Combine Winners and Losers
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The NFL Scouting Combine is more pressure-packed than the biggest bowl game. Imagine taking a job interview with millions of dollars at stake on national television. Now imagine doing it in your underwear.
The Combine is especially nerve-wracking because it's
not about football. The NFL asks the prospects to perform unfamiliar drills and answer interview questions speed-dating style. The results could mean a round or two in the draft.
Here's my list of the winners and losers out of the offensive players at the Combine.
For more Combine coverage, including winners and losers at DB, check out
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech WR - Johnson is a winner just for showing up. 239-pound receivers with gigantic production and a spotless record really do exist. The scouting dream is the best player in the country, and it should not be assumed that he'll last until Tampa with the fourth pick in the draft.
Larry Fitzgerald was the surest bet of any receiver I've personally covered coming out for the draft, but Johnson has him beat by a mile.
Greg Olsen, Miami TE - There was some debate about who the top tight end in the draft was: Olsen or Arizona State's
Zach Miller. The debate is over. Olsen not only ran a 4.51 (Miller was in at 4.78); he looked fluid and explosive in every drill. He reportedly can't block a lick and may line up wide half the time, but that's
good news for fantasy leaguers.
Chris Henry, Arizona RB - As if the world needs another
Chris Henry. His lack of playing time in college is a big concern, but the NFL should find it easy to get excited about a 230-pound fullback/tailback who can run in the 4.3's.
Henry wasn't particularly likely to get drafted before this week, but he backed up his forty time with great numbers in the rest of the agility drills. He also caught the ball well. He seems like a great candidate to be a short-yardage player. No player came out of nowhere to make more cash than Henry the II.
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma RB - This was a Combine when the elite players cemented their stock. Peterson, Wisconsin T
Joe Thomas,
Calvin Johnson, and Clemson DE
Gaines Adams fall into that category. Peterson's speed and explosiveness were on display throughout the day, including his 4.4 forty time and second-place showing in the vertical leap.
It will be tough for Cleveland to pass on Peterson, but it will also be tough for them to pass on
Calvin Johnson. What, they shouldn't draft the best wideout prospect because of
Joe Jurevicius?
Peterson has been lauded for performing so well after learning of his half-brother's death. But his afternoon interview with NFL Network looks a little odd in retrospect. He was mugging for the camera and talking about how good-looking he was.
Steve Smith, USC WR - Smith played in the shadow of
Dwayne Jarrett, but showed this week that he is faster than originally believed. His route running and 4.44 speed could push him into the second round.
John Beck, BYU QB - By all accounts, he shined in the passing drills. The murky third quarterback slot in this draft hasn't cleared up whatsoever. Beck may have thrown his name into the mix.
Antonio Pittman, Ohio State RB - His 4.4 forty was better than expected. His other drill times were solid. At first, I wasn't sold on this class of running backs. But there is a decent group of second tier picks like Pittman and
Darius Walker to watch. It won't be as deep as last year's class, but it's not a terrible year to have a mid-first round pick in dynasty leagues.
Robert Meachem, Tennessee WR - Still has a chance to be taken in the first round after his 4.39 and a solid afternoon in the drills.
Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State WR - A heady, route-running player that seemed destined for the slot in the NFL, Gonzalez showed a lot of short-area quickness this week. His 4.44 forty time was expected, but his times in the short shuttle and three-cone drill were among the best at the Combine.
Jason Hill, Washington State WR - He impressed us at the Senior Bowl and opened some eyes with a 4.32 forty time this week. He was expected to be in the 4.5's. Extremely productive early in his career, Hill had a poor senior season because of injuries. His skills, including route running and intelligence, transfer well to the NFL. He could be in the second round now.
Sliding Zach Miller, Arizona State - Miller is known as a sure-handed receiver, but he was dropping balls all over the place at the Combine. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the occasion. His 4.78 time compared to
Greg Olsen didn't help him either. Miller is still the second best tight end in the draft and his game tape should get him selected in the second round. But he had a poor week.
Dwayne Jarrett, USC - He didn't run amidst reports that he was stuck in the 4.7 range in workouts before the Combine. Meanwhile, the rest of the tier of receivers behind
Calvin Johnson enjoyed big days, including Tennessee's Robert Meachem, Ohio State's
Anthony Gonzalez, South Carolina's
Sidney Rice, and Jarrett's unheralded teammate
Steve Smith.
Jarrett was also testy regarding comparisons to
Mike Williams, and who can blame him? One of my favorite items I came across this week was reading Mel Kiper defend
Mike Williams. Kiper had Williams ranked as the top player in the entire draft two years ago.
Gary Russell, Minnesota - Russell flunked out of Minnesota and was out of football last year. Before the draft, his friends told him, 'Just don't run what (
Maurice Clarett) ran. I know I'm not going to do that."
But Russell did exactly that, running in the 4.8's. He said he would be around 4.5. He went from a potential mid-round pick to possibly falling out of the draft. Unless Mike Shanahan takes a liking to him.
Chansi Stuckey, Clemson - A smallish vertical threat with 4.61 speed isn't going to cut it. He started heading south at the Senior Bowl and this won't help.
Rich Eisen, NFL Network - His 6.43 forty time, albeit in a full suit and Xenia lace-ups, was embarrassing. He strained a hamstring, adding injury to insult. He had a year to improve on his 6.2 time from last year, yet apparently showed up out of shape. You have to question his motivation.