2011 NFL Scouting Combine News & Notes...

[mgteich]

Already the questions begin.

How could any of us have Smith out of the top 16? In fairness the Draft Machine had him at 13 earlier this week.

Is Watkins an OG or an OT? Our right side could use him in any case.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I want to know why Ijalana decided not to bench press.

Sports hernia surgery in January.

I have no issues with Watkins track scores, they may push him down a couple boards and ensure he's available late second or later where his game tape, experience, and athleticism meet.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I have no issues with Watkins track scores, they may push him down a couple boards and ensure he's available late second or later where his game tape, experience, and athleticism meet.

That's a BINGO!

I want his stock to drop, makes it more likely that we can snag him.

 

[TealSox]

Heard an interview of Castonzo [OL] at the combine speaking about going up against both Bowers and Quinn, saying that Quinn had a much faster "first step" and made him pay for any mistakes he made [much more than Bowers].

Spoiler alert: Richard Quinn is moving up in this draft like gas prices after a hurricane [or Middle East revolution].

 

[Off The Grid]

More than likely Watkins messed up the first test and didn't do what he was supposed to do. His agent probably saw the discrepancy between the senior bowl report and the actual and got Watkins do extend fully for the combine.

Ah, very good point.

I'm glad Watkins measured up. I wanted him ~ in a non Broke Back Mountain kind of way ~ all along!!

IF he measured up...so to speak.

 

[Off The Grid]

How do you mess up an arm length test?

Easy. If he was nervous at all and engaged his lats, his arms would shorten slightly. Try it; you can engage and disengage your lats and pull your arm further into your shoulder or vice-versa. It's common dance technique, to make dancers look long and graceful.

Long arms can be really helpful when fighting in the trenches. It's like reach in a martial artist. Even so, superior technique/ferocity will overcome arm, ah, extension.

Hah!! Nice...

 

[Off The Grid]

Carimi, of course, phucked up BIG TIME.

It was interesting to watch.

He gets a lot of props for his Tape against Clayborn and Heyward...and not without merit.

But I give more credit to Moffitt, on those...

Didn't see it. What happened?

Lost his footing. Got ahead of himself and fell on his face!!

I like Carimi, though: I don't place too much emphasis on one screw up.

A "Combine Faceplant"? Cool! Was he at least laughing when he picked himself up?

Hah!! I think he was laughing on the INside!!

Full Disclosure: his face didn't actually make contact with the turf: I was being a little Irish, there!!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Not sure why. He's demonstrated probably as much competence as most of the QB prospects in this class, plus he has two years' NFL experience understudying Brady (whose last understudy turned out okay). Might be more than one team in dire need of a QB who'd think they have a better chance with Hoyer for the equivalent of a 3rd or even a 2nd. Shanahan, for instance, saw him in camp not long ago. Between him and Crazy Dan Snyder, there might be a deal for Hoyer to be had there.

I don't mean "untradable" in the sense of "you can't get anything for him," but as in "I'm not sure the Pats can afford to get rid of him."

When they brought him in, they already had O'Connell and Gutierrez, who each had at least a year in the system. If you trade away Hoyer now, you have almost no one other than Brady with experience in the system.

 

[jays52]

I'm dealing with retail hell right now and NFL.com sucks on a mobile. Have the vert and shuttle #'s come in yet on Watkins?

 

[Seneschal2]

Re: Pioli on DE/OLBs...

It Is What It Is Scott Pioli: This is a good draft for defensive ends and outside linebackers

Excerpts:

“I think it’s a really good draft [for] some of the guys are defensive ends in a 4-3 or outside linebackers or potentially outside linebackers in the 3-4 defense. This is a strong class. This is a strong group of players,” Pioli said.


“Some of those guys who are defensive ends who have had their hands in the dirt so to speak, really, you haven’t seen them drop [into coverage],” Pioli said. “This is why it’s a critical time to work those players out — not that you’re going to know everything about their ability to drop into coverage, but you have to be able to look at them and see what their physical skills are when you go on campus and work them out or see them work out here. And there’s also the other part that you can’t really tell until he’s on your football team if he has the instincts and the awareness and the spatial awareness as a coverage guy.”

