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Keller outshines rest of TE class; Workouts kind to many offensive tackles
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
(Archive)
Updated: February 23, 2008
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Purdue TE Dustin Keller stole the show during Saturday's workouts. Keller put up impressive numbers at each station, starting with 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press. Since he weighed in at just 242 pounds earlier this week it is important that Keller showed good upper-body strength today. Once on the field, Keller showed excellent explosiveness with a 38-inch vertical leap and the fastest 40-time (4.53 seconds) among all tight ends. Keller also ran smooth routes and used his 10⅜-inch hands to snatch the ball out of the air during receiving drills.
On the flip side, Notre Dame TE John Carlson had a disappointing day. Carlson followed 20 reps on the bench by running a pair of 40-yard dashes in the low 4.9-second range. Making matters worse, he didn't show much burst coming out of his cuts and fought the ball at times during receiving drills. While the workout alone will only mildly affect Carlson's draft stock, it certainly was not the showing he was looking for following a frustrating senior season.
Another tight end who struggled catching the ball was USC's Fred Davis, who Scouts Inc. ranks as the top tight end prospect in this year's class. Davis did not run with the rest of the tight ends prior to the position-specific drills, but he seemed to settle into a grove catching the ball once he shook off the early rust. Regardless, Davis will need to put on a strong showing at USC's on-campus Pro Day on April 2 in order to hold off Keller atop the tight end rankings.
Their workouts may have been overlooked because of Keller's dominance, but Kentucky's Jacob Tamme and Cal's Craig Stevens represented themselves well. Tamme showed he can stretch the field by running the 40 in 4.57, while Stevens ran better than expected at 4.62. Though Tamme dropped a pass he should have caught early in the receiving drills he showed excellent body control and made a nice adjustment on a seam route on his very next chance.
Finally, the workout of Tennessee's Brad Cottam was a microcosm of his career to date. The towering tight end (6-foot-7½ 274 pounds) posted some remarkable results in the 40 (4.61 seconds) and vertical leap (38 inches) before suffering what appeared to be a muscle pull in his leg that sidelined him the remainder of the afternoon. Cottam has enough talent to warrant consideration as early as the second round, but the laundry list of injuries he suffered in college is certain to drop his stock at least a round.
The following is a look at some of the top test results for the tight ends:
Top five 40-yard dash times (seconds)
1. Dustin Keller, Purdue (4.53)
2. Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (4.58)
3. Craig Stevens, California (4.59)
4. Kellen Davis, Michigan State (4.60)
5. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (4.64)
Top five vertical jump results (inches)
1. Dustin Keller, Purdue (38)
2. Michael Santi, Virginia (36)
3. Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M (34)
4. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (33)
5. Gary Barnidge, Louisville (31)
Top five bench-press results (reps at 225 lbs)
1. Craig Stevens, Cal (27)
2. Dustin Keller, Purdue (26)
3. Fred Davis, USC (24)
4. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (24)
5. Derek Fine, Kansas (24)
Offensive linemen
• Michigan OT Jake Long put the finishing touches on a remarkably successful combine during Saturday's workout session. Adding to the position-best 37 bench reps he posted on Friday, Long was among the top five linemen on Saturday in the vertical jump (27.5 inches) and three-cone drill (7.44 seconds). Long’s 40-yard dash was only adequate for his size but his 10-yard split of 1.73 seconds -- a far more important number for offensive linemen -- was fifth-best among linemen. Long has placed a stranglehold on the top spot among offensive line prospects.
• Long wasn't the only big fella to earn some money, though, as Arizona State C Mike Pollak carried the momentum from a strong Senior Bowl showing over to the RCA Dome turf. Pollak (6-3⅝, 301) twice ran the 40 in under five seconds, including an offensive line best of 4.98 seconds. He also ran the best time in the short shuttle (4.47 seconds) and was tied for the fourth-longest broad jump (9-foot-2). We upgraded Pollack to the No. 1 center on our board recently after studying his senior season more closely and his performance in Indy verifies what we saw on film.
• Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams' 21 reps on the bench could raise a few eyebrows but don't expect it to hurt him. It's no secret that Williams needs to hit the weights, especially to improve his upper-body power, and he can improve in that area if he dedicates himself to the cause. He overcomes that below-average strength, though, by using excellent technique and positioning along with good natural mobility. Williams showed great footwork during drills and gets excellent hand placement. So while he won't really jar defenders at the point of contact Williams is able to lock on and then sustain his blocks.
• Nebraska OT Carl Nicks may be a notch below the elite tackle prospects like Long, Williams and Ryan Clady, but Nicks is making a strong case as a possible second-round pick. Nicks has a massive 341-pound frame but still turned in a 5.01-second 40 time, showing excellent range for his size in the process. In addition, he benched pressed the standard 225 pounds an impressive 31 times.
