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Thread: Post Combine Reviews: Which prospects helped, hurt themselves

  1. #1
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    Default Post Combine Reviews: Which prospects helped, hurt themselves

    Forgive me, I am about to sin by linking to a Sports Illustrated article.


    Pat White, Ian Johnson, Jason Smith improved at NFL combine - NFL - SI.com

    The NFL's annual pilgrimage to Indianapolis for the scouting combine is complete for 2009. Scouts, coaches and general managers will now crisscross the map to attend pro-day workouts at schools across the nation. The impressions from this year's combine have left their mark as a number players moved up or down draft boards based on their performance. Here's a look at who helped himself and hurt himself most at every position.

    Quarterback

    HELPED: Pat White/West Virginia -- White did what a quarterback is supposed to do at the combine by displaying accuracy, arm strength and consistency making the required NFL passes. At the very least White's combine performance is forcing NFL decision makers to keep him in the quarterback equation moving towards April.
    HURT: Josh Freeman/Kansas State -- Scouts questioned Freeman's decision to enter the draft after a very mediocre junior season in '08. His combine workout did nothing to quell that criticism. Freeman showed the physical tools to play at the next level yet his erratic passing and inaccurate throws were not the makings of a top 45 prospect.

    Running Back

    HELPED: Ian Johnson/Boise State -- Johnson did not have a mind blowing workout at the combine yet was very solid and ranked in the top 10 of just about every category for the running backs. He came out a big winner as scouts no longer feel Johnson is simply a third down back or situational runner. Johnson, who measured 5-foot-11 and 212 pounds before timing at 4.45 in the 40 and completing 26 reps on the bench, is now being viewed as a potential feature runner. This alone will improve his draft stock almost a full round.
    HURT: Branden Ore/West Liberty State -- Ore, who was once a star at Virginia Tech, was characterized as a one-speed ball carrier coming into the combine. He struggled to break 4.7 seconds in the 40 as no one realized how slow that speed was.

    Wide Receivers

    HELPED: Johnny Knox/Abilene Christian -- Knox was little known before the combine outside of scouting circles yet he made a name for himself in Indianapolis. His 40 time of 4.3 seconds ranked with the elite receivers in this draft and his pass catching workout also stood out. His performance is reminiscent of recent small school pass catchers such as Jerome Simpson of Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State's Dexter Jackson. Both Simpson and Jackson were elevated into the second round based on their combine workout and Knox can expect the same.
    HURT: Jaison Williams/Oregon -- Williams capped a poor senior season with a terrible combine performance. He was not only slow in the 40 (4.7) but also dropped a number of catchable passes during the workout.

    Offensive Line

    HELPED: Jason Smith/Baylor -- Smith benefited from factors he controlled at the combine and those which he did not. His workout was terrific as the 309-pound tackle ran well and answered questions about his strength by completing 33 reps on the bench. Smith's work in the position drills was also effective and he established himself as one of this draft's more athletic linemen. Part of his rise also had to do with the shenanigans of the other Smith.
    HURT: Andre Smith/Alabama -- His actions last week will be used by players moving forward on what not to do after being invited to the combine. Smith's playing skills are undiminished by his escapades at the combine. Yet the immaturity, selfishness and sheer stupidity he displayed in Indianapolis will make teams pause before using an early pick on Smith, a pick that will guarantee him millions of dollars.

    Defensive Line

    HELPED: Connor Barwin/Cincinnati -- Barwin, a converted tight end, was barely on the radar screen of scouts before the season began. He turned in a dominant senior season in which he cemented himself as a top 60 choice then made his case to be a first rounder at the combine. Barwin finished in the top five of every workout category for the defensive linemen except one (bench press). Barwin proved to be a terrific football player last year and at Indianapolis also showed he's a great athlete. That's the stuff first round picks are made of.
    HURT: Maurice Evans/Penn State -- Evans was once considered a big time NFL prospect. After his combine performance he may not even get drafted in April. He was short (6-foot-1.5), slow (5.0 in the 40) and not strong (17 reps on the bench).

