Tim Tebow Gets a New Haircut by Lloyd Vance

So much for Timmy Terrific’s head of hair that drove the girls wild in Gainesville, Florida.  The Bronco’s first rounder got a “chop-job” courtey of his veteran teammates

Rookie hazing has been going on since the NFL first began back in 1920 and is a rite of passage.  Usually the “hazing” is all in good fun, so I think it is incumbent on rookies  to say “why not” and participate — what harm is there in singing your college’s fight song at dinner.  But already we have seen in this year’s training camp sesssion that Cowboys star rookie receiver Dez Bryant said, “No” to carrying a teammate’s shoulder pads.

The anti-Bryant is Broncos’ Superman rookie quarterback Tim Tebow. The former Heisman winner from Florida continued to endear himself to his older teammates by allowing them to shave his head like Friar Tuck. 

Hopefully the former first rounder will keep either his helmet or a hat on at all times so that kids don’t walk into their local barbershop asking for a “Tebow”

2010 NFL Draft Review by Lloyd Vance

It was “Christmas in April” as teams selected top players at the 2010 NFL Draft

Now that the biggest “non on the field” NFL event is done for this year and 255 players know their destinations, it is time for myself and other talent evaluators to recap the action and then take a well deserved rest.  But before we move onto a short break then OTA’s, let’s take a look back at what transpired at the 2010 NFL Draft.

The 2010 NFL Draft , themed “The Grand Crossroads of Hope”, definitely had a ton of buzz, hype, and excitement as Radio City Music Hall was electric when the new 3-Day event kicked off at 7:30 PM on Thursday. The new 3-day format (Round 1 on April 22, Rounds 2-3 on April 23, and Rounds 4-7 on April 24), including a Prime Time start on a weekday night, seemed to invigorate the teams to move swifter and look for trades as the first round took only 3 hours, 25 minutes. The opening round on Thursday also drew ratings that were 30% higher than last year plus beat out the NBA and NHL playoffs head-to-head.

It seems NFL fans viewing on television also liked the new format as ESPN reported that 3.7 million viewers watched Thursday-Saturday, which was up 27% from last year.  I know the great numbers will also made the league and commissioner Roger Goodell, who is thinking about more innovations for future drafts including having the 3-day event in multiple cities so more fans can access it, very happy too.

Some other new wrinkles outside of the new format were guest announces like Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees (the Saints 1st round pick), Make-A-Wish recipient Zachary Hatfield (the Steelers first pick), and Texas head coach Mack Brown (former Longhorns QB Colt McCoy’s selection in the 3rd round by the Cleveland Browns.  Plus Goodell bear-hugging several appreciative first rounders — you know Pete Rozelle wouldn’t have been doing that.  And lastly a Hollywood red carpet entry for the draftees hosted by NFL Network’s Deion “Prime Time” Sanders.

Other tidbits from this year’s draft included:

Big Conferences Reigning Supreme – NFL teams are looking for successful players from big conferences in the draft, because players are being taught pro techniques at these college and universities. Almost 75% of the players selected were from the 6 BCS Conferences. The SEC had the most players drafted overall with 49, followed by the Big Ten (34), ACC (31), Big 12 (30), PAC 10 (28), Big East (18), Mountain West (13), Conference USA (7), Mid-American (5), and Western Athletic (5)

Stay in School – The NFL is making a concerted effort to draft seniors in the draft and it shows.  There were only 46 underclassmen drafted compared to 209 seniors.  Some say older players need less coaching, but yet 17 underclassmen went in the first round including first overall pick St. Louis Rams QB Sam Bradford.

Florida had too much talent not to win it all in ’09, right?? – For the entire 2009 college football season, analysts talked of the enormous amount of talent on the Florida Gators’ squad.  But the group underachieved settling for a 13-1 record and a dominating Sugar Bowl win over Cincinnati.  Well the Gators did bring home the title of most players selected with 9 players including first rounders CB Joe Haden (selected by the Cleveland Browns at #7), C/OG Maurkice Pouncey (selected by the Steelers at #18), and QB Tim Tebow (selected by the Broncos at #25).  Surprisingly Colonial Athletic Conference schools William & Mary and James Madison each had two players selected, which was more than traditional college football schools Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1), Texas Tech (1), and Michigan State (1).

Tebow steals the show – Everyone knew that the Rams were selecting Sam Bradford with the first overall pick, but who would be the second quarterback taken in the first round.  While everyone assumed that Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen would be the logical pick, he fell out of the first round.  To a lot of people’s surprise the second quarterback to come off the board was much-maligned college football “winner” Tim Tebow.  After raising his stock from the depths of a pretty ugly Senior Bowl week, Tebow wowed NFL teams with his Pro Day workout, interviewing skills and every intangible that you could name.  Florida’s Superman also improved his throwing motion by working with several quarterback coaches and the NFL noticed as the Denver Broncos traded up to the draft’s 25th spot to grab Tebow — Denver sent 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks to Baltimore (Nos. 43, 70 & 114) and the Broncos also received the No. 119 pick in the deal. It will be interesting to see if Tebow is given the opportunity to compete with holdovers Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn or he will be a team “leader” by holding a clipboard and running the scout team.  “Like everybody, he will be competing for a job,” Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said.  “I don’t care if a guy is a rookie. If he’s earned the job, he’ll play. That goes for any position. But I’ll say this, he has a long way to go to get there. But he is starting the process.” An interesting subplot to Tebow’s selection is that his Broncos’ jersey (No. 15) is already a best-seller on NFL.com.

Lots of Trades – Teams were more than willing to trade up or down, which continued an offseason filled with player movement.  There were 33 trades – NFL record is 34 set in 2008 – during this year’s draft, which definitely can be attributed to the new 3-day format and more time between rounds 1 and 2. 

Tight Ends Galore – After the success of Pro Bowl tight ends like the Colts’ Dallas Clark, Chargers’ Antonio Gates, and Cowboys’ Jason Witten every team is looking for athletic players that can dominate the middle of the field.  This year more than ever GM’s seemed to understand that you need not one, but two quality tight ends as 19 were drafted. Here is the breakdown of the 2010 NFL Draft by position:  Defensive Backs (52, but half were Safeties and the other half CB’s),  Linebackers (35), Receivers (30), Defensive End (28), Tight Ends (19), Running Backs (15), Defensive Tackle (20), Offensive Tackles (19), Quarterbacks (13), Guards (12), Centers (7), Punter (3), Kick Returners (2), Kicker (zero), and Long Snapper (zero)

Clausen gets hit in the wallet – Another player that was probably glad he didn’t come to New York was Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen.  Opinions in NFL circles varied about  the former ND passer, but he landed in a great situation as the Carolina Panthers rescued him in the 2^nd round with the 48^th overall selection – should compete right away with holdover Matt Moore.  However in going from a “perceived” Top 10 pick to the 2^nd round, Clausen lost some money that he will need to make-up.  CNBC’s Darren Rovell estimates that Clausen lost about $2.6 million by not being selected where some slated him — ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected him to go in the Top 10. Last year’s 48^th pick, Bears DB Darcel McBath, signed for about $2 million guaranteed and earned $1.9 million in salary in 2009.

Ghee probably wished that he had stayed home — Wake Forest cornerback Brandon Ghee and Texas defensive tackle Lamarr Houston were the last two players from the 17 invitees to New York that were selected. However even in disappoint, Ghee (selected in the 3^rd round by the Bengals) was given the honor of Goodell announcing the pick and giving words of encouragement to the youngster while posing for pictures. 

Draft Report Card

I don’t like to give “Letter Grades”, because as I always like to say, “It takes 2 to 3 years to evaluate a draft”. That being said, some teams definitely did seem to strengthen their teams in the 2010 NFL Draft. The teams that did well seemed to follow a blueprint that I believe has worked in the past for teams like recent Super Champs the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, and the New York Giants:

• Go for Larger School Players (BCS Level Players) in the 1st three rounds.
• Judge the total player (Interview, Practice Habits, All Star Game, Combine, Pro Day, “Character”, and most importantly Game Film).
• “Football Players” in the 4th round and higher. Players that may not have all the measurables, but who can provide quality depth by helping on special teams or playing multiple positions.
• Always consider your team’s needs with picks (Use the draft to replenish and build to establish the cornerstone of your team).

Remember no “blueprint” is bulletproof, so regardless of how much homework is done before the draft, most talent evaluator’s will have just as many Charles Rogers, Freddie Mitchell, Mike Mamula, Akilli Smith, and Tim Couch (All High 1st Round Busts) type picks on their resume as Tom Brady, Terrell Davis, and Seth Joyner (All late round finds) type picks. The draft process is a roll of the dice, but the aforementioned group always seems to do just a little bit better than others.

WINNERS

Oakland Raiders – After being the butt of several years of NFL jokes, the Raiders had one of their best drafts in a long time.  Their stellar effort started with the selection of highly rated middle linebacker Rolando McClain from Alabama then improved their defense more by adding Texas stout defensive tackle Lamarr Houston. Al Davis also didn’t forget about an O-line that needed much improvement by adding small-school star Jared Veldheer (Hillsdale) and NFL Combine phenom Bruce Campbell from Maryland.  Of course, they also grabbed the draft’s fastest player in Clemson WR/KR Jacoby Ford too. And the cherry on top of the sundae was the Raiders trading a 2012 fourth round selection to the Washington Redskins for quarterback Jason Campbell.  The addition of Campbell also should spell the end of the JaMarcus Russell era in Oakland, which will be addition by subtraction.

