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Moss continues DL pipeline
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The BCS national champions had more prospects invited to the 2007 NFL scouting combine (13) than any other program. It is no wonder why Florida's pro day on Wednesday drew such a massive crowd, including 60-plus credentialed media members and at least one representative from all 32 NFL teams.
Among the notables in attendance were Falcons GM Rich McKay, and Jaguars GM James "Shaq" Harris and head coach Jack Del Rio. Also in town was Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who has become especially fond of coach Urban Meyer and his program over the past two years. Belichick was not present at Wednesday's open-to-the-public session, as he has private workouts and interviews planned with many of the Gators' top prospects during his stay in Gainesville.
DS Reggie Nelson quickly became the biggest story on Wednesday. After running disappointing 40-yard dash times at the combine, Nelson silenced critics when he posted a time of 4.35 seconds -- on grass -- in his first and only attempt.
Nelson also turned heads by running a sub-4.4-second short shuttle, faster than any defensive back at the combine. There are still questions regarding his size and ability to support the run in the NFL, but at least the ball-hawking free safety proved himself fast enough to warrant consideration in the bottom half of the first round.
Also impressive is the ever-growing pipeline of Florida defensive linemen to the NFL. DE Jarvis Moss is a mid-to-late first-round talent who ran both of his 40-yard dash attempts in the 4.7-second range. At 250 pounds, Moss also showed good fluidity during linebacker drills, which bodes well for teams looking at him as a rush-linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
While Moss has the most upside of the Gators' defensive linemen, Ray McDonald is the most proven and versatile. At 6-foot-3 and 276 pounds, McDonald has experience playing end and tackle along the defensive line, and would be a first-round pick if not for his history of knee injuries. DT Joe Cohen is a quick and feisty late-round prospect who came on strong late in his collegiate career.
In addition to Moss, McDonald and Cohen, DE Derrick Harvey and DT Marcus Thomas are outstanding talents who could become impact players in the NFL one day. Harvey elected to return for his senior season at Florida and could be a top-10 pick in the 2008 draft. Thomas is a first-round talent who will slip a couple of rounds because of his off-field troubles.
Thomas reportedly inquired about the possibility of working out with his former teammates on Wednesday, but was understandably not allowed to do so after getting kicked off the team for multiple failed drug tests (marijuana). Thomas, who did not participate at the combine because of a quadriceps pull, will work out privately later this month in Jacksonville.
On a side note, the Jaguars made out well on Wednesday. Not only did they have easy access from Jacksonville, but Harris and Del Rio saw some of the top prospects (Nelson, Moss and McDonald) at two of their biggest positions of need (safety and defensive end) in the upcoming draft.
Chris Leak had an impressive workout , but it may not do him much good. QB Chris Leak stood on all of his running times from the combine, which meant waiting around nearly four hours before the NFL brass was ready to watch him throw. When his time came, Leak looked sharp. He performed a full throwing session, completing 64 of 65 attempts, and the only incompletion was a dropped pass that hit his receiver square in the hands.
The positives to take from the session were Leak's touch, timing, accuracy, footwork and ability to throw on the run. The glaring weakness he displays as a passer is his inability to consistently make the deep sideline throws. Overall, only so much can be taken from a pad-less workout. While Leak could not have done his part any better, I don't think it did much to raise his draft stock, which is hampered by his marginal height (5-11 7/8).
Interestingly enough, Leak's older brother C.J., who played wide receiver and quarterback for the University of Tennessee, was one of only a handful of receivers running routes during Chris' passing session. Others included RB DeShawn Wynn, and WRs Dallas Baker and Jemalle Cornelius. Wynn did not run a 40 because of a lingering right ankle sprain, but he is in good shape after posting excellent times at the combine.
Baker was far more productive than Cornelius in college, but Cornelius is gaining ground on Baker as a pro prospect, simply because he has run the 40 in the 4.5s, while Baker has run in the 4.7s. Neither player figures to be taken in the first four rounds of the upcoming draft.
LBs Brandon Siler and Earl Everett were underwhelming for most of the day. Siler, who opted not to run a 40, did turn in an impressive time in the short shuttle (4.04). He is a much better football player than his times indicate. The team that drafts him in the second or third round could get a steal.
