Scouting Combine: Day six **LIVE**

                 

The defensive backs complete the combine work outs this week. I’ll be blogging live throughout with the numbers, some thoughts and linked analysis.           

Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith is among those working drills

Regular visitors to the blog will know how highly I rate Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith. I’m looking forward to seeing how he checks out after an ‘eventful’ last couple of days to say the least.                 

Firstly, a lot of negative publicity was created by his introductory press conference:                 

                 

The comment that he has ‘better ball skills’ than all-pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha caused a stir and maybe a few over reactions. I don’t mind stuff like that. It’s cocky, but ultimately harmless. It’s not like the top players don’t spend a lot of time calling each other out (see: Jets vs Patriots in the playoffs).                 

If the arrogance translates to a bad attitude or poor work ethic, then it becomes a concern. I didn’t see any evidence of that when scouting Smith in 2010.                 

A bit more digging brought up some other potential red flags – Smith had a positive drugs test in 2007 and some other issues several years ago. It led to articles like this by Tom Kowalski at Mlive.com who has now decided corner-desperate Detroit won’t consider drafting Smith. Generally I enjoy Kowalski’s work covering the Lions, but he’s also the reporter who persistently argued the team wouldn’t draft Matt Stafford in 2009. While he may have a valid point regarding Detroit’s draft policy, we also need to remember these incidents happened four years ago.                 

It is possible for a person to mature. As with several other highly talented prospects, teams will have to do their homework. Smith had 28 team interviews before today’s work out and he’ll have to answer some difficult questions. Even so, he’s without doubt one of the players with elite potential in this draft class. Running a time in the 4.3’s will help his stock just as much as an impressive set of interviews.                 

Smith benched 225lbs a credible 23 times. Patrick Peterson managed 15 reps and Ras-I Dowling had 19.                 

Cornerback (Group 1) forty yard dash times                  

Cortez Allen (Citadel): 4.45 & 4.47                 

Prince Amukamara (Nebraska): 4.37 & 4.44                 

Ahmad Black (Florida): 4.78 & 4.74                 

Curtis Brown (Texas): 4.51 & 4.57                 

Jalil Brown (Colorado): 4.55 & 4.56                 

Kedrick Burney (UNC): 4.75 & 4.72                 

Brandon Burton (Utah): 4.50 & 4.51                 

Rashad Carmichael (Virginia Tech): 4.49 & 4.53                 

Quinton Carter (Oklahoma): 4.62 & 4.63                 

Chimdi Chekwa (Ohio State): 4.33 & 4.37                 

Chris Culliver (South Carolina): 4.36 & 4.38                 

Ras-I Dowling (Virginia): 4.40 & DNP                 

Marcus Gilchrist (Clemson): 4.49 & 4.46                 

Eric Hagg (Nebraska): 4.68 & 4.64                 

Brandon Harris (Miami): 4.43 & 4.44                 

Will Hill (Florida): 4.64 & 4.63                 

Davon House (New Mexico State): 4.46 & 4.43                 

**NOTES**                 

Amukamara ran a 4.37 and a 4.44. Straight line speed was never an issue for him, this really just confirms the evidence on tape. The difference between Joe Haden (who ran in the 4.7’s) and Amukamara is recovery reactions and ball skills. I suspect despite the difference in forty times, Amukamara will be drafted lower than Haden.                 

Ras-I Dowling is a favorite on this blog as a potential sleeper who could slip due to injuries. He helped himself by running a 4.40 – then hurt himself by pulling a hamstring. A talented player, but his stock is all over the place because he can’t stay healthy.                 

Brandon Harris’ time was fine at 4.43 but he seems an unlikely option for Seattle after measuring 5-9 rather than his listed height of 5-11 at Miami. “He’s fairing the best from all of these drills” – Deion Sanders’ review of Harris working out.                 

Chimdi Chekwa ran two blazing 4.3’s but didn’t impress in drills. Deion Sanders and Mike Mayock were critical of Prince Amukamara back pedal – he stayed high and didn’t look fluid. “How tight are you in the hips? You can’t fix that.” – Mayock.                 

