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Players to watch at NFL Combine
Michael David Smith / FootballOutsiders.com
Posted: 1 day ago
As NFL coaches, general managers and scouts descend on Indianapolis this week to poke, prod and ponder a few hundred college football players, it's important to remember what the NFL's annual scouting combine is not.
Top draft prospects
MOCK DRAFTS:
Latest: Anderson rises
Previously: 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 ANALYSIS:
Players to watch at combine
SCHRAGER: Take the Wonderlic PLAYER RANKINGS:
Scout.com prospect rankings
NFLDraftScout.com ...
Overall:
1-100 | 101-200 | 201-300 | 301-400 | 401-500 Offense:
QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C Defense:
DT | DE | ILB | OLB | CB | FS | SS Special teams:
K | P | LS BLOGS:
Czar: News and notes
It's not a substitute for what took place on the field every Saturday last fall.
A wide receiver can help his draft status if he runs a blazing 40-yard dash time, and an offensive lineman can drop on draft boards if he puts up a puny bench press, but it would be a mistake to think that a few measurements over a few days mean more than the production scouts see when they turn on the game film. Teams will learn valuable information in Indianapolis about the players they might draft, but that information is nowhere near as valuable as what they already know from watching them play.
Having said that, every year a few players see their draft stock skyrocket, and a few others see their draft stock plummet. At last year's combine, tight end Vernon Davis solidified his status as a Top 10 pick with a stunning series of workouts in which he showed he was faster than most of the wide receivers and stronger than most of the linemen. The 327 players who were invited to this year's combine would all love to follow in Davis' footsteps. Here we present some of the players who have a lot to gain at the combine, some who have a lot to lose, and some overlooked players who have the potential to become household names as the draft approaches.
Players with the most to gain
Stewart Bradley, linebacker, Nebraska — The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Bradley was a productive player, but he has to show that he's healthy (a serious knee injury ended his 2005 season) and that he has NFL-type speed. If he can pass the medical examinations and turn in a fast 40, he'll shoot up draft boards.
Anthony Spencer, outside linebacker/defensive end, Purdue — Spencer is a great athlete with the speed of a linebacker and the strength of a lineman. At 260 pounds, he could go either way, and with a great combine he could be this year's version of Mike Mamula, the Boston College linebacker/defensive end who was a combine sensation in 1995. If he is, let's hope his pro career turns out better than Mamula's did.
Darius Walker, running back, Notre Dame — Right now Walker is considered a second-tier running back who shouldn't have left Notre Dame early. But Walker has the mental part of the game down: After playing for Charlie Weis, he knows a running back's role in a pro-style offense. If he can show at the combine that he also has the physical part down, he'll improve his status dramatically.
Josh Wilson, cornerback, Maryland — Wilson was a three-year starter at cornerback, a good kick returner, and a sprinter on Maryland's track team. If his speed looks as good at the RCA Dome as it did at Maryland's Byrd Stadium, NFL scouts will drool.
A good combine could land Jared Zabransky a spot in the draft. (Lisa Blumenfeld / Getty Images)
Jared Zabransky, quarterback, Boise State — You remember Zabransky from last month's Fiesta Bowl, when he led Boise to its thrilling victory over Oklahoma and was named the game's most valuable player. Zabransky and his teammates inspired millions of fans that night, but it takes more than a good story to excite NFL scouts. Zabransky isn't currently considered much of a prospect, but he has the opportunity to show during the quarterback drills that he is more than just the implementer of a gimmicky offense. If he shows off an impressive throwing arm, NFL teams might consider spending a second-day pick on him.
Players with the most to lose
Alan Branch, defensive tackle, Michigan — Scouts love Branch because he's a huge presence in the middle of the field who almost always requires double teams. But there's a fine line between "huge presence" and "fat guy." Michigan listed Branch at 6-foot-6 and 311 pounds, but he looked a little bigger than that. If Branch tips the scales in Indianapolis at closer to 350, coaches will begin to question whether he's dedicated enough to his conditioning to compete at the next level.
Adam Carriker, defensive end, Nebraska — Carriker shot up draft boards after having a great week at the Senior Bowl. But that means teams will scrutinize him more closely in Indianapolis, looking for any flaws they might have missed in Mobile. Every offensive tackle who played against him knows Carriker has a very quick first step, but if that quickness doesn't translate to the stopwatch, scouts might become skeptical.
