This is why I hate the Combine

[PSUFAN]

Mario Manningham's 40 times were 4.59 and 4.62. I think that will lower his draft stock. Anyone who watched the kid play would have to admit that he's an excellent talent with a great deal of NFL potential.

[Cicero]

I agree. Too much stock is put into 40 times and how high someone jumped and not into what they actually did on the field.

[Danimal]

At his height he doesn't have to depend on speed as much, but this does hurt a bit. He'll have to perform better at Mich's pro-day.

[M Club]

he's 6'0". he needs a better 40 time.

[Hurricane Warning]

What the hell are "tight hips"? I see this as a negative for some of the best LB prospects and I can't make any sense of it. It also reminds me of how foolish people can be in overanalyzing these kids. Tight hips? If a LB can tackle and provide pass coverage, why do they care about tight hips? I like the idea of the combine and I do think some of the data gathered is valuable but it goes too far in deterimining when kids are drafted. Some of these scouts place more value on a single workout than the four years of college football that the kid played. I watched it though. One guy I'd love to see the Dolphins snag is Todd Blythe the WR from Iowa State. I think he is highly underrated. Any of you Big 12 guys have any thoughts about him?

[Shoalzie]

I wish they'd do the combine where the players are in full uniform and with the 40 yard dash they should be carrying a football. At least make these events more relatable to actual play. How is running in a t-shirt and shorts in a dome on sport turf going to translate into playing in 10 degree weather at Lambeau Field in the NFC title game? Measurables are just that, measurables but you I think you can take more stock in actual game film or the postseason all-star games where these guys are actually competing against each other.

[PSUFAN]

I guess it's just a pet peeve. I have to assume that NFL team offices are peopled by folks with some good common sense, for the most part. A kid won't get lost simply because ESPN failed to fully depict his potential...at least that's the hope.

[Killian]

Jerry Rice ran a 4.6 at the combine, and a 4.6 on Sunday's. Ditto Emmit Smith.

Most guys who run 4.3-4.4's at the combine, run a 4.7-4.8 on Sunday's.

[TheJON]

Too often we see guys that go to the combine and put on a great show so their draft stock rises but then they go on to flop in the NFL (see Troy Williamson and Roddy White). Raw talent only gets you so far, but I'd look more at what a player actually does in a game. You have to have the raw talent to make it in the NFL, but you also have to perform well when the bullets are flying. A lot of players have great combines and never do anything in the league whereas guys that maybe didn't have as good of a combine come into the NFL and become pro-bowlers.

Wasn't Ryan Leaf allegedly the most impressive overall player at the 1998 NFL combine? Charles Rogers is another bust who had a great combine.

The combine should have some bearing on how teams select players, but it shouldn't be as important as they claim it is.

I would select a player based on the following....

1.How they performed in college
2.How they performed in all-star game camps
3.How they performed in their individual workouts on campus
4.How they performed in the combine
5.How well they impress during their sit-down interviews with teams

If they performed well in 3-4 of those, I'd take a serious look at that player. If they performed well in all 5 of them, they're most likely worthy of being a Top 10-20 pick. If they performed well in just 2 of them, they're probably a mid round pick. 1 of them, they're either a 7th rounder or not worthy of being drafted.

That said, I am hoping Jake Long drops to #5 because the Chiefs desperately need a franchise LT right now. This draft is arguably the most important draft of my lifetime for KC. If we look back on this draft in a few years and say it was a busted draft, the Chiefs franchise is in deep doo-doo!

[Goober McTuber]

The combine should have some bearing on how teams select players, but it shouldn't be as important as they claim it is.

I would select a player based on the following....

1.Did they play at Iowa?

EOS

FTFY.

[RumpleForeskin]

Donnie Avery ran a 4.40 for the WR workouts, but its not on the NFL.com's combine report. WTF?

http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Avery must have been nervous because he was expected to have the fastest time 'cus dude ran a 4.27 in college.

[Shoalzie]

Did anyone really doubt McFadden's athletic ability in the first place? We know what he's capable...we've seen it the last two years. I don't think one 40-yard dash should cause any fence-riders to think he's great now. He's a great talent...he just needs to keep his nose clean.

[Brock in Va Beach]

Everybody knows that the field in Indy produces slower than average 40 times. Scouts don't pay it much mind. They are mostly looking for the first 10 yard burst time anyhow, and the technique of the player as he comes out of the stance.

Hell on the QB/RB/WR day there were only 10 players who ran a sub 4.5, and 1 of them was a QB from a D-III school.

[Danimal]

Hmm, always thought Manningham was bigger than that. For being average height that 40 does need work.

[TheJON]

If Manningham slips to the 3rd round, I would love for KC to take him. We need another WR alongside D-Bowe and Manningham has great potential. If he can just become a quality #2 receiver and the Chiefs drafted him, whoever plays QB for the Chiefs (please anyone besides Brody Croyle) is going to have some great targets to throw to.

Here's what I'm hoping for....

1st round, Jake Long, LT Michigan
2nd round, Akib Talib, CB Kansas
3rd round, Mario Manningham, WR Michigan
4th round, A kicker

If the Chiefs can pull that off, I'd be very happy. Now, we'd just need a RT,a young center, a pair of DT's, and a QB and we'll be set!!!

