End Game
Put down your stopwatch and step away from the orange cones, the NFL Scouting Combine is officially over. Following weekend workouts by quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen, the defensive side of the ball — tackles, ends, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties — took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium to wrap up the week-long job interview process in Indianapolis.
Unless injured or advised otherwise, future pros and All-Pros alike ran the 40-yard dash, bench pressed 225 pounds, ran cone drills, took the Wonderlic test, slammed their way through position drills, were medically examined, BOD POD-ed and pop quizzed by owners, general managers, coaches and scouts during their 15 minutes of introductory face time to start what, for some, will become much more than 15 minutes of fame.
Middle Men
A pair of defensive tackles are at the top of nearly every team’s big board, and Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh and Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy made sure that did not change in Indianapolis. The pocket-collapsing, run-stuffing, space-eaters lived up to their pre-Combine hype.
The AP Player of the Year, Outland Trophy winner and Heisman Trophy finalist Suh weighed in at 6’4” and 307 pounds before running a 4.98 with athletic ease in the 40, ripping off 32 reps on the bench press and overpowering pads and dummies during drills like they were Texas blockers in the Big 12 title game.
During down time, Suh was easily the B.M.O.C., patrolling the field-turf rocking a heavyweight champion of the world look — with a laser-focused stare, an all-black sweatsuit and old school oversized hip hop headphones under his hood, as his defensive peers approached showing obvious respect bordering on intimidation.
Head-to-head, the big Sooner fell short of big Suh, but not by much. McCoy hit the scales smiling at a similar 6’4” but a 12-pounds-lighter 295 before running a nearly identical two-one-hundreths faster 4.96 in the 40 but just 23 reps of 225, nine fewer than Suh lifted. Still, McCoy — who was named the USA Today’s Defensive Player of the Year coming out of high school — has been considered the best at his position for as long as he’s been on the national scene and remains in the mix to go No. 1 overall to the Rams.
Other than the big two who could go top two, Tennessee’s Dan Williams and Alabama’s Terrence Cody may have worked their way into the first round. Williams continued to show outstanding size and athleticism, while Mount Cody was a lean 354 pounds in Indy after weighing a hazardous-to-his-wallet 370 pounds at the Senior Bowl in late January. A zero-technique nose tackle, Cody fills a hard-to-find specific need for teams that run a 3-4 defensive scheme. But after displaying typewriter quick feet in drills, Cody’s high-level on-tape production may “outweigh” his 400-pound potential concerns.
On the Edge
“Freak”-ish South Florida edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul is a definite difference-maker — the difference between a general manager going gray and getting a pay raise or losing his hair along with his job.
The chiseled 6’5”, 270 pounder is drawing favorable comparisons to former Pro Bowl end Jevon Kearse. The only problem is, the original “Freak” played at powerhouse North Fort Myers (Fla.) HS — whose alumni include Deion Sanders and Noel Devine — before strapping on a helmet for ball-coach Steve Spurrier during Florida’s mid-90’s heyday. Kearse’s football pedigree was rock solid entering the NFL as the No. 16 overall pick of the Titans. JPP, on the other hand, does not even have a date of birth on record; he’s a multi-million-dollar mystery.
JPP did not start playing football until his junior year at Deerfield Beach (Fla.) HS. Then, he played one season each at College of the Canyons (Calif.) and Fort Scott (Kan.) CC before transferring to South Florida, where he had 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks playing opposite George Selvie. With only 13 games and seven starts at the BCS level, Pierre-Paul is being considered a top-10 pick based almost entirely on YouTube-style athleticism and the almighty eye test. JPP’s 34-3/4” arms, 10-3/8” hands, 4.67 in the 40-yard dash, 19 reps on the bench press and quick-twitch drill work likely put the boom-or-bust physical specimen into single-digit range.
This draft has several other first-round pass rush options, making the rise of Pierre-Paul even more impressive. Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan has the most complete resume, and after producing a steady but unspectacular showing at the Combine, the Ramblin’ Wreck-ing ball could be the first off the board when all is said and done. Morgan vs. JPP is a case of high floor vs. high ceiling.
On paper, Florida’s Carlos Dunlap has the size (6’6”, 277 pounds), speed (4.71) and production (Defensive MVP of last year’s BCS title game) to play for just about any team in the league. But the long-armed (34-5/8”) Gator looked stiff during position drills, consistently lazy on tape and clueless off the field — allegedly falling asleep at the wheel (and down draft boards) with a DUI the week before the SEC title game against Alabama. USC’s Everson Griffen is a similar prospect with inconsistent production, albeit shorter (6’3”, 273 pounds), faster (4.66) and stronger (32 reps), with less baggage to consider.
Texas hybrid Sergio Kindle reminds many of Brian Orakpo, last year’s top Longhorn. That’s a good thing, since Orakpo had 11 sacks as a rookie after going No. 13 overall to the Redskins. Kindle (6’3”, 250 pounds) is 10 pounds lighter than Orakpo, but has a similar build and versatile pass-rushing skillset — with the ability to play both 3-4 outside linebacker and 4-3 hand-down defensive end. A smooth athlete who played well in big games, Kindle ran a 4.71, posted 21 reps of 225 and skied 36.5” in the vertical leap, further establishing himself as an elite prospect.
