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February 21, 2008 5:42 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The first day of media access at the combine featured news conferences, but no 40-yard times or workouts of any kind. Players won't begin working out until Groups 1, 2 and 3 -- comprised of special-teamers, offensive linemen and tight ends --assemble for the bench press Friday afternoon. No players will run 40-yard dashes before the first three groups run Saturday.
Among the highlights that didn't make it into our previous 25 blog entries today:
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The first day of media access at the combine featured news conferences, but no 40-yard times or workouts of any kind. Players won't begin working out until Groups 1, 2 and 3 -- comprised of special-teamers, offensive linemen and tight ends --assemble for the bench press Friday afternoon. No players will run 40-yard dashes before the first three groups run Saturday.
Among the highlights that didn't make it into our previous 25 blog entries today:
- Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett livened up the proceedings with more of the offbeat banter that qualifies him as goofy, by his own admission. "I think a lot of people have questioned my maturity because I'm so young coming out as a junior," he said. "I know a lot of people think I'm goofy - which I am - but I am mature."
Bennett is also a connoisseur of interviews. Bill Parcells and Bobby Knight are two of his favorites because, according to Bennett, they take control of the questioning.
"As far as interviews with players, I've always watched Reggie Miller, Michael Jordan and even Kobe Bryant now has been doing a great job with them," he said. "There are a lot of guys out there I like watching interviews. I watch ESPN all of the time."
Bennett calls himself an accomplished trash talker who could step onto an NFL field today and beat defenses by running after the catch. "And I think I can block," he said. "I know I can block defensive ends in the NFL."
- Spin was the theme of the day as the league continued to downplay the Spygate scandal. Commissioner Roger Goodell briefed members of the competition committee on its investigation into the Patriots' improper videotaping practices. Members of the committee predictably said they were satisfied with the league's approach. They predictably said the scandal was old news. They predictably had little to say about what former Patriots video staffer Matt Walsh might offer to investigators, noting that the competition committee has no oversight on that matter.
- Virginia offensive lineman Branden Albert played guard and tackle in college. He considers himself a guard who is comfortable at tackle. He's also apparently comfortable in his abilities. Asked to compare himself to an NFL guard or tackle, Albert aimed high. "If it was a tackle, I might say Flozell Adams, or Walter Jones," he said.
- Notre Dame tight end John Carlson weighed in at 255 pounds after regaining most of the nearly 20 pounds he lost after falling ill last month. "I caught what I believe was a parasite, and I ended up losing 17 pounds in eight days," Carlson said. "I've gained most of the weight back. I've gained most of the strength back. I feel healthy today. It was disappointing not to play in the Senior Bowl, especially after a tough season in which we didn't get to a bowl game. The Senior Bowl was my bowl game. I'd been training since Dec. 11."
- --Thurston Howell III couldn't make it to Indy, but Arthur Carmody IV made an appearance. The Louisville kicker said he's proud of his name even though he doesn't know much about its history. "My family came over from Ireland a long time ago," he said. "I'm proud of my name and I look forward to showing it off."
- Carmody isn't known for leg strength in part because he did not handle kickoffs, but he said he once made a 63-yard field goal in practice. "I believe I have the leg to kick at the next level," he said.
- Boise State tackle Ryan Clady said he spent five weeks working with Hall of Fame tackle Jackie Slater. He played against Slater's son in high school but didn't know much about the elder Slater. "He came to one of my games," Clady said. "I kinda didn't know who he was, but it was kinda exciting to know he played in the NFL." Kinda hard to believe.
- Kansas tackle Anthony Collins drew relatively little interest from recruiters in part because he played only one year of football in high school. "I thought I could play basketball," he said. "It turns out I couldn't jump worth nothing." Vertical-jump testing for offensive linemen is Friday.
- Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam, 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, also had hoop dreams. "Growing up, I always thought I would play basketball," he said. "I still enjoy basketball. I still play intramurals. We were the champions last year at Tennessee. But I like football better. I think if I had chosen to play basketball, I could have succeeded in that, but I chose football, because I enjoy it more."
- Asked about his blocking ability, Texas tight end Jermichael Finley impressed with his honesty. "It's not good at all," he said, "but I'm going to work my butt off to make it great."
- Toledo tackle John Greco is undersized by NFL standards at 6-4 and 305 pounds. His own mother considered him undersized. She didn't let him play football until eighth grade because she thought he was too small. How small? "In eighth grade? Probably 6-1, 6-2, maybe 230, 240," Greco said. "She still thought I was small."
