Combine Notes on Defense

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Davis must make position switch

By Todd McShay, Scouts Inc.

Todd McShay Archive

 

Combine Reports: Part I | Part II | Part III

 

Editor's note: Part IV of Todd McShay's Indianapolis combine report consists of linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The sixth and final day of official events at the 2005 NFL scouting combine lasted far longer than expected Tuesday. Several coaches and NFL officials were forced to leave early or miss their originally intended flight out of Indianapolis.

 

With all of the measurements, physicals, interviews and strength testing completed and just three groups of workouts remaining, the consensus was that the day's events would be finished by 2 p.m. However, because of the depth of this year's defensive backs class, and the participation in regard to the workouts and 40-yard dash runs, the final group did not wrap things up until almost 5 p.m.

 

The final day of activities provided fireworks. Texas OLB Derrick Johnson was the "real deal" with one of the most impressive linebacker workouts in years, including a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash. Tennessee OLB Kevin Burnett and Southern Utah OLB Marques Harris put on a show of their own when they played a one-up-you game of gymnastics at the end of each of their position drill workouts.

 

Burnett started things off with a back flip at the conclusion of one of the rip drills. Harris elected to outdo Burnett with a cartwheel into a back flip. After the two exchanged blows once again, Harris sealed the deal with a cartwheel followed by consecutive back flips that left the entire audience -- including Burnett -- in awe of his athletic prowess. While the display had absolutely nothing to do with position-specific skills, NFL coaches and scouts were impressed.

 

The combine came to an end when the 12th and final group ran its 40-yard dashes. The 4.29 run by Oklahoma State CB Darrent Williams was impressive, but not nearly as impressive as Nebraska CB Fabian Washington's 4.25. One scout said of Washington's run, "Deion Sanders ran anywhere between a 4.23 and 4.30 -- depending on which stopwatch you believe." He continued by saying, "Fabian's time is definitely the fastest since that day, and it may actually have been faster."

 

Below is a positional breakdown of Tuesday's combine workout, which was dedicated primarily to 40 times, with some agility and position-specific drills. It is the conclusion of a four-part series that has covered the 333 prospects (17 positions in 12 groups) who worked out at the 2005 NFL combine.

 

Linebacker

Inside and outside linebackers worked out together in one group (Group 10) Tuesday. Most of the 35 linebackers in attendance worked out (12 of 13 ILBs and 17 of 22 OLBs). The seven who did not run were Kirk Morrison, Burnett, Ryan Claridge, Channing Crowder, Matt Grootegoed, Jared Newberry and Rian Wallace.

 

Wallace sat out the 40-yard dash because of a hamstring pull and also had a tough day on the bench press, as he had the fewest reps (10) of all the linebackers who participated. Johnson (4.54), Demarcus Ware (4.56) and Robert McCune (4.50) had the three best 40-yard dash times of the day. While Johnson and McCune's times were impressive, it was Ware's that drew the most attention because it proved that the 6-4, 251-pound DE/OLB tweener has the speed to make a potentially huge impact as a perimeter pass rusher in the NFL.

 

Ware's workout could have landed him a spot in the late first or early second round because of the increasing need for rush-linebacker types with his kind of speed. McCune did pull up lame with a hamstring injury during his positional workout segment, but not before he had one of the most impressive showings at the combine with that 4.50 40-yard dash and 34 reps on the standard 225-pound bench press. The two worst 40 times turned in by the linebackers belonged to Martin Patterson (5.00) and Clifford Dukes (4.97).

 

