The combine is over for another year and this is always a pretty exciting time, more so than the event itself. The work-out’s highlight prospects you know little about, make you want to dig out the tape again. Cornelius Washington being a great example (I’ve put the request in for some game tape so stay tuned).
But it’s not just the unknowns that you need to check back on. It’s some of the big names too. Damontre Moore had a disastrous combine and could sink as a consequence. A few weeks ago he was pretty much a consensus top-20 pick, but what if he’s there at #25? I think it’s incredibly unlikely this team would draft any defensive end running a 4.95, but what if it was just a bad day at the office? What if he improves at the Texas A&M pro-day? These are the kind of questions you have to ask. We have to find out if a pathetic combine display is the real truth here and recalculate his stock.
Datone Jones is getting a lot of publicity at the moment and he did have an impressive work out. Yet I feel obliged to feather the breaks a little bit here. Running a 4.80 at 280lbs is not insane, difference making athleticism. Cam Jordan ran a 4.69 despite weighing a little more in 2011. J.J. Watt ran a 4.81 at the combine, but weighed 290lbs. If Jones needs to add weight to be a permanent interior feature, he’s not going to get any faster. On tape I watch his run defense and cringe at the thought he could be an every down three-technique for Seattle. As we’ve discussed before, being able to match-up with San Francisco is paramount for the Seahawks. And that means being big, aggressive and nasty up front to combat one of the leagues best offensive lines and a dominating power-running game. Can Jones deal with Mike Iupati? Or maybe even a double team? If he’s below average against the run, is he a good enough pass rusher to compensate? There are about ten UCLA games out there, we need to get into them and decide if the sudden hot favourite amongst mock drafts really is a realistic option at #25.
Barkevious Mingo’s tape was rank average in 2012. Flashes of quality, flashes of anonymity. A classic nearly man for the most part, he just did not impact any games last year. None. And while Bruce Irvin might’ve been a specialist for West Virginia, he made two or three plays a game that made a difference. Irvin’s sack numbers were right up there with the best college football had to offer. Mingo on the other hand was more reputation than production. I watched five LSU games recently and thought ‘meh‘. Mingo, Bennie Logan, Sam Montgomery — they all kind of played like they were coasting along. “We’re LSU, we’re going to the NFL, we’re the s**t.” That’s the impression I got. Other people like Mike Mayock watch the tape and make the same judgement. Then you see his combine performance and he looks incredibly athletic. You realise that there are a few teams out there who probably fancy their own Bruce Irvin. And if Irvin can go at #15 overall, then why can’t Mingo? So what’s his range? Is he a realistic option to drop into the 20’s? And is he an option for the Seahawks?
The defensive backs performed today and there were some interesting results. Who ever thought David Amerson would run a 4.44? He had a disastrous 2012 season but as a possible converted safety, that kind of speed will do. Dee Milliner’s 4.37 guarantees him a spot within the top-six picks I’d say. The only question mark with Milliner was straight line speed. Now there’s absolutely no reason to suggest he isn’t the complete cornerback prospect. He’s not a beast like Patrick Peterson or Morris Claiborne, but certainly good enough to be a pimped-up Joe Haden. Xavier Rhodes helped himself with a 4.43. Will Desmond Trufant make it passed Tampa Bay at #13 now that he’s run a 4.38? Tyrann Mathieu managed a 4.50 but yeah, the ridiculous off-field issues. I’m even more of a fan of Sanders Commings for Seattle after his 4.41. But what happens to Johnthan Banks after a 4.61? Not good for a potential first round pick, but not a death sentence given Joe Haden’s awful combine in 2010.
Tomorrow is mock draft day and it’ll be fun to see how things have changed after everything that happened in Indianapolis. I wanted to end today with an interview between John Clayton and Pete Carroll (see below). Seattle’s Head Coach is nothing but honest (again), admitting he has to get an interior pass rusher and another LEO. They seem to be the two top targets, although he does admit linebacker and receiver are also needs. This could be a classic smokescreen especially if they add a veteran LEO in free agency (Umenyiora? Avril? Freeney?) or a defensive tackle (Melton? Starks?). Assuming they don’t make the big splash, then it stands to reason that the first round pick is probably going to be a defensive lineman of some kind. They’ve attacked key needs so far, that probably isn’t going to change this year. And they need pass rush help more than anything.
Free agency begins on March 12th and it’ll be fascinating to see if the Seahawks re-sign Alan Branch. I suspect they’ll want to stay big and stout up front on first and second downs — they’ll need to against the 49ers and Rams. Signing Branch takes a lot of the bigger-bodied tackles in the draft out of the equation. Then the priority could be replacing Jason Jones with a more dynamic rusher inside. That’s where Datone Jones could fit. For me, that role is ideally suited to him. Is it worth a first round pick? Perhaps, if it helps Seattle get off the field on third down. I just need to be absolutely sure Jones is ‘special’ enough to go that early. I’m still a sceptic, for now.
Alternatively, they could go after another LEO. I think it’s more likely they pursue a Corenlius Washington or Corey Lemonier in the mid-rounds rather than spending another first round pick. But what if that unexpected player falls? Is Barkevious Mingo for example better value than Datone Jones? Or maybe there’s a defensive tackle they can rely on to play in any situation — Sylvester Williams for example — who is big enough to defend the run at a decent level but also offer one or two impact players as a pass rusher per-game? Is Kawann Short an option? Or a player we’re not talking about, but should be?
I tuned into the combine yesterday just in time to catch Cornelius Washington’s vertical jump. I had no idea who he was. He was standing there getting ready for his high jump, and I’m just wondering if he might be able to beat Robert Turbin in an arm wrestling contest, because the guy was ripped like an action hero from a comic book. Within half a second I noticed that Washington stood out athletically, just from his build and muscle tone. But even thinking to myself that he looked like the best athlete up there, I had no idea he was just about to destroy the combine to the extent that he would.
Washington posted one of the best vertical jumps of all front seven participants: 39″. He then clocked an official 4.55 forty, which was the best of the entire defensive end group. Officially listed at outside linebacker, Washington is 6’4″, 265 pounds and has 34″ arms. He’s clearly more of a defensive end than a linebacker, although he has the movement skills to play either one. Washington’s 10’8″ broad jump was tied for the best among all defensive ends (Barkevious Mingo, Devin Taylor). His 10 yard split was 1.60, which was narrowly beaten by several ends but is still considered pretty good. Washington then left everyone (except Margus Hunt) in the dust with 36 reps on the bench press, a number that was far ahead of the front seven pack. Washington looked fast during drills. I personally thought that only Auburn’s Corey Lemonier moved quicker during drills.
Basically, Cornelius Washington just had the combine that everyone thought his teammate (Alec Ogletree) would have. Actually, it was probably better than even that.
…Cornelius Washington, the hybrid linebacker/defensive end from Georgia. He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl and an even better Senior Bowl game yet he came to Indy as a sixth- or seventh-round player. He can rush the passer and he just ran 4.50.
He is moving up draft boards. One defensive coordinator said, “This is the kind of guy I came to Indy to find. Now I’ll go back and study him. We’re all looking for the Bruce Irvin in this draft.”
Despite playing for a major program like Georgia and being a phenomenal athlete, Washington has registered only 10 total sacks over four seasons at Georgia. He’s probably been moved around to play linebacker some, which hurts his production, but his tackles and tackles for loss numbers aren’t high either. Georgia is loaded with pass rusher talent, so it’s not unthinkable that Washington could have been buried on that roster to some degree.
As of today, there aren’t any game compilations of Washington on youtube. The best I could find was this brief highlight, and also a team highlight reel that probably give you 20-30 snaps with #83 on it. I guess you could go through Jarvis Jones’ and Alec Ogletree’s videos looking for him too. In a year where even small school prospects are usually getting compilation videos, Washington doesn’t have one. Maybe because he’s never really produced enough in a game to merit the effort?
Grading Washington’s draft stock is really hard to do. Not only is he lacking production, but the games he has played in haven’t given evaluators a ton to go off of. But that said, he sure looked a hell of a lot like Brian Orakpo today.