---

Confirmation from a reliable personnel source is worth mentioning. The "strong class" of DE/OLBs makes it a done deal that BB will dip into the pool of talent -- correct?

 

[Seneschal2]

Have the vert and shuttle #'s come in yet on Watkins?

No not yet. Keep checking here for updates.

 

[mcsully]

Putting aside we can't trade players right now, I'm perplexed on the trade offer, Mankins, Hoyer & TBC, to Arizona for their #1 pick. Why would Arizona make the trade? Yes Faneca is getting older and his level of play isn't what it was but we're basically asking Arizona for their #1 pick for Mankins, a guard.. When is the last time a guard was drafted in the top 10 (not an OT that failed and was moved to guard.. Leonard Davis? Unless you telling me Hoyer is a starter and TBC works better in Arizonas system, seems like a pipe dream.
In a trade 1-1, Mankins MIGHT fetch you a #1 at best @ the bottom 1/6th of the draft (26-32). So Hoyer and TBC move you up 20 spots? That's crazy.. Cassel only fetched us a #2 and using the draft chart, and factoring in 26th and 32 pick (mankins/cassel), u still aren't in the top 10.. TBC? He'll fetch you maybea 5th or 6. Its not adding up..

Until the CBA is agreed on and there is a rookie cap, BB won't trade into the top 7.. To much $$$.. To many if's.. Get ready for a lot of jumping around and i think the most excitement will see is BB going up a few spots on a player he's targeting (ala Ty Warren, Ben Watson, Maroney and Jackson)

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Anyone else surprised to see Houston weigh in at 270? I hope that's good weight, and not an indication of being out of shape. If he's really up to 6'3 270, then I think we ought to draft him. He has more experience playing 34 OLB than anyone other than Von Miller, but should be available in the late 1st. He's a little shorter than the prototype, but he's extremely sudden and explosive, and could be just what we need on the other side of Cunningham. Intriguing player, for sure.

 

[Peachhead]

Anyone else surprised to see Houston weigh in at 270? I hope that's good weight, and not an indication of being out of shape. If he's really up to 6'3 270, then I think we ought to draft him. He has more experience playing 34 OLB than anyone other than Von Miller, but should be available in the late 1st. He's a little shorter than the prototype, but he's extremely sudden and explosive, and could be just what we need on the other side of Cunningham. Intriguing player, for sure.

Justin Houston? Where did you see that weight?

And to answer the question: I like Justin Houston, but 270 (if that's who you mean) is a few lbs bigger than I'd like to see in a rookie OLB. If he can work as a OLB the agility tests will be big for him then.

He may be trying to make himself into a 4-3 DE.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Justin Houston? Where did you see that weight?

And to answer the question: I like Justin Houston, but 270 (if that's who you mean) is a few lbs bigger than I'd like to see in a rookie OLB. If he can work as a OLB the agility tests will be big for him then.

He may be trying to make himself into a 4-3 DE.

NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Justin Houston

Same height/weight reported on Walter Football and other sites. The question now, as you mentioned, is whether he can still move like a linebacker at that weight, and whether he enjoys the position. Perhaps he is trying to sell himself as a DE, as you suggested. Regardless, it bears monitoring.

 

[BPF]

Am I the only one who's been impressed by Derek Sherrod?

I know that being quick is one of his selling points but wow. He's quick, nimble, and has good footwork....of course I haven't seen much of him in games but that's why they have the combine.

I like this kid as well reminds me of Clady from Denver. Plays well on the field as well.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I'm dealing with retail hell right now and NFL.com sucks on a mobile. Have the vert and shuttle #'s come in yet on Watkins?

No not yet. Keep checking here for updates.

It usually takes a week or so after the Combine is over before the personnel people leak results to their media & draftnik contacts.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

IDK, Lutui and Faneca are both FAs unless they re-signed since I last checked a couple weeks ago. Faneca is old and may have been showing his age a bit last season. Apparently running to his side was somewhat problematic.