Linebackers

Prospect, Position, School Ht. Wt. Bench 40

Liam Ezekiel, ILB, Northeastern 6001 249 4.79

Alfred Fincher, ILB, Connecticut 6013 238 4.67

Mike Goolsby, ILB, Notre Dame 6030 249 4.87

Boomer Grigsby, ILB, Illinois State 5116 249 4.67

Marcus Lawrence, ILB, South Carolina 6021 243 4.64

Robert McCune, ILB, Louisville 6000 245 34 4.50

Lance Mitchell, ILB, Oklahoma 6021 247 4.81

Kirk Morrison, ILB, San Diego State 6010 235 25

Martin Patterson, ILB, Texas Christian 6014 243 5.00

Jonathan Pollard, ILB, Oregon State 6010 247 4.67

Adam Seward, ILB, UNLV 6022 248 33 4.62

Lofa Tatupu, ILB, USC 5117 238 23 4.79

Odell Thurman, ILB, Georgia 6001 233 25 4.62

Jordan Beck, OLB, Cal Poly State 4.61

Darryl Blackstock, OLB, Virginia 6025 247 4.66

Michael Boley, OLB, S. Mississippi 6026 236 4.63

Kevin Burnett, OLB, Tennessee 6027 239

Ryan Claridge, OLB, UNLV 6020 254

Roger Cooper, OLB, Montana State 6023 239 4.69

Channing Crowder, OLB, Florida 6022 252

Clifford Dukes, OLB, Michigan State 6034 268 28 4.97

Jamar Enzor, OLB, Cincinnati 6004 243 4.72

Matt Grootegoed, OLB, USC 5106 218

Tyjuan Hagler, OLB, Cincinnati 5115 236 35 4.62

Marques Harris, OLB, Southern Utah 6011 231 22 4.78

Leroy Hill, OLB, Clemson 6010 229 4.63

Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas 6032 242 4.54

Jared Newberry, OLB, Stanford 6011 254

Kenneth Pettway, OLB, Grambling St. 6030 236 4.75

Brady Poppinga, OLB, Brigham Young 6031 259 26 4.60

Barrett Rudd, OLB, Nebraska 6024 247 25 4.69

Derek Wake, OLB, Penn State 6026 236 20 4.60

Rian Wallace, OLB, Temple 6022 241 10

Demarcus Ware, OLB, Troy 6040 251 4.56

Cornelius Wortham, OLB, Alabama 6013 236 22 4.76

 

 

Note: In NFL scouting circles, heights are listed in four-digit form. The first digit represents feet, the middle two represent inches and the fourth represents eighths of an inch. So, the listing 6037 translates to 6-foot-3 7/8.

 

Cornerbacks

Washington and Williams obviously stole the show with their respective 40-yard dash times of 4.25 and 4.29. Others who impressed with their speed were Chris McKenzie (4.31), Karl Paymah (4.31), Stanford Routt (4.36), Ronald Bartell Jr. (4.37), Nick Collins (4.39) Stanley Wilson (4.40) and Domonique Foxworth (4.40).

 

Justin Miller wasn't quite as fast as expected, but he solidified himself as a late-first-round prospect with his 4.44 speed, as did Carlos Rogers with a strong showing of 4.48. The top two cornerbacks in this year's class -- Antrel Rolle and Adam Jones -- both elected not to run or work out. Rolle left the combine early to get back to Miami in preparation for his pro-timing workout Thursday. The only other cornerbacks who opted not to run were Bryant McFadden (own choice) and Corey Webster (turf toe).

 

The overall speed of this group was impressive, but there were a few players who really hurt their chances with poor 40-yard dash times. Abraham Elimimian (4.70) provided the worst time of the afternoon. Others who hurt their stock with slow times were Eric Green (4.55 and 4.61), Marlin Jackson (4.59 and 4.60) and Markus Curry (4.63 and 4.66).

 

Bartell sprained his ankle during position drills, while Brandon Browner took himself out of first-round contention with a 4.62 as his best 40 time. Browner did put on an impressive showing during his workouts, though. He is extremely smooth and fluid for a 6-3½, 221-pound cornerback and showed excellent ball skills during drills.

 

