Archive for February, 2010

The Bruce Campbell Show

Bruce Campbell running 40-yard dash (NFL.com)

Saturday marked the beginning of position workouts for the 2010 NFL Combine. The first day is dedicated to the offensive linemen and tight ends, who undergo a series of positional drills in addition to the standard athletic tests (40 yard dash, bench press, etc).  Although there were over 50 players working out, all eyes were on a Bruce Campbell, OT from the University of Maryland.

His workout numbers:

Mike Mayock went on record as saying Campbell is “the best looking offensive tackle [he has] ever seen in person in [his] life.” At the weigh-in, he was 6’6 and was a svelte 314 pounds.

Not only did he look the part in the standard drills, but Bruce shined in positional work as well.  In the kick slide drill, which is used to test the player’s ability to slide in pass protection, Campbell looked very smooth and explosive out of his stance. And in the mirror drill, he also showed off his good reaction skills and lateral movement.

If you missed his workout, watch the recap here.

Other Notable Performers

Besides Campbell, several other players stood out-some for good reasons, others for bad.  Oklahoma Sooner Trent Williams showed he can run with the best of them, putting up a 4.88 sec 40 yard dash. He also looked very capable in the position drills.  Unfortunately, he failed to live up to expectations on the bench press ( 23 reps).

Pittsburgh TE Dorin Dickerson ran a blazing 4.40 in the 40 yard dash, and leaped an amazing 43 inches in the vertical.

Texas Tech OG Brandon Carter looked very out of place today. He showed up out of shape, and looked very awkward in all the drills.  His lack of lateral mobility was exposed several times, and was caught lunging from the waist in the kick slide drill.

Iowa OL Kyle Calloway also didn’t look good.  He was all-around sluggish and couldn’t move well.

Idaho OG Mike Iupati struggled in agility drills. He did nothing to convince teams that he can play tackle at the next level.

With Draft season in full gear, we now enter the highly anticipated NFL Combine, which every Draft nut loves!

Last year I previewed 10 different players who I thought would have strong performances at the NFL Combine.  It was lots of fun doing that list, so I felt it would be good to carry on the tradition this year. But I want to go a step further, and will prognosticate 5 players who should underwhelm scouts this week.

On an administrative note, I should have another mock draft coming out soon. So, please check back again to see when it’s up.

Top 10 Players To Watch at NFL Combine

NFL Combine (NFL.com)

10) Chad Jones

At 6’3 and 230 pounds, the two-sport star for LSU is the unhyped equivalent of Taylor Mays. I expect him to have a very well balanced performance, impressing scouts with his strength, speed, and explosion.

9) Bruce Campbell

The most impressive offensive line specimen is certainly Bruce Campbell from Maryland. Measuring 6’7 and 310 pounds, Campbell will leave scouts talking about his physique, quick feet, and noteworthy strength on the bench press. With a solid performance, he will be able to distinguish himself as the best OT in the second tier (behind the big four) and a sure-fire 1st round pick.

8 ) Carlos Dunlap

Expected to run in the 4.6 range, Dunlap is as blessed physically(6’6/290 lbs) as any defensive end to come out in the last decade.  The only reason he isn’t ranked higher is that he could really struggle in interviews, which could kill any momentum he might gain in Indy.

7) Sergio Kindle

The Texas star is a fantastic athlete. He takes after his former teammate, Brian Orakpo, except that he is faster, but not as strong.  Don’t be surprised if he runs a low 4.5 40 yard dash.

6) Jason Pierre-Paul

barring a disaster Wonderlic test and interview (which could happen), Jason Pierre-Paul is the athlete on the edge that NFL teams demand. 6’6, 265 lbs, and super long arms will have the scouts salivating. He should run around a 4.6 40 yard dash, and will jump a very high vertical, but will struggle on the bench press because of his long arms.

5) Joe Haden

Basically the defensive version of Percy Harvin,  Joe Haden should post top marks in nearly every category. He is just a freakishly gifted corner. Look out for an especially strong performance in position drills.

4) Brandon Graham

Another Mike Barwis product, Graham has outstanding strength and explosion.  After his performance in Indy, teams will be comparing him to Dwight Freeney, who also dominated at the combine.  I predict 30+  bench reps, and Graham has said he wants to run in the 4.5 range.  His only obstacle might come in linebacker drills.

3) Taylor Mays

Probably the most hyped athlete/football player of the last couple years, Mays will shine in this venue. He will be a top performer in all but the agility drills.

2) Ndamukong Suh

Super strong man Suh will have fantastic interviews, in addition to his expected triumphs on the bench press and in agility drills.  Anything less than 35 reps will surprise me.

1) C.J. Spiller

No player should have more momentum going into the draft if Spiller runs the sub 4.3 40 time that some expect from him. After this week, he will be compared to the young Chris Johnson, who ran a blazing 4.24 two years ago.

Top 5 Players Who Will Underwhelm

5) Rolando McClain

Alabama prospects haven’t done well recently at the Combine.  McClain will have to answer questions about his strength, burst, and range.  A slow time in the 40 will silence talk of him going early in the 1st round.

4) Derrick Morgan

Productivity doesn’t mean a thing at the combine.  Morgan lacks burst, and could be just an average performer.

3) Jimmy Clausen

The weigh-in will make ore break Clausen’s draft chances.  If he measures around 6’1, instead of his listed 6’3, then he could fall  a lot in April.

2) Brandon Spikes

Despite being very strong, Spikes is expected to run around the 5.0 mark in the 40. I don’t need to tell you how much that can hurt his chances of being a 1st round pick.