Just how severely injured did Ted Ginn get in the BCS title game? (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
Ted Ginn, wide receiver, Ohio State — The speedy Ginn returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the BCS National Championship Game, and then suffered a sprained foot when a teammate jumped on him in celebration. The injury hasn't healed well enough for Ginn to run at the combine, but he will be in Indianapolis, and teams will want to get a good look at that foot. Ginn expects to be healthy enough to run at Ohio State's pro day, but if the medical examinations reveal that the injury is more serious than he's letting on, he could take a steep drop from his current position as a likely top 10 pick.
Adrian Peterson, running back, Oklahoma — Peterson has sprinter's speed and good instincts with the ball in his hands, but he also has a history of injury, and he appeared to gain weight when those injuries kept him out of the lineup. If he shows up to Indianapolis fully healthy and in top shape he'll put those whispers to rest, but anything short of that could knock him down from his current perch near the top of the first round.
Joe Thomas, offensive tackle, Wisconsin — Physical examinations are the single biggest reason teams participate in the combine, and players like Thomas are the ones who most need to pass their physicals. Thomas is a great prospect, but teams are concerned about the status of the ACL he tore in January of 2006. Right now he seems like a good bet to be the second overall pick to the Detroit Lions, but if the doctors see something they don't like during Thomas's medical exam, he could go much, much lower than that.
Lawrence Timmons, linebacker, Florida State — Timmons is currently projected as a mid-first-round pick, but that's on the assumption that he's the fastest linebacker available. If his 40 time doesn't show quite as much pure speed as he appeared to have at Florida State, he could drop.
Little-known players to watch
Aundrae Allison, wide receiver, East Carolina — In college Allison ran great routes and made spectacular catches, but that was mostly against mediocre opposition. His toughest opponent in Indianapolis might be the yardstick. Listed at 6-foot-1, Allison looks smaller than that. But if he can show that he measures up to the elite receivers, he could be a first-round pick.
Travarous Bain, cornerback, Hampton — Bain transferred from Miami to Hampton in 2005, and he dominated the opposition at the Division I-AA level. Before he transferred Bain ran track at Miami, and if he uses that speed to put on a show at the combine, he can convince NFL coaches that he's ready to move directly from I-AA to the NFL.
David Ball, wide receiver, New Hampshire — At New Hampshire Ball broke several of Jerry Rice's Division I-AA receiving records. That makes him an interesting story, but it doesn't mean much to scouts. What would mean a lot to scouts is to see him prove that he has the athleticism needed to make it in the NFL. Straight-line speed in the 40 isn't necessarily the key for Ball; what would really impress scouts is showing the ability to change direction quickly with good times in the three-cone drill and the short shuttle.
Kevin Kolb, quarterback, Houston — Kolb is a four-year starter and a polished passer, and his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame is what NFL teams look for. But scouts will question whether playing in an unorthodox offense at Houston adequately prepared him for the pros. In the position-specific drills, scouts will have their eyes on Kolb's throwing motion and ability to follow coaches' directions.
Ryan McBean, defensive lineman, Oklahoma State — McBean is 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds yet still has a svelte build, which means every strength and conditioning coach in the league will have visions of the monster he could become if he gets some bulk on him. It's not clear whether he'll play tackle or end in the NFL, and that's part of what makes him an intriguing prospect.
Jordan Palmer sports the name and the look of a pocket passer. (Donald Miralle / Getty Images)
Jordan Palmer, quarterback, UTEP — Like his older brother, Carson, Palmer has the look of a classic pocket passer at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds. But the difference between Jordan and Carson is that Jordan wasn't nearly as accurate in college. If Jordan throws well in the individual passing drills at the combine, though, scouts will give him careful consideration.
Gary Russell, running back, Minnesota — The Minnesota football program has shown that it knows how to prepare running backs for the next level, as two Golden Gophers, New England's Laurence Maroney and Dallas's Marion Barber, have had success in the NFL recently. Russell has been overlooked, but he has a good chance of following in the footsteps of his Minnesota predecessors.
Joe Staley, offensive tackle, Central Michigan — Generally regarded as this year's best prospect from a non-BCS school, Staley is a very good athlete who played tight end as a freshman before moving to tackle as a sophomore. A good combine performance could make him the first first-round pick in Central Michigan history.