Everett, on the other hand, makes a lot of plays in space, but is not nearly as instinctive as Siler on the football field. Everett was expected to post impressive times in postseason workouts, but that hasn't been the case. He was unable to significantly improve his 40-yard dash times from the combine, posting a 4.75 and 4.80 in his two attempts. This may be a result of a lingering hamstring injury. Everett's stock is dropping considerably and he is now in danger of falling out of the first day.
Cornerbacks Ryan Smith and Reggie Lewis fared better than they did a couple weeks ago inside the RCA Dome. Smith is pint-sized and lacks ideal top-end speed, but displayed excellent quickness and body control in the three-cone (6.78) and short shuttle (4.0).
Lewis was able to improve his 40 time, but 4.62 is hardly a figure to get excited about. Smith, who finished with eight interceptions as a junior in 2006, is the better pro prospect and should get some looks in the middle of Day 2, as a potential sub-package slot cover corner in the NFL.
Other Pro Day Briefings
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (March 4)
The consensus regarding Brady Quinn's heavily hyped workout was that he performed well, but came up just short of spectacular. Quinn completed 58 of 63 attempts in shorts and a T-shirt -- and three of the five incomplete passes were catchable balls his receiver failed to secure.
Quinn displayed good technique, quick feet, soft touch and very good accuracy on short-to-intermediate passes. He threw the ball well on the run and showed solid stamina late in the drill. The only consistent negative was his lack of ideal accuracy on deep passes, which was a weakness throughout his collegiate career.
Quinn is still nursing a minor knee injury he suffered during the USC game and reaggravated in the Sugar Bowl versus LSU. As a result, the 6-foot-4, 232-pound signal-caller delayed the running portion of his workout until Notre Dame's second pro day on March 22.
All 32 teams sent representatives to the workout, but it is noteworthy that neither Al Davis (Oakland) nor Matt Millen (Detroit) was in attendance. While their absence certainly does not rule Quinn out as the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, it does add to recent speculation. The good news for Quinn's camp is that the heavy hitters from the Browns (No. 3), Vikings (No. 7) and Texans (No. 8) were all in attendance.
RB Darius Walker attempted to improve his 40-yard dash times from the combine, but failed to do so. The 5-foot-10, 206-pound back ran two more times in the mid-to-high 4.5-second range, which does not help his cause as a fringe Day 1 prospect.
WR Rhema McKnight opted to wait for pro day to run the 40, and posted below-average times in his two attempts (4.53 and 4.55). At 6-foot-1, 211 pounds, and just two years removed from a season-ending knee injury, McKnight is unlikely to hear his name called on the first day of the upcoming draft.
DT Derek Landri is still recovering from an MCL injury and opted not to work out. The only portion of the combine he participated in was the bench press (26 reps), so he needs to complete all the running drills during Notre Dame's second pro day.
Miami Hurricanes (March 3)
TE Greg Olsen's draft stock continues to rise thanks to another impressive showing at Miami's pro day. Olsen wisely let his 40 times from the combine stand and was able to improve his vertical jump to 37½ inches and his short shuttle to 4.4 seconds. It's still early, but Olsen has salted the No. 1 tight end spot in this year's class and should come off the board at some point between picks No. 18 (Bengals) and No. 27 (Saints).
Baraka Atkins' play on the field was erratic during his days as a Hurricane. While his inconsistent effort was partly to blame, transitioning back and forth between defensive end and tackle also prevented him from mastering one position. Atkins, who projects as an end in the NFL, did show flashes of brilliance in college and has displayed his outstanding natural tools during postseason workouts.
After achieving outstanding results in the 40-yard dash (4.69) and vertical jump (33) at the combine, the 6-foot-4, 271-pounder added quality times in his short shuttle (4.67) and three-cone (7.02) at Miami's pro day. Needless to say, there will be several defensive line coaches around the league pushing their general managers to draft Atkins as a developmental project late in the first day.
Unfortunately, the news from Miami's pro day wasn't as positive for RB Tyrone Moss and OLB John Beason. Moss, who missed nearly the entire 2006 season due to a suspension and health problems, had run two abysmal 40-yard dash times (4.79 and 4.81) at the combine. While he did show improvement in his recent workout, the 227-pound back still ran marginal times (4.66 and 4.70) for his position.
Beason was unable to participate in the workout after tweaking his ACL at the combine. He has already lost eight pounds from his weight at the combine. Beason is hoping to reschedule a private workout in early April.