Washington (2013): 6’4″, 265, 4.55 forty, 1.60 10-yard-split, 39″ vert, 36 reps on bench press, cartoonishly ripped arms
I’m really looking forward to getting some tape to look at down the road, I think it’s pretty likely we’ll get access to some before the draft. Based on how he looked in the drills yesterday and based on what little I saw on youtube, I think he has some promise and the physical gifts do seem to translate at least somewhat. He has very obvious appeal to the Seahawks, and probably the 31 other NFL teams as well.
Oregon's Dion Jordan put on a show in Indianapolis
If you want to go through day six of the combine as it happened, check out the live blog we did earlier. I wanted to add a few general thoughts based on what happened today…
– Dion Jordan should be a top-10 pick. Everything just seemed so effortless. When you watch the tape, you see flashes of pass-rushing brilliance. So why were Oregon asking him to drop into coverage so much? Let the guy fly. I couldn’t be more excited to see how he works out acting as a pure pass rusher without some of the other responsibilities. Jordan’s 4.60 forty yard dash was so impressive and he stood out like a sore thumb in the other drills. Everything was easy. Quick feet, fluid hips, violent hands, perfect balance. The only question mark is an injured shoulder and he’ll have surgery on Wednesday to rectify a torn labrum. It’s likely to keep him out for a few months. Even so, it’s difficult to imagine him getting past Cleveland at #6 and he could go sooner. Possible #1 pick? Don’t rule it out just yet.
– Ziggy Ansah looked like a fish out of water during the Senior Bowl drills. I remember watching the footage from Mobile, checking on a couple of games and wondering what all the fuss was about. And since then, he hasn’t put a foot wrong. He dominated the Senior Bowl game and just carried on at the combine. He ran a 4.63 despite weighing 277lbs. To put that into context, he weighs 30lbs more than Dion Jordan and ran only 0.03 seconds slower. He doesn’t have a counter move or the technical quality to beat blockers with his head. He’s probably not going to be setting up blockers three plays in advance. Yet in terms of athletic potential, he’s an exciting player. And when you compare him to Bjoern Werner and Damontre Moore (who both underwhelmed), part of you wants to ignore college production and swing for the fences. Somebody will do that. We’ll see if it proves to be a sound decision. It’s difficult to see him getting out of the top-10, just like Dion Jordan.
– Margus Hunt ran an official 4.60 at 277lbs, a day after benching 38 reps of 225lbs. His stock was floundering a bit after a disappointing Senior Bowl. Everything we saw from Ansah during the game, we wanted to see from Hunt. Instead he was on the periphery throughout, offering no threat off the edge and struggling to contain against the run. This will give him a little kick start. As a 26-year-old rookie, he’s unlikely to generate too much hype. If he needs real technical coaching that takes a year or two, that’ll be problematic. So he’s probably at best a second or third round pick. If he was a few years younger, he’d be a first round lock based on upside. It’ll be fascinating to see where he lands. He has both exceptional and mediocre tape.
– Datone Jones showed some athletic quality during drills, moving with freedom at 283lbs. However, I think the hype factor has gone a little over the top. He ran a 4.80, which is pretty good. But it’s not a Henry Melton-esque 4.64. I remember getting very excited about Cam Jordan in 2011, and he ran a 4.69 at 287lbs. When I watch UCLA tape, I don’t think Jones is quite the player Jordan was coming into the league. He’s more consistent in terms of breaking into the backfield, but there’s a lot of ineffective rushes where he fails to identify the play call (eg, attacking the quarterback after he’s handed it off or struggling on a read option). One of the biggest issues I have with Jones remains his positional fit. What is he? He’s already had to add weight (he was 260lbs a couple of years ago) so can he add more to play as a three technique? Or is he maxed out? Is he a left end? A five technique? I’m not sure. I still think as we stand here today his best fit for the Seahawks would be as a replacement for Jason Jones. And I’m not convinced they’ll spend a first round pick on that particular role. I’m not writing Jones off though and will go back and watch 4-5 UCLA games again to try and get a better angle.
– Bjoern Werner and Damontre Moore are trending downwards. Werner looked like just a guy out there, running a middling 4.82. He lost weight during the summer to max out his speed, and this is the result? For me, he’s better off trying to add the weight again to play the five technique. Slimming down to force his way into 4-3 end or even 3-4 linebacker territory has been a mistake. Someone will take him in the top-15 I suspect, but he’s not a guy you really want to bang the table for. Moore had a disaster today. He ran a pathetic 4.95, seemingly got injured on his second attempt and then pulled out of the drills. All this just a day after recording 12 reps on the bench press. What was more concerning was just how unrefined he looked compared to the other dynamic pass rushers on show. I really don’t know what to make of him today. Every coach and scout will be going back to the tape over the next few weeks. I suppose we better do the same.
– I’m getting off the Alec Ogletree bandwagon. What a mediocre performance today! He ran an official 4.70, looked sluggish during drills and looked like a guy who’s been busy collecting DUI’s instead of working his backside off for the combine. Which of course, is exactly what he has been doing. For a player who has shown such dynamic athleticism at times (I know others disagree) this was a complete let down. All the off-field stuff was already making me question how bad this guy wants to be a great footballer, but today left very little doubt. If I was running a front office, he wouldn’t be on my draft board. Shame.
– Zaviar Gooden on the other hand ran a 4.47 and based on what little evidence the NFL Network let us see, he excelled in the other drills too. This was a player I already planned to go back and study (only seen one game so far) but at that speed he’s almost an automatic option for Seattle. It’ll be interesting to see how he matches up in terms of instincts, coverage and blitz ability.
– Khaseem Greene had a really solid work out too and remains a first round option for Seattle despite running a 4.71. Nobody would ever say Greene looked faster than that on tape, so nothing changes in that regard. I don’t think the Seahawks are pigeon-holed into 4.4/4.5 guys playing at the WILL. After all, they’ve started Leroy Hill there for three consecutive years under this regime. Greene can go sideline-to-sideline, he can cover underneath, he blitzes better than most OLB’s and he’s an impact player — recording a laundry list of sacks, turnovers and splash plays. Everything about Greene’s game is superb, he just doesn’t run a 4.47 like Zaviar Gooden. Last year the Seahawks knew there were multiple options in terms of fast, instinctive linebackers — Zach Brown, Bobby Wagner, Lavonte David, Mychal Kendricks. This year, the depth will be scarce and minimal even in round two. If you’re banking on Gooden being there later in the draft, realise that every rebuilding team in the NFL is trying to copy Seattle right now. Taking Greene at #25 wouldn’t be a flashy choice, but it’d lock down that position for years and put another leader on the defense.
– I though Kevin Reddick, Manti Te’o and Kevin Minter did well today. All three players are solid on tape and should have good careers at the next level. Just don’t expect Ray Lewis.
– Of the defensive tackles, it was a pretty unremarkable day. Sheldon Richardson didn’t look quite as good as I expected. Sharrif Floyd did fairly well. Johnathan Hankins needs to get on a pro-conditioning programme but moved quite freely despite looking like an out of shape Andre Smith. Sylvester Williams looked pretty good. The most impressive of the bunch was probably Brandon Williams to be fair. He ran a 5.37, but he is massive. And during the drills, he leapt around like a 250lbs defensive end. If only there was more Missouri Southern tape to get a better look at this guy. Montori Hughes also had a solid day.
– Barkevious Mingo is an interesting case. Today he ran a 4.58 which he kind of had to given he weighs just over 240lbs. He also tested well in the other drills and looked extremely athletic. On the other hand, I’ve watched five LSU games in the last seven days and came away thoroughly unimpressed. Daniel Jeremiah described him as the best high-five and butt-slap prospect in the draft — essentially meaning he’s a classic nearly man, but not a finisher. He flatters to deceive, playing in fits and starts. I think getting him away from Sam Montgomery will be vital to rectify some of those issue, because Montgomery appears to be living in his own little world. But can Mingo be special? Mike Mayock says he’s a 25-40 range guy. Does today’s display, along with Damontre Moore’s disaster, push him back into the top-15? And is he an option for Seattle if he falls?
