Pro Day Shenanigans: Jacquizz Rodgers...

[realtick]

Jacquizz Rodgers cuts 40 time to 4.47 at Pro Day


Representatives from an estimated 25 NFL teams saw Oregon State junior running back Jacquizz Rodgers slice his time in the 40-yard dash from an electronically timed 4.74 at the Combine to 4.47, according to the university's offical website .

The vastly improved time in the 40-yard dash should help ease concerns about Rodgers' speed. While scouts knew the dimunitive (5-6, 196 pound) Rodgers was not a traditional speed back, teams would be hesistant to draft a short back lacking enough burst to run away from most defensive linemen. Like with Alabama's Mark Ingram, savvy scouts knew not to be too worried about Rodgers' timed speed, however.

Despite his Combine times, Rodgers' balance, vision and surprising power helped him generate All Pac-10 after each of his three seasons for the Beavers. His lateral agility and quick acceleration make him more elusive than his marginal speed might indicate.

Rodgers didn't just boost his stock with his speed. He also measured in taller today at Oregon State's Pro Day. In fact, according to the team's report, Rodgers was initially measured in at 5-07 Friday. A re-measure put him at 5066 or 5-6 and 3/4." Rodgers had been "officially" measured at 5057 (an eighth of an inch under 5-06") in Indianapolis...

http://rob-rang.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/13682485/27861695

 

[realtick]

I've always known college pro days are typically used for lesser prospects not invited to the combine, a last stage for some prospects to shine, and also regularily used as a site for damage control for prospects who didn't perform well at the combine.

Now the Oregon St. sports info department has him growing in height in just the past few weeks. Not to mention shaving some serious time for his forty.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Anyone who has ever seen Rodgers play knew that the 40 time at the combine was an abberation.

I'd guess he was injured and didn't want to have even more durability concerns raised given his size or lack thereof.

 

[realtick]

Anyone who has ever seen Rodgers play knew that the 40 time at the combine was an abberation.

I'd guess he was injured and didn't want to have even more durability concerns raised given his size or lack thereof.

I've seen him play plenty at Oregon State living on the West Coast myself.

He was a great college running back, but he was always a quicker than fast 5'6ish, upright-running, midget powerback.

I've always viewed him as a smaller and less talented Ahmad Bradshaw than a jitterbug Darren Sproles-type.

The combine only confirmed what I saw on the field looking at him as a prospect.

Consider this also, out of the 39 running backs who participated at the combine, Rodgers had the slowest 3-cone time (7.31) too. The 3-cone tests agility, speed, quickness, flexibility, change of direction, et cetera.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I've seen him play plenty at Oregon State living on the West Coast myself.

He was a great college running back, but he was always a quicker than fast 5'6ish, upright-running, midget powerback.

I've always viewed him as a smaller and less talented Ahmad Bradshaw than a jitterbug Darren Sproles-type.

The combine only confirmed what I saw on the field looking at him as a prospect.

Consider this also, out of the 39 running backs who participated at the combine, Rodgers had the slowest 3-cone time (7.31) too. The 3-cone tests agility, speed, quickness, flexibility, change of direction, et cetera.

Straight line speed was never his strength but he should have shined in the 3 cone drills of the world. That's why I said he was probably injured.

From watching games, I would have thought he was a high 4.5 guy.

The concern with him isn't his ability to make people miss and make plays, it's if he can do it for a 16 game season. Admitting he was injured would have made his stock drop more than slower than expected times would. My guess is that he hoped to put up a 4.6 or so, blame his shoes or a stumble or whatever and then pop something at pro day.