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By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The BCS national champions had more prospects invited to the 2007 NFL scouting combine (13) than any other program. It is no wonder why Florida's pro day on Wednesday drew such a massive crowd, including 60-plus credentialed media members and at least one representative from all 32 NFL teams.
Among the notables in attendance were Falcons GM Rich McKay, and Jaguars GM James "Shaq" Harris and head coach Jack Del Rio. Also in town was Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who has become especially fond of coach Urban Meyer and his program over the past two years. Belichick was not present at Wednesday's open-to-the-public session, as he has private workouts and interviews planned with many of the Gators' top prospects during his stay in Gainesville.
DS Reggie Nelson quickly became the biggest story on Wednesday. After running disappointing 40-yard dash times at the combine, Nelson silenced critics when he posted a time of 4.35 seconds -- on grass -- in his first and only attempt.
Nelson also turned heads by running a sub-4.4-second short shuttle, faster than any defensive back at the combine. There are still questions regarding his size and ability to support the run in the NFL, but at least the ball-hawking free safety proved himself fast enough to warrant consideration in the bottom half of the first round.
Also impressive is the ever-growing pipeline of Florida defensive linemen to the NFL. DE Jarvis Moss is a mid-to-late first-round talent who ran both of his 40-yard dash attempts in the 4.7-second range. At 250 pounds, Moss also showed good fluidity during linebacker drills, which bodes well for teams looking at him as a rush-linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
While Moss has the most upside of the Gators' defensive linemen, Ray McDonald is the most proven and versatile. At 6-foot-3 and 276 pounds, McDonald has experience playing end and tackle along the defensive line, and would be a first-round pick if not for his history of knee injuries. DT Joe Cohen is a quick and feisty late-round prospect who came on strong late in his collegiate career.
In addition to Moss, McDonald and Cohen, DE Derrick Harvey and DT Marcus Thomas are outstanding talents who could become impact players in the NFL one day. Harvey elected to return for his senior season at Florida and could be a top-10 pick in the 2008 draft. Thomas is a first-round talent who will slip a couple of rounds because of his off-field troubles.
Thomas reportedly inquired about the possibility of working out with his former teammates on Wednesday, but was understandably not allowed to do so after getting kicked off the team for multiple failed drug tests (marijuana). Thomas, who did not participate at the combine because of a quadriceps pull, will work out privately later this month in Jacksonville.
On a side note, the Jaguars made out well on Wednesday. Not only did they have easy access from Jacksonville, but Harris and Del Rio saw some of the top prospects (Nelson, Moss and McDonald) at two of their biggest positions of need (safety and defensive end) in the upcoming draft.
Chris Leak had an impressive workout , but it may not do him much good. QB Chris Leak stood on all of his running times from the combine, which meant waiting around nearly four hours before the NFL brass was ready to watch him throw. When his time came, Leak looked sharp. He performed a full throwing session, completing 64 of 65 attempts, and the only incompletion was a dropped pass that hit his receiver square in the hands.
The positives to take from the session were Leak's touch, timing, accuracy, footwork and ability to throw on the run. The glaring weakness he displays as a passer is his inability to consistently make the deep sideline throws. Overall, only so much can be taken from a pad-less workout. While Leak could not have done his part any better, I don't think it did much to raise his draft stock, which is hampered by his marginal height (5-11 7/8).
Interestingly enough, Leak's older brother C.J., who played wide receiver and quarterback for the University of Tennessee, was one of only a handful of receivers running routes during Chris' passing session. Others included RB DeShawn Wynn, and WRs Dallas Baker and Jemalle Cornelius. Wynn did not run a 40 because of a lingering right ankle sprain, but he is in good shape after posting excellent times at the combine.
Baker was far more productive than Cornelius in college, but Cornelius is gaining ground on Baker as a pro prospect, simply because he has run the 40 in the 4.5s, while Baker has run in the 4.7s. Neither player figures to be taken in the first four rounds of the upcoming draft.
LBs Brandon Siler and Earl Everett were underwhelming for most of the day. Siler, who opted not to run a 40, did turn in an impressive time in the short shuttle (4.04). He is a much better football player than his times indicate. The team that drafts him in the second or third round could get a steal.
