Patrick Willis of Ole Miss runs 4.49 at Combine

[broadwayjoe]

http://www.gbnreport.com/

The early story at Monday’s on-field workouts involving defensive linemen and linebackers was some very fast 40 times turned in by the LBs. Indeed, unheralded Antwan Barnes of Florida International stopped the clock in 4.40, while Quincy Black of New Mexico clocked 4.42. The LB who made the most money today, though, was probably Patrick Willis of Ole Miss, the top-rated LB is this year’s draft class who likely locked up a mid-first-round selection when he also cracked the 4.50 running the 40 in an official 4.49. Other LBs turning in excellent times in the low to mid-4.5s included MLBs David Harris of Michigan, Hampton’s Justin Durant, Brown’s Zak DeOssie and Alabama OLB Juwan Simspon. Meanwhile, the Florida State duo of MLB Buster Davis and OLB Lawrence Timmons posted decent times. Davis, for example, timed at around 4.70 seconds for the 40; while not track speed, that’s a good time for Davis who plays that fast. For his part, OLB Timmons ran in the high 4.5s, again solid enough times for a player who also plays fast. . Penn State’s Paul Posluszny was also in the ballpark with 40 times in the high 4.6s, but that may not be enough to get Posluszny into the opening round. Same story for Miami OLB Jon Beason who timed in the 4.65 range. In fact, Posluszny was overshadowed, at least in the 40, by his former Nittany Lions’ teammate Tim Shaw who surprised by running in the mid 4.45 range. On the other hand, several LBs posted disappointing times. Michigan OLB Prescott Burgess, for example, timed in only the high 4.8s and looked stiff doing it. Florida OLB Earl Everett also timed close to 4.90, but pulled a hamstring in the process and passed on his second run. Everett, though, looked better in some of the agility drills. Meanwhile, Clemson DE Gaines Adams did nothing to hurt his ranking as the top-rated player at the position in the 2007 draft class when he led all DEs with a 4.64 40 time.Whether that’s enough to propel Adams into the top 5 overall of this year’s draft, however, remains to be seen. Continuing a theme in which smaller school players have done well at this year’s combine, Central Arkansas DE Jacob Ford followed Adams with a 4.65 forty clocking, while Miami’s Baraka Atkins helped himself running around 4.70, while Victor Abiamiri of Notre Dame, another first-day DE posted a borderline 4.80. Texas DE Brian Robison also drew raves from the NFL Network crew for a strong overall day.

He just made a few extra dollars.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Congrats to Willis. Really hard to imagine Carolina letting me slip by with a time like that.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The Pats will have to move up to the mid teens to get Willis now, I beleive.

Time to look elsewhere...

 

[chunkypony]

Im impressed with Tim Shaw. he's def. a mid-round LB prospect who can play with his hand down, as well as shifting to an OLB or ILB position.

 

[carolinatony]

I would trade up to get him but that's just me, Most fans keep saying BB never takes a LB so I guess its TE or DL.
Don't be sure about Carolina taking him; they need a lot of help on offense.
Keyshawn(sp) may or may not be back.
They could go DB as well or even DL if someone is there they like. There front 4 beside Peppers didn't do much last year.

 

[SamBamsFan]

I would trade up to get him but that's just me, Most fans keep saying BB never takes a LB so I guess its TE or DL.
Don't be sure about Carolina taking him; they need a lot of help on offense.
Keyshawn(sp) may or may not be back.
They could go DB as well or even DL if someone is there they like. There front 4 beside Peppers didn't do much last year.

I had him going to Carolina in my mock, but even if they pass Cincinnatti & the Jints have big time need.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Another ILB the Pats are checking out:

Desmond Bishop Combine Transcript

6-1 ½, 239 pounds

Is 239 a little lighter than where you played this year?
"That's a little bit down. I played at 243."

Is all of that in your normal range?
"Yeah, all that range, anywhere from 239, 240 to 245."

Will the 40 be important for you, with some questioning your sideline-to-sideline speed?
"Yeah, I think it is, because it gives me a chance to show that what I do on the field I can also do in the 40, I can actually run sideline-to-sideline, drop back in coverage and do whatever's necessary."