• Pittsburgh OT Jeff Otah did not look smooth during individual drills and his 40-yard dash time of 5.56 seconds ranked among the worst of the linemen that ran. However, it must be noted that a high left ankle sprain is limiting his mobility. Otah is still unpolished and needs to do a better job of playing with leverage, but NFL teams aren't going to downgrade the massive right tackle prospect after he tried to tough it out during Saturday’s workout. He still projects as one of the top five tackle prospects in this class, which should land him a spot in the first round.
Top five 40-yard dash times (seconds)
1. Mike Pollak, Arizona State (4.98)
2. Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers (4.99)
3. Donald Thompson, Connecticut (5.00)
4. Duane Brown, Virginia Tech (5.08)
5. Heath Benedict, Newberry (5.09)
Top five vertical jump results (inches)
1. Cody Wallace, Texas A&M (30.5)
2. John Sullivan, Notre Dame (30.0)
3. Heath Benedict, Newberry (28.5)
4. Chad Rinehart, Northern Iowa (28.5)
T5. Duane Brown, Virginia Tech/Jake Long, Michigan (27.5)
Top five bench press results (reps at 225 lbs)
1. Jake Long, Michigan (37)
2. Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers (35)
3. Kirk Barton, Ohio State (34)
4. Mike Gibson, California (31)
5. Carl Nicks, Nebraska (31)
Other news and notes
• LSU DT Glenn Dorsey will not work out with the defensive linemen on Monday. However, despite speculation to the contrary he did show up in Indianapolis. While nobody would have blamed Dorsey for staying home with his family following the passing of his grandmother, it does make the scouting process much easier for everyone involved. Dorsey will be able to get his medical examinations out of the way, which has added importance following a knee injury that he battled during the final five games of the regular season. Plus, interested teams are able to spend quality time interviewing the top defensive tackle prospect.
• Tim Bugg (Indiana) and Tyler Schmitt (San Diego State) are the only two long snappers invited to the combine. Meanwhile, Bernard Morris (Marshall), Adam Tafralis (San Jose State) and Kyle Wright (Miami-FL) are the three designated "throwing quarterbacks" at the combine, which means their invitation was contingent upon them throwing passes during drills for other positions. While hundreds of additional passes during the four days can take a toll on a quarterback's arm, these three late-round/free-agent prospects no doubt see it as a small price to pay for such an enormous opportunity to show their passing skills.
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: February 23, 2008
Comment
Purdue TE Dustin Keller stole the show during Saturday's workouts. Keller put up impressive numbers at each station, starting with 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press. Since he weighed in at just 242 pounds earlier this week it is important that Keller showed good upper-body strength today. Once on the field, Keller showed excellent explosiveness with a 38-inch vertical leap and the fastest 40-time (4.53 seconds) among all tight ends. Keller also ran smooth routes and used his 10⅜-inch hands to snatch the ball out of the air during receiving drills.
On the flip side, Notre Dame TE John Carlson had a disappointing day. Carlson followed 20 reps on the bench by running a pair of 40-yard dashes in the low 4.9-second range. Making matters worse, he didn't show much burst coming out of his cuts and fought the ball at times during receiving drills. While the workout alone will only mildly affect Carlson's draft stock, it certainly was not the showing he was looking for following a frustrating senior season.
Another tight end who struggled catching the ball was USC's Fred Davis, who Scouts Inc. ranks as the top tight end prospect in this year's class. Davis did not run with the rest of the tight ends prior to the position-specific drills, but he seemed to settle into a grove catching the ball once he shook off the early rust. Regardless, Davis will need to put on a strong showing at USC's on-campus Pro Day on April 2 in order to hold off Keller atop the tight end rankings.
Their workouts may have been overlooked because of Keller's dominance, but Kentucky's Jacob Tamme and Cal's Craig Stevens represented themselves well. Tamme showed he can stretch the field by running the 40 in 4.57, while Stevens ran better than expected at 4.62. Though Tamme dropped a pass he should have caught early in the receiving drills he showed excellent body control and made a nice adjustment on a seam route on his very next chance.
Finally, the workout of Tennessee's Brad Cottam was a microcosm of his career to date. The towering tight end (6-foot-7½ 274 pounds) posted some remarkable results in the 40 (4.61 seconds) and vertical leap (38 inches) before suffering what appeared to be a muscle pull in his leg that sidelined him the remainder of the afternoon. Cottam has enough talent to warrant consideration as early as the second round, but the laundry list of injuries he suffered in college is certain to drop his stock at least a round.