Curtis Brown flashed some nice hips and ball skills – he projects as a late second/early third round cornerback. Chris Culliver also looked good to back up a couple of nice times in the forty.                 

Cornerback (Group 2) forty times                 

DeAndre McDaniel (Clemson): 4.64 & 4.68                 

Rahim Moore (UCLA): 4.53 & 4.61                 

Johnny Patrick (Louisville): 4.53 & 4.57                 

Patrick Peterson (LSU): 4.32 & 4.37                 

Robert Sands (West Virginia): 4.56 & 4.53               

Buster Skrine (Chattanooga): 4.29 & 4.36                 

Jimmy Smith (Colorado): 4.38 & 4.44                  

Demarcus Van Dyke (Miami): 4.33 & 4.33           

Aaron Williams (Texas): 4.53 & 4.52                

Deunta Williams (UNC): DNP                 

Shareece Wright (USC): 4.47 & 4.46                 

Smith ran an impressive forty yard dash given his size (6-2, 211lbs)

**NOTES**                 

Patrick Peterson ran an outstanding forty yard dash which should ensure he’ll be the first cornerback off the board. Of course my main focus of attention was on Jimmy Smith and he too ran quickly. Both players have the perfect blend of size/speed and fluidity.                 

I still maintain that there’s little between the two players and both are top-10 talents. As I mentioned at the start of today, there’s a lot of character talk out there with Smith. The Denver Post today published a piece stating he’s more interested in becoming a celebrity than a football player.                 

Mike Mayock also mentioned on the NFL Network that he’s seen tape where Smith shows less than 100% effort – something I can’t say I’ve witnessed in the handful of Colorado games I have watched, but I haven’t seen every game tape.                 

Unless teams have serious and legitimate concerns on Smith, it’s hard to envisage too much of a drop – especially not to the #25 overall pick. As far as I’m concerned he’s the complete package at corner with limitless potential.                 

Aaron Williams ran in the 4.5’s – a time which led Mayock to project a move to free safety. He didn’t perform well in positional drills either. Shareece Wright helped himself by running a 4.4.        

Robert Sands looked tight in drills and struggled a little bit. It’s not a good safety class overall. Rahim Moore is clearly the best of the bunch and it showed in work outs. Buster Skrine showed nice quick feet and will find a team who likes him, but Jimmy Smith was quite tight in the hips.    

Elsewhere…         

Greg McElroy has been talking himself up on the Dan Patrick show. “I think I will get drafted higher than a lot of people suggest.” For the record, I think McElroy will be an undrafted free agent.         

Brandon Harris spoke to the NFL Network after his work out today.        

Closing thoughts – what I think we learned from the combine        

– Brandon Harris seems unlikely for Seattle after measuring at 5-9 instead of the 5-11 he was listed at Miami. Seattle wants size at cornerback.        

– We know the Seahawks were among the teams that interviewed Cam Newton. It was reported that Tom Cable spoke to Mike Pouncey and the team also met with Clemson defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins and Lehigh offensive tackle Will Rackley. 

– The Seahawks are covering their small school prospects. They were the only team to have a formal meeting with Mark LeGree (CB, Appalachian State) and also met with Abilene Christian wide receiver Edmund Gates. 

– Ryan Mallett may have impressed teams more than people think. It goes against popular opinion, but I think he solidified a first round grade in Indianapolis.        

– DeMarco Murray ran well and could’ve boosted his stock quite a lot with a 4.3. He needs to run harder, but he catches passes and will have a role at the next level.        

– Offensive tackle is such a premium position that it’s hard to see Tyron Smith not going in the top ten.        

– Chris Carter from Fresno State is a sleeper pick to keep an eye on.   

– Buster Skrine impressed more than possibly any other defensive back, running in the late 4.2’s and competing well in the drills.        

– The first round is going to be dominated by defensive lineman. The most surprising thing is how well they all ran the forty yard dash.        

– If you want to make a few headlines, post a ridiculous tweet listing the quarterbacks in a funky order. There’s no way Mallett should be down the order like that.        