Detroit Lions – What is not to like about the Lions grabbing my number #1 player in Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh with the 2^nd overall pick.  Suh is a dominating presence that should help a defense that allowed almost 500 points in 2009.  Lions GM Mark Mayhew then grabbed one of the draft’s versatile playmakers by trading up at the end of the first round to select Cal speedster Jahvid Best, who should become quarterback Matthew Stafford’s Reggie Bush.  After their stellar first day haul, Detroit added physical Iowa CB Amari Spievey, tough Miami (FL) OT Jason Fox and “Mr. Irrelevant” Weber State receiver Tim Toone, who they are hoping is the NFL’s next Wes Welker.

San Francisco 49ers – After their O-line allowed 40 + sacks in 2009, the Niners knew they had to get better upfront to have a chance to win the NFC West.  With their two first-round picks (11th and 17th overall) they fortified their O-line with picks of developing offensive tackle Anthony Davis (Rutgers) and rock solid offensive guard Mike Iupati (Idaho). These additions should help RB Frank Gore run harder and protect quarterback Alex Smith who is trying to rebound into a franchise passer.  Later on, Mike Singletary added USC safety Taylor Mays, who brings an instant grudge against the Seahawks and their head coach Pete Carroll.  The Niners also added tough Penn State LB Navorro Bowman and scrappy smaller Arizona State receiver Kyle Williams.

Baltimore Ravens – I am not going to lie to you, after the Ravens traded out of the first round… I thought they were crazy.  But Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome had something up his sleeve as he added defensive impact players in the second round with the selection of Texas OLB Sergio Kindle and Alabama anchor nose tackle Terrence Cody.  Kindle is an explosive athletic pass rusher, who should compliment fellow linebackers Terrelle Suggs and Ray Lewis very well.  And Cody should team with Haloti Ngata to form one of the biggest defensive middles in the NFL, so I dare anyone to try and run on them.   Also to help aging tight end Todd Heap (53 rec, 593 yards, and  6 TDs), Newsome added young speedy pass-catchers  Ed Dickson (Pitt)  and Dennis Pitta (BYU).

Others I thought did a nice job on Saturday and Sunday were Bucs, Patriots, Eagles, Rams, Dolphins, and Seahawks

HEAD SCRATCHERS, BUT I WOULDN’T CALL THEM “LOSERS”

Jacksonville Jaguars – You have thought a coach on the Hot Seat like Jack Del Rio would have had more urgency in his picks.  The Jags pulled the 2010 NFL Draft’s biggest shocker by pick Cal defensive tackle Tyson Alualu with the 10th overall selection even though he carried a 2^nd or 3^rd round grade.  Then can you tell me who any of their remaining picks are – DT D’Anthony Smith,, Louisiana Tech; LB Larry Hart, Central Arkansas; DE Austen Lane, Murray State; RB Deji Karim, Southern Illinois; and WR/KR Scotty McGee, James Madison.   Lastly how could the Jags not select a quarterback when starter David Garrard is struggling of late.

Others I thought would have given low grades to, if I believed in them were Bears (didn’t pick until the 75^th overall selection) and Buffalo Bill (only took one offensive lineman in the 5^th round…wasn’t that their biggest need).

Best Value Selections

RB Jahvid Best (late first round by the Lions)

QB Jimmy Clausen (2nd Rd, 48th overall pick by the Panthers)

QB/WR Armanti Edwards (3rd, 89th overall by the Panthers)

safety Myron Rolle (6th Rd by the Titans)

Picks with Bust Potential

1st rd, #22 —  Denver Broncos – Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech

2nd rd, #54 — Cincinnati Bengals – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

3rd rd, # 72 —  Buffalo Bills – Alex Carrington, DE, Arkansas State

The 8^th Round Begins for Some Players

Every year thousands of players are left heartbroken as “Mr. Irrelevant” — 2010′s version was Weber State WR Tim Toone who was picked 255th by the Detroit Lions — is selected thus ending their dreams of being selected in the NFL Draft.  Sure being drafted is an honor, but there have been many outstanding undrafted players including: Broncos great receiver Rod Smith, former Eagles tough strong safety the late Andre Waters, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, and many others.  The great thing for undrafted players is that they can now choose their landing spot in the NFL and possibly enhance their chances by finding a good roster situation before signing.

Some 2010 undrafted players to keep an eye on in training camp are

Grambling State DE Christian Anthony

Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes (signed as a UDFA by the Chicago Bears)

Norfolk State WR Chris Bell

Wayne State RB Joique Bell (Buffalo Bills)

LSU OG Ciron Black (Steelers)

Oregon RB LaGarrette Blount (Tennessee Titans)

UCLA LB Kyle Bosworth (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Shaw DT Callahan Bright

West Virginia QB Jarrett Brown (SF 49ers)

Penn State QB Daryll Clark (Washington Redskins)

Hampton RB LaMarcus Coker

St. Augustine’s OLB/DE Marcus Crump

Stillman OLB/DE Junior Galette (Saints)

Central Florida safety Michael Greco

Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller (Indianapolis Colts)

USC RB Stafon Johnson (Tennessee Titans)

Valdosta State QB/WR Kellen Lewis

Alabama A&M OLB/DE Jeremy Maddox

Jacksonville State QB Ryan Perrilloux, (Tryout with Minnesota Vikings)

Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Western Illinois CB Patrick Stoudamire (SF 49ers)

Florida A&M CB/KR LeRoy Vann (SF 49ers)

Army WR/TE Ali Villanueva

Penn State CB A.J. Wallace (Miami Dolphins)

Abilene Christian OT Tony Washington

Western Illinois TE Joseph Wielgat

Harvard OT James Williams

Lloyd’s Leftovers:

Haynesworth stays put – Even though disgruntled players like Redskins QB Jason Campbell (to Raiders), NY Jets RB Leon Washington (to Seahawks) and Titans RB LenDale White (to Seahawks) were traded during the 2010 NFL Draft.  Surprisingly Redskins unhappy DT Albert Haynesworth was not traded over the draft’s 3 days.  I guess money (signed in ’09 for 7 years, $100 Million Contract w/ $41 Million guaranteed and was paid a $21 million bonus on April 1^st ) got in the way of any deal for the sulking defensive tackle, who is ill-fitted for defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s new 3-4 scheme.   Now Haynesworth, who was 2009 free agency’s Big Fish, and new Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan will need to work out some kind of relationship.  Other veterans that were rumored to be traded but stayed put were Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick, Buffalo Bills RB Marshawn Lynch (probably will be cut), Jacksonville Jaguars DT John Henderson (cut after draft) and New England Patriots LB Addalius Thomas (cut after the draft).

The “U” has an increase in players selected – Though the University of Miami (Fla.) did not get a first round pick for the second year in a row — in 2009 the school’s 15-year first round streak ended.  The school that invented “swagger” did have four players drafted led by emerging tight end Jimmy Graham (3rd Rd by the Saints).  Other Hurricanes coming to the NFL are LB Daryl Sharpton (4th Rd by the Texans), OT Jason Fox (4th Rd by the Lions), and TE Dedrick Epps (7th Rd by the Chargers).

Rookies Better Watch Their Pockets – With rookie guaranteed money reaching $40 Million dollars after the 2009 NFL Draft and 2010 NFL Draft first overall pick Sam Bradford expecting to get over that mark, fans can expect a rookie salary cap as part of the upcoming CBA.  Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a recent interview about a possible rookie cap, “I’m a big fan of the rookie salary cap… I think that it is very much in the best interest of our veteran players, being able to be rewarded for what they achieve on the NFL field.”  I know veterans will be happier after the 2011 NFL Draft, because then rookies will have to earn big dollars after paying their dues.

Players drafted for their “Wildcat” potential – We all know the NFL is a copycat league, so it was not surprising that the 2010 NFL Draft saw some players drafted for “versatility” reasons. Appalachian State’s Armanti Edwards (3rd round by the Panthers), University of Buffalo’s James Starks (6th round by the Packers) and UAB’s Joe Webb (6th round by the Vikings) were selected by their respective teams with the hope that they could be the next Joshua Cribbs (The Do-Everything Browns’ KR/WR/Wildcat QB).  It will also be interesting to see if Broncos first round pick Florida QB Tim Tebow (25th overall) will be asked to be a “pure” quarterback or if he will help out of the Wildcat formation too.  Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said of Tebow, “He’s a quarterback. That’s all he’s going to do.”

What No Quarterback?? – Incredibly quarterback strapped teams the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers did not select a quarterback of the future.  Overall there were 15 quarterbacks taken – including  Appalachian State’s Armanti Edwards (Carolina) and UAB’s Joe Webb (Vikings) who are probably conversion candidates – with two in the first round (Sam Bradford at No. 1 by St. Louis and Tim Tebow at No. 25 by Denver).  Maybe a team looking for a quarterback can call the Oakland Raiders who traded for former Redskins passer Jason Campbell to go along Kyle Boller, Bruce Gradkowski, JaMarcus Russell, and Charlie Frye who were already on their roster.