Everett, on the other hand, makes a lot of plays in space, but is not nearly as instinctive as Siler on the football field. Everett was expected to post impressive times in postseason workouts, but that hasn't been the case. He was unable to significantly improve his 40-yard dash times from the combine, posting a 4.75 and 4.80 in his two attempts. This may be a result of a lingering hamstring injury. Everett's stock is dropping considerably and he is now in danger of falling out of the first day.
Cornerbacks Ryan Smith and Reggie Lewis fared better than they did a couple weeks ago inside the RCA Dome. Smith is pint-sized and lacks ideal top-end speed, but displayed excellent quickness and body control in the three-cone (6.78) and short shuttle (4.0).
Lewis was able to improve his 40 time, but 4.62 is hardly a figure to get excited about. Smith, who finished with eight interceptions as a junior in 2006, is the better pro prospect and should get some looks in the middle of Day 2, as a potential sub-package slot cover corner in the NFL.
Other Pro Day Briefings
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (March 4)
The consensus regarding Brady Quinn's heavily hyped workout was that he performed well, but came up just short of spectacular. Quinn completed 58 of 63 attempts in shorts and a T-shirt -- and three of the five incomplete passes were catchable balls his receiver failed to secure.
Quinn displayed good technique, quick feet, soft touch and very good accuracy on short-to-intermediate passes. He threw the ball well on the run and showed solid stamina late in the drill. The only consistent negative was his lack of ideal accuracy on deep passes, which was a weakness throughout his collegiate career.
Quinn is still nursing a minor knee injury he suffered during the USC game and reaggravated in the Sugar Bowl versus LSU. As a result, the 6-foot-4, 232-pound signal-caller delayed the running portion of his workout until Notre Dame's second pro day on March 22.
All 32 teams sent representatives to the workout, but it is noteworthy that neither Al Davis (Oakland) nor Matt Millen (Detroit) was in attendance. While their absence certainly does not rule Quinn out as the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, it does add to recent speculation. The good news for Quinn's camp is that the heavy hitters from the Browns (No. 3), Vikings (No. 7) and Texans (No. 8) were all in attendance.
RB Darius Walker attempted to improve his 40-yard dash times from the combine, but failed to do so. The 5-foot-10, 206-pound back ran two more times in the mid-to-high 4.5-second range, which does not help his cause as a fringe Day 1 prospect.
WR Rhema McKnight opted to wait for pro day to run the 40, and posted below-average times in his two attempts (4.53 and 4.55). At 6-foot-1, 211 pounds, and just two years removed from a season-ending knee injury, McKnight is unlikely to hear his name called on the first day of the upcoming draft.
DT Derek Landri is still recovering from an MCL injury and opted not to work out. The only portion of the combine he participated in was the bench press (26 reps), so he needs to complete all the running drills during Notre Dame's second pro day.
Miami Hurricanes (March 3)
TE Greg Olsen's draft stock continues to rise thanks to another impressive showing at Miami's pro day. Olsen wisely let his 40 times from the combine stand and was able to improve his vertical jump to 37½ inches and his short shuttle to 4.4 seconds. It's still early, but Olsen has salted the No. 1 tight end spot in this year's class and should come off the board at some point between picks No. 18 (Bengals) and No. 27 (Saints).
Baraka Atkins' play on the field was erratic during his days as a Hurricane. While his inconsistent effort was partly to blame, transitioning back and forth between defensive end and tackle also prevented him from mastering one position. Atkins, who projects as an end in the NFL, did show flashes of brilliance in college and has displayed his outstanding natural tools during postseason workouts.
After achieving outstanding results in the 40-yard dash (4.69) and vertical jump (33) at the combine, the 6-foot-4, 271-pounder added quality times in his short shuttle (4.67) and three-cone (7.02) at Miami's pro day. Needless to say, there will be several defensive line coaches around the league pushing their general managers to draft Atkins as a developmental project late in the first day.
Unfortunately, the news from Miami's pro day wasn't as positive for RB Tyrone Moss and OLB John Beason. Moss, who missed nearly the entire 2006 season due to a suspension and health problems, had run two abysmal 40-yard dash times (4.79 and 4.81) at the combine. While he did show improvement in his recent workout, the 227-pound back still ran marginal times (4.66 and 4.70) for his position.
Beason was unable to participate in the workout after tweaking his ACL at the combine. He has already lost eight pounds from his weight at the combine. Beason is hoping to reschedule a private workout in early April.
LINK