1) Terrence Cody

After the shirtless fiasco in Mobile, Cody will have done nothing to the change the perception that his is a two-down player.  His long arms will hurt his bench press, and really the only way he could help himself is if he does all the drills to dismiss comparisons to his former teammate Andre Smith.

Take this invitation to post your predictions below. I would love to hear what you have to say!

Joe Haden

• Height: 5-11
  
• Weight: 190
  
• CB
• Florida

NFL.com

Attribute	Rating
Speed/Acceleration
Ball Skills
Pass Coverage
Run Defense
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

Joe Haden is the top cornerback prospect of the 2010 NFL Draft. What you get with Haden is an outstanding athlete, and a spunky tackling machine who is unafraid to tangle with much larger opponents. He may not tally 8 INT’s in a season, but his pure coverage skills will help shut down one side of the field.

Expected value: 1st round, Top 15

Speed/Acceleration: Speedy enough to blanket receivers deep.  Drives very hard on the ball and can close in a heartbeat. Shows the excellent recovery speed expected of a #1 corner.

Ball Skills: Haden shows exceptional leaping ability and has keen kinesthetic/body awareness.  Has been very productive using his hands to deflect passes, but hasn’t shown the ability to make the interception away from his body.

Pass Coverage: Because of his athleticism and physical style of play, Haden should be in a scheme that utilizes man coverage, as opposed to the zone.  He lacks the instincts and route recognition skills to jump routes and make plays within the zone.  He can be a bit slow to read and react. Consequently, he loses the step often necessary to intercept the ball. Also, he needs to improve against inside moves, especially in press coverage. Additionally, he must work on rerouting receivers. Can’t afford to come out of his backpedal so quickly.

Run Defense: Contrary to the norm for his position, Haden relishes the chance to throw his weight around in the run game.  He plays with a nasty attitude, although he sometimes gets in over his head and can be bullied by larger receivers.

Agility: Fluid hips, and can change directions with great precision, even among a defensive back’s standards.

Football I.Q:  Lacks elite ball-hawking instincts. Relatively inexperienced as a cornerback since he was a quarterback and receiver in high school. Still learning the finer points of the position. Has upside in this respect.

Tackling: A willing and able tackler, throws his body around in run support, and will try to lay a big hit on the ball carrier. Sometimes gets in over his head and tries to blow up tight ends and will get end up on the ground.

Durability:  Missed only one game due to injury during his career.  Very durable prospect.

Videos for you to watch:

Joe Haden career highlights (made by jadekaipitt1)

Rolando McClain

• Height: 6-4
  
• Weight: 258
  
• LB
• Alabama

NFL.com

Attribute	Rating
Speed/Acceleration
Pass Coverage
Run Defense
Strength
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

As the reigning Butkus Award winner, Rolando McClain is this year’s primo linebacker prospect. He has prototypical size and length for a middle linebacker (and for 3-4 OLB), and his outstanding football intelligence will endear him to any NFL team looking for a leader for their defense. He is a battle-tested prospect, having played for a championship team in the SEC, and offers a low bust factor.

Expected value: mid 1st-round, somewhere between 10 and 20.

Speed/Acceleration: Decent top end speed, but doesn’t have the extra gear to be a true sideline-to-sideline player. Good initial burst off the edge.

Pass Coverage: As a read and react type, he naturally relies on his ability to read the QB’s eyes. Displays clean footwork, and doesn’t have many wasted steps. Athletic enough to cover most tight ends, but should be best in zone coverage, where his instincts are most valued. In terms of pass rushing, McClain has several things going for him.  He times his blitzes well, offers pretty good versatility (can line up inside and out), and he institutes a solid bull rush. His great length allows him to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage.  However, he has limited potential as a 3-4 OLB because he lacks pass rush moves, and doesn’t seem to have that hunter’s mentality desired in pass rushers.

Run Defense: Strong against the run, doesn’t get moved off the ball very easily.  Can stand up against big linemen when he attacks the line.  Elite diagnosis skills in run game, and reacts quickly to all but misdirection plays. Doesn’t take on and shed blockers consistently enough.  Lacks the nasty football demeanor of a true middle linebacker in the NFL, and seldom violently charges with the intention of blowing up a play. Since he shows a tendency to watch the backfield, he can get surprised by oncoming blockers. Needs  to do a better job protecting feet, and can be easily taken out with cut blocks.   Lackluster in pursuit and won’t give full effort when chasing from behind.

Strength: Plays with good leverage, and seems to be strong in both lower and upper body.

Agility:  Usually pretty smooth changing directions, but not an elite athlete in space.

Football I.Q:  Well-versed in a complex college defense run by Nick Saban. Diagnoses plays before the snap, and is more than capable of making pre-snap adjustments.  A cerebral player/ film-room junkie.  Sniffs out screens and reverses. McClain’s ability to read and react gives him a jump on most plays, which makes up for his average speed.  Naturally, should be a defensive captain at the next level.

Tackling:  Adept tackler in space and in closed-quarters. Flashes the ability to deliver a pop and will drive through his hits when he gets a full head of steam. Because of his long arms, once he wraps up, it is difficult to get away from him. Can be caught lunging with a lazy arm tackle.  Not a consistently explosive hitter.

Durability:  Excellent stamina, plays every down on defense.  Managed to stay healthy throughout his college career.

Videos for you to watch:

(Video thanks to CkParrotHead at Universaldraft.com)

Universal Draft Presents LB Rolando McClain of Alabama – Part 2 of 2