– I ran through a mock draft I intend to publish tomorrow post-combine. The top-15 picks are still wide open and completely unpredictable. This is certainly the hardest class to project that I’ve ever covered. There are still so many different possibilities.

40 Comments

  1. Matt

    Wow, Amukamara does not run that with pads on. I’m beginning to think some of these 40s times are not consistent at all. Leonard Hankerson is not a 4.43 guy just like there is no chance Amukamara is a 4.37 on the field in games. My concern with those 2 was actually them looking kinda sluggish on the field with their movements.

    Anyways, I’m really curious to see what Smith runs. I still can’t believe Amukamara was in the 4.3s. That’s actually great, because somebody will overdraft him thinking he is a shutdown caliber guy in the NFL, which I firmly believe he is not.

  2. mj

    Just watched the position drills for CB. Harris, Curtis Brown, and Gilchrest looked very good. Only Brown has has the supposed size we are looking for. What did you think of the 1st group? Didn’t see Burton and was a little dissapointed with House.

    I’m waiting to see Aaron Williams. Any thoughts?

  3. plyka

    Why would the Seahawks even think of talking with Cam Newton? He is a top 5 lock, so i don’t know what they are thinking. Perhaps they are thinking that they may trade up for him if he falls to #9 or so?

    • Charlie

      Plyka- If hes a top five-lock as you say, how could he fall to 9, my point being hes not a top 5 “lock” there are some concerns around him.

      On another note, anybody think jimmy smith looks and sounds alot like will smith? ironic given there last name ha and hopefully with all this negative press jimmy will fall to maybe the top 20 and we make a slight trade up?

      • Meat

        No, he is going to be picked in the top 10, and the hype train is running the course- so he may go to Carolina or Buffalo.. I would not be surprised. I am willing to bet my season tickets he won’t be sitting around at the 25th pick.. Of course there is concerns.. There is concerns w/ bascially all players in the draft… But w/ Newton there is SO much upside and so much there, a good QB coach to develop him…he will be great. Plus-look at how many teams have the most important position in question/needs.. Many many teams.. With no CBA in sight I won’t be surprised to see 3 QB’s in the first round picked…
        That being said I am hoping Mallet or Locker is available at 25, if not a very good CB. Maybe 2nd round pick a beast of an OL to break some lanes. So many needs, so many needs…..

        • Charlie

          Did i say he would be there at 25? no, I said hes not a top 5 lock, therefore a trade up would be more warranted at maybe pick 11 than say pick 2. My point was that his character concerns could take him from being the number one overall pick to being 6-15 pick. Guys locked to go in the top-5 have little to no concerns, thats why there locked, theres no reason not to take them… theres reasons not to take newton and thats why hes a probable top 5-10 pick, but not a top-5 lock, in my opinion.

          o

      • plyka

        The point of my post is that since the Hawks are talking with Newton, it means they see moving up as a viable option. He could fall to 9, he could fall to the 9 thousanth round (the NFL creats 9,000 rounds and Cam Newton falls to that point), anything is theoretically possible. The difference between realistically possible and theoretically possible is a difference you need to learn i guess.

        • Charlie

          Or… i know the difference between theoretically and realistically and realistically cam newton could fall out of the top 5, making him not a top 5 lock. The difference between a top 5 lock and a projected top 5 pick, a difference you need to learn i guess

    • Kip

      If Newton does go in the top 5, he’d be the riskiest pick in years to go that high. I’ve read that Arizona is “70-1” not going to select a QB this year, despite the fact that they had the worst QB performances of the entire league in 2010. I’ve read that SF is also hesitant to draft a QB high. To me, this says a lot about how they view Newton. Upside be damned, he’s a risk those front offices can’t afford to take.

      If Newton gets past Buffalo, he could easily slide to Minnesota. If he gets past Minnesota somehow, he’ll probably end up a Seahawk.

      • Kip

        Another factor too is that the early 2nd round looks unusually fruitful for QBs this year. Mallett, Locker, Kaepernick, and Dalton could all be there early in round 2. That’s a lot of added incentive to avoid QBs in the top 10.

        • Matt

          I still can’t see Dalton going any higher than round 4. He’s just so physically limited and pretty mediocre in all facets of the game.