[TheJON]

True, but they do overvalue the combine and past results have proven that. There's a number of players that weren't great collegeplayers but go to the combine and impress the scouts but they're busts in the NFL. You just don't know what you're getting with an athlete until you see what he can do in game action and the combine doesn't give you that. Just because I can run fast, jump high, throw a tight spiral, etc doesn't mean I will fit into your system or play well in a game situation.

[M Club]

this:

I can't imagine NFL teams making multimillion dollar investments need anyone's advice as to how to judge these kids during the combine.

seems to counter this:

It's basically a crapshoot with millions and millions at stake.

the vast majority of teams are mediocre. that means whoever's running these teams is making mediocre decisions. some of them are legitimately retarded. just because you nor i are qualified to run an nfl franchise doesn't mean they are. their hesitation to stray even the slightest from conventional wisdom is what gives us the same recycled losers in the coaching merry-go-round and a weekend full of fat guys running 5.9 second 40s.

[.m2]

I remember some Michigan fans saying Manningham was as fast as DJ

4.62


Ouch.


He's *almost* as fast as Cal's blocking (TE) 6'4" 252 Stevens who won the bench press

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/cra ... ns?id=1992


it's all relative

In the Big 10, 4.62's are good enough to dominate opposing secondaries. The Big 10 simply made him look fast.

This is also why the Suckeye defense was number 1, clearly overrated. We saw what Oregon did to the UM-d last year. I don't like the Ducks and did not see the second half but, I heard Dennis Dixon was making balloon animals after halftime and passing them out to the Wolverine defense to make things even.

Speaking of "me no like", tOSU is going to get once more a severe OOC beat down when they play $C. Yet, they will be at the NC game vs ND and the "cheeseburger" Weiss, oh epic battles here we come!




Don't forget about Mike Hart (4.67)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/sportsli ... 5827.shtml


One who didn't was the University of Michigan's Mike Hart, who ran 4.67 and 4.69. In his interview with the media Saturday the 5-foot-8½, 206-pound Hart conceded he had to "have a great week" and "run a good 40."

He failed on at least one account.

"I feel sorry for him because he's such a great guy," said a scout. "But he's 5-8 and 4.7. You can forget him."

[Shoalzie]

I remember some Michigan fans saying Manningham was as fast as DJ

Not anyone on this board...


As for Hart, he wasn't known for his speed at Michigan. He's a tough between the tackles runner that hangs onto the rock (except for the Capital One Bowl). I don't think he'll be anything more than a #2 running back...he won't survive the pounding the average NFL back takes in a season. He might be a guy that gets 100-150 carries a year.

[Adelpiero]

I remember some Michigan fans saying Manningham was as fast as DJ

Not anyone on this board...


As for Hart, he wasn't known for his speed at Michigan. He's a tough between the tackles runner that hangs onto the rock (except for the Capital One Bowl). I don't think he'll be anything more than a #2 running back...he won't survive the pounding the average NFL back takes in a season. He might be a guy that gets 100-150 carries a year.

shhhhhhh let the delusional tard have his day.

[M Club]

I remember some Michigan fans saying Manningham was as fast as DJ

considering manningham was fast enough to run roughshod through the florida secondary, i think he's pretty quick. he was also michigan's one consistent deep threat the past two years. he's fast, even if he didn't play in the sec or for, uh, cal, i guess.

hart ran a sub-4.7? that's a lot quicker than i ever would've imagined. watch football much?

[.m2]

watch football much?

My comment wasn't meant as a criticism, just that lot's of great college players don't make it in the pros. For RBs, the cut-off often is a step or 2 in the speed department.



By the way.... nice get on the human highlight reel.

He really wanted to be a Cal Bear... but, due to financial considerations he decided to be a Wolverine.


Story Behind McGuffie's Decision

From SI Article:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... index.html

Part of the deal, McGuffie said, was that his mother, father, brother and sister would move with him wherever he went to school. There was nothing keeping the family in Cypress, he said, so he wanted them to come along. McGuffie loved Cal and Tedford, but he also understood certain financial realities. According to Yahoo! Real Estate, the average home for sale in Berkeley this week costs $629,000. The average price in Ann Arbor is $228,500.


McGuffie finally took one of Lathrop's calls. "He said, 'My head wants me to go one way. My heart wants me to go the other,' " Lathrop said. That afternoon, McGuffie emerged. He signed his Letter of Intent that evening and faxed it to Michigan. His family will join him in Ann Arbor, he said.

"If I'm going to be freezing," McGuffie said, "I might as well freeze with my family."



I didn't realize we were THAT close to signing him. I never trust rumor during recruiting season. If we were $C, we could just sign him up for the "Reggie Bush Family Housing Plan."

I'll still root for the kid to do well. Just not against Cal.

GO BEARS!

[SoCalTrjn]

Mcfadden better make a lot of money, seems he has 4 kids with 4 different girls out there, no wonder he's leaving college early, plus after hearing him speak, he's not at Arkansas for the academics

[Sky]

Mcfadden better make a lot of money, seems he has 4 kids with 4 different girls out there, no wonder he's leaving college early, plus after hearing him speak, he's not at Arkansas for the academics

No shit, maybe he will pull another 6 on the Wonderlic.

[SoCalTrjn]

SEC=
See y'all
Every kid
Cualifies fer skool