JonCJG
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POSTED 5:38 p.m. EDT, June 22, 2006
31 TEAMS ATTEND BROOKS WORKOUT
A league source has given us the lowdown on the Pro Day workout of former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Per the source, every team was represented at the session, with the sole exception of the Chicago Bears.
But despite the presence of 31 teams, only one head coach attended -- Mike Nolan of the 49ers. G.M. Randy Mueller was present on behalf of the Miami Dolphins, which is one of the teams presumed to be most interested in Brooks.
Brooks weighed in at 260 pounds, a number that many scouts considered to be ideal for him. But to get down to 260, Brooks gave up some strength. As a result, he managed only 19 reps in the 225-pound bench press exercise.
In the 40-yard dash, Brooks posted times of 4.68 and 4.72 seconds.
In the three-cone drill and the short shuttle, Brooks' form was regarded as poor. Despite a supposed ten weeks of training for the workout, we're told that he had to be shown how to run the run the three-cone test.
All things considered, the thinking is that Brooks helped himself in advance of the upcoming Supplemental Draft, and there's a belief that someone will select him in round two. Indeed, we continue to hear glowing accounts from scouts and other league insiders regarding Brooks' performance in 2004 with the Cavs.
Still, there are rumors swirling that his former coaching staff at Virginia hasn't gone out of its way to pimp him at the next level. In this regard, the fact that Brooks was kicked off of the Virginia team by coach Al Groh likely speaks volumes; absent a strong pitch from Groh or his staff, turd-averse teams are likely to pass.
But all it takes is one team to pull the trigger. And in the chess match that is the Supplemental Draft all it takes are two teams with an interest in the player to get him taken a round or two earlier than he'd be selected if lumped in with the full draft pool.
31 TEAMS ATTEND BROOKS WORKOUT
A league source has given us the lowdown on the Pro Day workout of former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Per the source, every team was represented at the session, with the sole exception of the Chicago Bears.
But despite the presence of 31 teams, only one head coach attended -- Mike Nolan of the 49ers. G.M. Randy Mueller was present on behalf of the Miami Dolphins, which is one of the teams presumed to be most interested in Brooks.
Brooks weighed in at 260 pounds, a number that many scouts considered to be ideal for him. But to get down to 260, Brooks gave up some strength. As a result, he managed only 19 reps in the 225-pound bench press exercise.
In the 40-yard dash, Brooks posted times of 4.68 and 4.72 seconds.
In the three-cone drill and the short shuttle, Brooks' form was regarded as poor. Despite a supposed ten weeks of training for the workout, we're told that he had to be shown how to run the run the three-cone test.
All things considered, the thinking is that Brooks helped himself in advance of the upcoming Supplemental Draft, and there's a belief that someone will select him in round two. Indeed, we continue to hear glowing accounts from scouts and other league insiders regarding Brooks' performance in 2004 with the Cavs.
Still, there are rumors swirling that his former coaching staff at Virginia hasn't gone out of its way to pimp him at the next level. In this regard, the fact that Brooks was kicked off of the Virginia team by coach Al Groh likely speaks volumes; absent a strong pitch from Groh or his staff, turd-averse teams are likely to pass.
But all it takes is one team to pull the trigger. And in the chess match that is the Supplemental Draft all it takes are two teams with an interest in the player to get him taken a round or two earlier than he'd be selected if lumped in with the full draft pool.
POSTED 4:23 p.m. EDT, June 22, 2006
SAMARDZIJA HAS BLOWN HIS DRAFT STATUS
A league insider with extensive knowledge of the dynamics and realities of the NFL draft process tells us that, in his view, Notre Dame receiver Jeff Samardzija has seriously undermined his status for next April by agreeing to a contract with the Chicago Cubs that promises him $7.5 million if he makes baseball his primary pastime.