– Shame on the prospects who worked out but didn’t run the forty. I’m looking at you, Bennie Logan and Kiko Alonso.
– I want to see more of Cornelius Washington, pass rusher at Georgia. He ran a 4.55 today. He had 36 reps at 225lbs. Intriguing.
– Corey Lemonier ran a 4.60 and he started the 2012 season on fire. Then he disappeared, along with everyone else on the Auburn roster. At his size you’d expect a quick time, but he looked good today. I previously had him in the round 3-4 range and he’s admitted that’s the grade he received from the draft committee. I’m not sure I’d adjust that based on today, but like Washington he’s another LEO to monitor.
– To conclude, I don’t think we’re any clearer to knowing what the hell the Seahawks are going to do at #25. This is the funkiest draft I’ve ever written about. I’m still struggling to convince myself there’s a defensive tackle they’d be willing to draft in round one once the big three (Floyd, Richardson, Lotulelei) are gone. It’s a deep class, sure. But it’s full of guys you like in January and then by April, you feel like you can do better. The top defensive ends will go early. I still think linebacker is an option (Khaseem Greene). I’d love to know what they thought about the tight ends, especially given none really put on an explosive performance. Would they entertain Zach Ertz running a 4.7? Or a Tyler Eifert, Gavin Escobar type? I think the depth at receiver continues to make that a much more likely second round option.
I’ll have an open thread on the blog tomorrow to discuss the final day of the combine as the defensive backs perform. On Wednesday, it’s mock draft day.
Hit refresh for the latest from Indianapolis as it happens. You can also watch live yourself by clicking here.
HEADLINES
– Khaseem Greene runs an official 4.71, while Alec Ogletree clocks a 4.70
– Dion Jordan runs an official 4.60 and looks really impressive in drills
– Ziggy Ansah records an official 4.63, while it’s a 4.58 for Barkevious Mingo
– Sheldon Richardson is a little disappointing in drills and runs a 5.02
– Sharrif Floyd runs an official 4.92
Today the defensive linemen and linebackers work out. Given Seattle’s needs at defensive tackle, linebacker and maybe even defensive end, this is a crucial day in the lead up to the draft.
One of the big things on the NFL Network right now is to get a former GM or coach to compile a top-ten mock draft. We’ll update our full two-round projection on Wednesday as usual, but I thought I’d put together a quick top-ten myself based on what we’ve learnt so far and what I think we’ll see today…
#1 Kansas City – Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
#2 Jacksonville – Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
#3 Oakland – Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri)
#4 Philadelphia – Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
#5 Detroit – Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)
#6 Cleveland – Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU)
#7 Arizona – Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
#8 Buffalo – Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
#9 New York – Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
#10 Tennessee – Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)
The pick at #5 was influenced by this early report today…
If you want the draft’s top CB, Dee Milliner, you’ll probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at 5 to get him.
Interesting times. I’ve also moved Sheldon Richardson up to #3 in anticipation of today’s work out. He benched 30 reps of 225lbs, as many as Jesse Williams managed despite weighing 25lbs more. He moves like a linebacker so should post an excellent forty time and perform well in the mobility drills. Ansah and Jordan (if they work out) should do well too. I’ll post live updates below.
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 1 – defensive linemen):
NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split
Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah will be top ten picks. The little mock I did earlier at the top of this post was basically a review of what we expected to see today and neither player disappointed. Incredible.
Both players managed a sub-1.60 ten-yard split to go with blistering runs. Every mock draft will have them in the top ten from now until April.
Jordan in particular. Wow. I wouldn’t rule him out as a #1 pick option. Unlimited upside.
Margus Hunt also performed extremely well, that will give him a little kick start after a disappointing Senior Bowl. He ran in the early 4.6’s, benched 38 reps of 225lbs yesterday. All this at 6-8, 277lbs.
Armonty Bryant had one of the most bizarre running styles you’ll probably ever see. He looked like Scooby Doo pursuing a sandwich.
First Pete and John sighting of the day:
Corey Lemonier was the final player to run among the first group. He ended with a bang — matching Dion Jordan’s unofficial 4.53. If the Seahawks don’t grab a LEO to cover Chris Clemons in free agency or round one, then Lemonier could be in to play.
Seattle’s new defensive line coach Travis Jones was out on the field running mobility drills:
No big surprises during the first set of drills. Ziggy Ansah, Datone Jones, Margus Hunt, Dion Jordan and Corey Lemonier moved really well. Johnathan Hankins had to be stopped at one point to go over the drill again, something I’ve never seen before. His frame is extremely sloppy.
Now it’s onto the bag and cone drill, hurdling objects.
Everett Dawkins looked really good for his size and handled the bags perfectly. Sharrif Floyd kicked one of the bags over but generally moved well.
Johnathan Hankins looked a lot better in the second drill. Given how flabby he is, the guy can move. He needs to tone up though.
Datone Jones is a superb athlete. I just wonder if he’s maxed out at 283lbs. To play inside consistently you have to think he’d have to add another 10lbs.
The linemen are now onto the dummy drill where they get a chance to flash a swim and club move.
My favourite part of this drill? The coach in charge has a football on a stick and kind of waves it a bit to mimic a snap. It’s totally unnecessary, but I bet that guy loves dusting that thing off every year. I wonder if he ever got to the airport and thought, “Oh my god… I’ve left it in the garage!” I’d love to see that get through customs too.
Back to the football. Another drill, another chance for Datone Jones to look the best. Sharrif Floyd, Johnathan Hankins and Dion Jordan also looked effortless and explosive. Joe Kruger, William Gholston and Malliciah Goodman were underwhelming.
Armanty Bryant dominated at a small school, but he looks distinctly average in drills today. William Gholston really does not look all that impressive today. He’s fumbling through the drills a bit.
In the punch drills, Montori Hughes and Dion Jordan were the best. This was the first drill where Datone Jones rushed a little bit and had to be told to slow down.
We’re now back to the mobility drills and a few the bigger players are looking tired.
Brandon Jenkins (DE, Florida State) didn’t run a forty yard dash but he’s done the other drills. And he hasn’t looked particularly good so far.
In the current cone drill, Dion Jordan is sprinting around like a cornerback. His lean, change of direction, explosion and ability to go through the gears is incredible. This is one of the all-time great work outs.
Johnathan Hankins is getting better and better as the drills go on. Datone Jones seems to be tiring. LSU’s Lavar Edwards has flashed so far, he’s one to go back and have another look at after the combine.
That’s the end of the drills for the first group of defensive linemen. They’re moving on to the vertical jump. Coming up next, the likes of Sheldon Richardson, Barkevious Mingo, John Simon, Bjoern Werner, Jesse Williams and Sylvester Williams.
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 2 – defensive linemen):
NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split
Bennie Logan, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Jesse Williams, John Simon and Alex Okafor are not running the forty yard dash.
The number of non participants was very disappointing. We knew guys like Alex Okafor bailed at the last minute, but what’s the excuse for players like Bennie Logan and Jesse Williams?
One player who completely bombed? DaMontre Moore. He doesn’t look good in shorts with a really unrefined frame. He managed just 12 reps on the bench press yesterday and now a 4.89 forty. In his second attempt he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury, but I suspect it may be more a damaged ego.
Bjoern Werner also doesn’t have the best physique and didn’t run a great time (4.79-4.81)
Barkevious Mingo matched Dion Jordan’s time from earlier but really had to run fast given his middling 2012 tape and lack of production. You watch Jordan and you can see his best is yet to come. You watch Mingo and you wonder how he fits. So while Jordan is trending upwards today, I’m not sure Mingo will get the same kind of boost.
Sheldon Richardson didn’t run as fast as I expected. In fact, Sylvester Williams posted a quicker time despite carrying an extra 20lbs.
We’re now onto the mobility drills again. Brandon Williams is moving well despite his massive size. Bjoern Werner tripped up and looked a little stiff.