    Linebackers

    HELPED: Aaron Curry/Wake Forest -- Curry was already the highest rated linebacker entering the combine, so how can he climb any higher? In a year where there's no single dominant prospect and in a draft which has many questions at the top, Curry may not only be the best player but the safest pick. His total workout on the turf of Lucas Oil Stadium was sensational in every way and Curry made his case for being the number one selection in April.

    Morgan Trent may have moved into the second round with his combine performance.
    AP


    HURT: Rey Maualuga/USC -- The woes continue for a player many justifiably considered a top five pick entering the year. Maualuga was poorly conditioned at the Senior Bowl and was in no better physical shape at the combine. Scouts now wonder how naïve Maualuga may be to this entire process and are concerned it may carry over to the next level.

    Defensive Backs

    HELPED: Morgan Trent/Michigan -- Bettering the expectations placed upon you by NFL scouts is part of the game at the combine and Trent did a complete job of that on the final day. He was faster, stronger and more athletic than scouts ever thought. The feeling is Trent can play either cornerback or safety, a versatility you cannot place a price on in the age of salary cap football. Trent was a fringe top 100 choice after the season but his Senior Bowl and combine performances have pushed him into the draft's initial 60 picks.
    HURT: Malcolm Jenkins/Ohio State -- Jenkins' story has been beaten like a dead horse since it first broke on SI.com. He can still be a quality player in the NFL but the facts are defensive backs who run 4.55 seconds in the 40 don't get selected in the draft's top eight selections, as many thought Jenkins would before the combine began.


  2. #2
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    The more I read about the positive reviews on Aaron Curry the more and more excited I get with the possibility of him becoming a Chief. Then again nervousness sets in and I hope that if we are still at #3 on draft day that the Lions and Rams pass on him. May be a reach to say he won't be there, but stranger things have happened on draft day.

    That being said I've been big on Connor Barwin since I saw him at the tail end of the College season and with his workouts at the combine I can only say I'd risk a second round pick on him if he was avalible. May be a bit of a risk that high with other more pressing matters to attend to in the draft but if free agency plays out and we can fill a couple of holes in the roster I'd have little to argue with if Pioli and Co. decided to take Barwin in the second round, that is if he's still avalible.

  3. #3
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    My question is... Don't we already have an Aaron Curry on our team in Derrick Johnson?... I mean seriously, if you look at their combine numbers they're pretty similar and many of the things that are being said about Curry (right now) were once said about DJ as well.

    I went back and read some pre-draft articles from 2005 and this is what I found out...After a monster combine different experts projected:
    -DJ was projected to go to Cleveland w/ the #3 pick
    -DJ was projected to go to Vikings w/ #7 pick
    -DJ would have been the golden boy if Jones would have picked him that year w/ the #11 pick..

    DJ Combine #'s: (from nflscout.com)
    Height: 6' 3"
    Weight: 242
    40 dash : 4.52
    20 dash : 2.66
    10 dash : 1.61
    225 reps: Did not participate
    Vertical : 37 1/2"
    Broad Jump : 10'
    20 yard shuttle : 3.93 sec
    3 cone : 7.21 sec

    Aaron Curry combine #'s (nfl.com)
    Height: 6' 2"
    Weight: 254
    40 dash : 4.56
    20 dash :
    10 dash :
    225 reps: 25
    Vertical : 37"
    Broad Jump : 10' 4"
    20 yard shuttle :
    3 cone : 6.84

    Looking at the combine numbers alone, they look very similar.