No love for HBCU players – Throughout NFL history players from historically black college and universities (HBCU’s) have starred in the league (Walter Payton, Ernie Ladd, and Doug Williams to name a few). But this year there were only two HBCU standouts that were drafted: Morehouse OT Ramon Harewood (Ravens – 6^th Round) and South Carolina State DB Phillip Adams (SF 49ers – 7^th Rd).  It was the lowest number of HBCU players taken since 2004 when Southern DB Lenny Williams (252nd overall) and Hampton DE Isaac Hilton (253rd) were 7^th round selections.  I guess Hampton RB LaMarcus Coker, Stillman DE Junior Gallette, Florida A&M QB Curtis Pulley and others will have to go the undrafted free agent route or to the CFL or the Arena Football League.

A Brief Look at the ’11 Draft – It is never too early for some research for the 2011 NFL Draft including:  Washington QB Jake Locker, North Carolina DT Marvin Austin, Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn, Alabama RB Mark Ingram, West Virginia RB/KR Noel Devine, Penn State RB Evan Royster and many others.  But we have 11+ months to bring you information and draft news about these guys.

That is it for 2010 NFL Draft and may all the league’s teams be enriched going into the 2010 season.

 

 

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and Sports Journey Network , who is also an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

2010 NFL Combine Review by Lloyd Vance

Florida QB Tim Tebow didn’t throw, but he was one of several NFL hopefuls that made a good impression at the 2010 NFL Combine

The 2010 NFL Combine is now in the books with 327 invitees, over 600 NFL talent evaluators, and over 400 credentialed members of the media heading home.  The combine is the only week where the NFL epicenter revolves around players working out in t-shirts and shorts –now track suites—with cattle numbers stamped on them.  We all know that game footage matters more than any other evaluation tool to teams as they move toward the  2010 NFL Draft on April 22, but the NFL Combine has become a phenomenon unto it’s self.  Now major sports media outlets are providing instant breaking news on potential NFL prospect’s forty times.

There are four major steps of the post college football / pre NFL Draft process — Bowl Game, All-Star Games especially the Senior Bowl, NFL Combine, and Pro Day/Private workout – that are vital for building a powerful resume for the upcoming NFL Draft.  Even though the overall draft process never totally gets every little thing about a prospect correct, especially whether a player will be a front-line contributor in 2 to 3 years.

“It’s an inexact science, if you can call it a science” said Colts General Manager Bill Polian during a combine interview.  However with signing bonuses and draft positions changing on the merits of a good or bad forty time, the NFL Combine has become a must-see event for league talent evaluators and fans — NFL Network had over 25 hours of Live Coverage and the Philadelphia Eagles sent a contingent of 47 people to Indy.

Prospects and their agents also seem to understand the importance of the NFL Combine — 66% of all positional players selected at the 2008 NFL Draft participated in the combine.  More than half of this year’s NFL Combine participants attended “cheat-sheet” preparation camps in place like California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas.  Practice made perfect, as several players were familiar enough with the drills to produce noteworthy results from this year’s event.  

Now that the weighing, timing, questioning, reviewing of injuries and backgrounds of the invitees is over and before we move onto Pro Days, here are some of my observations, news, and notes from the 2010 NFL Combine.

High Participation – With over 600 NFL talent evaluators traveling to Indianapolis, the combine was the one place where all NFL talent evaluators converged on one place for a week just to look exclusively at prospects.  Even though it seems every top quarterback including Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Jimmy Clausen chose to not participate in almost every on-field drill, most players wanted to work out. The 2010 NFL Combine continued the trend of high participation by invitees that has grown with the past five drafts.  It was reported that close to 95% of the 327 invitees took part in some portion of the combine process (drills and/or interviewing). The major reason for the high volume of participants forgoing the sidelines, including potential first overall pick Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh, is money. 

By waiting for their Pro Day, a prospect has a good chance of raising a red flag that could cost them millions — Top 10 picks are expected to receive $30 Million dollar signing bonuses.  With dollars fresh in their mind, potential Top 10 picks Oklahoma State OT Russell Okung, Tennessee safety Eric Berry, Oklahoma OT Trent Williams, Rutgers OT Anthony Davis, Suh and others all showed their stuff at Lucas Oil Stadium to the liking of the NFL personnel evaluators.  However the event didn’t go by without some high profile guys like Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford (interviewed, but didn’t throw as he wanted to work with his own receivers), Oklahoma State receiver Dez White (Interviewed only), Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen (interviewed, but is nursing a toe injury), and others forgoing some or all drills while waiting for their Pro Days.

Event Risers – These players increased their value in the 2010 NFL Combine.

Maryland OT Bruce Campbell – Scouts were buzzing about the performance of the big (6-7, 310) and athletic offensive tackle.  Campbell was officially timed at 4.85 in the 40 (the best time of any lineman – first reported as a 4.77), pounded out 34 reps on the 225 lb bench and jumped 32 inches vertically. Though there are concerns with Campbell only having 17 college starts, he probably was this week’s biggest winner. The junior-eligible road grader now looks like he has joined Russell Okung (Oklahoma State), Bryan Bulaga (Iowa), Anthony Davis (Rutgers) and Trent Williams (Oklahoma) as first round offensive tackle picks in the upcoming draft. Of this year’s offensive tackles, a personnel director for an NFC team said, “Five are slam-dunk firsts.  You’ve got some potential studs there.”

Florida QB Tim Tebow – College football’s most talked about prospect didn’t throw in Indy, but he was impressive in other areas.  Tebow (6’3, 245) showed great leadership, a “Can Do” attitude, and maturity in interviews.  Then on the field, he displayed athleticism that could equate to a position switch to H-Back or as a Wildcat QB, if needed.  The former Heisman winner ran the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, vertically jumped 38.5 inches ( tied combine quarterback record set by Josh McCown), and led all quarterbacks in the three-cone drill (6.66 seconds), the 20-yard shuttle (4.17 seconds) and the 60-yard shuttle (11.27 seconds). So now the waiting game starts until Florida’s Pro Day on March 17^th to see if working with former NFL coach Zeke Bratkowski has helped Tebow’s footwork, delivery, and other requisite quarterback skills.  I still think Super Timmy is a 3^rd round pick.

Alabama DL Terrence Cody – This year’s prototypical 3-4 defense two-gap run-stuffing nose tackle showed his commitment to playing in the NFL.  Cody weighed in at 354 pounds, which is closer to his target weight of 340 than the 370 giggly pounds that he showed up at the Senior Bowl.  Moved well in drills and now looks to be a mid first-round pick. With five of the top seven defenses in the league last season playing the 3-4  — New York Jets (first), Green Bay (second), Baltimore (third), Pittsburgh (fifth) and Denver (seventh) – expect Cody to be real popular in this year’s draft.

USC safety Taylor Mays – Consistently some evaluators have pegged the big (6’3, 220) hard-hitting safety as a possible weakside linebacker.  But Mays showed by his blazing forty and in drills that he is a legitimate threat to Eric Berry’s number one safety spot.  Some unofficial hand-times had Mays at 4.24seconds, which would have tied Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson’s record.  But “officially” his time was 4.43 seconds, which is still unbelievable for a safety.  Now some evaluators are saying the former USC standout is a surefire Top 10 pick.  However on film, Mays still looks to be a little deficient in coverage and he only caused just two takeaways as a senior (1 INT and 1 fumble recovery).

 Notre Dame WR Golden Tate – Looks to be this year’s version of Philadelphia Eagles burner DeSean Jackson.  The Fightin’ Irish playmaker ran a 4.42 in the 40, pumped out 17 reps and leapt 40.5 inches vertically.  Though not the biggest guy (5’10, 199), Tate looks to be one of this year’s climbers at the receiver position.  Over half the teams requested to interview him and most left impressed with his demeanor.  Something Tate will need to work on going into his Pro Day on March 23^rd is his catching.  In the “Gauntlet Drill”, he had some struggles — allowed too many passes to get into his body and dropped more than a few passes.

California RB Jahvid Best – Going into the Combine, every team wanted to make sure that the former Cal star was durable and versatile enough to be a feature back in the NFL.  Best answered questions immediately by measuring in at 5-10 1/8 and 199 pounds.  Then the former California state champ in the 100 meters showed that he had put a back injury and concussion (missed 4 games) behind him by clocking a 4.35 in the forty and moving well in drills.  Will need to continue his momentum on his Pro Day as every team loves his 7.3 yards per carry average from his college career.

Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford – Incredibly by only weighing in and interviewing, the former Heisman winner may have vaulted himself into the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.  The St. Louis Rams, who own the top pick, liked his size (6’4, 236) and answers during meetings. Bradford came off poised and personable with the media too and veteran Rams beat writer Howard Balzer said of him via Twitter, “He has ‘it’”.   Now it appears that the draft’s top two defensive tackles, Suh and Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy, have some company at the top.  Bradford said of his opportunity, “I think everybody dreams about being Number #1. Through this process, I’m preparing myself. I’m gonna show those teams everything I have. But at the end of the day, it’s up to them. So I’m really not worried about what I can’t control.”

Indiana University (Pa) cornerback Akwasi Owusu-Ansah – The small school prospect showed that he could compete with the top corners in the draft.  Owusu-Ansah showed the speed (4.47, third best corner time) and smooth hips in drills that evaluators were looking for in coverage corners.  Look for him to be taken early on the second day of the draft (2nd and 3rd rounds). 

Wake Forest CB Brandon Ghee – Moved up to possibly a second round pick by recording an official 4.45-second forty (2^nd fastest among all defensive backs).  Also showed good movement in drills plus broad jumped 10′7 and did 15 reps on the bench press.

