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Lesser-known athletes try to emerge at NFL combine
By JIM WYATT • Gannett Tennessee • February 19, 2009
Some lesser-known players take monumental leaps, elevating their draft status over guys with far more impressive college resumes.
The next batch of hopefuls — 332 invited players — goes on display for NFL scouts, coaches and front office personnel starting today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Projected first-rounders will try to secure their position. Others will try to steal some of the spotlight and make a name — and a lot of money — for themselves.
"In literally 4.3 seconds you can make yourself a million dollars, and other than a lottery I'm not sure how you can make money like that,'' said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.
"That's what makes it among the most eagerly anticipated moments in sports. Every time an unknown athlete gets up there and runs a 40-yard dash, I think there's a lot of people out there waiting with baited breath to see what's going to happen.''
Last year East Carolina running back Chris Johnson blew scouts away when he ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded at the combine. It moved him into first-round consideration, and the Titans took him with the 24th overall pick. He went on to become a Pro Bowl selection.
After an impressive showing in the Senior Bowl last year, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie used the combine as another steppingstone. His blistering 4.33 moved him securely into the first round, where the Cardinals selected him 16th overall. He went on to play in the Super Bowl.
Which players will have their coming out party during this combine?
It happens every year at the NFL Combine — the diamonds emerge.
Some lesser-known players take monumental leaps, elevating their draft status over guys with far more impressive college resumes.
The next batch of hopefuls — 332 invited players — goes on display for NFL scouts, coaches and front office personnel starting today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Projected first-rounders will try to secure their position. Others will try to steal some of the spotlight and make a name — and a lot of money — for themselves.
"In literally 4.3 seconds you can make yourself a million dollars, and other than a lottery I'm not sure how you can make money like that,'' said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.
"That's what makes it among the most eagerly anticipated moments in sports. Every time an unknown athlete gets up there and runs a 40-yard dash, I think there's a lot of people out there waiting with baited breath to see what's going to happen.''
Last year East Carolina running back Chris Johnson blew scouts away when he ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded at the combine. It moved him into first-round consideration, and the Titans took him with the 24th overall pick. He went on to become a Pro Bowl selection.
After an impressive showing in the Senior Bowl last year, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie used the combine as another steppingstone. His blistering 4.33 moved him securely into the first round, where the Cardinals selected him 16th overall. He went on to play in the Super Bowl.
Which players will have their coming out party during this combine?
(2 of 3)
NFL Draft experts Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com and Russ Lande, a former NFL Scout now with The Sporting News and GM Jr., weigh in:
Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss
Current status: Late rounder.
Rang says: "If he works out well he could really jump up. There's some quiet buzz that he could break combine record for fastest 40 ever. He has Chris Johnson type of speed.''
Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M
Current status: Late rounder because of character concerns.
Rang says: "He has elite speed but because he's a junior a lot of NFL scouts don't know a lot about him yet.
I expect him to run in the mid 4.3s to low 4.4s. He could blow people away with athletic ability.''
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
Current status: Late first or early second rounder.
Rang says: "He is sort of a Bernard Berrian-type where he is great deep but doesn't run great routes. But if he runs a 4.3 he could get himself into the first round.''
James Casey, TE, Rice
Current status: Second rounder.
Lande says: "Teams are trying to figure him out. He was a jack-of-all-trades guy at Rice and played tight end, fullback, H-back and even some quarterback. Teams don't know what he is; they know he is versatile. But I think he's going to run a lot better that people think.''
(3 of 3)
Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
Current status: Second rounder, in part because of character concerns.
Rang says: "There's talk he could put up a Vernon Davis (San Francisco's first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2006) kind of workout. He's an athlete who is expected to run really well.''
Johnny Knox, WR, Abilene Christian
Current status: Late rounder with middle-round potential.
Lande says: "He has a chance to be one of those guys that runs in the 4.3s and just shocks people with how fast he is.''
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Current status: Third or fourth rounder.
Lande says: "He had a great Senior Bowl and people came out of it thinking, 'Wow, who's this kid?' Some people maybe thought of him as just a guy. I think they'll have a different opinion after this week.''
Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
Current status: Third or fourth best corner in the draft.
Lande says: "He may blow up the combine and be the top guy in the whole class. Teams love him but he's 5-8 1/2 so teams have concerns.
But he is so gifted I think he has a chance to go there and run in the 4.2s, vertical out of the world. And if he does that, watch out.''
Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech
Current status: Third or fourth rounder.
Lande says: "He is not getting a lot of publicity, but a number of scouts I've talked to think he'll get in the league as a third or fourth rounder and will become an All-Pro.''