    In college -
    DJ - Played 50 games... 281 tackles
    AC - Played 51 games... 331 tackles

    DJ - Tackles for loss...69
    AC -" "...45.5

    DJ - Sacks...10.5
    AC - Sacks...9.5

    DJ - Int...9
    AC - Int...6

    I know that numbers don't determine everything but I'm skeptical of drafting a LB that high. I mean DJ's been solid but not spectacular. In 05 when DJ was drafted we all thought that he was the guy that was going to bring this D back, or he was the 2nd coming of DT.

    I'm not completely against drafting AC but I think good LB's come around more often than OT's or QBs... Deep inside I really want the Chiefs to land Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith, but if they believe that Albert is the future at LT then they can wait till the 2nd to draft a RT.
    Last edited by kcmostwanted; 02-26-2009 at 12:56 PM.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by kcmostwanted View Post
    My question is... Don't we already have an Aaron Curry on our team in Derrick Johnson?... I mean seriously, if you look at their combine numbers they're pretty similar and many of the things that are being said about Curry (right now) were once said about DJ as well.

    I went back and read some pre-draft articles from 2005 and this is what I found out...After a monster combine different experts projected:
    -DJ was projected to go to Cleveland w/ the #3 pick
    -DJ was projected to go to Vikings w/ #7 pick
    -DJ would have been the golden boy if Jones would have picked him that year w/ the #11 pick..

    DJ Combine #'s: (from nflscout.com)
    Height: 6' 3"
    Weight: 242
    40 dash : 4.52
    20 dash : 2.66
    10 dash : 1.61
    225 reps: Did not participate
    Vertical : 37 1/2"
    Broad Jump : 10'
    20 yard shuttle : 3.93 sec
    3 cone : 7.21 sec

    Aaron Curry combine #'s (nfl.com)
    Height: 6' 2"
    Weight: 254
    40 dash : 4.56
    20 dash :
    10 dash :
    225 reps: 25
    Vertical : 37"
    Broad Jump : 10' 4"
    20 yard shuttle :
    3 cone : 6.84

    Looking at the combine numbers alone, they look very similar.

    In college -
    DJ - Played 50 games... 281 tackles
    AC - Played 51 games... 331 tackles

    DJ - Tackles for loss...69
    AC -" "...45.5

    DJ - Sacks...10.5
    AC - Sacks...9.5

    DJ - Int...9
    AC - Int...6

    I know that numbers don't determine everything but I'm skeptical of drafting a LB that high. I mean DJ's been solid but not spectacular. In 05 when DJ was drafted we all thought that he was the guy that was going to bring this D back, or he was the 2nd coming of DT (though they play diff. positions).

    I'm not completely against drafting AC but I think good LB's come around more often than OT's or QBs... Deep inside I really want the Chiefs to land Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith, but if they believe that Albert is the future at LT then they can wait till the 2nd to draft a RT.
    First off, excellent research.

    There's no denying that they come off very similar on paper, and there's no denying that DJ has been "good, not great".

    Here's the thing. The pickings appear to be very slim at LB in free agency this year. If moving to the 3-4, we need to have as many good linebackers as we can get... and right now we have a grand total of 1. Hali may or may not transition well to OLB.

    It looks like G/C Jason Brown is going to hit free agency, he's one of the top young interior linemen in the league. If we could sign him, suddenly our offensive line situation looks much better (assuming Albert is a franchise LT, which remains to be seen). There's no free agent LB that we could say the same about.

    Right now I think Curry is the best pick not necessarily because he's the best player in the draft (which I think he is), but because LB looks to be a weak position in free agency at the moment. OT is even weaker, however.

    DJ is good but hasn't turned out how we thought he would. What if Curry turns out to be what we thought DJ would be?

    Note that with all that being said, I would be absolutely satisfied with drafting Monroe or J. Smith, or even Raji (3-4 only). The only thing I would be unhappy with is going QB.

  5. #5
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    With the Waters situation I see us drafting Monroe or Jason Smith also...
    SHUT IT

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bike View Post
    With the Waters situation I see us drafting Monroe or Jason Smith also...
    Thats who I really want to get.

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