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White's workout could cause fall
By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive
As expected, running back Reggie Bush, quarterback Matt Leinart and offensive tackle Winston Justice were brilliant at USC's pro day Sunday.
In front of coaches and scouts from all 32 teams, as well as nearly 3,000 fans and media members, Bush dazzled with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 202 pounds. The projected top overall pick in the 2006 draft also rattled off 24 reps of the standard 225-pound bench press and finished with excellent results in the broad jump (10-feet 8½ inches) and vertical jump (40½ inches). Scouts did not need to witness him in receiving drills but Bush participated nonetheless, showing exceptional hands and route running skills when split out as a wide receiver.
Leinart does not have great arm strength but he displayed a strong enough arm to make all the necessary throws in the passing session, which included 50 attempts. During that session, Leinart's touch, timing and presence were especially impressive. Leinart did not run a 40-yard dash, nor is he expected to between now and draft weekend. However, the 6-foot-4¾, 224-pound southpaw did rip off 26 reps on the bench press and impressed scouts with his leg explosion in the broad jump (9-5) and vertical jump (37 inches).
Justice (6-6¼, 320 pounds) is in exceptional shape and might have solidified a spot in the top 10 picks with his head-turning workout on Sunday. Justice had a 39-inch vertical jump. He did not record a 40-yard dash because he tweaked a hamstring 30 yards into his first attempt but they did get a time of 1.78 seconds on his 10-yard split, which is extremely quick for such a big lineman. His times in the short shuttle (4.43) and three-cone drill (7.37) also were impressive.
While Justice might have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars during USC's workout, RB LenDale White might have lost as much with his decision not to participate in most aspects of the workout.
Unlike the rest of the participating USC players who have been training on campus and keeping in touch with coaches, White elected to do his pre-workout training in Florida. He did not work out at the combine in late February and said at that point that he planned on trimming his 238-pound frame down approximately 8 to 10 pounds. Instead, he showed up on Sunday at 244 pounds and cited a hamstring injury as his reason for not working out.
The only portion of the workout that White did participate in was the bench press, notching an underwhelming 15 reps. With questions about his work ethic and maturity, White is in the midst of a draft-stock freefall and he easily could wind up dropping to the bottom portion of the first round as the fourth running back taken behind Bush, DeAngelo Williams (Memphis) and Laurence Maroney (Minnesota).
Others who impressed with solid all-around workouts include safety Darnell Bing, tight end Dominique Byrd, offensive guard Tautusi Lutui and fullback David Kirtman. Bing (6-1¾, 225) finished with 21 reps of the 225-pound bench press, a 10-4½ inch broad jump, 38-inch vertical jump and 4.53 seconds in his 40-yard dash, including a 10-yard split of 1.61 seconds.
Byrd (6-2¾, 258) bench pressed 15 reps of the 225-pound bench, finished with a 36-inch vertical jump, ran a 4.79 40-yard dash, 1.71 10-yard dash, 4.50 short-shuttle and a three-cone drill of 7.21.
Lutui (6-3½, 330) looked in good shape for such a big offensive lineman. He finished with 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press, he had a 32-inch vertical jump and 8-5 broad jump. Lutui's 40-yard dash was below average (5.31), but his 10-yard split (1.70) was outstanding -- and that's far more important for an offensive lineman. Lutui finished with a 4.81 short shuttle and his three-cone drill was 7.96.
Kirtman (5-11½, 232) benched 26 reps, ran a 40-yard dash of 4.74 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.66 and ran a very good short shuttle time of 4.08.
The workouts turned in by mid-round prospects such as DE Frostee Rucker and OG Fred Matua were just decent. Rucker (6-3¼, 261) finished with 19 reps on the bench press, 9-8½ on the broad jump, 35 inches on the vertical, 4.80 seconds in the 40, 1.73 in the 10-yard split, 4.31 in the short shuttle, 7.25 in the three-cone drill.
Matua (6-2½, 301) finished with 26 reps on the bench, a broad jump of 8-7½ and a 30-inch vertical. His time of 5.06 in the 40-yard dash was poor, but he impressed with a 1.77 10-yard split. He also recorded decent times in the short shuttle (4.80) and three-cone drill (8.03).
WR/DB William Buchanon, linebacker Collin Ashton and defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey are fringe prospects who might have solidified spots in the final couple of rounds with strong showings Sunday.
There is not much film on Buchanon (6-3, 191) because he never found a position. He's a tweener who put on an impressive show during his workout session, where he finished with 13 bench press reps, had a 10-1 broad jump, 40-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash.
Ashton (6-½, 217) finished with 21 reps on the bench press, 9-0 on the broad jump, 34½-inch vertical jump, 4.67 in the 40-yard dash, 1.64 in his 10-yard split and his short shuttle was 4.09 seconds.
Most of Ramsey's (6-2½, 291) workout results -- broad jump (8-11), vertical jump (32 inches), 40-yard dash (4.92), 10-yard split (1.71) and short shuttle (4.81) -- were also solid. The one unimpressive area was the three-cone drill, where he ran a dismal time of 7.78 seconds.
Others to report
DB John Walker (5-11¾, 199) had a better workout than anticipated. He did not bench, but he had good results in the broad jump (10-6), vertical jump (39½ inches), 40-yard dash (4.61), 10-yard split (1.60), short shuttle (4.25) and three-cone drill (6.87).
CB Justin Wyatt (5-9¼, 189) really hurt his value with a 4.74 in the 40-yard dash. He did show decent initial quickness with a 1.56 10-yard split.
S Scott Ware (6-1¼, 213) did not work out.
Punter Tom Malone (5-11¾, 204) participated only in the bench press and finished with 14 reps.
Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. contributed to this report. Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.