By JIM WYATT • Gannett Tennessee • February 19, 2009
Some lesser-known players take monumental leaps, elevating their draft status over guys with far more impressive college resumes.
The next batch of hopefuls — 332 invited players — goes on display for NFL scouts, coaches and front office personnel starting today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Projected first-rounders will try to secure their position. Others will try to steal some of the spotlight and make a name — and a lot of money — for themselves.
"In literally 4.3 seconds you can make yourself a million dollars, and other than a lottery I'm not sure how you can make money like that,'' said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.
"That's what makes it among the most eagerly anticipated moments in sports. Every time an unknown athlete gets up there and runs a 40-yard dash, I think there's a lot of people out there waiting with baited breath to see what's going to happen.''
Last year East Carolina running back Chris Johnson blew scouts away when he ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded at the combine. It moved him into first-round consideration, and the Titans took him with the 24th overall pick. He went on to become a Pro Bowl selection.
After an impressive showing in the Senior Bowl last year, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie used the combine as another steppingstone. His blistering 4.33 moved him securely into the first round, where the Cardinals selected him 16th overall. He went on to play in the Super Bowl.
Which players will have their coming out party during this combine?
It happens every year at the NFL Combine — the diamonds emerge.
Some lesser-known players take monumental leaps, elevating their draft status over guys with far more impressive college resumes.
The next batch of hopefuls — 332 invited players — goes on display for NFL scouts, coaches and front office personnel starting today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Projected first-rounders will try to secure their position. Others will try to steal some of the spotlight and make a name — and a lot of money — for themselves.
"In literally 4.3 seconds you can make yourself a million dollars, and other than a lottery I'm not sure how you can make money like that,'' said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com.
"That's what makes it among the most eagerly anticipated moments in sports. Every time an unknown athlete gets up there and runs a 40-yard dash, I think there's a lot of people out there waiting with baited breath to see what's going to happen.''
Last year East Carolina running back Chris Johnson blew scouts away when he ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded at the combine. It moved him into first-round consideration, and the Titans took him with the 24th overall pick. He went on to become a Pro Bowl selection.
After an impressive showing in the Senior Bowl last year, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie used the combine as another steppingstone. His blistering 4.33 moved him securely into the first round, where the Cardinals selected him 16th overall. He went on to play in the Super Bowl.
Which players will have their coming out party during this combine?
(2 of 3)
NFL Draft experts Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com and Russ Lande, a former NFL Scout now with The Sporting News and GM Jr., weigh in:
Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss
Current status: Late rounder.
Rang says: "If he works out well he could really jump up. There's some quiet buzz that he could break combine record for fastest 40 ever. He has Chris Johnson type of speed.''
Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M
Current status: Late rounder because of character concerns.
Rang says: "He has elite speed but because he's a junior a lot of NFL scouts don't know a lot about him yet.
I expect him to run in the mid 4.3s to low 4.4s. He could blow people away with athletic ability.''
Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
Current status: Late first or early second rounder.
Rang says: "He is sort of a Bernard Berrian-type where he is great deep but doesn't run great routes. But if he runs a 4.3 he could get himself into the first round.''
James Casey, TE, Rice
Current status: Second rounder.
Lande says: "Teams are trying to figure him out. He was a jack-of-all-trades guy at Rice and played tight end, fullback, H-back and even some quarterback. Teams don't know what he is; they know he is versatile. But I think he's going to run a lot better that people think.''
(3 of 3)
Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
Current status: Second rounder, in part because of character concerns.
Rang says: "There's talk he could put up a Vernon Davis (San Francisco's first-round pick (sixth overall) in 2006) kind of workout. He's an athlete who is expected to run really well.''
Johnny Knox, WR, Abilene Christian
Current status: Late rounder with middle-round potential.
Lande says: "He has a chance to be one of those guys that runs in the 4.3s and just shocks people with how fast he is.''
Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
Current status: Third or fourth rounder.
Lande says: "He had a great Senior Bowl and people came out of it thinking, 'Wow, who's this kid?' Some people maybe thought of him as just a guy. I think they'll have a different opinion after this week.''
Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
Current status: Third or fourth best corner in the draft.
Lande says: "He may blow up the combine and be the top guy in the whole class. Teams love him but he's 5-8 1/2 so teams have concerns.
But he is so gifted I think he has a chance to go there and run in the 4.2s, vertical out of the world. And if he does that, watch out.''
Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech
Current status: Third or fourth rounder.
Lande says: "He is not getting a lot of publicity, but a number of scouts I've talked to think he'll get in the league as a third or fourth rounder and will become an All-Pro.''