Others deserving players mention:  Tennessee safety Eric Berry (despite the buzz around Mays, still was the best overall safety in Indy as he clocked a 4.47-second forty and looked like a corner in coverage drills); Norfolk State WR Chris Bell (HBCU standout showed good size (6-2 1/8, 211) and hands in receiver drills); Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski (showed that he had recovered from a back injury that kept him out of the 2009 season); Ohio receiver Taylor Price (ran a blazing 4.41 in the forty and showed good hands in drills); Pittsburgh TE Dorin Dickerson (explosive player, who can play fullback or tight end in college, was timed in 4.40 and jumped 43.5 inches vertically); Arkansas OL Mitch Petrus  (tied combine record with 45 reps of 225 pounds); Georgia DL Jeff Owens (showed good explosion in drills and banged out 44 reps); Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews (looked like a prototypical power back at 5-11, 218 plus ran well in drills)

Event Maintainers – These players were solid and did not hurt their value at the 2010 NFL Combine.

Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh – Even though he entered the combine with a bull’s eye, Suh was not intimidated by the process.  He was solid in drills and showed his strength by producing 32 reps.  Despite all the buzz around Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, Suh made an impression in the interview process too. As is the norm this time of the year, as everyone was saying that the Rams liked Bradford as their No. 1, ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli reported different.  He said that Rams scouts were becoming increasingly convinced that Suh is the best player in the draft. In Rams head coach Steve Spanuolo’s scheme, Suh would play the “three technique” defensive tackle spot next to run stuffer Cliff Ryan.

Clemson WR Jacoby Ford – After a solid Senior Bowl, Ford came to Indy looking to stay on the radar of NFL teams.  He did just that and more as the former Clemson track star produced the fastest time at the combine with a 4.28-second forty. The 5-8 5/8, 181 pounder also drew comparisons to veteran Panthers receiver Steve Smith by catching the ball well in the passing drills and showing a good burst in and out of his cuts.  Look for this potential 2^nd or 3^rd rounder to be a great returner and slot receiver at the next level.

Clemson RB C.J. Spiller – Looked like the next “Reggie Bush” homerun threat type of player.  Weighed-in at 5-11, 196 pounds plus showed breakaway speed with a 4.37-second forty – some unofficially timed him at 4.27 seconds.  Right now Spiller looks like the first running back to come off the board and teams love his explosiveness — in 2009 had 31 carries of 10+ yards and eight receptions for 20 yards or more plus contributed five TDs on returns. As for worrying that Spiller may have some of Bush’s durability concerns, he never missed a game in college due to injury.

West Virginia QB Jarrett Brown – After a solid Senior Bowl, Brown continued to step out of the shadow of former WVU teammate Pat White, who was a second round pick by the Dolphins in 2009.  Brown ran the forty in 4.54 seconds and showed good zip on his passes in drills.  Brown will need to perform well on his Pro Day for him to solidify his position as a good 3rd or 4^th round developmental pick.

Ole Miss RB/WR/KR Dexter McCluster – The former Ole Miss running back maintained the level from his strong Senior Bowl week.  McCluster is a true game-breaker as shown by his 37.5 vertical jump and superior agility in pass catching drills.

Virginia CB Chris Cook – Had a strong Senior Bowl week, where he was physical in drills, so he wanted to show again in Indy that he was a high corner prospect.  Cook showed the speed (4.46 seconds in the forty) and explosiveness (best broad jump of 11′0″) that a tall (6’1) corner needs. Had good footwork in drills, but needs to work on his strength as he only produced seven reps on the bench press.

Florida State safety Myron Rolle – Continued to show leadership and maturity in interviews after everyone was abuzz regarding his alleged treatment earlier by the Tampa Bay Bucs.  Reportedly during a 45-minute interview before the Senior Bowl with members of the Buccaneers’ staff, one member of the staff was said to have asked Rolle, “What it felt like to desert his team last season”.  Rolle also looked to be in great shape (6’2, 215) after being away at Oxford, England (Rhodes Scholar).  The aspiring doctor still has to change some hard core football people’s minds about his commitment to play in the NFL, but to me some team will give him a shot.  As crazy as it sounds, Rolle still has to finish a 10,000-word thesis and take his final exams in June before reporting to any NFL training camp in July.

Stanford RB Toby Gerhart – The former two-sport star (supposedly gave-up baseball) showed that he has the ability to play running back in the NFL.  Though he didn’t run the forty, Gerhart (6-0, 231) displayed explosiveness by producing a 38-inch vertical jump.  The 2009 Pac Ten Player of the Year and Heisman runner-up (1,871 rushing yards in 2009) also showed his agility in the shuttle runs.  Looks like he can be a power back at the next level.

Event Crashers – These were players that we believe hurt their value at the 2010 NFL Combine and will need to make up ground going into the draft.

Florida Joe Haden – Going into the Combine, the Gators sticky corner was considered a can’t miss first round shutdown corner.  Some were even saying the name “Darrelle Revis” in comparisons to Haden.  But a pedestrian forty time of4.57 seconds has put doubt in some evaluators’ minds.  We will have to see if Haden can rebound by the Gators’ Pro Day on March 17^th in the Swamp.  To me, I still believe the film doesn’t lie about Haden and he is very good player, who is more than a Rhonde Barber zone corner.

Michigan CB Donovan Warren – Unfortunately, the combine showed that Warren may have difficulty as a man-to-man corner.  Warren recorded unofficial forty times of 4.65 and 4.68 seconds, which raised a red flag in the minds of evaluators.  Still could be a valuable special teams and nickel player due to his good size and physicality.  You know Warren wants a better showing at Michigan’s Pro Day on March 12^th.

 Alabama CB Javier Arenas – The smallish corner from the National Champions, unfortunately tweaked his right hamstring so bad running his first forty that his combine was quickly over. Arenas will need to heal quickly as Alabama’s Pro Day is on March 10th.

Michigan DE Brandon Graham – After being named Senior Bowl MVP, Graham came to the combine with comparisons to former Michigan teammate LaMarr Woodley — now a Pro Bowl outside linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Unfortunately after posting a pair of 4.69-second forties (10^th among D-linemen), Graham pulled up lame with a hamstring injury and had to shut it down.  However expect the former All Big Ten player to get a look as a 3-4 linebacker after he put up 31 reps on the bench.  Hopefully by Michigan’s Pro Day on March 12^th, he will be able to further impress NFL talent evaluators.

Georgia Tech RB Jonathan Dwyer – Still considered one of the bigger backs in the 2010 NFL Draft.  Unfortunately, Dwyer (5-11 1/4, 229) looked like a plodder as he ran in the 4.7 range and did not look as fluid as Spiller, Best, Matthews, and other backs.

Arkansas State DE Alex Carrington — Lost out as several pass rushing prospects passed him after he had to shut it down after twisting his ankle.

Lloyd’s Leftovers

Speed was back at Lucas Oil stadium – There were 27 players who ran sub-4.5 forties at Lucas Oil including this year’s champion Clemson WR Jacoby Ford who ran an official 4.28 second time.  Ford blazed past other speedsters LSU returner Trindon Holliday (4.34), Cal RB Jahvid Best (4.35) and Clemson teammate CJ Spiller (4.37) to win this year’s college football version of the fastest man.   Also with everyone from NFL Network to team officials leaking times (i.e. USC safety Taylor ran an unofficial 4.19 second forty according to his former coach and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll), remember the only times that count are the three official times clocked by National Football Scouting (two electronic and one handheld). Anyway I think people put too much emphasis on the forty anyway as one draft evaluator said at the event, “Larry Fitzgerald ran more than 4.6 when he went through the draft process and I don’t hear too many people now talking about what he ran Pre-Draft”

Back courageously returns to the bench – Miraculously, USC running back Stafon Johnson was back participating in the bench-press. Unfortunately way back in September, Johnson (5’11, 214) was hurt while bench pressing when the bar slipped from his hands and crushed his neck and larynx. The former USC star underwent seven hours of emergency throat surgery.  Five months later, he showed some real “guts” here at the combine by putting up 13 reps .

Podium time for the Coaches and GM’s – For the third year in a row, the combine had a full slate of GM’s and coaches holding their own press conferences at the event.  The media could go from hearing new Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan (first real appearance for his new organization) to new Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey to Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid to Rams GM Bill Devaney without missing a beat.  Though you know the evaluators are smoke-screening this time of the year, it is always good to get some insight.

The ‘Wildcat’ is still loose in the NFL – Though the number of teams running “Wildcat” plays last season was less than in 2008, there is still a strong presence of the formation in the NFL.  So in a copy-cat fashion, Lucas Oil Stadium was abuzz looking for players who could run the “Wildcat” formation.  Evaluators were asking running backs and receivers whether they had been a high school quarterback (ex. Fresno State RB Ryan Matthews and Buffalo RB James Starks).  Plus mobile throwers like Florida’s Tim Tebow, Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards, and Penn State QB Darryl Clark were definitely looked at as potential future Wildcat signal-callers. 

What You Benching?? – I would love to see a 225-pound bench pressing contest head-to-head of this year’s champ Arkansas OG Mitch Petrus (45 reps – tied NFL Combine Record of former Ohio State DE Mike Kudla) and current NFL strongman Eagles defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (44 reps back in 2006).  Of course we would need loud mouth Arizona Cardinals Strength and Conditioning Coach John Lott as the moderator – “Come on Meat, HUP, HUP!!”