Anyway, they'd get a ProBowl OG in his prime plus the other two players. Maybe we'd have to kick in a later pick, like the #60 or #74, to seal the deal, but it seems like a fairly low risk proposition for the Cards.

You're right, neither have been signed, and Faneca is almost done. Though I read Lutui is their #1 priority when the CBA is done. But I don't think they'd value Mankins as much as having a #1 pick.

Putting aside we can't trade players right now, I'm perplexed on the trade offer, Mankins, Hoyer & TBC, to Arizona for their #1 pick. Why would Arizona make the trade? Yes Faneca is getting older and his level of play isn't what it was but we're basically asking Arizona for their #1 pick for Mankins, a guard.. When is the last time a guard was drafted in the top 10 (not an OT that failed and was moved to guard.. Leonard Davis? Unless you telling me Hoyer is a starter and TBC works better in Arizonas system, seems like a pipe dream.
In a trade 1-1, Mankins MIGHT fetch you a #1 at best @ the bottom 1/6th of the draft (26-32). So Hoyer and TBC move you up 20 spots? That's crazy.. Cassel only fetched us a #2 and using the draft chart, and factoring in 26th and 32 pick (mankins/cassel), u still aren't in the top 10.. TBC? He'll fetch you maybea 5th or 6. Its not adding up..

In terms of draft value chart, I don't think we'd make any deal in the top 10 that matched the Jimmy Johnson chart. It would have to be a combo of the team wanting to move out of that spot and giving some type of value discount for it.

If Arizona wasn't convinced they wanted a guy there and pay them $10M a season, they could do worse than that trade though. I think it's decent value, and better than what Cleveland got from the Jets.

Sports hernia surgery in January.

I have no issues with Watkins track scores, they may push him down a couple boards and ensure he's available late second or later where his game tape, experience, and athleticism meet.

Agreed. If a bunch of teams start undervaluing him based on a few drills vs. all the game tape, all the better for us.

 

[letekro]

On the Arizona trade, Hoyer is a player that is far more valuable to the Patriots than to other teams, thus I think he won't be involved in any trades. The Pats have put a lot of resources into developing him and to my eyes he is the most polished backup they have had since....when I started following the team in the late 80s.

 

[MaineMan]

Putting aside we can't trade players right now, I'm perplexed on the trade offer, Mankins, Hoyer & TBC, to Arizona for their #1 pick. Why would Arizona make the trade? Yes Faneca is getting older and his level of play isn't what it was but we're basically asking Arizona for their #1 pick for Mankins, a guard.. When is the last time a guard was drafted in the top 10 (not an OT that failed and was moved to guard.. Leonard Davis? Unless you telling me Hoyer is a starter and TBC works better in Arizonas system, seems like a pipe dream.
In a trade 1-1, Mankins MIGHT fetch you a #1 at best @ the bottom 1/6th of the draft (26-32). So Hoyer and TBC move you up 20 spots? That's crazy.. Cassel only fetched us a #2 and using the draft chart, and factoring in 26th and 32 pick (mankins/cassel), u still aren't in the top 10.. TBC? He'll fetch you maybea 5th or 6. Its not adding up..

Until the CBA is agreed on and there is a rookie cap, BB won't trade into the top 7.. To much $$$.. To many if's.. Get ready for a lot of jumping around and i think the most excitement will see is BB going up a few spots on a player he's targeting (ala Ty Warren, Ben Watson, Maroney and Jackson)

Based on what I've seen of Arizona's QBs, it seems a very good bet that Hoyer would be their starter when he walked through the door.

Not that often that a team gets one guaranteed ProBowl starter at a position of need, much less two, for one pick, even a high one. Hoyer has as much or more chance at becoming their franchise QB as any of the QB prospects they have to select from in this draft. That alone could be worth a first rounder to them.

Throw in experienced OLB/pass rush help and maybe a later pick like the #60 (as I later amended), and I don't see it being an awful deal for the Cards at all. They have a lot of key holes to fill. They cover two of them and still have the #38, 60, 69 and 102.