The 2015 NFL Combine Thread

[manxman2601]

On-field workouts start two weeks today on Feb 20th but some interesting snubs were revealed today.

The biggest for me was:

Shaq Mason, OG, Georgia Tech

He's one of my favourite guards in the draft so I'm very disappointed by this. Obviously his diminutive size is an issue for NFL teams.

Also:

Xavier Williams, DT, N. Iowa
Deontae Greenberry, WR, Houston
Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State (according to Dane Brugler)

 

[manxman2601]

the full list of prospects at the combine is in:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-invited-to-the-2015-nfl-scouting-combine-qbs

No Terry Williams

 

[manxman2601]

I was listening to Daniel Jeremiah's podcast today and he had two combine related notes, both about players I really like:

1. Devin Smith is a former high jump and long jump champion ( not sure the level). That means his jumps will be good. It's just going to be a question of his 3-cons and short shuttle.

2. Apparently Odighizuwa ran in the 4.6s this year. That would be big at 265. DJ went on to say that he thinks he could run in the 4.5s. I never realised he was that fast. He'll have trouble in the 3cone I suspect, but even so.

 

[luuked]

I was listening to Daniel Jeremiah's podcast today and he had two combine related notes, both about players I really like:

1. Devin Smith is a former high jump and long jump champion ( not sure the level). That means his jumps will be good. It's just going to be a question of his 3-cons and short shuttle.

2. Apparently Odighizuwa ran in the 4.6s this year. That would be big at 265. DJ went on to say that he thinks he could run in the 4.5s. I never realised he was that fast. He'll have trouble in the 3cone I suspect, but even so.

Manx any chance you could sum up what historically the most important drills are from a Patriots perspective ? I have not paid that much attention to the combine in the past and would love a short primer. That is if there are patterns and if it is not too much work..

 

[Luxusdk]

Depends on what you looking at... But Vert jump Works for most.

That sayed, I think BB value film study and interviews more then combine numbers.

 

[manxman2601]

Manx any chance you could sum up what historically the most important drills are from a Patriots perspective ? I have not paid that much attention to the combine in the past and would love a short primer. That is if there are patterns and if it is not too much work..

There seemed to be some patterns in the past but these have gone to the wall recently.

1. CB/WR - the fastest possible, certainly sub 4.5. Also need good 3-cone and SS.
2. DE need a good 3cone
3. Good vert for OL. Bear in mind that this might have been a Dante thing because last year's 3OL didn't fit that at all. It might still apply to OL taken in the early rounds.
4. Early rounders will be HWS (height, weight, speed) candidates.
5. Linebackers should be 240 plus. Nearer to 250 is better.

Those are fairly loose guidelines. I don't think BB has redlines at the combine but he does like real athletic guys. I'd ignore unathletic and undersize guys in the early rounds.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

the full list of prospects at the combine is in:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-invited-to-the-2015-nfl-scouting-combine-qbs

No Terry Williams

Not terribly surprising i guess. All the more likely he is there much later in the 6th-UDFA range now. He looks like a player that would exceed at the combine, so maybe this is good news.

 

[manxman2601]

Not terribly surprising i guess. All the more likely he is there much later in the 6th-UDFA range now. He looks like a player that would exceed at the combine, so maybe this is good news.

I shall be waiting for his pro-day for sure. Just a reminder, on his ECU profile page they list him running a 7.28 3cone. That's incredible for a 344b guy. Even allowing for some exaggeration, the fastest combine result for a DT at over 320lbs that I can find is Michael Brockers at 7.44s. Can't wait to see if he can get close to 7.28.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I shall be waiting for his pro-day for sure. Just a reminder, on his ECU profile page they list him running a 7.28 3cone. That's incredible for a 344b guy. Even allowing for some exaggeration, the fastest combine result for a DT at over 320lbs that I can find is Michael Brockers at 7.44s. Can't wait to see if he can get close to 7.28.

If you go through the list of every prominent NT in the league, the magic number seems to be sub-8.0. If he truly does register sub 7.3, his movement skills would be comparable to Fletcher Cox and Aaron Donald, with an additional 50lbs to work with.

 

[manxman2601]

If you go through the list of every prominent NT in the league, the magic number seems to be sub-8.0. If he truly does register sub 7.3, his movement skills would be comparable to Fletcher Cox and Aaron Donald, with an additional 50lbs to work with.

That's part of what excites me about him from the start. Thing is, you do see that short area quickness on tape. I doubt it will end up sub 7.3 but Sub 7.45 would be fantastic.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

That's part of what excites me about him from the start. Thing is, you do see that short area quickness on tape. I doubt it will end up sub 7.3 but Sub 7.45 would be fantastic.

to put that in perspective, only 4 guys 310 and over have ever gone sub 7.45. And Brockers would be the closest to Williams weight, at a little less than 30lbs lighter than williams. I am not sure how old those testings were done, but even his 3cone is highly impressive.