Who needs the Combine?? – Some players that I still believe will be on the NFL’s radar even though they were not invited to the NFL Combine are Bowling Green WR Freddie Barnes, Alabama-Birmingham QB Joe Webb, Grambling State DE Christian Anthony, Auburn CB Walter McFadden, Utah S Robert Johnson and Army WR/TE Ali Villanueva.

How Awesome is NFL Network!! – Again NFL Network brought the combine to the masses by providing the aforementioned 25 Hours of original programming of the event and all 327 hopefuls.  I could listen to draftnik Mike Mayock all day as he breaks down all of the players.  Mayock can rattle off an NFL prospect’s bio, college football honors, and combine times/numbers/figures before you can say, “Jack Spratt” (Sorry Mel and Todd, but this guy is the best).  By the way, Mayock kept saying during combine broadcasts that this is the deepest draft for defensive players he’s seen in nearly 10 years.

The official workout results of the top performers at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine are now posted at http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers

That is a wrap and Sports Journey will definitely be there next year to cover the Combine, which is now a major happening as seen by the over 400 credentials handed out this year.

 

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

Everything you need to know for the 2010 NFL Combine by Lloyd Vance

Prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft will have to endure the NFL’s version of a job fair including interviews, drills, and other tests at this year’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis

The NFL’s biggest “workout session” called the NFL Combine takes center stage at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis from Wednesday February 24th to Tuesday March 2nd as potential draftees dreams can be made in 4.29 seconds (a very good forty-time in case you didn’t know).  It is hard to believe that the zany idea of former Dallas Cowboys draft guru Gil Brandt from over 30 years ago to gather all of the draft’s prospects in one place so every team could get an “equal” look together has come so far that it is now a major part of the yearly sports calendar.

You can thank former University of Kansas option quarterback Nolan Cromwell for the madness as he was traveling from team to team in 1977 with the same information, giving the forward thinking Brandt the idea for the combine. How “huge” is this one-time anomaly event, well the NFL Network will broadcast over 26 live hours of coverage plus the NFL Combine even has its own website. There will also be a Super Bowl like “Radio Row” atmosphere at the Indianapolis Convention Center so media can provide fans with instant results.  No more “urban legend” results like Deion “Prime Time” Sanders running a “slow”, as he pontificated about it, 4.19 forty-yard dash in secrecy at the 1989 event.

The NFL Combine is part of the annual arduous four-month long “NFL job interview” process for college players to get to their dream destination of being drafted.  The job interview process has four distinctive parts – College Bowl Games, All-Star Games especially the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, and Pro Days (private workouts) — that are all extremely important for building a powerful resume for potential players and a successful draft board for NFL personnel departments.

The NFL Combine is such a big deal that approximately 600 NFL Draft evaluators including head coaches, general managers and scouts plus their “favorite” tag-a-longs, the media – almost 400 credentialed members of the media – will pack into the Lucas Oil Stadium to watch 327 college players do whatever is asked of them in shorts and tee shirts.   These poor kids will be stamped with their cattle number like “QB03″ and then they will be poked and prodded every which way to Sunday as they will be interviewed, examined, x-rayed, measured, run all over, made to jump, twisted, bent, interrogated on their past… you name it, all to enhance their spot in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft in April.

With this year’s success of rookie difference-makers like Houston Texans LB Brian Cushing, Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin, Washington Redskins pass rusher Brian Orakpo and others, the importance of building a competitive team through the draft is ever present throughout the NFL. Teams now have very high expectations for players selected in the first two rounds of the draft and want to get earlier returns on their large investments (i.e. No more redshirting in the NFL).  However the hoopla over the NFL Combine to me is borderline insanity as most scouts I talk to put more credence in regular season game tape, All-Star game performances, talking with college staffs, bowl games, and almost anything else over seeing guys tested at the combine in t-shirts and shorts.

The biggest word of caution to fans and teams is to guard against the “love” factor at the NFL Combine as every year some team gets an “I gotta have him” attitude usually leading to draft day moves based solely on a player’s work at the NFL Combine (see Eagles 1995 first round draft pick and 7th overall pick DE Mike Mamula – moved up the board from a 2nd or 3rd round pick to a top ten pick mostly based on his high marks at the combine).    Agents representing these prized NFL recruits definitely know what is at stake at the NFL Combine as in recent years they are pulling their player clients off of college campuses to prep at pre-combine workout facilities.

The reason for the intense preparation for the NFL Combine is plain and simple…MONEY in the form of rookie contracts — 2009 NFL Draft first overall selection Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford signed a rookie contract with the terms 6-years, $72 million of which $41.7 million was guaranteed.  This is high stakes poker at its best, so at pre-combine training camps in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Southern California, players are learning everything from interviewing skills, how to take the Wonderlic Test, explosive running techniques and pumping iron.

All that being said, statistics do show players need to at least attend the NFL Combine, especially early entrants in the draft since they don’t have the advantage of going to College All-Star games — in the 2006 Draft of the 330 players invited to the NFL Combine, 222 were drafted.  The NFL Combine is also a setting where the entire NFL’s traveling show (Head Coaches, Scouts, GM’s, media, etc) comes together in Indy allowing for “shop talk”.  As the scene is a continuation of the NFL’s convention like atmosphere that was started at the Senior Bowl and Super Bowl.   In the stands  are sure to hear veteran NFL personnel evaluators, like Miami Dolphins football czar Bill Parcels, talking about the impending Free Agency period (March 5th), franchised players (deadline of February 28^th), the soon to be expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement (March 2011), an uncapped year in 2010, possible trades of disgruntled players or draft picks, and much more.

The Players

There will be over 300 players throughout the four-day event with every position represented from Quarterback to Defensive End to Long Snapper.  Not all invitees will participate in all events and some may pick and choose or wait for their Pro Day to show their stuff — Thanks Agents!!  Unfortunately two of the bigger names in the 2010 NFL Draft, quarterbacks Tim Tebow (Florida) and Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) have chosen to only come to Indy to participate in interviews, the Wonderlic, and measurements, but not the on the field drills.

But some players who I will be interested in seeing their efforts are Central Michigan quarter back Dan LeFevour – QB11 (Needs to show better arm strength than at the Senior Bowl), USC RB Joe McKnight – RB18 (Will he workout, is he the top player in the 2010 running back class, and how is his character), Florida LB Brandon Spikes – LB30 (How is his character (off the field past), is he ready for the NFL) and Florida State safety Myron Rolle – DB42 (How much rust does the aspiring doctor have after being in Oxford, England for a year on a Rhodes Scholarship) . Also it will great to see who is faster in the forty Clemson RB CJ Spiller (RB24), LSU returnman Trindon Holliday (ST02), Clemson WR Jacoby Ford (WO10) or some other speedster.

Find the complete list of the players invited to the 2010 NFL Combine.

NFL Combine Events

On the Field Drills

“The Forty” – This is the glamour event of the combine, as guys want to show the world how fast they are.  The player starts from a three-point stance and runs 40 yards as fast as possible. The player is timed in 10, 20 and 40-yard increments, to gauge the player’s explosion and speed.  Now track speed is good, but “football speed” – ability to run fast while cutting or changing direction and catching the ball – is more important.  Too often guys go to speed camps and “manufacture speed” (see 2007 Draftee Washington State WR Jason Hill) causing scouts to take a harder look at their game film.

225-Pound Bench Press – This is the second most talked about event of the combine.  As everyone around Indy will be saying the same line as when I was in high school, “What can you bench??”  At the combine everyone except quarterbacks and wide receivers are required to show how many reps they can do at 225-pounds.  Of course this event is led by famous loud mouth Arizona Cardinals Strength and Conditioning Coach John Lott – “Come on Meat, HUP, HUP!!”  Remember that players with longer arms have a tougher time pumping out reps and shorter squat guys usually can do some damage in this event.  To show you the importance/non-importance of this event, the record holder former Ohio State DE/OLB Mike Kudla (45 reps in 2006) wasn’t even drafted.

Standing Vertical Jump – This event shows the explosiveness of players from a still position.  With the NFL passing game based a lot of times on jump balls, this event is of ought most importance to receivers and defensive backs.  From a flat-footed position the player jumps up and smacks at plastic flags on a pole.  When you watch this event think of explosive Niners’ Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis, who had a position record of 42 inches at the 2006 combine.

Broad Jump – Another explosion drill.  From a standing position a player’s lower body strength is tested as they squat and jump forward as far as possible.  This event is usually led by the running backs and defensive backs. Jumps are measured from the starting point to the player’s back heel.

Three Cone Drill – This event is a test of a player’s speed, agility and cutting ability. Three cones are set up in an “L “shape (triangular format) with 5 yards between each of them. From a three-point stance at the first cone, on a coaches whistle the player has to sprint five yards ahead to the first cone then touch a white line – then sprint back to the starting cone touching a white line there – then running to the outside of the second cone – then cutting right to circle around the third cone – then finishing by running around the second cone and returning to the first cone.  This sounds exhausting just thinking about running this drill.