Sylvester Williams looked incredible on the first drill. No waste bend, moved around freely. If only he wasn’t 25 this year, he’d be a top pick.
Bennie Logan, who didn’t run a forty, is now working out. Why?
Damontre Moore is out of the drills with the suspected hamstring injury mentioned earlier.
Onto the bag drills and Brandon Williams is again putting on a clinic, making light work of his huge size. He tip toes around like a 260lbs lineman.
Bjoern Werner, Devin Taylor, and the two Williams’ again all impressed in the rip and club drills. Surprisingly, Sheldon Richardson looked pretty average.
The NFL.com coverage has now moved away from drills to have some thoughts from Mike Mayock. Great timing, guys.
The official forty yard dash times are in for the defensive lineman:
Ziggy Ansah – 4.63
Armonty Bryant – 4.86
Michael Buchanan – 4.78
Everett Dawkins 5.06
Lavar Edwards – 4.80
Sharrif Floyd – 4.92
William Gholston – 4.96
Malliciah Goodman – 4.87
Johnathan Hankins – 5.31
Jordan Hill – 5.23
Montori Hughes – 5.23
Margus Hunt – 4.60
Chris Jones – 5.33
Datone Jones – 4.80
Dion Jordan – 4.60
Joe Kruger – 4.83
Corey Lemonier – 4.60
Barkevious Mingo – 4.58
Sam Montgomery – 4.81
Damontre Moore – 4.95
Sheldon Richardson – 5.02
Devin Taylor – 4.72
Bjoern Werner – 4.82
Sylvester Williams – 5.03
Brandon Williams – 5.37
Trevardo Williams – 4.57
The linebackers are about to run the forty yard dash, including Alec Ogletree and Khaseem Greene.
“Lotulelei did not fail his physical but rather was given an incomplete designation pending the consultation with the specialist, the person said, adding it was Lotulelei’s decision to withdraw from drills after hearing the doctors’ recommendation that he sit them out.”
Lotulelei’s agent, Bruce Tollner, said in a statement Sunday that his client will visit a specialist later this week and is expected to participate in every drill at his pro day March 20. Tollner said Lotulelei will continue to interview with teams in Indianapolis.”
Tollner and doctors who examined Lotulelei are hopeful the situation will prove to be similar to that of Carolina Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander, who was pulled from combine drills last year following an abnormal test but was then cleared by specialists.”
One player a lot of fans are talking about today is Datone Jones. I thought I’d put some tape out there while we’re going through a lull in proceedings waiting for the linebackers to start. So here’s his performance vs Stanford in the PAC-12 title game:
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (linebackers):
Oregon’s Kiko Alonso is not running the forty yard dash. Why? Arthur Brown has also decided not to run. Again, disappointing.
Sam Barrington (LB, USF): 4.78 & 4.75
Steve Beauharnais (LB, Rutgers): 4.81 & 4.79
Jon Bostic (LB, Florida): 4.50 & 4.57
Jamie Collins (LB, Southern Miss): 4.60 & 4.59
Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri): 4.50 & 4.56
Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers): 4.67 & 4.69
Gerald Hodges (LB, Penn State): 4.72 & 4.84
A.J. Klein (LB, Iowa State): 4.68 & 4.75
John Lotulelei (LB, UNV): 4.75 & 4.78
Brandon Magee (LB, Arizona State): 4.69 & 4.66
Kevin Minter (LB, LSU): 4.82 & 4.81
Nick Moody (LB, Florida State): 4.72 & 4.69
Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut): 4.62 & 4.63
Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia): 4.62 & 4.62
Sean Porter (LB, Texas A&M): 4.78 & 4.78
Keith Pough (Howard): 4.87 & 4.87
Kevin Reddick (LB, North Carolina): 4.72 & 4.66
Bruce Taylor (LB, Virginia Tech): 4.94 & 5.06
Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame): 4.81 & 4.80
Chase Thomas (LB, Stanford): 4.88 & 4.87
Cornelius Washington (LB, Georgia): 4.53 & 4.50
Tom Wort (LB, Oklahoma): 4.69 & 4.75
Alec Ogletree wasn’t as explosive as expected, running in the 4.6’s unofficially. I thought he’d be quicker than that.
Khaseem Greene ran the time I was expecting — in the 4.6’s. He’s a good enough athlete on tape but you never expected to see a 4.5.
Zaviar Gooden ran a great 4.50 while Jon Bostic was also impressive with a 4.5.
It’s worth remembering that Brian Cushing ran a 4.74 at the combine.
Cornelius Washington — more of a pass rusher from Georgia, ran a 4.50 (unofficial) with a 1.62 ten-yard split.
The NFL Network is doing it’s usual trick of showing highlights of earlier drills while current guys are on the field. They kindly showed some of Alec Ogletree and Manti Te’o going through some of the mobility work and both looked pretty stiff.
Finally back to the live feed… Khaseem Greene looked really fluid in the bag mobility drills. He’s looking really sharp out there.
They just ran a catching drill where five guys in a row got in wrong. Can’t say this has been a particularly eye catching work out so far. Ogletree has been a big disappointment.
Official 40 yard dash times for the linebackers:
Zaviar Gooden – 4.47
Manti Te’o – 4.82
Jon Bostic – 4.62
Jamie Collins – 4.64
Khaseem Greene – 4.71
Kevin Minter – 4.81
Sio Moore – 4.65
Alec Ogletree – 4.70
Kevin Reddick – 4.70
Chase Thomas – 4.91
Cornelius Washington – 4.55
I still don’t understand why Kiko Alonso is out there running drills but didn’t compete in the 40.
Zaviar Gooden and Khaseem Greene looked really smooth in the catching drills, showing great back pedal, change of direction skills and burst.
A.J. Klein tripped up during his drill and appeared to injure his ankle.
Ogletree is now officially on a 4.70 which is a big surprise. Greene was given an official 4.71.
Zaviar Gooden’s 4.47 stands out and he’s likely to get interest from the Seahawks. But I wouldn’t rule out anyone running in the 4.6-4.7 range. After all, Brian Cushing ran a 4.74.
The linebackers are now onto the bag drills. What can I say? Greene continues to impress. Great lean round the edge, quick feet despite the fact he’s added size for the combine.
Ogletree seems to be starting to try too hard, just tripped up on his attempt. Kevin Minter and Manti Te’o both look quick despite their 4.8’s earlier.
The drills are starting to wind down so we’ll call it a day for today. I need some food after six hours. Tomorrow I’ll be starting an open thread and will have all the vital defensive back info available later in the day. Hope to see you there and thanks for getting involved.
Hard to say how this effects his draft stock, although suddenly that issue is barely significant. According to his agent he’ll work out at the Utah pro-day on March 20th. He could have surgery to rectify the problem and make a swift and full recovery. It could potentially improve his quality of life and be no issue at the next level. But it’s something teams will look into.
In other news…
The defensive linemen completed the bench press drill tonight. You can see the results here, although a lot of high-profile pass rushers didn’t take part (Sharrif Floyd, Johnathan Hankins etc). Margus Hunt and Brandon Williams both managed 38 reps. Sheldon Richardson and Jesse Williams had 30 reps (excellent for Richardson). DaMontre Moore had 12 reps.
Jason La Canfora is reporting that a trade for Alex Smith between San Francisco and an unnamed team is essentially complete. It cannot be rubber stamped until the new league year begins on March 12th. Several members of the media present at the combine have speculated that Kansas City would trade for the 49ers quarterback. Smith for the Chiefs? It almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. Compensation is unlikely to be much more than a 4th or 5th round pick.
Biggest surprise from the first group? Landry Jones running a sharp 1.69 ten yard split. Quick, move him to defensive end.
Next up it’s the first group of wide receivers, including Tavon Austin, Steadman Bailey, DeAndre Hopkins and Justin Hunter.
Keenan Allen is not working out today. Marshall’s Aaron Dobson also didn’t run the forty.