          • Rob

            I agree, in fact Dalton may drift quite a bit.

  4. Kyle

    If Jimmy Smith gave up in a few games, it might not be an obvious red flag. The Colorado Buffaloes were a mess the last several years, and Dan Hawkins could not get them to play consistently–in fact, there was something about that coaching staff that had players playing overly tight, then overly loose, and making dumb mistakes even after years of experience. If at the end of blow outs (and there were a lot with CU) he gave up on a few balls, that isn’t a hard and fast strike against him in my book. But if true, that makes it all the more important that Smith not act like an idiot in his interviews.

  5. John

    Rob,

    You typically seem to be a very objective party respecting the evaluation of teams’ potential decision-making on the draft. However, that McElroy will be an undrafted free agent is the weakest-backed statement I’ve ever seen on this site.

    First, some tangibles from 2010 (Completion Percentage, TD-INT/Attempts; Yards per attempt)
    QB A: 70.2%, 28-7/37; 8.97
    QB B: 70.9%, 20-5/313; 9.54
    QB C: 66.1%, 30-7/280; 10.19
    QB D: 63.4%, 16-9/475; 6.71

    Based simply on the numbers, which quarterbacks are most appetizing? I think most would rate the statistics in this order from A to D. Of course, D, who has by every measure the worst statistics (interception to overall attempt ratio is particularly bad), is the most highly touted pro prospect, at least in the last two months (Gabbert). C is the second-most highly touted prospect, Newton. A is Andrew Luck, and B is McElroy. That’s right – McElroy has the second best completion percentage in college football (to Kellen Moore’s 71.3%). And it’s not purely with dink-and-dunk passes – McElroy’s YPA is higher than Luck’s and much higher than Gabbert’s. McElroy’s average long pass per game is 44.1, to Luck’s 41.

    Second, some intangibles:
    In College and high school, McElroy has lost a total of 3 games. He has won a national championship, and he comes out of a pro-style offense. He is by all accounts a bright young man – a 48 on the Wonderlic, personable in interviews, and a life spent around professional football.

    McElroy admits he is nowhere near the athlete Newton is. But how often has athleticism translated into pro football? JaMarcus Russell, Kyle Boller, and Brady Quinn have all significantly underwhelmed. I understand there are reasons teams don’t view McElroy as a first-round prospect, and I’m not saying I do. But why on earth should this guy be considered a UDFA, or a 5th-7th round prospect? If my team (our team) took him in the second, third, or fourth, I would be absolutely floored. If you have a counter-argument to make, I would be delighted to hear it – I have yet to hear a non-conclusory argument against McElroy. (He “doesn’t have a great arm.” Or “doesn’t look good on tape.”)

    Respectfully,

    • John

      Forgive my typo there, QB A (Luck)’s total attempts for 2010 was 372, not 37.

    • John

      http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/john_lopez/07/08/qb.rule/index.html?xid=cnnbin&hpt=Sbin

      McElroy also passes the “Rule of 26-27-60” (48 on the Wonderlic, 27 college starts, 70.9% completion percentage)

    • Rob

      Hi John,

      I’ve made my thoughts clear on McElroy in the past. While I look to go into great detail when the opportunity presents itself, I obviously can’t do that on every occassion.

      McElroy is a severely limited quarterback. I’ve watched Alabama several times in 2009 and 2010 and I never saw any progress. Although he’s clearly intelligent (I believe a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship) it doesn’t translate onto the field. It’s not really a pro-style passing offense at Alabama because the reads are so restricted (at least thats what McElroy shows), altough the run calls do have more detailed pro-tendencies based on blocking schemes. The biggest problem I have with McElroy is his complete inability to diagnose a play as it develops. He locks on to his hot read too much – and it was costly. Against South Carolina this year I counted numerous opportunities where Julio Jones gained good seperation, but was ignored by McElroy who never shifted from the play call. His field vision and football IQ is generally very limited. He panics under pressure, which admittedly he hasn’t had that much of due to strong offensive lines and a killer running game.