20-Yard Shuttle – This is an old fashioned test for most of us as you probably did this one in the Presidential Physical Fitness challenge…remember how much fun that was in fifth grade.  This drill tests speed, agility, and coordination. From a three point stance on a whistle a player runs 5 yards to one side touches the yard line – then runs ten yards in the other direction touches the line there and runs back to the original line.

60-Yard Shuttle – Same as the twenty-yard shuttle, but longer.   This time the player has to go 10 yards to a line then 5 yards back then 10 yards the other way then 20 yards back and finishes this time 10 yards to the starting point. This is an endurance monster, sorry Big Boys on the O-Line.

Position Drills – This is my favorite event at the combine, because NFL position coaches know what specific practice drills that the players that they coach will need to be good at, to succeed at the next level.  A couple position coaches from different NFL teams design ball motion drills usually around blocking dummies.  I love watching the D-Lineman practicing their rip moves and running full force at a blocking dummy.  Also watch for receivers running routes, quarterbacks being asked to throw the infamous out-pattern to the far sideline, and college defensive ends trying to make the transition to outside linebacker in the NFL trying to catch the ball – at the 2007 event a former NFL coach working for the NFL Network called several non-catchers “volleyball” players as passes bounced off their hands.

Off the Field Events

Measurements – Hey players do you want to feel like a piece of cattle.  As soon as players arrive in Indy they are given a cattle number (ex. QB03) and every player in attendance is measured head to foot with their height, weight, arm length, and hand size recorded.  And you thought that All-American offensive lineman was really 6′7 and 325 from his college game day program thought wrong, as he was only 6′4 ½ and weighed in at a sloppy 344.  Also the combine has a new piece of equip called the “Bod Pod” where players get in a space ship type machine and it measure s their body fat percentage.

NFL Team Interviews – Like any young person going from college to a job, players need to ace their interviews.  Teams know exactly what they want to ask when going after a player’s past in order to try and predict their future.  In the early years of the NFL Combine, the interview process used to be a mad scramble where teams would hoard players that they liked.  But now teams get about fifteen minutes to get to know a player with a limit of 60 players for each team. This usually occurs at the convention center or player hotel with every team looking to see what makes each player tick.  Remember “character” is the number one item on most teams list along with toughness, interests on and off the field, and intelligence (the Giants and Patriots are notorious for measuring a player’s understanding of the “game of football”).  At the 2009 NFL Combine, former Florida receiver Percy Harvin impressed the Minnesota Vikings by firmly answering some tough questions about his past.  The Vikings by doing their homework on Harvin at the Combine, went on to draft him with the 22^nd pick of the first round and the former Gator went on to be named the 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

NFLPA Meeting – This is a pre-cursor meeting to the NFL Rookie Symposium later in the summer.  The meeting serves as a welcome to the business of football for the crop of potential rookies and their agents.  The future of the NFL will learn all about their union including team reps, dues, health coverage, the collective bargaining agreement, and much more.  With potential labor strife hovering over the NFL in 2010, this year’s Combine invitees better be listening extra specially in these meetings.

The Wonderlic Test – The NFL is now calling this portion of the NFL Combine, psychological testing.  But I am not sure if there are any other brain tests other than the dreaded Wonderlic test.  The test is designed to measure a player’s I.Q. through a 50-question test administered in 23 minutes.  Most players are tired/uninterested when taking the test, which leads to a majority of guys not completing the test.  Some agents have started to have their clients cram for the test like the SAT coming out of high school, but at least you can take that test multiple times.  This is a one shot deal that many people put way too much emphasis on.  I can still hear all of the preposterous Vince Young test score reporting from 2006 — did you know that Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino and Terry Bradshaw both scored a 15 while forgettable former Rams quarterback Hugh Millen scored a 41.  Here is a sample question: “Paper clips sell for 23 cents per box. What will 4 boxes cost” — take all the time you need, because the only intelligence score that scouts should worried about is a player’s Football Intelligence (FBI).

Injury Evaluations – Every player at the NFL Combine has to walk around with their x-rays and injury history.  Teams and their doctors will poke and check any little thing that doesn’t sound or look right.  This part of the combine has to be difficult, because players may even be scrutinized about a small injury from high school.  Back at the 2007 NFL Combine, former Louisville and current Raiders running back Michael Bush – severely broken leg his Senior season — had to put on a happy face even though he was subjected to answering question after question about the condition of his surgically repaired leg.

The Cybex Machine Test – This machine will work the heck out of a player’s knee, as they are strapped to basically a spring-loaded madman creation. The Cybex machine tests a player’s knee movement and flexibility. While this test seems like any other medical test, it can be the difference in being a Day 1 or 2 pick.

Drug Test – Everybody wants to make sure players are clean coming into the NFL.  So like any other new job a drug test is administered looking for illegal drugs including marijuana (allegedly Warren Sapp tested positive for weed at the 1995 combine), cocaine, and performance-enhancing drugs (Luis Castillo of the Chargers test positive for ‘roids at the 2005 combine, but still went in the first round).

2010 NFL Combine Group Schedules

Wednesday February 24 to Saturday February 27

Group 1 (Kickers, Punters, Long Snappers and O-line), Group 2 (O-line), and Group 3 (Tight Ends)

• Wednesday February 24, 2010 — Travel to Indianapolis* ~ Registration ~ Hospital Pre-Exam & X-rays ~ Orientation ~ Interviews
• Thursday February 25, 2010 — Measurements ~ Medical Examinations ~ Media ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Friday February 26, 2010 — NFLPA Meeting ~ Psychological Testing ~ *PK/ST Workout* ~ Interviews
• Saturday February 27, 2010 — Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) ~ Departure from Indianapolis

Thursday Feb 25 to Sunday February 28

Group 4 (Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers), Group 5 (Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers), and Group 6 (Running Backs)

• Thursday February 25, 2010 — Travel to Indianapolis* ~ Registration ~ Hospital Pre-Exam & X-rays ~ Orientation ~ Interviews
• Friday February 26, 2010 — Measurements ~ Medical Examinations ~ Media ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Saturday February 27, 2010 — NFLPA Meeting ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Sunday February 28, 2010 — Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) ~ Departure from Indianapolis

Friday February 26 to Monday March 1

Group 7 (Defensive Linemen), Group 8 (Defensive Linemen), and Group 9 (Linebackers)

• Friday February 26, 2010 — Travel to Indianapolis* ~ Registration ~ Hospital Pre-Exam & X-rays ~ Orientation ~ Interviews
• Saturday February 27, 2010 — Measurements ~ Medical Examinations ~ Media ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Sunday February 28, 2010 — NFLPA Meeting ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Monday March 1, 2010 — Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) ~ Departure from Indianapolis

Saturday February 27 to Tuesday March 2

Group 10 and Group 11 (Defensive Backs)

• Saturday February 27, 2010 — Travel to Indianapolis* ~ Registration ~ Hospital Pre-Exam & X-rays ~ Orientation ~ Interviews
• Sunday February 28, 2010 — Measurements ~ Medical Examinations ~ Media ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Monday March 1, 2010 — NFLPA Meeting ~ Psychological Testing ~ Interviews
• Tuesday March 2, 2010 — Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) ~ Departure from Indianapolis

Top NFL Combine Event Records

Fastest NFL Combine 40-Yard Times

4.19 – Deion Sanders (DB), Florida State – 1989 (Hand Timed)

4.24 – Chris Johnson (RB), East Carolina – 2008

4.24 – Rondel Melendez (WR), Eastern Kentucky – 1999

4.28 – Jerome Mathis, (WR), Hampton – 2005 (electronic)

4.29 – Fabian Washington, (CB), Nebraska – 2005

4.30 – Darrent Williams, (CB), Oklahoma State – 2005

4.30 – Yamon Figurs, (WR), Kansas State – 2007

4.30 – Darius Heyward-Bey (WR), Maryland – 2009

Most 225-Pound Bench Press Reps

45 – Leif Larsen, (DT), Texas-El Paso – 2000

45 – Mike Kudla, (DE), Ohio State – 2006

44 – Brodrick Bunkley, (DT), Florida State – 2006

43 – Scott Young, (OG), BYU – 2005

42 – Isaac Sopoaga, (DT), Hawaii – 2004

Best Vertical Jump

46 – Gerald Sensabaugh, (FS), North Carolina – 2005

45 1/2 – Derek Wake, (OLB), Penn State – 2005

45 – Chris McKenzie, (CB), Arizona State – 2005

45 – Chris Chambers, (WR), Wisconsin – 2001

43 1/2 – Dustin Fox, (FS), Ohio State – 2005

43 1/2 – Kevin Kasper, (WR), Iowa – 2001

Fastest 10-Yard Times

1.43 – Aundrae Allison, (WR), East Carolina – 2007

1.43 – Eric Weddle, (SS), Utah – 2007

1.43 – Marcus McCauley, (CB), Fresno State – 2007

1.45 – Leon Hall, (CB), Michigan – 2007

1.46 – Colin Branch, (FS), Stanford – 2003

Fastest 20-Yard Shuttle Times

3.73 – Kevin Kasper, (WR), Iowa – 2001

3.76 – Deion Branch, (WR), Louisville – 2002

3.78 – Dunta Robinson, (CB), South Carolina – 2004

3.82 – Dante’ Hall, (RB), Texas A&M – 2000

3.83 – Kevin Bentley, (OLB), Northwestern – 2002

Fastest Three Cone Drill Times

6.45 – Sedrick Curry, (CB), Texas A&M – 2000

6.48 – Rogers Beckett, (FS), Marshall – 2000

6.49 – Carlos Rogers, (CB), Auburn – 2005

6.50 – Leon Hall, (CB), Michigan – 2007

6.51 – Jon McGraw, (SS), Kansas State – 2002

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

2010 Senior Bowl Review by Lloyd Vance

Idaho OL Mike Iupati was one of many stars from Senior Bowl week.  You can read more about Iupati’s performance in Sports Journey’s 2010 Senior Bowl Review 

(Mobile, AL) — Every NFL GM, head coach, and their staffs were in Mobile, Alabama the week of January 25^h as the 2010 Senior Bowl took center stage on the NFL Calendar.  The first week of the two week lead-up to Super Bowl was supposed to be focused on South Florida as the NFL’s Pro Bowl was moved to the mainland.  But the real football action was in Mobile, Alabama for the 2010 Senior Bowl. 