Wide receiver unofficial forty yard dash times (first group):
Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia) – 4.25 & 4.31
Steadman Bailey (WR, West Virginia) – 4.57 & 4.50
Alan Bonner (WR, Jacksonville State) – 4.50 & 4.47
Josh Boyce (WR, TCU) – 4.38 & 4.38
Marcus Davis (WR, Virginia Tech) – 4.40 & 4.53
Corey Fuller (WR, Virginia Tech) – 4.38 & 4.37
Marquise Goodwin (WR, Texas) – 4.25 & 4.29
Cobi Hamilton (WR, Arkansas) – 4.47 & 4.59
Chris Harper (WR, Kansas State) – 4.57 & 4.46
Mark Harrison (WR, Rutgers) – 4.47 & 4.47
DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson) – 4.50 & 4.50
Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee) – 4.44 & 4.41
Brandon Kaufman (WR, Eastern Washington) – 4.53 & 4.59
Tavarres King (WR, Georgia) – 4.43 & 4.44
That’s an incredible (albeit unofficial) forty performance from Tavon Austin. That will do his stock the power of good. Anyone hoping he can be a DeSean Jackson type with a little Percy Harvin can feel a little more satisfied today.
Perhaps it’s time to start contemplating how early Austin could go in the draft?
Bucky Brooks admitted on the NFL Network that adding 0.08 to the unofficial times is usually a good indication of the official number. EVen still, a written-in-stone 4.33 or 4.35 would be excellent news for Austin.
Texas’ Marquise Goodwin also ran a 4.25 with a 1.49 ten-yard split. His second attempt was an unofficial 4.29. He looked completely relaxed.
Rutgers’ Mark Harrison ran two 4.47’s at 231lbs. Impressive.
DeAndre Hopkins managed two 4.50’s which was about expected. Steadman Bailey’s two times of 4.57 and 4.50 were a little surprising. He plays faster than that.
Justin Hunter ran an unofficial 4.41 but he weighs less than 200lbs at 6-4.
That concludes the first group of forty yard dash times. The quarterbacks and receivers will now go through passing/catching drills. That’ll be followed by the running backs running the forty yard dash, and then the second group of quarterbacks and receivers.
First sighting of Pete Carroll and John Schneider watching today’s drills together:
As the quarterback and receiver drills got underway, Tyler Bray looked a lot heavier than college. Almost like a different player compared to his time in Tennessee.
Tavon Austin is carrying on the momentum of his forty yard dash, showing sharp hands in the toe-tap drill.
Mike Glennon floated his deep ball a on the downfield drill. It was ugly. He threw back-to-back awful passes that forced the receiver to stop and wait for the football. That’s not good given he’s in shorts with no pass rush.
Bray looked excellent as expected, but he has a terrific arm. DeAndre Hopkins did well to chase down one of Bray’s throws and make a difficult catch. Steadman Bailey followed suite moments later making an equally impressive full-stretch grab.
Seattle’s offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell was down on the field for receiver drills:
I don’t really like the gauntlet drill, but Austin and Bailey both showed really nice hands.
Hopkins looked really sharp. In all the tape I’ve watched on the three, Austin, Bailey and Hopkins barely had any drops.
While the drills are going on, there’s a lot of positive Twitter chatter about Matt Barkley.
Text I received from a scout this morning: Matt Barkley will not get past the Arizona #Cardinals at No. 7 overall.
Of course, there’s no way of knowing how qualified this unnamed scout it. Matt Miller is the guy who last year declared Russell Wilson to be one of the worst picks in the entire draft. I think he’s employed by professional Google Search Spoiler B******r R****t. Even so, it was only a matter of time until Barkley’s stock started to trend upwards again. I had him going to the Cardinals in my most recent mock draft. I’ve had him at #1 to Kansas City too. He’ll be a top ten pick. There’s also this:
However, Somers isn’t quoting any sources here. That might just be his opinion due to all the media-bashing of Barkley. That wouldn’t surprise me. I remember the utter defiance of the Detroit Lions’ beat writers in 2009. They consistently talked down the chances of Matt Stafford being the #1 pick.
The receivers are now running routes. Hopkins continues to impress in a big way. He looks bigger in shorts than he does on the field. We’re seeing smooth cuts and breaks, plus sharp hands. He might not be running as fast as Austin right now, but Hopkins has been among the most impressive players today so far.
Greg Cosell is sitting in on the broadcast with Matt Smith and Bucky Brooks. He’s also talking like Michelle from the film ‘American Pie’. “This one time… at Band Camp…”
The second group of quarterbacks and receivers are preparing for their drills. Among those competing — Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Tyler Wilson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Quinton Patton, Ryan Swope, Terrance Williams and Robert Woods.
Austin is having a really sharp work-out here. He looks muscular, strong and smooth. Steadman Bailey just ran a pretty awkward out-route, although it was also a poor throw by the quarterback.
Mike Glennon has had an inconsistent day. Some bad throws earlier, now he’s on the money. Today is pretty similar to what you see on tape.
If you missed it yesterday, it’s not good news for Dion Jordan. He’s going to compete tomorrow but will then require surgery. He’s expected to miss 3-4 months.
Some other breaking news today, prospective free agent defensive tackle Desmond Bryant of the Raiders was arrested in Miami for ‘criminal mischief’. Not good news for anyone hoping he’d land in Seattle.
Louisiana Tech quarterback Colby Cameron did a good job today, running a 4.6 and throwing well too, particularly on the post-corner route. He could be a later round option if the Seahawks want to take a quarterback.
DeAndre Hopkins just made a stunning catch on a deep ball from MarQueis Gray. Real fingertips stuff. Crazy catch.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider are still watching closely. Along with the Harbaugh’s…
Mike Mayock says some scouts had Marquise Goodwin down for a 4.19 forty time. It’ll be interesting to see the official electronic times. Mayock wasn’t impressed by Goodwin running routes, citing he struggled to track the ball and get his head turned properly.
Cordarrelle Patterson managed a 37-inch vertical jump at 6-2. Mayock says physically he’s a top ten pick but he’s unsure a lack of production will get him there.
Interesting Tweet:
Bucky Brooks: #Seahawks had Anquan Boldin with a top 15 grade. Dropped him to 2nd round when he ran a 4.72 in the Combine.
Quarterback unofficial forty yard dash times (second group):
E.J. Manuel (QB, Florida State) – 4.62 & 4.63
Ryan Nassib (QB, Syracuse) – 4.84 & 5.06
Matt Scott (QB, Arizona) – 4.66 & 4.69
Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia) – 4.56 & 4.60
Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas) – 4.96 & 4.94
Great times for E.J. Manuel (nearly 240lbs) and Geno Smith. I’d say Smith in particular looked much smoother than expected. Matt Scott also ran an impressive 4.66. Not quite the positive news for Tyler Wilson who looked slow and strained and only just avoided hitting the 5-second mark. Ryan Nassib also underwhelmed with a 4.84 or 5.06. Not good.
Wide receiver unofficial forty yard dash times (second group):
I’m not sure if there was an issue with the timer, but there were some crazy differentials between the first and second attempts and that shouldn’t happen. Da’Rick Rogers and Conner Vernon improved their times by 0.12 seconds on the second run. Terrance Williams on the other hand ran a second attempt 0.13 seconds slower than the first go-around. No idea what was going on there and we’ll have to wait for the official times later today.
Cordarrelle Patterson confirmed his speed at 6-2 and +200lbs. It’ll be interesting to see him run routes later.
Denard Robinson was quick but why isn’t he being worked out as a running back? He basically played QB/RB at Michigan and he’s the same size as Chris Johnson. Ryan Swope, Kenny Stills and Markus Wheaton all ran quick times that’ll help their stock. Marquess Wilson also put in a good show. Robert Woods was also quick enough to give his stock a boost. He’s good enough to be a first round pick.
Quinton Patton and Woods looked good in the toe-tap drills, making a sharp cut and get both feet down with minimal effort. Cordarrelle Patterson looks a bit awkward, just as he does on tape. He just ran a deep route that looked painfully difficult. It doesn’t help that he’s wearing baggy T-shirt/shorts for the drill.
Geno Smith, like Mike Glennon, is floating the deep ball too much.