NFL teams, the source explained, are increasingly leery about players who don't exude a pre-draft passion for football. Many league insiders and observers believe, for example, that Matt Leinart plunged to No. 10 in the 2006 draft because of the perception that he doesn't love football, and that football is merely a means to an end that involves making a bunch of money by being in the movies or on television.
Regardless of whether Leinart's long-term aspirations include that kind of stuff, the primary objective in the weeks and months prior to the draft should have been to keep under wraps anything that might make front offices unnecessarily nervous about whether the return will justify the investment. Leinart instead embraced the red flag by signing with Creative Artists Agency for his marketing representation and, ultimately, for his football work as well.
By signing the reported "choose baseball and you'll get a truck full of money" deal with the Cubs, Samardzija suddenly has become the 2007 version of the first-round prospect who might not love football -- and it will affect his draft standing unless he takes immediate action to get the situation under control.
First, if as some reports have suggested the accounts of the $7.5 million bonus for picking baseball are not accurate, Samardzija needs to say no. Now. Second, Samardzija should (if possible under the terms of his contract) forego the month or two of minor league ball that he'll play this summer and focus his efforts on prepare for having the football season of his life.
Third, Samardzija needs to have the football season of his life.
Fourth, Samardzija needs to tell anyone and everyone that football is his first love and that he fully intends to play in the NFL.
Even if he does all of those things, we think it's too late for Samardzija to resurrect his draft stock. Surely, he has been sold on the Cubs' deal because it provides him with protection against the evaporation of his pro football career, if for whatever reason Samardzija has a disappointing senior season. But since Samardzija has only a baseball agent and not a football agent, his advice is coming from the perspective of the guy who stands to earn a big fee on that $7.5 million if (when) Samardzija chooses baseball.
Given the magnitude of Samardzija's baseball deal, teams drafting in the slots that would pay to Samardzija more than $7.5 million in guaranteed money are now going to think long and hard about investing a selection that high on a guy who might not play football at all in 2007. Teams drafting in the slots below Samardzija's monetary Mendoza line could shy away from him because he stands to make more guaranteed money by picking baseball.
So if Samardzija is not drafted by a team in the top half of round one, he could fall off of the board completely. And he likely wouldn't be drafted unless and until his baseball career begins to peter out. At that point, a team would take a flyer on him in anticipation of his eventual jump to the NFL, like the Raiders did with Bo Jackson and the Texans with Drew Henson.
Bottom line -- Samardzija's decision to agree to a provision that pays him $7.5 million if he chooses baseball might prompt no football team that would pay more than that up front to choose him. And if the end result is that he won't make more money playing pro football than he will make by playing pro baseball, why should he jeopardize his baseball career by playing another season of college football?
Besides, we're already getting sick of typing the letters "S-a-m-a-r-d-z-i-j-a." So unless he changes his name to something like "Howard Stern" (they actually look alike), we'd be more than happy to not have to spend the next 10 to 15 years banging the keys in that specific order.
POSTED 12:18 p.m. EDT, June 22, 2006
FIEDLER VISITING TAMPA
With reserve quarterback Luke McCown out of action indefinitely due to a torn ACL, quarterback Jay Fiedler is visiting Tampa, according to our friends (yes, we actually have a few) at PewterReport.com.
Fiedler was seen at the team's minicamp practice on Thursday, and in a pre-practice meeting with Bucs quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett.
McCown's injury originally was reported to be minor, and we've surmised that the team attempted to conceal the severity of the situation in order to secure a replacement on the cheap and/or without competition from other suitors. It has been presumed that the Giants were interested in Fiedler, who suffered a serious shoulder injury during the same game last season in which Chad Pennington re-injured his own shoulder.
Fiedler has spent 12 years in the NFL, playing for the Eagles, Vikings, Jaguars, Dolphins, and Jets. He was the successor to Dan Marino in Miami, and started 59 regular-season games for the Fins in five seasons.
The Buccaneers' starter is Chris Simms. The other quarterbacks currently on the roster are Tim Rattay, Bruce Gradkowski, and Jared Allen.