      When you pair that along with very miniscule athletic talent, it’s not good enough to ever logically start. A player who is very accurate, shows that field awareness and plays above his physical restrictions still only has a limited opportunity and needs to work in the right system. McElroy hasn’t even got that IMO. We can talk about wins, but we have to remember he’s been a real bit part on a hugely talented Alabama team.

      And his character to me is a little odd. He’s a bit of a ‘rah rah’ type leader which works in the college ranks, but I’m not sure it translates that well to veterans. Calling out his team against South Carolina after a first defeat in years might be OK for Nick Saban, but that won’t work in the pro’s. The interview I’ve listed is a bit misguided for me. Don’t talk up your own stock and tell people you’ll be drafted higher than expected.

      The question teams will ask is – can this guy ever start for us? I think the answer will be no, which makes it a wasted pick even in R6-7. That doesn’t mean he won’t go in that range (or higher) – I’m not saying I’ll necessarily be right. But I don’t see teams drafting players with no logical chance of starting. The guy he replaced (John Parker Wilson) had similar tendencies and went undrafted.

      • John

        Rob,

        1. Low-reads: How can this be damning for McElroy but not for Newton, who is a clear one-read QB? Many college QBs have this hanging around their necks.

        2. “Miniscule” athletic talent? Hang on a second. Let’s look at results:
        http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/2011/nfl-combine-results.cfm?pos=QB
        McElroy is middle-of-the-pack in almost every measurable. But nowhere is he more than a few seconds behind the leaders. While his athletic ability is not particularly impressive, it hardly qualifies as miniscule.

        Your complaints are justified. But given McElroy’s accuracy, size, and experience, I’m not sure how they translate to such a low-round grade. McElroy obviously isn’t a first-round talent, and he isn’t ready to start right away, but that’s not the discussion. The discussion is, this player prospect compared to other player prospects. Why is this guy considered behind Stanzi, Devlin, Dalton, or Gabbert (who is highly overrated, but that’s a different story)?

        • McDavis

          If I can butt in.

          1. Newton isn’t being drafted for his ability to read defenses. He’s being drafted on extreme athleticism, good arm strength, good release, above average size, good accuracy, etc. Many college QB’s may have the “one read QB” tag hanging around their necks but the ones who get drafted in the NFL have other qualities that make up for that lack of experience/ability in making reads (like arm strength, athleticism, etc).

          2. McElroy doesn’t have any physical skills that will worry other teams which basically means his results at the combine are moot. His 4.9 40 might be middle of the pack, but with his size (small) that puts him squarely in the “not a run threat” category even if he’s still slightly better athletically than some other QB’s who also aren’t threats to run.

          The other issues that I’ve seen and are brought up by scouts that Rob didn’t bring up are that McElroy also has average at best arm strength and some analysts also feel he has a hitch in his throwing motion that needs correcting. When you put it all together you basically have a guy who is sometimes questionable at making reads, might have some problems w/ his throwing motion, has average to below average arm strength, is undersized and is not a threat athletically. He is very accurate as a passer especially on short and intermediate passes and should get credit for intangibles, particularly winning . . . but that’s a tough case for being drafted to the NFL.

        • Rob

          1. Newton doesn’t lock onto his hot reads. Admittedly he has worked in a two-read-and-run offense, but I’ve seen plenty of evidence where he’s looked off a safety to create the room for a tight end and fit it into the tight window. I’m not saying he’s pro-ready, but certainly his problems there are not as exagerated for me as McElroy’s.

          The problem with McElroy is not that he’s running a one-read offense, it’s that he too often doesn’t progress to even a second option even when it’s staring him in the face. How can yo ignore Julio Jones as often as he did at times? It reminded me a lot of Colt McCoy, who relied on Jordan Shipley being open and then running. McElroy hasn’t got that mobility, so he too often either forced the pass or threw it away. It’s a lack of poise, it’s an inability to control the passing game and not having that confidence to say – my hot read isn’t open, let me check down or even consider one of the top CFB wide receivers as an alternative.

          2. I cannot accept that McElroy is a middle of the pack athlete. He has no upside in terms of mobility, he has a weak arm and he’s not good enough at avoiding pressure. It doesn’t even register at all in the positive column when you watch the tape.