Ryan Swope doesn’t look like a wide receiver. He looks like he should be working in Blockbuster’s. I’d still take a chance on him being a productive unnatural type via the middle rounds. Markus Wheaton showed great catching technique in the gauntlet. Ace Sanders struggled and took a ball in the face for good measure. I want to see Cordarrelle Patterson extend his arms to catch the ball. Everything is into the body. He’s all speed an upside, the technique leaves a lot to be desired.
Official 40 times are now in for the receivers:
Marquise Goodwin – 4.27
Tavon Austin – 4.34
Steadman Bailey – 4.52
Josh Boyce – 4.38
Justin Hunter – 4.44
DeAndre Hopkins – 4.57
Mark Harrison – 4.46
Chris Harper – 4.55
Cordarrelle Patterson – 4.42
Quinton Patton – 4.53
Da’Rick Rogers – 4.52
Denard Robinson – 4.43
Terrance Williams – 4.52
Markus Wheaton – 4.45
Conner Vernon – 4.68
Ryan Swope – 4.34
Kenny Stills – 4.38
Marquess Wilson – 4.51
Robert Woods – 4.51
I suppose the big headline is Ryan Swope is officially as quick as Tavon Austin. So pick your poison. Austin in round one, or Swope later.
The receivers are now running 10-yard routes. Robert Woods continues to look like the most impressive player out there — he’s showing the same crispness as Hopkins and equally strong hands. And just as I said that… Woods drops a back-shoulder pass.
Justin Hunter had a vertical jump of 39.5-inches. He had a poor 2012 season but has impressed athletically in Indianapolis. It’s still hard to get behind him given how sloppy he looked for Tennessee. Former NFL Scout:
If you were watching Patterson work out you would never believe he is the best WR in the Draft. Saw WOW on tape, here I am not seeing that. — Bryan Broaddus (@BryanBroaddus) February 24, 2013
I thought Patterson hurt himself today. He might still be a top-15 pick based on upside, straight line speed and the ability to score any time the ball’s in his hands. However, you’re going to have to coach him up in a big way. Otherwise he’ll wing it, which is pretty much what he did at Tennessee. And winging it in the NFL will kill a quarterback.
The final group to work out today will be the running backs.
Running back unofficial forty yard dash times (first group):
Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin) – 4.62 & 4.65
Kenjon Barner (RB, Oregon) – 4.44 & 4.46
Le’Veon Bell (RB, Michigan State) – 4.52 & 4.56
Giovani Bernard (RB, North Carolina) – 4.50 & 4.50
Rex Burkhead (RB, Nebraska) – 4.69 & 4.75
Knile Davis (RB, Arkansas) – 4.30 & 4.31
Andre Ellington (RB, Clemson) – 4.59 & DNP
Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA) – 4.47 & 4.50
Mike Gillislee (RB, Florida) – 4.50 & 4.50
Ray Graham (RB, Pittsburgh) – 4.72 & 4.71
Jawan Jamison (RB, Rutgers) – 4.62 & 4.50
Onterio McCalebb (RB, Auburn) – 4.27 & 4.21
Joseph Randle (RB, Oklahoma State) – 4.63 & 4.63
Theo Riddick (RB, Notre Dame) – 4.66 & DNP
Zac Stacy (RB, Vanderbilt) – 4.50 & 4.60
Stepfan Taylor (RB, Stanford) – 4.78 & 4.72
Cierre Wood – 4.50 & 4.53
The average time for a running back over the last few years has been 4.59.
Watching the running backs this year was pretty underwhelming. It lacked the star power we’ve seen in recent years. There’s a few players here that’ll be productive at the next level, but unless Eddie Lacy makes it into the first round were unlikely to see any of the group go early.
Ontario McCalebb’s 4.21 is slightly undermined by his sub-170lbs size. LeVeon Bell’s times were impressive given his size. Knile Davis ran two 4.3’s and he was always a fast guy, but he had a bad 2012 season with fumble problems. He really had one good year in college. Andre Ellington appeared to get injured during his forty yard attempt. Montee Ball’s 4.6’s are good enough — he will be a productive player at the next level. I’d take a chance in the middle rounds.
Official 40 yard dash times for the running backs:
Montee Ball – 4.66
Kenjon Barner – 4.52
LeVeon Bell – 4.60
Giovani Bernard – 4.53
Rex Burkhead – 4.73
Knile Davis – 4.37
Andre Ellington – 4.61
Jonathan Franklin – 4.49
Mike Gillislee – 4.55
Ray Graham – 4.80
Jawan Jamison – 4.68
Onterio McCalebb – 4.34
Joseph Randle – 4.63
Theo Riddick – 4.68
Zac Stacy – 4.55
Stepfan Taylor – 4.76
Kerwynn Williams – 4.48
Cierre Wood – 4.56
Matt Flynn update
Peter King just said on the NFL Network that he thinks Seattle will release Matt Flynn. He didn’t believe they would pay his salary to keep him and would choose to save some back by releasing him. King didn’t expect much of a trade market.
I believe the team would make a $1.25m overall saving if they cut Flynn. It doesn’t sound much, but paying $7.25m for a backup is unnecessary. Personally, if they do cut Flynn I’d consider drafting a quarterback and letting him compete with a veteran to be the backup.
And we have to remember here, paying the starter peanuts and the backup $7.25m is an odd dynamic. That could play a part in any decision.
End of the day
Things are starting to wind down in Indianapolis and the NFL Network isn’t even showing live coverage of the running back drills, they’re speaking to Scott Pioli. We’ll call it a day for today, but remember we’ll be live blogging again from 6am PST tomorrow. Hope to see you there for the all-important defensive lineman and linebacker drills.
I think Richardson will probably go in the top 14 picks- I just can’t see him getting past Carolina barring a disaster. Richardson stands so far ahead of his peers at collapsing the pocket that I’d say he’s worth trading up for, even though it will mean losing picks in a draft where a 2nd rounder feels an awful lot like a 1st.
Would it be expensive? Sure. Is it likely? Probably not. But I dare anyone to tell me they wouldn’t be excited about seeing Sheldon Richardson lining up in Seattle’s defensive line for the next few years.
Kawann Short had the most eye-catching weight — he certainly didn’t look like a 299lbs defensive tackle on tape. He appears to be slimming down to fit into a more orthodox three-technique role. He won’t do drills tomorrow due to injury.
It was good to see Dion Jordan close to 250lbs after some speculation he’d played the 2012 season at closer to 230lbs. I think as the draft process continues, he’ll develop into a top-five shoe-in. Incredible upside. He should test well tomorrow.
Sharrif Floyd had considerably shorter arms than the other defensive linemen — 31.68 inches to be exact. As a comparison, that’s three inches shorter than Kawann Short. None of the lineman listed above had arms shorter than 32 inches in length apart from Floyd. This could be an issue when he tries to disengage and gain leverage. He wasn’t a great pass rusher at Florida.
Oklahoma tackle puts on a clinic, Fluker struggles
Lane Johnson can feel pretty good about his time in Indianapolis. He ran an impressive 4.72 today, managed 28 reps on the bench press despite +35 inch arms and overall looked the part of a franchise left tackle. Any team that misses out on Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel can feel very comfortable about Johnson as the fall back.
It’s pretty pointless concentrating too much on offensive line forty times on the whole. None of the other tackles or guards got close to Johnson, apart from Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s Terron Armstead who managed a 4.71.
Looking back at the footage of today’s drills, D.J. Fluker continues to concern me. He ran a 5.35 and a 5.32 but generally looked sloppy in the mobility drills despite losing 16lbs since the Senior Bowl. He’s managed to generate some hype since the SEC Championship game where he dominated Georgia’s defensive line. I’m not convinced it was totally warranted. He’s still a bog standard right tackle who’ll be better off moving inside to guard — at least in my opinion. Watching him struggle to get around today just highlights how much he’s going to struggle defending the edge — something that flashed on tape time and time again. He doesn’t play well against speed. He’ll be challenged by speed every week in the NFL and I’d be worried about that.
