KENDALL WRIGHT
As late as Saturday night, Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright was in position to replace Justin Blackmon as the preemptive, first wide receiver taken in the NFL Draft. The speed receiver was Robert Griffin III’s favorite receiver last season and was expected to run in the 4.3-range. Instead Wright ran a 4.61 and looked slow and sloppy in workouts. By comparison, his Baylor quarterback ran a 4.41.
BOISE STATE
The size concerns about Kellen Moore have been lessened. measured in at 6-feet tall,not 5’10 as many detractors have been shrinking him in their subconsciouses. Most importantly, he arrived weighing 197 pounds, up from the 176 he played with at Boise State.
Running back Doug Martin ran a 4.55 time and according to scouting expert Tony Pauline of SI.com, defensive end Tyrone Crawford is garnering praise as one of the biggest sleepers of the Draft.
Tyrone Crawford, Boise State: Crawford could be the sleeper at the defensive line position. He clocked 4.85 seconds in the 40 at 275 pounds, more impressively posting a 1.65 10-yard split on his initial try. Crawford was fluid and natural in all his movement skills and looked very good in position drills. He showed terrific hand punch in bag drills and his 28 bench press reps was better than expected. Look for Crawford to be selected before the second day of the draft ends.
THE INCREDIBLE PLUMMETING STOCK OF VONTAZE BURFICT
Arizona State’s (aka Terrell Suggs’ alma mater, Ball So Hard University) volatile linebacker, Vontaze Burfict may be one of the most out of control prospects to ever walk into an NFL combine. I don’t think stock has plummeted this quickly since the Hoover presidency. Despite being immensely gifted, Burfict’s stock has suffered because of incidents on and off the field, including his penchant for late flags.
Against Stanford in 2010, Burfict earned a flag for grabbing the facemask and after complaining to an official, was hit with an unsportsmanlike penalty that put Stanford in position for the game-winning touchdown.
After his sophomore campaign, Burfict was selected as a Sporting News First Team All-American and as Pac-10 Defensive MVP. Last summer he punched a walk-on receiver he outweighted by 50 pounds for bumping him in a seven-on-seven drill. Last season, he wasn’t even named to the Pac-12 Honorable Mention Team. This weekend, he ran a 4.93 40 at the combine. “The guy is completely out of control. There’s no way you could trust him. I can’t believe they [ASU coaching staff] didn’t cut him loose,” one scout told Feldman.
The Grandmaster of Attitude, Randy Moss, had an enlarged ego but at least he never socked a teammate and had the talent to back up his attitude.
The NFL Network’s Mike Mayock says he’s not a first rounder. I don’t think he’s even a second day pick. ESPN.com’s Ted Miller sums up the disaster that is Burfict perfectly.
STEPHEN HILL
Since Calvin Johnson went pro and Paul Johnson implemented his triple option offense, Georgia Tech receivers haven’t received much attention. Tim Tebow’s favorite receiver Demarius Thomas is experiencing the option offense again in Denver but it appears another surprise Yellow Jacket receiver prospect may be gaining momentum as the hidden gem of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Hill measured in at 6-4, 215 pounds(Georgia Tech’s media guide lists him at 6-5) and then recorded the Combine’s fastest 40 by running a 4.36 time. Hill caught only 28 passes in his junior season at Tech but averaged 30 yards a catch for 820 yards. While he has been considered the fift or sixth best receiver in the upcoming Draft, his combine times combined with his workout at receiver could launch him into the first round.
ANDREW LUCK, ROBERT GRIFFIN III …AND CAM NEWTON
Neither Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III threw at the combine but both ran. Griffin recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time by a quarterback since Michael Vick and Luck displayed Cam Newton-type straight line speed. Everyone knew Luck was athletic but posting a 4.6 40-time only cemented his odds as the best quarterback prospect since Elway. Luck’s vertical leap of 36 inches was also one inch higher than Cam Newton’s 2011 leap. There’s no way the Colts are going to pass on a quarterback from a pro-style offense with a supreme football and mobility.
Here’s a very creepy overlay of the Ghosts of RGIII, Luck and Newton running the 40-yard dash. The space time continuum has been broken.
Memphis defensive tackle, Dontari Poe killed it at the combine.
Former Oregon RB LaMichael James ran a 4.45 40-yard dash.