          What he has got is very sound mechanics with a decent (not flawless) throwing motion. The positives come in that he won’t need major repair work in terms of dropping back and delivering a football. However – it’s the things you can’t teach that just hold him back so much. He isn’t accurate, he can’t drive the ball with accuracy on even a medium range pass let alone deep. His lack of poise in the pocket and inability to sufficiently let the play develop. He is way below even Stanzi and Dalton. Gabbert is in a different class completely and I haven’t scouted Devlin as I have no access to Delaware tape.

          He reminds me so much of John Parker Wilson – and he ultimately couldn’t convince a team to spend actual stock in his development. If you draft a CB or a WR in round six or seven you may feel they only have special teams value, but at least you can get them on the field. Quarterbacks don’t play special teams – at least not QB’s like McElroy. If you can’t see him starting ever (I suspect that is what teams will believe) then there’s little value in spending even a late rounder. In all honesty, I’m not even confident in his ability to ‘hold the fort’ as a ‘never plays’ backup behind an established starter. If there’s an UDFA market (CBA may negate this) then he should find a home like Wilson and he’s a capable scout team QB. That’s my view on McElroy – I’m prepared to be proven wrong and will have no issue admitting so if that is the case. We’ll see what happens.

      • Matt

        Completely agree with you Rob. I am not sure how someone can watch one Alabama game and come out thinking he can do anything in the NFL.

        Yes, tools are not everything, but you have to be able to some physical talent on a game based around big, strong men who run really fast. At some point, “moxie” and “intelligence” can only get you so far.

        He’s had success on a loaded team that can literally run the ball at will. He had perhaps the two most gifted running backs in the country while also throwing to top notch WR talent all the while being protected by an amazing O-line. He SHOULD have pretty stats. Not to mention, he attempts hardly any difficult passes, mostly because he is physically unable to do so.

        I keep getting the feeling that Seahawk fans are inevitably getting back on the “we shouldn’t draft a QB high” train. I really hate to break the bad news to people, but if we are relying on Andy Dalton or Greg McElroy as a solution, then let’s be prepared to be a 4 win team for the forseeable future. Guys with great college stats on great college teams who are considered mid-round picks should provide giant red flags. This basically means nobody has faith in their physical talent but rely strictly on the notion that their “intangibles are through the roof.”

        • plyka

          please spare me the teacher’s pet shtick, lol.

  6. Ed

    I hope locker drops to us at #25. If not, maybe all mallets baggage drops him to our 2nd rd pick.

    with locker:

    1st Locker
    2nd Hudson

    without locker

    1st Taylor
    2nd Ijalana

    • Matt

      I would be very happy with either of those drafts. Outside of Pouncey, I think drafting OL in the 1st round is a mistake, especially if it means passing over either Locker or Taylor or Muhammed Wilkerson (if available).

    • Rob

      After Mallett’s combine on the field and off, I think he’s almost certainly a first round pick.

  7. Chavac

    Peterson is a freaking beast. A 4.3 at 220lbs? And they were talking about moving him to safety? He may not have at chance at going #1 but I’m having a hard time not calling him the top prospect in this draft.

    • Matt

      Completely agree. And he plays that fast on the field too unlike a lot of these guys with great 40s.

    • Rob

      Size and speed is often not the defining factor for a corner. What Peterson’s physical qualities show is the ability to be very, very good. However, it’s his fluidity, change of direction, recovery speed, reactions and ball skills that will judge whether he succeeds at corner or faces a move to safety.

      When you watch Peterson, Smith and Amukamara, they all have major potential. They all could end up playing safety too. It’s going to be fascinating to see how they all work out – because it wouldn’t surprise me if all three play at an incredibly high level at corner, or faced that move accross. I suppose the best way to sum it up is – if it was down to size and straight line speed… Taylor Mays would be an elite corner.

  8. FWBrodie

    LOVE that Jimmy Smith interview. Looks like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. Playfully confident and yet mature and humble.

  9. Rob

    I’ve updated the blog post with news that the Seahawks met with two small school products for formal meetings at the combine.

