 7.14 in the three-cone drill, considering his 6-3, 272-pound frame. He also had solid results in the vertical jump (30.5), broad jump (9-3) and on the 225-pound bench press (23 reps).
Ortiz, who projects as a mid- to late-round pick, only slightly improved upon his combine results by running a 4.90 in the 40 and posting a 31-inch vertical leap. Safeties Brian Bonner and David Roach did not significantly improve upon their combine numbers, and both project as late-round picks.
Texas A&M Aggies ( March 5)
Red Bryant ran a pair of impressive 40s (4.89, 4.94) for a 6-4, 313-pound defensive tackle, both of which were better than his combine results. Bennett had a strong showing in terms of catching the ball and running routes during his position drills, and he opted to stand pat on his combine numbers.
Troy Trojans (March 4)
CB Leodis McKelvin was the only player of real significance to work out, but he had little to prove after an outstanding all-around showing at the combine. Considered one of the premier corners and punt returners in the 2008 class, McKelvin participated in position drills and improved his results in the vertical jump (38.5) and broad jump (10-5) before calling it a day.
Boise State Broncos (March 3)
OT Ryan Clady did not participate in the full combine workout after straining his right pectoral during the bench press, but by all accounts, Clady turned in a strong showing for the 50 or so NFL brass in attendance for his pro day. At 6-foot-6, 311 pounds, Clady ran 40 times in the low 5.2s, the short shuttle in 4.68 and the three-cone in 7.05. He also turned in a 31-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot broad jump. Clady is considered by most to rank just behind consensus No. 1 tackle Jake Long of Michigan. For puposes of comparison, Long had similar 40 times at the combine (5.22, 5.24), but Clady was faster in the short shuttle (4.73) and three-cone (7.44) and had a better vertical leap (27.5) and broad jump (8-6) in Indianapolis.
CB Orlando Scandrick improved on some of his jaw-dropping combine results, running a 4.31 in the 40, a 4.36 in the short shuttle and a 6.79 in the three-cone drill. He put up only eight reps in the bench press, but it should be noted that he has been battling a shoulder injury.
Miami Hurricanes (Feb. 29)
The most surprising of the 16 Hurricanes who worked out was WR Lance Leggett, who was not invited to this year's combine but turned heads on campus with a pair of 40s in the low 4.4s and a 37-inch vertical. The 6-3, 189-pound Leggett never played to his potential at Miami, but don't be surprised if the talented underachiever hears his name called on Day 2.
Miami's top two prospects -- S Kenny Phillips and DE Calais Campbell -- did little to affect their standings as late-first- or early-second-round prospects. Phillips slightly improved his vertical jump to 34 inches, while Campbell failed to break the five-second barrier in the 40 but improved his combine times in the short shuttle (4.61) and three-cone drill (7.17). They both participated in position drills and stood on their results from the remaining combine drills.
LB Tavares Gooden, a second-round prospect in my opinion, improved his 40 time to 4.57, but he seemed to tweak a muscle during his second attempt. His vertical jump was short of the 35 inches he showed at the combine, and Gooden stood on the rest of his numbers from Indy.
Upcoming workouts
Here's a look at the most important remaining pro days on the schedule:
March 11: California, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee
March 12: Alabama, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State
March 13: Georgia Tech, Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, West Virginia
March 14: Clemson, Houston, Michigan, Oregon State
March 18: Boise State (Part 2), Boston College, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, Syracuse, Virginia
March 19: Colorado, Florida State, Mississippi, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Texas
March 20: Central Florida
March 21: Tennessee State, Vanderbilt
March 24: Appalachian State, Iowa, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Southern Mississippi
March 25: Arkansas, Mississippi State, Wake Forest
March 26: Connecticut, LSU, Rutgers, South Carolina
March 27: Virginia Tech
March 28: Coastal Carolina, Kansas State
March 31: Arkansas State
April 1: Hawaii
April 2: USC
Todd McShay is the director of college football scouting for Scouts Inc. He has been evaluating prospects for the NFL draft since 1998.