Michael David Smith / FootballOutsiders.com
Posted: 1 day ago
As NFL coaches, general managers and scouts descend on Indianapolis this week to poke, prod and ponder a few hundred college football players, it's important to remember what the NFL's annual scouting combine is not.
Top draft prospects
MOCK DRAFTS:
Latest: Anderson rises
Previously: 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 ANALYSIS:
Players to watch at combine
SCHRAGER: Take the Wonderlic PLAYER RANKINGS:
Scout.com prospect rankings
NFLDraftScout.com ...
Overall:
1-100 | 101-200 | 201-300 | 301-400 | 401-500 Offense:
QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C Defense:
DT | DE | ILB | OLB | CB | FS | SS Special teams:
K | P | LS BLOGS:
Czar: News and notes
It's not a substitute for what took place on the field every Saturday last fall.
A wide receiver can help his draft status if he runs a blazing 40-yard dash time, and an offensive lineman can drop on draft boards if he puts up a puny bench press, but it would be a mistake to think that a few measurements over a few days mean more than the production scouts see when they turn on the game film. Teams will learn valuable information in Indianapolis about the players they might draft, but that information is nowhere near as valuable as what they already know from watching them play.
Having said that, every year a few players see their draft stock skyrocket, and a few others see their draft stock plummet. At last year's combine, tight end Vernon Davis solidified his status as a Top 10 pick with a stunning series of workouts in which he showed he was faster than most of the wide receivers and stronger than most of the linemen. The 327 players who were invited to this year's combine would all love to follow in Davis' footsteps. Here we present some of the players who have a lot to gain at the combine, some who have a lot to lose, and some overlooked players who have the potential to become household names as the draft approaches.
Players with the most to gain
Stewart Bradley, linebacker, Nebraska — The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Bradley was a productive player, but he has to show that he's healthy (a serious knee injury ended his 2005 season) and that he has NFL-type speed. If he can pass the medical examinations and turn in a fast 40, he'll shoot up draft boards.
Anthony Spencer, outside linebacker/defensive end, Purdue — Spencer is a great athlete with the speed of a linebacker and the strength of a lineman. At 260 pounds, he could go either way, and with a great combine he could be this year's version of Mike Mamula, the Boston College linebacker/defensive end who was a combine sensation in 1995. If he is, let's hope his pro career turns out better than Mamula's did.
Darius Walker, running back, Notre Dame — Right now Walker is considered a second-tier running back who shouldn't have left Notre Dame early. But Walker has the mental part of the game down: After playing for Charlie Weis, he knows a running back's role in a pro-style offense. If he can show at the combine that he also has the physical part down, he'll improve his status dramatically.
Josh Wilson, cornerback, Maryland — Wilson was a three-year starter at cornerback, a good kick returner, and a sprinter on Maryland's track team. If his speed looks as good at the RCA Dome as it did at Maryland's Byrd Stadium, NFL scouts will drool.
A good combine could land Jared Zabransky a spot in the draft. (Lisa Blumenfeld / Getty Images)
Jared Zabransky, quarterback, Boise State — You remember Zabransky from last month's Fiesta Bowl, when he led Boise to its thrilling victory over Oklahoma and was named the game's most valuable player. Zabransky and his teammates inspired millions of fans that night, but it takes more than a good story to excite NFL scouts. Zabransky isn't currently considered much of a prospect, but he has the opportunity to show during the quarterback drills that he is more than just the implementer of a gimmicky offense. If he shows off an impressive throwing arm, NFL teams might consider spending a second-day pick on him.
Players with the most to lose
Alan Branch, defensive tackle, Michigan — Scouts love Branch because he's a huge presence in the middle of the field who almost always requires double teams. But there's a fine line between "huge presence" and "fat guy." Michigan listed Branch at 6-foot-6 and 311 pounds, but he looked a little bigger than that. If Branch tips the scales in Indianapolis at closer to 350, coaches will begin to question whether he's dedicated enough to his conditioning to compete at the next level.
Adam Carriker, defensive end, Nebraska — Carriker shot up draft boards after having a great week at the Senior Bowl. But that means teams will scrutinize him more closely in Indianapolis, looking for any flaws they might have missed in Mobile. Every offensive tackle who played against him knows Carriker has a very quick first step, but if that quickness doesn't translate to the stopwatch, scouts might become skeptical.