Cornerbacks

Prospect, School Ht. Wt. Bench 40

Ronald Bartell Jr., Howard 6012 211 4.37

Brandon Browner, Oregon State 6034 221 13 4.60

Nick Collins, Bethune-Cookman 5111 206 4.39

Markus Curry, Michigan 5107 181 4.63

Travis Daniels, LSU 6005 194 4.59

Abraham Elimimian, Hawaii 5095 190 4.68

Dustin Fox, Ohio State 5107 191 7 4.49

Domonique Foxworth, Maryland 5111 184 4.40

Eric Green, Virginia Tech 5113 198 4.55

Kelvin Hayden, Illinois 5103 197 17 4.48

Ellis Hobbs, Iowa State 5090 192 4.50

Alphonso Hodge, Miami (Ohio) 5106 203 4.47

Daven Holly, Cincinnati 5103 192 15 4.41

Marlin Jackson, Michigan 6005 198 4.59

Derrick Johnson, Washington 5107 197 4.47

Adam Jones, West Virginia 5094 187

Eric King, Wake Forest 5084 189 12 4.50

Bryant McFadden, Florida State 5116 193

Chris McKenzie, Arizona State 5084 185 4.37

Justin Miller, Clemson 5096 201 4.44

Karl Paymah, Washington State 6000 204 28 4.31

Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma 5106 190 4.47

Lamont Reid, North Carolina 5112 195 15 4.53

Carlos Rogers, Auburn 6003 196 4.48

Antrel Rolle, Miami 6001 201 15

Stanford Routt, Houston 6013 193 4.36

Scott Starks, Wisconsin 5084 172 13 4.41

Fabian Washington, Nebraska 5104 188 18 4.25

Corey Webster, LSU 6001 199 9

Aric Williams, Oregon State 5114 187 8 4.62

Cedric Williams, Kansas State 5096 168 13 4.51

Darrent Williams, Oklahoma State 5085 176 16 4.29

Stanley Wilson, Stanford 5116 185 14 4.40

Jerron Wishom, Louisiana Tech 5116 193 18 4.55

 

 

Safeties

The biggest story coming out of the safeties' workout Tuesday involved Thomas Davis. Davis will need to move to weakside linebacker in the NFL after weighing in at 230 pounds and running a 4.61 in the 40-yard dash. He should still be a first-round pick, but his stock is likely to slip because of concerns about his needing to make a position change in the NFL. He did play a season at OLB in college, and his best bet (in terms of his draft value) would have been to remain at OLB for his final year at Georgia.

 

Gerald Sensabaugh had one of the best showings from the safety class. Sensabaugh is a late bloomer who finished his career at North Carolina after spending time early on at Eastern Tennessee State. He showed up in terrific shape at 6-0½, 214 pounds and ran an excellent 40 time (4.49) for his size. Sensabaugh, who once blocked three kicks in one game at ETSU, also had one of the best vertical jumps of the week, reaching 46 inches.

 

Others who helped themselves with fast times on the track include Kerry Rhodes (4.46), Marviel Underwood (4.46) and Andre Maddox (4.47). There were seven safeties who did not run or complete their workouts -- O.J. Atogwe (strained glute on first 40 attempt of 4.62), Vincent Fuller (hamstring), Brodney Pool (own choice), Atari Bigby (own choice), Jim Leonhard (foot), Ernest Shazor (own choice) and Donte Nicholson (foot).

 

Bigby's decision not to run was particularly peculiar, as he's nothing more than a late-round prospect. He didn't make matters better when he turned in one of the worst position workouts of the group. Bigby's inability to catch the football became embarrassing after a while.

 

The three worst 40-yard dash times of the safety class came from Aaron Francisco (4.83), Jamaal Brimmer (4.84) and Atcheson Conway (4.87). On the flip side, the four safeties who helped themselves the most with better times than expected were Justin Beriault (4.53), Jerome Carter (4.52), Josh Bullocks (4.53) and Sean Considine (4.53).

 

Safeties

Prospect, Position, School Ht. Wt. Bench 40

O.J. Atogwe, FS, Stanford 5110 219 22 4.62

Josh Bullocks, FS, Nebraska 6000 209 4.53

James Butler, FS, Georgia Tech 6017 213 16 4.59

Sean Considine, FS, Iowa 6001 212 4.55

Ben Emanuel II, FS, UCLA 6026 213 4.56

Aaron Francisco, FS, Brigham Young 6017 211 4.78

Vincent Fuller, FS, Virginia Tech 6011 189

Terry Holley, FS, Rice 6012 211 24 4.65

Jim Leonhard, FS, Wisconsin 5083 191 19

Brodney Pool, FS, Oklahoma 6010 207

Kerry Rhodes, FS, Louisville 6024 209 4.46

Gerald Sensabaugh, FS, North Carolina 6004 214 17 4.49

Ernest Shazor, FS, Michigan 6035 228

Marviel Underwood, FS, San Diego State 5102 205 4.49

Marquis Weeks, FS, Virginia 5104 216 23 4.56

Hamza Abdullah, SS, Washington State 4.65

Justin Beriault, SS, Ball State 6026 204 14 4.56

Atari Bigby, SS, Central Florida 5106 214

Jamaal Brimmer, SS, UNLV 6013 216 4.76

Jerome Carter, SS, Florida State 5113 228 4.51

Atcheson Conway, SS, Bowie State 5103 218 14 4.87

Thomas Davis, SS, Georgia 6010 230 4.65

Diamond Ferri, SS, Syracuse 5101 223 4.56

Jason Harmon, SS, Michigan State 5114 209 4.63

Andre Maddox, SS, North Carolina State 6005 205 17 4.47

Donte Nicholson, SS, Oklahoma 6004 212 18

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.