Personally, I wouldn’t want to take a guy who might work out at right tackle in round one. If I’m drafting him that early, I have to believe he can be an all-pro guard. Personally, I’d probably rather draft Larry Warford to fill that role. I have a real dislike for drafting right tackles in round one. Seattle’s experience with James Carpenter being a classic example. I was a big fan of Carpenter in college, much more so than Fluker. But the Seahawks drafted Carpenter, were forced to kick him inside when he struggled at tackle and then replaced him with a former 5th round pick.
You don’t need to spend big on a right tackle. And Fluker isn’t good enough to be the exception. I hope he’s off the board by #25, because it means a better player will be available for the Seahawks.
Speaking of Warford, he ran an epic 5.53 and a 5.68 today. Part of me hoped that was a shirtless attempt, just for old times sake. Chance Warmack wasn’t much better at 5.55 and 5.53 — not that it matters in the slightest. Warmack will be a fantastic guard at the next level.
Tony Pauline believed Jonathan Cooper outperformed Warmack, while Eric Fisher was also getting the better of Luke Joeckel:
Must say to this point Eric Fisher out performing Luke Joeckel and Jon Cooper out performing Chance Warmack.
I thought Cooper had a fantastic work out today and if he gets out of the top fifteen, whoever drafts him is getting a steal. He can probably play either of the guard positions or center. Teams value the center position strongly these days, almost as much as left tackle. That could give him an edge versus Warmack.
Tight ends fail to impress
I thought it was a bitterly disappointing day for the tight ends in the forty yard dash. None of them ran as fast as expected. Zach Ertz only managed a 4.76, Gavin Escobar a 4.84, Jordan Reed a 4.72 and Tyler Eifert a 4.68. In the last three years, thirteen tight ends have run faster than Eifert who was among the quickest this year. Lane Johnson at 303lbs ran faster than Ertz and Escobar and matched Jordan Reed’s time. Take that in for a moment. Can Johnson catch?
I doubt the lousy times will hurt the tight ends too much, but what it won’t do is vault any of them into the top half of round one. If Reed managed a time in the 4.5’s he could’ve become a legit first round option. He runs in the 4.7’s and probably settles somewhere in rounds two or three. Had Ertz managed a 4.5, he could’ve been a lock for the top-20. He might still go in that range given his career at Stanford and solid tape. Eifert remains firmly in the round two range for me.
What about Escobar? His stock seemed to be trending upwards in a big way and I had him in round one recently. However, a 4.84 isn’t going to get anyone out of their seat. He’s a dynamic, big target. But he’s clearly not an insane athlete. His best asset is his hands.
Eifert looked the most athletic in terms of physical appearance and I thought Ertz looked a little stiff in drills. Reed overall didn’t show the kind of explosive athleticism I expected to see. And while physically he compares to Aaron Hernandez, I wouldn’t compare the two players based on tape.
Arkansas’ Chris Gragg ran a 4.50. Kudos for him. He’s talented but suffered (like everyone) due to the Razorbacks’ decision to take a year off from taking football seriously in 2012. Vance McDonald managed a 4.69 which is particularly ‘meh’ considering he doesn’t look comfortable catching a football on tape.
Another day, another withdrawal. This time Alex Okafor has decided not to run a slow time… errr… I mean rest a hip flexor by not working out. Dallas Thomas will also be absent with a torn labrum — an injury that kept him out of the Senior Bowl.
There are also concerns over Arthur Brown’s shoulder injury that kept him from competing in Mobile. He was a last minute withdrawal from the Senior Bowl and didn’t tell anyone in advance that he was hurt. It’s unclear whether he’ll do drills tomorrow.
Jarvis Jones conducted a press conference discussing his spinal stenosis issue. He won’t work out at the combine, a decision which puts a lot of pressure on his pro-day. Just a hunch, but I can’t see Jones being a first round pick at this stage. Too much risk, and he’s clearly hiding by not testing in Indianapolis.
Jones on stenosis: I have a slight narrowing in my spine. Some of ya’ll probably have it and you don’t know. — Dan Kadar (@MockingTheDraft) February 23, 2013
Jones: I don’t have no contusion in it. I only had one accident of having a stringer at USC. Never had any symptoms after that.
Malcolm Smith has been an organizational soldier. But is he a future starter?
Though a follower of the draft for over two decades, 2009 was the first year I started doing tape breakdowns and informing myself about prospects. Not with Mel Kiper analysis or googled scouting reports, but by watching and evaluating the players myself, while taking cues from analysts I respected. Before 2009… I wouldn’t claim to be any kind of authority on the draft before that.
With that caveat in place, I have no doubt that the 2013 NFL Draft is the deepest draft I have ever seen. A few days ago, Mike Mayock made similar comments when he said the 2013 draft was the deepest he’s seen in at least ten years.
No area is deeper in this draft than the wide receiver position. Approximately ten wide receivers have received a first or second round projection, and that list does not include some of my favorites. As many as six tight ends have been talked about in that same range. In the first round, we might be witnessing perhaps the best offensive line group ever. Mayock has gone so far as to say that the 25th pick is going to feel a lot like the 5th overall pick this year. That surplus of talent will push into the middle rounds as well, because you probably won’t see ten of the first sixty picks being receivers, six tight ends in the first sixty, and so on.
In a draft that is almost unbelievable in it’s reserves, one position stands out as the exception: Linebacker. Even at the top, this isn’t a great linebacker class. I’d take Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner, Lavonte David, Dont’a Hightower and Mychal Kendricks over any linebacker this year. What’s really striking to me is how few “fast” linebackers there are in this group that are quality prospects. To be sure, there are some gems out there later on- I’ll cover them in a future post- but they’ll likely be snatched up quickly and it won’t be long until you’re sifting through ashes just hoping to find this year’s version of Korey Toomer or Malcolm Smith.
It’s something that rival head coach Jeff Fisher brought up at the combine during his media session yesterday, although his complaints centered around a lack of inside linebackers and linebackers with size. I would agree with Fisher, except I am not lamenting a lack of big linebackers, but a lack of truly fast ones that fit Pete Carroll’s mold well enough.
John Schneider had his own presser of course, and he said something that I found interesting. He talked about his process of upgrading over parts of the roster and specifically name checked Bobby Wagner and Malcolm Smith.
This name drop interested me because it implied that Malcolm Smith is a starter. Malcolm Smith is fast, he’s smart, and he’s a more of a football player than an athlete- and he’s a good athlete. But he’s never been a full time starter, in large part to his being 6’0″ and just 226 pounds. Though a standout at USC, Smith was injured constantly, which shouldn’t be terribly surprising given his size. The only comparably sized player to be a long term starter in recent years that I know of is Cato June (6’0″, 225 pounds), who had just five starting seasons in seven years before retiring. Though a very good player, the scarcity of similar success stories and the brevity of his career suggests that he was an exception that proved the rule.
In a league where 240 pounds is considered preferable for 4-3 linebackers and 230 pounds is treated as a cutoff point, it strikes me as a tough sell to walk into next season banking on Malcolm Smith as your starter all season (and postseason) long. This is no slam on Smith, who I think is one of the teams very best backups. But players of his size typically remain backups.
Maybe Seattle would start him anyway. Maybe a weak linebacker class could scare them more than a 226 pound player with 3 NFL starts and an extensive injury history in college. Maybe they bring Leroy Hill back for one final season. Maybe. But I doubt it.
I’m open minded, and I won’t tell anyone there is a right and wrong answer on this. But I would guess that Seattle is hunting for another starter at linebacker this offseason. A fast one. If you want a starter caliber player in this draft, you will probably have to grab that player in the first four rounds. If you want a difference maker, someone like Alec Ogletree, Khaseem Greene or Arthur Brown, and he’s there at #58, you almost have to take him. I do not think Seattle will go so far as to draft a linebacker with their first pick, but if they did, I’d understand why: they might not get another chance. Certainly, if a top option remains at #58, I expect they’d rush to the podium.