NFL talent evaluators and media filled Ladd-Peebles Stadium for a week’s worth of looking at college senior prospects for the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft.  The teams had the right idea in going to Mobile, because the Senior Bowl is the top place to view players “in pads” before all of the t-shirt and shorts workouts start beginning with the NFL Combine (February 24-March 2).  Senior Bowl week is a special event unto itself as shown by the extensive amount of coverage on NFL Network, but this year’s event had even greater significance as the biggest player in college football, Tim Tebow, was in attendance.

Saturday’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, with a 40,000 + seating capacity, was sold-out for weeks in advance and the week’s practices were very well attended, especially for the South team.  At practices, the stadium was abuzz at whatever Tebow decided to do whether it was consorting with the media, taking snaps under center, or just talking with his all-star teammates. 

Even though many of the top prospects in the 2010 NFL Draft were not in Mobile due to either being underclassmen (see Florida CB Joe Haden) or a top Senior deciding to wait until the NFL Combine (see Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh).  The good news was that several top-level senior players (USC safety Taylor Mays, Idaho OG Mike Iupati, Michigan DE Brandon Graham, Alabama NT Terrence Cody and others) did choose to participate in the Senior Bowl’s week long activities.  Overall, several scouts that I talked to, that were in Mobile, indicated that this year’s senior group was less talented than the 2009 group.  So don’t expect to see this year’s group reach the heights of the 2006 Senior Bowl class that produced 14 first-round picks.

Hopefully the players were relaxed, because the Senior Bowl is a week-long blur of Weigh-in’s, NFL level practices, competitive “Live” one-on-one drills, interviews, and of course Saturday’s game under the supervision of two NFL staffs (North: Detroit Lions and South: Miami Dolphins).   You can have the lesser All-star games and the NFL Combine, because the Senior Bowl is the place where “football” players get to show off their skills in front of the entire NFL.  The scene is really incredible, because everyone understands that the Senior Bowl is almost like the NFL’s yearly open scouting clinic. 

Also several new and old head coaches use the Senior Bowl as an opportunity to interview potential coaches to fill their vacancies on their staffs before hunkering down for the draft.  Make no bones about it, everyone in Mobile was starting the long pre-draft scouting trek that will end at Radio City Music Hall, but I am sure some of the talent evaluators present were there to start their draft cajoling and smoke-screening too.  The crazy thing about the event is that every team for the most part is open to talking to other NFL staffs, you could even see division rivals sitting in the stands next to each other talking shop at morning and afternoon practices.

As for the game, Ladd-Peebles Stadium was sold-out by fans looking to see the nation’s best seniors battled it out in the 61st annual Senior Bowl.  The storyline going into the game may have been Tebow, but his South team never got on track against a very well prepared North Squad, especially on defense.  The Lions’ coaching staff, led by head coach Jim Schwartz, had their squad ready to play and it showed in a 31-13 victory. 

The star and MVP of the game was Michigan undersized defensive end Brandon Graham (6’1, 263), who produced 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, five tackles with three of them for loss.  This smaller pass rusher, that some are comparing to Philadelphia Eagles DE Trent Cole, continuously was in the face of South quarterbacks Tebow, Zac Robinson and Jarrett Brown. “He’s a football player,” Schwartz said of Graham after the game. “You know, tweener, whatever — he’s a football player.”

 Other players who played well in the game were Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour (passing numbers: 5-of-10 for 97 yards and 1 TD); Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount (5 carries for 35 yards and 1 TD); Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard, (5 catches for a game-high 102 yards and 1 TD); Clemson speedy receiver Jacoby Ford (39-yard punt return); Georgia DT Geno Atkins and USC safety Taylor Mays (goal-line interception).  In addition to Graham winning the MVP, other Senior Bowl awards went to Gilyard (offensive player of the game), Mississippi State’s Jamar Chaney (defensive player of the game), Tulane’s Jeremy Williams (South MVP) and LeFevour (North MVP). 

As for Tebow, the player whom everyone came to see, he showed that he has much work to be done before the NFL Draft in April.  The former Heisman winner fumbled twice and threw several “safe” short passes (8-of-12 passes for 50 yards) with a couple being batted at the line of scrimmage.  The SEC’s all-time rushing touchdown leader and vaunted running quarterback also only carried the ball for 4 yards on four carries.

Now that the weighing, practicing, questioning, and playing is over for the 2010Senior Bowl, here are some observations, news, and notes from the event.

Event Risers – These were players that I believe increased their value in at the 2010 Senior Bowl.

Idaho OL Mike Iupati – Ironically after 60 Minutes had just profiled the “great” players from Samoa, another player from that region stepped up at the Senior Bowl.  The big (6’5, 325) All-American from Idaho was the most impressive lineman in Mobile by far all week. Iupati cemented his position as the top interior O-lineman in the 2010 Draft and he also showed some potential on the outside (35-inch arms). Displayed great footwork, balance and power in drills and in the game.  Though offensive guards are not typically first rounders, look for Iupati to have his name called early in April.

Ole Miss RB/WR/KR Dexter McCluster – A small player, who comes from the same mold as the Philadelphia Eagles Brian Westbrook.  McCluster will be able to help an NFL team in a variety of rolls including slot wide receiver, kick returner and in the Wildcat. The former Ole Miss running back is a true game-breaker, who looked to be one of the fastest players in practice while displaying agility in the open field.  Also is showed good hands catching the football and is not afraid to deliver a blow when running.

Florida State safety Myron Rolle – One of the best stories of Senior Bowl week got better by the day.  Rolle, who didn’t play football last year at FSU, came back from Oxford, England (Rhodes Scholar) and didn’t seem to miss a beat.  The aspiring doctor looked in great shape (6’2, 215) and showed little rust. Rolle was a lot smoother than people expected in drills including showing a good backpedal and an ability to close.  Rolle looked more polished player than his former FSU teammate Patrick Robinson, even after taking off one year from football. Looks to be a great leader in the mold of former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins.

Boise State CB Kyle Wilson – Once again a member of the Boise State football team was able to hang with the big boys when given an opportunity.  Wilson showed that he has shutdown corner skills and was excellent at mirroring receivers. The former Boise State star looked to be the most comfortable in press coverage and Wilson also shined in zone coverage in practice. Established himself as the top senior cornerback in this year’s draft and has a chance to go after Florida’s Joe Haden.

Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount – I know it will be hard for many to forget that Blount was suspended for the majority of the regular season after punching a player in Oregon’s opener.  But the stocky running back came to Mobile to work and it showed.  After a solid week of practice, Blount now projects to be a solid mid-round pick. The former Oregon starter ran well ball between the tackles and showed that he was a solid blocker.

Wayne State RB Joique Bell – When you come from a smaller school, you need to make a good impression in All Star games.  Bell made the most of his opportunity and showed that he belonged with some of his more ballyhooed teammates.  He caught the ball out of the backfield well and had good balance when running the ball.  Bell may not be the quickest guy on the field, but he has a chance of being a 3^rd down back in the NFL due to “Want To”.

UAB multi-purpose threat Joe Webb – Originally  a quarterback for most of his career at UAB, Webb made the transition back to the receiver position at the Senior Bowl.  The former two-time 2,000 yard passer and 1,000 yard rusher in the same season has very good size (6’4, 210) and showed a good attitude to go along with some good hands.  Webb looks like this year’s “Slash” and I could see a team drafting him to play multiple roles like Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl player Joshua Cribbs.  Worked hard in practices and on game day with a lot of scouts comparing him to NY Jets’ Wildcat. Brad Smith.

Miami (FL) TE Jimmy Graham – Came to Mobile as an unknown, but after a very good week this former basketball player made his mark on the gridiron.  Graham clearly out-played USC’s Anthony McCoy while looking comfortable catching the ball and blocking.  The former Hurricane has the frame (6’6, 260) and agility to be considered a top field-stretching prospect at the next level.  We will see if he can follow in the footsteps of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez going from the hardwood to the NFL, Graham had a very good week.

West Virginia QB Jarrett Brown – At the South team’s practices, everyone was supposed to be watching Tim Tebow.  It was no contest as Brown showed more passing skills and athleticism than Tebow.  Reminds me of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb in that he throws with great velocity and is a dual-threat.  Showed good footwork and arm strength in drills and many thought he as the best quarterback prospect in Mobile.  Right now, Brown is a better pocket passer than his former WVU teammate Pat White, who was a second round pick by the Dolphins in 2009.  Brown will need time to learn NFL defenses, but he has a good chance of being a 2nd or 3rd round developmental pick.