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By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
Archive
As expected, running back Reggie Bush, quarterback Matt Leinart and offensive tackle Winston Justice were brilliant at USC's pro day Sunday.
In front of coaches and scouts from all 32 teams, as well as nearly 3,000 fans and media members, Bush dazzled with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at 202 pounds. The projected top overall pick in the 2006 draft also rattled off 24 reps of the standard 225-pound bench press and finished with excellent results in the broad jump (10-feet 8½ inches) and vertical jump (40½ inches). Scouts did not need to witness him in receiving drills but Bush participated nonetheless, showing exceptional hands and route running skills when split out as a wide receiver.
Leinart does not have great arm strength but he displayed a strong enough arm to make all the necessary throws in the passing session, which included 50 attempts. During that session, Leinart's touch, timing and presence were especially impressive. Leinart did not run a 40-yard dash, nor is he expected to between now and draft weekend. However, the 6-foot-4¾, 224-pound southpaw did rip off 26 reps on the bench press and impressed scouts with his leg explosion in the broad jump (9-5) and vertical jump (37 inches).
Justice (6-6¼, 320 pounds) is in exceptional shape and might have solidified a spot in the top 10 picks with his head-turning workout on Sunday. Justice had a 39-inch vertical jump. He did not record a 40-yard dash because he tweaked a hamstring 30 yards into his first attempt but they did get a time of 1.78 seconds on his 10-yard split, which is extremely quick for such a big lineman. His times in the short shuttle (4.43) and three-cone drill (7.37) also were impressive.
While Justice might have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars during USC's workout, RB LenDale White might have lost as much with his decision not to participate in most aspects of the workout.
Unlike the rest of the participating USC players who have been training on campus and keeping in touch with coaches, White elected to do his pre-workout training in Florida. He did not work out at the combine in late February and said at that point that he planned on trimming his 238-pound frame down approximately 8 to 10 pounds. Instead, he showed up on Sunday at 244 pounds and cited a hamstring injury as his reason for not working out.
The only portion of the workout that White did participate in was the bench press, notching an underwhelming 15 reps. With questions about his work ethic and maturity, White is in the midst of a draft-stock freefall and he easily could wind up dropping to the bottom portion of the first round as the fourth running back taken behind Bush, DeAngelo Williams (Memphis) and Laurence Maroney (Minnesota).
Others who impressed with solid all-around workouts include safety Darnell Bing, tight end Dominique Byrd, offensive guard Tautusi Lutui and fullback David Kirtman. Bing (6-1¾, 225) finished with 21 reps of the 225-pound bench press, a 10-4½ inch broad jump, 38-inch vertical jump and 4.53 seconds in his 40-yard dash, including a 10-yard split of 1.61 seconds.
Byrd (6-2¾, 258) bench pressed 15 reps of the 225-pound bench, finished with a 36-inch vertical jump, ran a 4.79 40-yard dash, 1.71 10-yard dash, 4.50 short-shuttle and a three-cone drill of 7.21.
Lutui (6-3½, 330) looked in good shape for such a big offensive lineman. He finished with 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press, he had a 32-inch vertical jump and 8-5 broad jump. Lutui's 40-yard dash was below average (5.31), but his 10-yard split (1.70) was outstanding -- and that's far more important for an offensive lineman. Lutui finished with a 4.81 short shuttle and his three-cone drill was 7.96.
Kirtman (5-11½, 232) benched 26 reps, ran a 40-yard dash of 4.74 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.66 and ran a very good short shuttle time of 4.08.
The workouts turned in by mid-round prospects such as DE Frostee Rucker and OG Fred Matua were just decent. Rucker (6-3¼, 261) finished with 19 reps on the bench press, 9-8½ on the broad jump, 35 inches on the vertical, 4.80 seconds in the 40, 1.73 in the 10-yard split, 4.31 in the short shuttle, 7.25 in the three-cone drill.
Matua (6-2½, 301) finished with 26 reps on the bench, a broad jump of 8-7½ and a 30-inch vertical. His time of 5.06 in the 40-yard dash was poor, but he impressed with a 1.77 10-yard split. He also recorded decent times in the short shuttle (4.80) and three-cone drill (8.03).
WR/DB William Buchanon, linebacker Collin Ashton and defensive tackle LaJuan Ramsey are fringe prospects who might have solidified spots in the final couple of rounds with strong showings Sunday.
There is not much film on Buchanon (6-3, 191) because he never found a position. He's a tweener who put on an impressive show during his workout session, where he finished with 13 bench press reps, had a 10-1 broad jump, 40-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash.
Ashton (6-½, 217) finished with 21 reps on the bench press, 9-0 on the broad jump, 34½-inch vertical jump, 4.67 in the 40-yard dash, 1.64 in his 10-yard split and his short shuttle was 4.09 seconds.
Most of Ramsey's (6-2½, 291) workout results -- broad jump (8-11), vertical jump (32 inches), 40-yard dash (4.92), 10-yard split (1.71) and short shuttle (4.81) -- were also solid. The one unimpressive area was the three-cone drill, where he ran a dismal time of 7.78 seconds.
Others to report
DB John Walker (5-11¾, 199) had a better workout than anticipated. He did not bench, but he had good results in the broad jump (10-6), vertical jump (39½ inches), 40-yard dash (4.61), 10-yard split (1.60), short shuttle (4.25) and three-cone drill (6.87).
CB Justin Wyatt (5-9¼, 189) really hurt his value with a 4.74 in the 40-yard dash. He did show decent initial quickness with a 1.56 10-yard split.
S Scott Ware (6-1¼, 213) did not work out.
Punter Tom Malone (5-11¾, 204) participated only in the bench press and finished with 14 reps.
Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. contributed to this report. Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.
LINK