 

[JerseyShore99]

Combine invites I'd love in NE:
Ameer Abdullah
Todd Gurley
Dee Hart
Duke Johnson
Jeremy Langford
TJ Yeldon
Karlos Williams
Amari Cooper
Jamison Crowder
Devin Funchess
Rashad Greene
Kevin White
Jesse James
Tyler Kroft
Arie Kouandjio
Laken Tomlinson
Brandon Scherff
Arik Armstead
Mario Edwards
Markus Golden
Shane Ray
Paul Dawson
Shaq Thompson
Ramik Wilson
Jalen Collins
Kurtis Drummond
Cody Prewitt
Trae Waynes
Damian Swann
PJ Williams
Jermaine Whitehead

 

[meatface]

Dan Kadar has some sleepers to watch at the combine
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-dr...nfl-combine-preview-players-to-watch-sleepers

Im intrigued by Jesse James and JJ Nelson

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Dan Kadar has some sleepers to watch at the combine
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-dr...nfl-combine-preview-players-to-watch-sleepers

Im intrigued by Jesse James and JJ Nelson

I like Jesse James a lot, but that's not a popular opinion. I will say, gronkowski he is not, but he could do a nice Scott chandler impersonation.

 

[manxman2601]

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the combine?

For me:

1. Mario Edwards. What will he weigh and just how athletic is he?
2. Devin Smith. Interested in his 3-cone and short shuttle times. He'll excel at the jumps and the forty.
3. Marcus Hardison. Just how athletic is he? My feeling is that he'll be outstanding for a guy his size. But will what I see on tape be reflected in the combine-specific numbers.
4. UConn DB Byron Jones. Great size for a press corner. Does he have the athleticism to match.
5. Nick Marshall. Really impressed me at the senior bowl. Great size. Can he run sub 4.5.
6. How athletic is Clive Walford? Probably the best all-round TE on tape. Does he have the athleticism to match?

 

[mayoclinic]

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the combine?

For me:

1. Mario Edwards. What will he weigh and just how athletic is he?
2. Devin Smith. Interested in his 3-cone and short shuttle times. He'll excel at the jumps and the forty.
3. Marcus Hardison. Just how athletic is he? My feeling is that he'll be outstanding for a guy his size. But will what I see on tape be reflected in the combine-specific numbers.
4. UConn DB Byron Jones. Great size for a press corner. Does he have the athleticism to match.
5. Nick Marshall. Really impressed me at the senior bowl. Great size. Can he run sub 4.5.
6. How athletic is Clive Walford? Probably the best all-round TE on tape. Does he have the athleticism to match?

- Athletic DTs: Eddie Goldman, Malcolm Brown, Jordan Phillips and Ellis McCarthy
- DL Hybrids: Marcus Hardison and Mario Edwards. Very versatile and athletic guys.
- EDGE guys: Bud Dupree, Bernardrick McKinney, Danielle Hunter and Max Valles. Want to see the VJs, 10-splits and 3-cones on some of these guys.
- Athletic day 3 TEs with upside: Jesse James, Blake Bell, Jean Sifrin and Jeff Heuerman (Walford interests me, but I don't really want to spend a day 2 pick on a TE)
- Day 3 WRs: Tre McBride - does he have separation speed, and how good is his 3-cone? Also interested in Tony Lippett and Rashad Greene, and in DeAndre Smelter's weigh-in and whether he stays under the radar.
- Big CBs: Jalen Collins, Ladarius Gunter, Josh Shaw, Eric Rowe, Damian Swann and Byron Jones.
- Off LOS LBS and big safety hybrids: Shaq Thompson, Eric Kendricks, Paul Dawson, Kwon Alexander, Jaquiski Tartt
- Tevin Coleman and Jay Ajayi. Todd Gurley's weigh-in, and any gossip about him. David Cobb, David Johnson, Buck Allen and Josh Robinson are also of interest.
- TJ Clemmings, Brandon Scherff, Cam Erving, AJ Cann, Jeremiah Poutasi, and Ali Marpet. More interested in measurements (especially arm length) and in watching these guys in the positional drills than in terms of any times, though VJ and 3-cone will be interesting.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I thought it interesting that Belichick gave his coaches time off from the combine. Now I'm not a draft person like others here ... casual observer. But I've often thought the combine is really not a format that Belichick would find very useful anyways ... but it's there so he goes. So my question is does anyone here think the combine has any useful value to Belichick? If he gives his coaches time off that tells me he's really not afraid of missing anything. Perhaps the combine is more useful to the coaches as in learning the ropes.

 

[manxman2601]

I thought it interesting that Belichick gave his coaches time off from the combine. Now I'm not a draft person like others here ... casual observer. But I've often thought the combine is really not a format that Belichick would find very useful anyways ... but it's there so he goes. So my question is does anyone here think the combine has any useful value to Belichick? If he gives his coaches time off that tells me he's really not afraid of missing anything. Perhaps the combine is more useful to the coaches as in learning the ropes.

I'm sure the interviews and Medicals play a part in their evaluation of some prospects and he usually drafts athletic guys so the numbers matter to a degree. As to whether it requires the coaching contingency to be present is anOther matter.

 

[Peachhead]

the full list of prospects at the combine is in:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-invited-to-the-2015-nfl-scouting-combine-qbs

No Terry Williams

I don't see OGs Kyle Costigan (Wisc) or Luke Charpentier (Arkansas) on the list. Excellent. I want them well under the radar.

 

[mrscruff]

The interviews are one of the most important parts of the process and NFL teams can never have enough time with prospects.

Teams have to figure out the whole package with these guys (even they have no red flags) regarding personality, locker room fit etc.

Also the combine is a way of gauging the commitment and professionalism of the participants to perform the drills to their utmost as well as the ability to perform under pressure and the limelight from the media, team personnel etc.