    • Matt

      Awesome coverage today Rob. Any idea where Gates and Legree might be drafted? Both guys definitely have some nice qualities.

      • Rob

        Thanks, Matt. I haven’t been able to watch tape of either being small school prospects. Gates impressed during drills, but Legree didn’t stand out (although I wasn’t paying close attention to him). I’ve not seen any stock reports to offer a suggestion as where they are being projected. The combine footage is archived but I’m not sure how long for – I will go back and take a look at both.

    • Ben

      It was good. I was wondering if you thought the Vikings might consider Mallett too?

      Would a guy like Corey Liuget be a good fit a under-tackle if a team (maybe the Colts) was willing to give up that third for Mebane?

  10. plyka

    Mallet will now almost CERTAINLY be there at #25. The Seahawks must take this guy. In my opinion, and it has been such for a long time as I consider myself the conductor of the Mallet hype train, the Hawks really need to use the humorous pre-draft anti-hype to pick up a kid they would never have had a shot at. He is CLEARLY the best QB in this draft at this point in time. The best passer, by far, the best decision maker, etc.

    Mallet may be the only QB in this draft who could start from day 1! The negatives are that he doesn’t “fit” with the hawks game plan, not mobile enough. I’m not so sure about that. If slow as potatoes Hasselbeck can run this offense, then Usain Bolt by comparison Mallet should be fine.

    If you doubt Mallet, just watch those videos Rob posted in the other thread. Every single one of his games available for viewing. He looks down right awesome. Extremely accurate on long throws, has touch, rocket arm, reads defenses. What the heck else do you want at the 25th pick in the draft?

    As investors, contrarians typically do the best. Hopefully, PC is a bit contrarian himself.

    • Rob

      If Mallett is there at #25 I have to agree. However…

      The guy has received such a negative press leading up to the combine and then in his introductory press conference. Clearly he became a negative story – and an interesting one. Had he interviewed badly or if there were any serious skeletons in his closet, I have to believe we’d have known about it by now. My projection of Mallett in round two was only based on the continued negative press, but further backed up by negative team feedback leaking out. Instead everything has been positive. Teams supposedly loved the way he handled the press conference, he worked the drills perfectly and it’s claimed he interviewed well in his scheduled meetings. While I didn’t really have expectations either way on how this would play out, it really could not have gone any better for Ryan Mallett.

      I’m starting to think there’s very little chance he’ll be there at #25. If he does make it to the Seahawks, I hope they have a very good reason for passing. Build a team around him, work on making him the heart of the team. He’s got the talent.

      • plyka

        Wow, you think Mallet and Locker are gone by 25? I have disagreed with this from day one and i still dissagree with this. One of them willl fall, whether that’s Locker or Mallet or both. Pre draft hype and anti-hype really do work. I can see teams having a major issue with all this Mallet anti-hype.

        I agree that talent wise, he is a top 10 pick. But with all this other stuff out there, there is a very good chance that he falls to the Hawks at #25. Jon CLayton says that after the #16 pick, no one else will take QBs until #25. I’m not sure about the credibility of this, so take it for what it’s worth (I’m not a guy high on Clayton, his only value to me are his connections).

        • Rob

          I think there’s a chance, Plyka. It’s important to stress that in nearly every 2011 mock I’ve compiled at least one has dropped to #25. At the same time, I definitely can see a scenario where both are gone.

          I think Clayton is right because you could see Jacksonville taking a QB, but then the teams before #25 are generally sorted at QB. The Jags and Miami are the key really.

  11. Jim Q.

    Here is an interesting tidbit: Which QB had the strongest arm at the combine? Most people would guess Mallett, Newton or Locker, but no……….
    http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=nfp-20110228_source_colin_kaepernick_meets_with_14_teams_has_strongest_arm_at_combine

  12. Rainier Hawk

    Who is this Shiloh Keo from Idaho? Originally from Everett, ftm, 6’0 224lb db. He looked damn good, and fluid as water in his drills. Deion and Mayock were absolutely raving about him. Great competitive attitude and hustle. Maybe a little more info in future post on this kid?

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