Just how severely injured did Ted Ginn get in the BCS title game? (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images)
Ted Ginn, wide receiver, Ohio State — The speedy Ginn returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the BCS National Championship Game, and then suffered a sprained foot when a teammate jumped on him in celebration. The injury hasn't healed well enough for Ginn to run at the combine, but he will be in Indianapolis, and teams will want to get a good look at that foot. Ginn expects to be healthy enough to run at Ohio State's pro day, but if the medical examinations reveal that the injury is more serious than he's letting on, he could take a steep drop from his current position as a likely top 10 pick.
Adrian Peterson, running back, Oklahoma — Peterson has sprinter's speed and good instincts with the ball in his hands, but he also has a history of injury, and he appeared to gain weight when those injuries kept him out of the lineup. If he shows up to Indianapolis fully healthy and in top shape he'll put those whispers to rest, but anything short of that could knock him down from his current perch near the top of the first round.
Joe Thomas, offensive tackle, Wisconsin — Physical examinations are the single biggest reason teams participate in the combine, and players like Thomas are the ones who most need to pass their physicals. Thomas is a great prospect, but teams are concerned about the status of the ACL he tore in January of 2006. Right now he seems like a good bet to be the second overall pick to the Detroit Lions, but if the doctors see something they don't like during Thomas's medical exam, he could go much, much lower than that.
Lawrence Timmons, linebacker, Florida State — Timmons is currently projected as a mid-first-round pick, but that's on the assumption that he's the fastest linebacker available. If his 40 time doesn't show quite as much pure speed as he appeared to have at Florida State, he could drop.
Little-known players to watch
Aundrae Allison, wide receiver, East Carolina — In college Allison ran great routes and made spectacular catches, but that was mostly against mediocre opposition. His toughest opponent in Indianapolis might be the yardstick. Listed at 6-foot-1, Allison looks smaller than that. But if he can show that he measures up to the elite receivers, he could be a first-round pick.
Travarous Bain, cornerback, Hampton — Bain transferred from Miami to Hampton in 2005, and he dominated the opposition at the Division I-AA level. Before he transferred Bain ran track at Miami, and if he uses that speed to put on a show at the combine, he can convince NFL coaches that he's ready to move directly from I-AA to the NFL.
David Ball, wide receiver, New Hampshire — At New Hampshire Ball broke several of Jerry Rice's Division I-AA receiving records. That makes him an interesting story, but it doesn't mean much to scouts. What would mean a lot to scouts is to see him prove that he has the athleticism needed to make it in the NFL. Straight-line speed in the 40 isn't necessarily the key for Ball; what would really impress scouts is showing the ability to change direction quickly with good times in the three-cone drill and the short shuttle.
Kevin Kolb, quarterback, Houston — Kolb is a four-year starter and a polished passer, and his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame is what NFL teams look for. But scouts will question whether playing in an unorthodox offense at Houston adequately prepared him for the pros. In the position-specific drills, scouts will have their eyes on Kolb's throwing motion and ability to follow coaches' directions.
Ryan McBean, defensive lineman, Oklahoma State — McBean is 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds yet still has a svelte build, which means every strength and conditioning coach in the league will have visions of the monster he could become if he gets some bulk on him. It's not clear whether he'll play tackle or end in the NFL, and that's part of what makes him an intriguing prospect.
Jordan Palmer sports the name and the look of a pocket passer. (Donald Miralle / Getty Images)
Jordan Palmer, quarterback, UTEP — Like his older brother, Carson, Palmer has the look of a classic pocket passer at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds. But the difference between Jordan and Carson is that Jordan wasn't nearly as accurate in college. If Jordan throws well in the individual passing drills at the combine, though, scouts will give him careful consideration.
Gary Russell, running back, Minnesota — The Minnesota football program has shown that it knows how to prepare running backs for the next level, as two Golden Gophers, New England's Laurence Maroney and Dallas's Marion Barber, have had success in the NFL recently. Russell has been overlooked, but he has a good chance of following in the footsteps of his Minnesota predecessors.
Joe Staley, offensive tackle, Central Michigan — Generally regarded as this year's best prospect from a non-BCS school, Staley is a very good athlete who played tight end as a freshman before moving to tackle as a sophomore. A good combine performance could make him the first first-round pick in Central Michigan history.