South Florida George Selvie – After a disappointing senior year, where many questioned why he didn’t declare after an impressive junior campaign.  Selvie came to Mobile looking to gain back some of the ground he lost during the 2009 season.  The former South Florida sacker showed an explosive first step and better strength than expected (able to bullrush on bigger O-lineman).   Also tried some linebacking drills, but clearly there is work to be done.  However to me, Selvie is what he is and that is an undersized (6’4, 244) pass rusher.   We will see if he can follow in the footsteps of 2009 NFL sack leader Elvis Dumervil.

Event Maintainers – These were players that I believe were solid and did not hurt their value at the 2009 Senior Bowl. 

Alabama DL Terrence Cody – I know he weighed in at 370 pounds and several media outlets sent his weigh-in picture out as a joke.  But “Mount” Cody is, what he is and that is a two-gap run-stuffing nose tackle.  You can ask any NFL evaluator that is running a 3-4 defense about how hard it is finding a dominant nose tackle.  Cody looked like the next Ted Washington or Casey Hampton as displayed good quickness and strength in blocking drills.  Expect the former Alabama All-American to slim down by his Pro Day and he should be a first round pick.

Penn State DT Jared Odrick – This high-motor versatile defensive lineman had a very good week as he was relentless and fluid in drills.  Odrick looks like a good fit as an under tackle in a 4-3 or a 3-4 end.  Spent many practices camped out in the North’s offensive backfield.  A rangy 300-pounder, Oldrick had a quick first step and had some good moves fending off blockers.  Unfortunately we never got to see Oldrick go one-on-one with Iupati in practices.

Oklahoma State CB Perrish Cox – Showed that he will be one of the top corners in the upcoming draft.  Cox was versatile in the coverage while showing speed and smooth hips. Broke well on the ball and should make an immediate impact in the NFL in nickel and dime coverages.

USC safety Taylor Mays — One of the bigger names coming into this week, Mays showed that he deserved a lot of attention.  Though some are trying to project him as a future weakside linebacker, the former USC hitter showed better than expected coverage skills in defensive back drills.  Looks like a good candidate to play strong safety in the NFL where his bulk will allow him to come-up and make plays in the box.

Florida WR Riley Cooper — Tim Tebow’s former go-to guy at Florida looked like he is ready to make the transition into the slot.  Cooper ran crisp routes and showed very good hands while not shying away from contact.  Looks to be like he could be the next Austin Collie, but we will have to wait and see.

Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour – After a very productive college career, this small school passer still had something to prove in Mobile.  LeFevour, who did show average arm strength, had good anticipation and was able to move around the pocket in drills.  Looks to be a solid back-up type in the NFL and should have his head in the playbook right away.

LSU OL Ciron Black – Showed versatility by playing both the offensive tackle and guard positions in practice.  Had a good knee bend and didn’t get too high in blocking drills.  Looks to be a mid-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, but should be a solid pro prospect at offensive guard.

Event Crashers – These were players that I believe hurt their value at the Senior Bowl and will need to make up ground at their Pro Days and the Combine to get back up in the mix by the NFL Draft.

Florida QB Tim Tebow – I know that he could have stayed home and lived off his lengthy resume.  But intangibles are now everything in the evaluation of a potential NFL quarterback.  Tebow is a great leader, however right now the Senior Bowl showed that his is behind Cincinnati’s Tony Pike and others.  The former Heisman winner had difficulty in practices taking snaps from under center and continued to throw with a painfully slow elongated delivery.  Maybe working with former NFL coach Zeke Bratkowski will help him with his footwork and other requisite quarterback skills, but currently Super Timmy looks like a situational quarterback (3^rd round pick).  One NFL personnel evaluator who was in Mobile said to me after watching Tebow practice, “He looks more like a fullback with each throw”. 

West Virginia OL Selvish Capers – One scout that I talked to, plainly said about Caper, “He was awful”.  The former WVU O-lineman had a bad weigh-in and his practice habits didn’t help him either.  Has great size (6’5, 304) and athleticism, but much like the majority of collegiate career, Capers hasn’t fully put it all together.  I am not sure he can be a legitimate franchise left tackle as he reached too often and was beaten to the inside too.

Oregon State QB Sean Canfield – A left-hander who displayed a weak arm in drills.  Looked like an undrafted free agent West Coast offense type as he was unable to consistently throw outside the hashes. The first team All-PAC 10 pick better work to improve his weak arm.

Ohio State DB Kurt Coleman – Clearly had problems in coverage and looked stiff in drills. Clearly looks like his best chance to make the NFL is as a backup strong safety and special teams player.

UMass OL Vladimir Ducasse – Looks the part of a top flight O-lineman (6’4 ½, 326) but something is missing.  Had problems in practice with lineman from bigger schools beating him off the snap.  Will need to work on his footwork and not reaching.

That’s a wrap for the 2010 Senior Bowl and now the NFL’s attention will shift to Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. 

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

Why all the fuss over Tebow at the Senior Bowl by Lloyd Vance

After a below average week at the Senior Bowl, a lot of NFL evaluators are wondering what’s all the fuss over Florida QB Tim Tebow

This week in Mobile, Alabama region, a phenomenon like none other took over the city on the Gulf.  No it was not President Barack Obama visiting, but to some it was something much bigger as former Florida quarterback and College Football legend Tim Tebow arrived to practice and play in the 2010 Senior Bowl.  The annual convention of NFL scouts, front office types, and the media that each year makes Mobile the hotbed of the football universe for one week, had never seen nothing like college football’s loveable folk hero.

Even though the Senior Bowl has been around for over 50 years, nothing could have prepared the All Star Game for Tebow.  Saturday’s game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, with a 40,000 + seating capacity, has already been sold-out for weeks in advance and the week’s practices were very well attended, especially for the South team – coached by the Miami Dolphins staff.  At practices, the stadium was abuzz at whatever Tebow decided to do whether it was consorting with the media, taking snaps under center, or just talking with his all-star teammates.

However I hate to rain down on Tim-polooza, but enough already with Timmy Terrific as the number one story at the Senior Bowl.  By all indications this week’s events at the nation’s foremost college all-star game confirmed what I have thought all along about him.  Much like former Gators’ standout quarterback Danny Wuerffel, Super Tim is a dream player off the field, a National Championship quarterback, a former Heisman Trophy winner, a college football “winner”, and an all-round great guy.  But the one thing that this week in Mobile confirmed is that Tebow is a second tier pro quarterback prospect at best. 

Tebow – described as the greatest college player ever by some — had difficulty in Senior Bowl practices taking snaps from under center, continued to throw with a painfully slow elongated delivery, and showed poor footwork.  One NFL personnel evaluator who was in Mobile said to me after watching Tebow practice, “He looks more like a fullback with each throw”.  To make matters worse for Tebow, not by his own doing, he stole all the attention from guys who really helped themselves in practices like Idaho OL Mike Iupati, Penn State DL Jared Odrick, Boise State CB Kyle Wilson, West Virginia QB Jarrett Brown, UAB receiver Joe Webb, and others.

Speaking of Webb, it was interesting to see that the former two-time over 2,000-yard passer and 1,000 rusher in the same season was “asked” to play receiver in this year’s game.  I wonder why a certain college superstar, who ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr believes has a chance at playing H-back in the NFL, wasn’t asked to practice at another position. 

To put it succinctly, this week confirmed what I thought of Tim Tebow’s potential as a pro quarterback going back to before the college football season.  As a prospect he is clearly behind Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Jarrett Brown, Dan Lefebvre, Tony Pike and many other quarterbacks in this year’s class.  Heck…give me Southern University passer Bryant Lee, who was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in FCS over Tebow as a quarterback.

I am not alone in my current assessment of Tebow as ESPN’s Todd McShay also was not impressed by the former Florida Super Man this week.  “I thought coming in that maybe all the intangibles and all the little things he did, showing signs of improvement could help his stock,” McShay said. “But I would say, unfortunately, that (coming to the Senior Bowl) hurt his stock.”

It will be real interesting to see if Tebow can thrill the Senior Bowl’s sellout crowd on Saturday afternoon – already has put out the Favre-ian excuse that he has been suffering from strep throat all week.  But to me and others he has a lot of work to do from now until the NFL Draft in April.  I am not even sure if performing well at the NFL Combine next month or a good Pro Day workout will move Tebow up from his expected mid-level draft grade.  Right now it would seem ludicrous for any NFL team including the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are rumored to like Tebow as a ticket seller, to put the future of their franchise on the line by making him a first or second round pick.

For those that don’t believe what we have seen during Tebow’s all-star week performance just put in the tape of his game this year against Tennessee with former coordinator Monte Kiffin running the defense.  In the 23-13 win by Florida, the former NFL superbowl-winning defensive coordinator’s unit confused Tebow as he threw for only numbers of 14-19 for 115 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 INT with a longest completion of only 18 yards. 

Maybe Tebow will prove all of his naysayers, including yours truly wrong, but right now his road to transferring his flashbulb worthy college stardom to Sunday’s game is a long ways off.

By way, Wuerffel “the winner” was a surprise 4^th round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 1997 NFL Draft and unfortunately he was quickly out the league within 5 years as his college mastery never translated to pro football. 

Lloyd Vance is a Sr. NFL Writer for Taking It to the House and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)