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Badgers fail to impress scouts

By Todd McShay, Scouts Inc.

Todd McShay Archive

 

Combine Reports: Part I | Part II | Part IV

 

Editor's note: Part III of Todd McShay's Indianapolis combine report includes defensive ends and defensive tackles.

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The RCA Dome was noticeably quieter Monday as the 2005 NFL scouting combine started winding down. As of 9 a.m., all 333 prospects had been measured, poked and prodded by physicians and administered the league-standard taped interviews. Those that elected to participate in the 225-pound bench press also had done so. The rest of the day was dedicated to tight ends and defensive linemen running 40-yard dashes and completing their agility and position drills.

 

Below is a positional breakdown of Monday's combine workout. I will follow this report up with one Wednesday that will detail the results of Tuesday's concluding session, which features linebacker and defensive back workouts.

 

Defensive ends

Participation has been up at this year's combine compared with that of the last several years. However, the defensive end class did not reflect that trend. The linebackers and defensive backs still need to work out Tuesday, but the defensive end class takes the prize so far for the group possessing the most bystanders.

 

The list of prospects who did not run and/or work out includes Chris Canty (late because of travel issues), Shaun Cody (own choice), Trent Cole (pneumonia), Jim Davis (shoulder), George Gause (own choice), Shawne Merriman (own choice), Kevin Huntley (ACL), Ryan Riddle (hamstring), Marcus Spears (ACL) and Justin Tuck (own choice).

 

Of that group, the most mysterious decisions were those made by Gause and Merriman, as Gause is a middle-round prospect in no position to bypass the opportunity and Merriman is supposed to be a "workout warrior" who should shine in a forum such as this.

 

Seventeen defensive linemen worked out after practice as outside linebackers: Vincent Burns, Dan Cody, Cole, Chauncey Davis, Andre Frazier, Jonathan Goddard, Merriman, Jonathan Babineaux, Erasmus James, Khari Long, David McMillan, Eric Moore, David Pollack, Riddle, Matt Roth, Tuck and Jonathan Welsh. Unfortunately, the workouts of the few top defensive ends who did work out (Pollack, Roth and James) ranged from decent to poor.

 

Pollack and Roth didn't hurt themselves this week, but they didn't improve their stock, either. Both were impressive in the weight room, as Roth finished with 26 reps on the bench press and Pollack with 25. However, their respective 40-yard dash times in the low 4.8's didn't ease concerns regarding their potential to transfer their collegiate pass rush production to the NFL.

 

James' workout was even less inspiring, as he posted 40 times of 4.86 and 4.81. Others who hurt their draft stock with poor showings on the track were Bill Swancutt (5.03), Simon Fraser (5.10) and Moore (4.85). On the flip side, Welsh (4.59), Goddard (4.63) and McMillan (4.52) turned heads with their explosive running performances.

 

Finally, Jovan Haye, an early-entry addition to the 2005 draft, is an intriguing late Day 1 prospect who really shined during drills Monday. He was a bit of an enigma coming into the process because he was a pass rushing specialist early in his collegiate career but added nearly 30 pounds over the course of the last two seasons and became less explosive but much more complete. Haye had a good 40-yard dash time (4.75), especially for a player his size (284 pounds). His arm length (34.2 inches), hand size (11 inches) and bench press (33 reps) also drew raves.

 