Have you ever played in a 3-4 scheme?
"I haven't played in a base 3-4, but sometimes we run 3-4 at Cal. And I think I could do it."

What have your discussions with Patriots been like?
"They talked a little bit about, asking if I could play in the 3-4, which I think I could do. But mostly just talking, getting a feel for each other, getting to know each other a little bit. And we'll let the combine stuff take care of itself."

Can you gauge the interest?
"Nah, it's really hard. I mean, I could say that they like me and be off. I could say that they don't like me, and they might like me more than I think. So it's really hard to tell until draft day."

What separates you from the other ILBs in terms of being to play in the 3-4?
"I think I'm versatile. Some people say they don't think I can drop back in coverage, that I'm just a run stopper. But I think I could drop back in coverage, I can run-stop, I could play in the 3-4. I could do whatever linebackers do."

When did you move from Hunter's Point to Vallejo and then to Fairfield?
"When I moved to Vallejo, I think I was 12 - and I was back and forth from Vallejo to San Francisco - 12, 13. Then when I hit high school I moved to Fairfield."

Was that your mom just trying to find a safer place for the kids?
"Yes, most definitely."

What are some of the memories from the Hunter's Point years?
"For anybody that knows Bay View/Hunter's Point, it is what it is. It's not the nicest neighborhood. But I think growing up as a kid, it kind of taught me a lot - a lot of stuff to stay away from, not to be caught up in. So it was a lesson. And I thank my mom for getting us out, and I appreciate it. I appreciate where I'm from."

Did it toughen you up?
"Oh yeah, most definitely. It was always a rivalry. You always had to protect yourself, you couldn't show signs of weakness. Because you'd get exploited. So you always had to have kind of be tough, be physical, play football on the concrete - played against different quote-unquote sets or whatever. But it was all fun, so it was a life lesson."

How do you channel that into positive qualities?
"I think it was my mom, the way she raised me - the way she raised me and my brothers and my sister. Times you gotta be tough, times you gotta be hard, but then again you also have to have integrity, gotta be respectful and I think that plays a big part."

Marshawn Lynch talks about the importance of his mom, too.
"I think in those kinds of neighborhoods, your mom is like where everybody gets around and pulls strength and energy from. Because she been through a lot. And the way she teaches, you just take it on, and every facet of life you're going through, you take your mom's lessons with you. I know that's what Marshawn doing, the same thing I'm doing."

Is taking on offensive linemen a strength of your game?
"I think it's one of the strengths. I mean, I can't really pinpoint an exact strength, but I think just the tangibles of being a football player is what I do the best, just flying around and having fun."

But you don't mind mixing it up?
"No, I don't."

What's your mom's name?
"Sherry Harris."

What's she doing now?
"Actually, that's another thing that makes her even more great is she has an anxiety disorder. So she's disabled, but still a strong woman."

Did she have that disorder throughout your childhood?
"Yes, more or less."

Was it hard for her to hold down jobs?
"It was a little bit difficult. But I have a big family, and they all kind of worked together. And we actually owned a store, a liquor store in Bay View/Hunter's Point. So that's where the finances came from."

Wow, dangerous business…
"I know."

Did it get held up and stuff?
"Yeah. A lot of stuff happened in there. I don't know if it's appropriate for me to talk about what happened in there, but it was definitely crazy."

You ever spend time there?
"Yeah. I actually worked in there a few summers, helped my grandfather out. Me and my cousins, we all worked in there a decent amount of time."

You must have seen it all in that liquor store.
"I saw everything in the world in that neighborhood. But like I said, it was a lesson in what to stay away from. It's probably why I don't smoke or drink. I've seen where it can lead."

Can Lynch do everything?
"He can do anything. Any- and everything. Whatever team gets him definitely gonna be lucky. I know they got him high in the draft, but whoever gets him, they're gonna get more than they expect."

Any teams show particular interest in you?
"Nah, not really. Just going around, talked to a few teams. I can't really judge. I'm just being me, and hopefully everything work out."