Michigan’s Brandon Graham had 31 reps on the bench press but pulled up lame with a tweaked hamstring in his second 40-yard sprint. The thick, 6’1”, 268-pounder is a tough player to judge, especially under the microscope of the Combine. Graham is a high-energy hustle guy who has produced on the field but lacks outstanding size, athleticism or versatility.
Back Story
The top linebacker prospects made an appearance in Indy, but chose not to run. Alabama’s Rolando McClain measured in a 6’3” and 254 pounds but was a no-go in all drills, opting for his March 10 Pro Day in Tuscaloosa. Not as clumsy as Andre Smith’s Combine debacle last year but not nearly as smooth as Nick Saban on the recruiting trail, McClain’s camp didn’t appear to have its story straight.
The Butkus Award winner was thought to be an uncompetitive, overprotected non-injury issue until his agent, Pat Dye Jr., called NFL Network to excuse the absence with a “hamstring injury” story. The mismanagement did nothing to help McClain, who entered Indy with a stellar coach-on-the-field leadership reputation, but it probably didn’t do any more damage than a slow 40 time would have. Still, in order to earn a “next Patrick Willis” label, McClain needed to wow at the Combine like Willis did three years ago.
Florida’s Brandon Spikes had even more explaining to do at the Combine. After infamously being caught on tape eye-gouging Georgia running back Washaun Ealey at the bottom of a Cocktail Party pile, Spikes had his ears gouged with questions. Whether or not he successfully addressed the issue is in the eye of the beholder. Choosing not to run — he’ll break a sweat at Florida’s Tebow show Pro Day circus on March 17 — Spikes looked stiff during position drills as he endured what must have been a tough trip to Indy.
Outspoken Missouri backer Sean Weatherspoon stood out in his white T.O.-style unitard, showing off a 4.68 in the 40, hoisting 34 reps on the bench, soaring for a 40” vertical and an 11.59 in the 60-yard shuttle. A magnetic personality who made big plays during the season and thrived on Combine competition while others linebackers shied away from the spotlight, Weatherspoon’s stock is rising.
Taylor Made
Hard-hitting USC safety Taylor Mays was expected to be a workout warrior, but the 6’3”, 230-pound headhunter sent tremors through Lucas Oil Stadium after an unofficial 40 time of 4.24 was clocked — “unofficial” being the key word according to a text message sent from record-holder Chris Johnson to NFL Network commentator (and, ironically, the unofficial Combine 40-yard dash record holder) Deion Sanders.
Turns out, Mays ran only a 4.43, which was the top time among defensive backs and 10th overall — trailing Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford (4.28), LSU returner Trindon Holliday (4.34), Cal running back Jahvid Best (4.35), Clemson triple-threat C.J. Spiller (4.37), Pittsburgh tight end Dorin Dickerson (4.40), Ohio receiver Taylor Price (4.41), SMU receiver Emmanuel Sanders (4.41), Notre Dame receiver Golden Tate (4.42) and tying Kansas State receiver Brandon Banks (4.43).
Mays’ all-around Combine effort — which also included 24 reps of 225, a 41” vertical and 10’5” broad jump — confirmed both the good and the bad. He’s an absolute monster in spandex. So why didn’t he make more plays in pads? One thing is certain, however, Mays’ video game self should be an unbelievable player on Madden NFL 11.
The consensus top safety in the draft, Tennessee’s Eric Berry, looked the part of a top five pick wearing neon yellow shoes en route to a 4.47 in the 40 before lacing up a pair of gold sneaks to display fluid moves, loose hips and smooth transition-turns from a backpedal to full sprint during position drills. Berry also has better jump ball hops than any other safety, with a position-best 43” vertical and 10’10” broad jump to go along with a respectable 19 reps on the bench for the 6’0”, 211-pounder who is widely compared to All-Pro ball hawk Ed Reed.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Florida cornerback Joe Haden had the type of day that makes an agent wish he’d told NFL Network his player had a “hamstring injury” and could not participate in Indy. Clearly the top corner entering the Combine, Haden ran a disappointing 4.57 and looked sloppy during drills. For a position that requires thick skin and a short memory, Haden looked rattled, if not nervous, during the entire workout. The poor showing puts even more emphasis on Haden’s Pro Day in Gainesville on March 17 — an event that should be called “Combine 2: Judgment Day” due to the number of early round implications the results could have.
Among other top defensive backs, Texas safety Earl Thomas showed off his strength with 21 reps of 225 at 5’10” and 208 pounds, Alabama corner Kareem Jackson ran a solid 4.48 and Boise State corner Kyle Wilson sat out with a tight hamstring. A lesser prospect but higher profile individual, Florida State safety and Rhodes scholar Myron Rolle, ran slow and lifted well (21 reps). It's safe to assume he aced the Wonderlic test.
Now that the field-turf rubber pellets have settled and the seniority-assigned seats have emptied, prospects and NFL front offices are headed home to prepare for Pro Days and official team visits. The restructured NFL Draft will be televised over three days this year — with Round 1 on Thursday (April 22), Rounds 2-3 on Friday (April 23) and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday (April 24).