Defensive Ends

Prospect, School Ht. Wt. Arm Hand Bench 40

Adrian Awasom, N. Texas 6041 273 34.3 10.3 23 5.00

Vincent Burns, Kentucky 6003 267 34.1 9.3 25 4.78

Dan Cody, Oklahoma 6054 254 32.5 9.7

Trent Cole, Cincinnati 6022 236 33.4 9.5

Chauncey Davis, Florida St. 6017 279 34.4 9.5 22 4.75

Jim Davis, Va. Tech 6034 277 32.4 10

Adell Duckett, Texas Tech 6033 270 33.6 10 14 4.81

Simon Fraser, Ohio State 6055 288 33.2 9.4 23 4.97

Andre Frazier, Cincinnati 6045 234 34.4 9.3 19 4.69

George Gause, S. Carolina 6047 275 33.4 9.2

Jonathan Goddard, Marsh. 6002 238 30.5 9.4 27 4.68

Jovan Haye, Vanderbilt 6020 284 34.2 11 33 4.75

Kevin Huntley, Kansas State 6066 267 34.3 10.2

Erasmus James, Wisconsin 6041 266 33 9.5 4.81

Tyler King, Connecticut 6054 271 33.2 9.3 21 4.83

Khari Long, Baylor 6035 257 35 10.4 4.70

David McMillan, Kansas 6030 262 33.2 9.5

Shawne Merriman, Maryland 6043 272 33.5 9.4 25

Eric Moore, Florida State 6042 268 33.3 9.6 4.84

David Pollack, Georgia 6021 265 30.4 10.1 4.79

Ryan Riddle, California 6016 256 33.4 9.1

Matt Roth, Iowa 6036 278 31.3 10.5

Marcus Spears, LSU 6040 307 33 10.4

Bill Swancutt, Oregon State 6040 270 33.1 10.1 5.00

Benard Thomas, Nebraska 6037 269 32.7 10 4.93

Justin Tuck, Notre Dame 6050 268 32.6 10

Jonathan Welsh, Wisconsin 6032 244 33.6 10.5 4.58

 

 

Note: In NFL scouting circles, heights are listed in four-digit form. The first digit represents feet, the second two represent inches, and the fourth represents eighths of an inch. So, the listing 6037 translates to 6-foot-3 7/8.

 

Defensive tackles

Anttaj Hawthorne surprised people when he elected to run both of his 40-yard dashes. In retrospect, he probably wishes he had held off. Hawthorne did weigh in at 321 pounds, but his times of 5.26 and 5.25 were disappointing.

 

Larry Burt and Albert Means take home the prizes for the worst 40 times of the defensive linemen who ran. Burt weighs only 304 pounds but ran a combine-worst time of 5.41. Means is at least 318 pounds, but his times of 5.47 and 5.48 were embarrassing nonetheless. Travis Johnson (own choice) and Mike Patterson (hip flexor strain) sat out both the running and drill portion of the workout, while Cody did the drills but not the 40-yard dash.

 

The player who improved his draft stock the most out of this group was Luis Castillo. The 303-pound DT/NT prospect was the fastest at his position with impressive 40-yard dash times of 4.79 and 4.81. He also showed excellent feet during his position drills and is known to be a tough, hardworking and aggressive player on the field.

 

The defensive tackle class as a whole is undersized this year, as 13 of the 23 in Indy this week weighed in at less than 300 pounds. Other defensive tackles who helped their causes in Indy this week include Darrell Shropshire (4.87 best in the 40) and Sione Pouha (5.06 in the 40 at 325 pounds).

 

Defensive Tackles

Prospect, School Ht. Wt. Arm Hand Bench 40

Lorenzo Alexander, California 6020 289 31.2 9.4 5.07

Jonathan Babineaux, Iowa 6021 286 32.1 9.7 4.83

Anthony Bryant, Alabama 6030 337 33.3 9.6 22 5.12

Tim Bulman, Boston College 6034 294 32 9.6 4.97

Larry Burt, Miami Ohio 6020 304 31.2 9.3 22 5.37

Shaun Cody, USC 6040 293 31.1 10

Eric Coleman, Clemson 6047 288 33.5 11.1 27 5.09

Atiyyah Ellison, Missouri 6042 305 33.3 9.1 5.17

Anttaj Hawthorne, Wisconsin 6033 321 33 9.5 21 5.25

Travis Johnson, Florida State 6035 305 32.3 10.1

Lynn McGruder, Oklahoma 6013 307 32.2 10.2 28 5.00

Mike Montgomery, Texas A&M 6047 276 35.7 10.2 4.97

C.J. Mosley, Missouri 6020 314 33.2 10 5.10

Mike Patterson, USC 5115 292 33.2 10.2

Sione Pouha, Utah 6033 325 33.2 10.3 32 5.06

Derreck Robinson, Iowa 6042 289 32.6 10.2 4.98

Darrell Shropshire, S. Carolina 6022 301 32.5 9.3 25 4.87

Jimmy Verdon, Arizona State 6031 280 32.5 9.4 5.00

 

 

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN Insider.

[Chargerz]

It's gonna take me awhile to digest all of this, but I'll thank you in advance.