The following is a look at some of the top test results for the tight ends:
Top five 40-yard dash times (seconds)
1. Dustin Keller, Purdue (4.53)
2. Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (4.58)
3. Craig Stevens, California (4.59)
4. Kellen Davis, Michigan State (4.60)
5. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (4.64)
Top five vertical jump results (inches)
1. Dustin Keller, Purdue (38)
2. Michael Santi, Virginia (36)
3. Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M (34)
4. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (33)
5. Gary Barnidge, Louisville (31)
Top five bench-press results (reps at 225 lbs)
1. Craig Stevens, Cal (27)
2. Dustin Keller, Purdue (26)
3. Fred Davis, USC (24)
4. Brad Cottam, Tennessee (24)
5. Derek Fine, Kansas (24)
Offensive linemen
• Michigan OT Jake Long put the finishing touches on a remarkably successful combine during Saturday's workout session. Adding to the position-best 37 bench reps he posted on Friday, Long was among the top five linemen on Saturday in the vertical jump (27.5 inches) and three-cone drill (7.44 seconds). Long’s 40-yard dash was only adequate for his size but his 10-yard split of 1.73 seconds -- a far more important number for offensive linemen -- was fifth-best among linemen. Long has placed a stranglehold on the top spot among offensive line prospects.
• Long wasn't the only big fella to earn some money, though, as Arizona State C Mike Pollak carried the momentum from a strong Senior Bowl showing over to the RCA Dome turf. Pollak (6-3⅝, 301) twice ran the 40 in under five seconds, including an offensive line best of 4.98 seconds. He also ran the best time in the short shuttle (4.47 seconds) and was tied for the fourth-longest broad jump (9-foot-2). We upgraded Pollack to the No. 1 center on our board recently after studying his senior season more closely and his performance in Indy verifies what we saw on film.
• Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams' 21 reps on the bench could raise a few eyebrows but don't expect it to hurt him. It's no secret that Williams needs to hit the weights, especially to improve his upper-body power, and he can improve in that area if he dedicates himself to the cause. He overcomes that below-average strength, though, by using excellent technique and positioning along with good natural mobility. Williams showed great footwork during drills and gets excellent hand placement. So while he won't really jar defenders at the point of contact Williams is able to lock on and then sustain his blocks.
• Nebraska OT Carl Nicks may be a notch below the elite tackle prospects like Long, Williams and Ryan Clady, but Nicks is making a strong case as a possible second-round pick. Nicks has a massive 341-pound frame but still turned in a 5.01-second 40 time, showing excellent range for his size in the process. In addition, he benched pressed the standard 225 pounds an impressive 31 times.
• Pittsburgh OT Jeff Otah did not look smooth during individual drills and his 40-yard dash time of 5.56 seconds ranked among the worst of the linemen that ran. However, it must be noted that a high left ankle sprain is limiting his mobility. Otah is still unpolished and needs to do a better job of playing with leverage, but NFL teams aren't going to downgrade the massive right tackle prospect after he tried to tough it out during Saturday’s workout. He still projects as one of the top five tackle prospects in this class, which should land him a spot in the first round.
Top five 40-yard dash times (seconds)
1. Mike Pollak, Arizona State (4.98)
2. Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers (4.99)
3. Donald Thompson, Connecticut (5.00)
4. Duane Brown, Virginia Tech (5.08)
5. Heath Benedict, Newberry (5.09)
Top five vertical jump results (inches)
1. Cody Wallace, Texas A&M (30.5)
2. John Sullivan, Notre Dame (30.0)
3. Heath Benedict, Newberry (28.5)
4. Chad Rinehart, Northern Iowa (28.5)
T5. Duane Brown, Virginia Tech/Jake Long, Michigan (27.5)
Top five bench press results (reps at 225 lbs)
1. Jake Long, Michigan (37)
2. Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers (35)
3. Kirk Barton, Ohio State (34)
4. Mike Gibson, California (31)
5. Carl Nicks, Nebraska (31)
Other news and notes
• LSU DT Glenn Dorsey will not work out with the defensive linemen on Monday. However, despite speculation to the contrary he did show up in Indianapolis. While nobody would have blamed Dorsey for staying home with his family following the passing of his grandmother, it does make the scouting process much easier for everyone involved. Dorsey will be able to get his medical examinations out of the way, which has added importance following a knee injury that he battled during the final five games of the regular season. Plus, interested teams are able to spend quality time interviewing the top defensive tackle prospect.
• Tim Bugg (Indiana) and Tyler Schmitt (San Diego State) are the only two long snappers invited to the combine. Meanwhile, Bernard Morris (Marshall), Adam Tafralis (San Jose State) and Kyle Wright (Miami-FL) are the three designated "throwing quarterbacks" at the combine, which means their invitation was contingent upon them throwing passes during drills for other positions. While hundreds of additional passes during the four days can take a toll on a quarterback's arm, these three late-round/free-agent prospects no doubt see it as a small price to pay for such an enormous opportunity to show their passing skills.
Todd McShay is the director of college football scouting for Scouts Inc. He has been evaluating prospects for the NFL draft since 1998.