Fortunately for us, 4-3 weakside linebackers are rarely drafted in the first round. It’s happened just once in the previous three drafts (Sean Witherspoon in 2010). Some of these players, such as Alec Ogletree, might be considered as 3-4 inside linebackers and get taken early as a result, as was the case for Dont’a Hightower last year. Tony Pauline’s big board lists Arthur Brown 40th overall and has Khaseem Greene (funny enough) 58th overall- the same spot as Seattle’s 2nd round pick.
Finally, there is one other factor to consider. I can’t link a source or anything, but I’ve heard third-hand that John Schneider grades his entire roster with a numbering system and makes draft picks based not on the draft grade, but on the upgrade differential of his starters and that draft grade. I can’t imagine that Malcolm Smith carries a very high starter grade- I’m not even sure he’s a starter at all. It’s hard to envision Seattle ignoring that as they work through the very early rounds, especially if a great value presents itself in round two.
Today the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs were measured, weighed and interviewed.
DeAndre Hopkins was the main positive of the day for me. At 6-1 and 214lbs, he also has ten inch hands, 33 inch arms and an 80-inch wingspan. For a guy who doesn’t look all that big on tape, those are some impressive numbers. The perception has been — Hopkins is a smaller receiver, Keenan Allen and Cordarrelle Patterson are bigger targets. It’s time we changed that perception.
Allen only measured an inch taller (6-2) and he was 8lbs lighter. He has the same size hands but shorter arms (32 inches). Cordarrelle Patterson is 2lbs heavier than Hopkins, 7/8’s of an inch taller but has smaller hands (10 inches vs 9 inches) and smaller arms (33 inches vs 31 inches). There’s very little between the three players in terms of size and on this evidence, it’s no surprise that Hopkins has been the more consistent target with those hands and reach.
Allen won’t do any drills in Indianapolis due to lingering injury concerns. Patterson will undoubtedly run a terrific forty yard dash. It’ll be very interesting to see how Hopkins matches up for pure speed.
Tavon Austin came in at 5-8 and 174lbs. Dexter McCluster was 5-8 and 172lbs in 2010. We’ll see if Austin can run faster than McCluster’s 4.58 on Sunday. There were no surprises with Robert Woods (6-0, 201lbs), Terrance Williams (6-2, 208lbs) or Steadman Bailey (5-10, 193lbs) — although it’s worth noting that Bailey has ten inch hands and comparable arm-length to the taller Keenan Allen. I’m going to keep saying it, Hopkins and Bailey are the two best receivers in this class in my opinion. And Bailey might be the most underrated player overall.
Justin Hunter is the only big-name receiver to show above average height — he’s listed at 6-4 and 196lbs (needs to add weight). Pete Carroll showed up at Robert Woods’ press conference, having previously recruited him for USC. No, this doesn’t mean the Seahawks are necessarily going to draft him.
You can see a full press conference with Pete Carroll at the combine by clicking here.
Keep an eye on Ryan Swope this weekend. He doesn’t have great size at 6-0 and 205lbs but if he runs well, he could really boost his stock. He’s a natural receiver with a knack for making clutch plays.
Da’Rick Rogers measured at 6-2, 217lbs with 33 inch arms and 9.5 inch hands. No issues there. I’ve added 2011 tape at the bottom of this piece so you can see him in action for Tennessee. However, it’s the same old concerns with Rogers. He had multiple failed drugs tests with the Vols, constantly tested the patience of his coaches and didn’t heed any warnings. Eventually, he was shown the door and had to move to Tennessee Tech.
Seattle’s receiver coach Kippy Brown was part of the Tennessee staff during the recruitment and will know all about the player — possibly better than anyone in the NFL not named Derek Dooley. The Seahawks will get a unique insight into his character, attitude and ability. Brown left for the Pacific Northwest before Rogers took the field as a true freshman, but he’ll know enough to offer an educated opinion. The interview process will be huge for Rogers. I still have a hard time buying into him, but then I’m not sitting in on any interviews this weekend. I’m not investigating his background. I’m judging him on previous mistakes. My main concern isn’t that he’ll fail in the NFL. It’s that he might drag others down with him. He has a lot of athletic potential as you’ll see in the video below. But can you trust him?
Matt Barkley came in taller than expected, just a half-inch away from 6-3 while weighing 227lbs. He also had big hands (crucial) at 10.1 inches. Compare that to Geno Smith (6-2, 218lbs, 9 inch hands) and there’s quite a difference. Still, it could be worse — Tyler Wilson has 8.5 inch hands. That will scare off some GM’s. For what it’s worth, 5-8 Tavon Austin has bigger hands than Tyler Wilson, who came in at 6-2, 215lbs. Ryan Nassib (6-2, 227lbs) and E.J. Manuel (6-4 237lbs) both have a chance to show off some physical skills this weekend.
Barkley also delivered a confident press conference, batting away concerns about his arm strength and speaking with the kind of authority teams want from a franchise quarterback. “I”m strong enough to make every throw and move in the pocket.”
Eddie Lacy won’t run the forty yard dash due to a hamstring injury, but it was concerning to see him at 5-11 and 233lbs. In one of the more bizarre admissions so far this week, he told the media, “I might have gained a pound or three” since the end of the season. Nice one, Eddie. Marcus Lattimore on the other hand is on a major charm offensive, coming in at 5-11 and 221lbs. He’s a fantastic public speaker and will be among the best interviews at the combine. It’s difficult not to root for Lattimore.
Montee Ball (5-10, 214lbs), Giovani Bernard (5-8, 202lbs), Andre Ellington (5-9, 199lbs), Jonathan Franklin (5-10, 205lbs), Joseph Randle (6-0, 204lbs), Stepfan Taylor (5-9, 214lbs) and Mike Gillislee (5-11, 208lbs) will all be jostling for draft position this weekend in a tight running back group.
The offensive lineman took on the bench press today and will kick off the drills tomorrow. Jonathan Cooper had an impressive 35 reps at 225lbs. Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher managed 27 reps, D.J. Fluker and Travis Frederick 21 reps. Lane Johnson had 28 reps despite his long arms and lanky frame (impressive).
Chance Warmack chose not to lift today due to an apparent shoulder injury. Travis Kelce won’t work out at all due to an abdominal tear.
Zach Ertz to run a slow time?
I’m not sure what to make of this news, but it’s surprising. Tony Pauline is reporting Zach Ertz will run a particularly mediocre forty yard dash tomorrow:
Several people have commented to me in the past 24hrs they don’t expect Zach Ertz/TE/Stanford to break 4.7 in the forty tomorrow.
I fully expected to be blown away by Ertz, who looked like a dynamic receiver at Stanford. It won’t destroy his stock — Rob Gronkowski only managed a 4.68. He also weighed 9lbs more than Ertz. He’s such a competent pass catcher I can’t see him dropping out of the first round. But if he runs in the 4.7 range he’s much more likely to be around in the late 20’s.
Sam Montgomery’s stock falling
It’s something we’ve talked about already, but according to Pauline, Sam Montgomery is not getting any help from the LSU coaches:
Confirmed today what I’ve heard since October; LSU coaches not giving Sam Montgomery/DE/LSU are rining endorsement. Quite the contrary — Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 22, 2013
He will fall. I’m surprised to see him still appearing in first round mock drafts. If his college coaches aren’t willing to bang the table for him, who in their right mind will do it in a NFL war room? Remember this picture?
Combine links
Daniel Jeremiah talks about Seattle’s options at #25. He believes getting a receiver for Russell Wilson would be a wise move and name checks DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen. He also admits the depth at receiver is so good, there will be options in rounds two or three. As much as I like Hopkins, I’m not convinced the team will necessarily go for a receiver in round one. The options in round two could be incredible. The defensive options in rounds two and three are not as attractive.
Tomorrow I’ll be away with work so will post an open thread for people to discuss the offensive line and tight end drills. When I get in I’ll watch the replay and make a few notes so stay tuned for that. On Sunday and Monday I’ll be live-blogging throughout the workouts involving the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, defensive lineman and linebackers. Instant results and commentary. Hope to see you there.
Da’Rick Rogers tape vs Cincinnati, LSU, Georgia and Florida
