It was the final day of the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine and I just realized that some of the coaches and administrators (like those involved with the league’s competition committee) have been in Indianapolis for more than a week now. You would think with this much time in Indy to evaluate players, it would be enough. But team or individual Pro Days are next, (many of them during March) where NFL prospects get a “home field advantage”. At any rate, today featured workouts from the defensive backs — corners and safeties.

When I look at the three top CBs in this Draft class (by most people’s standards) — USF’s Mike Jenkins, Troy’s Leodis McKelvin and Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie — they all solidified their positions as likely first-round picks. All three ran well and performed in the drills as expected. But who else can we count on? I say Arizona’s Antoine Cason and Kansas’ Aqib Talib. Both had sub 4.4-40s that did them no harm. Both also have good size and ball skills to go along with that obvious speed. I also really liked Eastern Kentucky’s Antwaun Molden who ran probably better than expected and did very well in the drills (especially the Vert Jump, Bench Press and 3-Cone). Virginia Tech’s Brandon Flowers needed a good workout to make up for his lack of size, but after running a 4.5-40, his chances of moving into the elite group of corners are slim to none.

Among the safeties, I was most impressed with Notre Dame’s Tom Zbikowski, which didn’t surprise me. I love the way this guy plays football and his workout here impressed me as well. He’s no speed-demon, but a 4.52 for a safety is solid. I believe he definitely has the athleticism to play at “the next level” and will wind up proving more on the field than he will here at the Combine. If not, he can always go back to boxing. I also liked the workouts from UTEP’s Quintin Demps (4.4-40) and Arizona State’s Josh Barrett (4.35-40). It’s not considered a strong safety class this year, but these guys will give NFL teams something to consider in the early to mid rounds.

Here are the winning numbers for the cornerbacks and safeties in their drills:

Cornerbacks – Bench Press (Antwaun Molden, Kentucky, 23); Broad Jump (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State, 10′11″ and Aqib Talib, Kansas, 10′11″); Vert Jump (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State, 38′5″); 3-Cone Drill (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State, 6.74 and Terrence Wheatley, Colorado, 6.74); 20-yard Shuttle (Marcus Walker, Oklahoma, 4.07 and Tracy Walker, Indiana, 4.07); 60-yard Shuttle (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State, 11.06); 40-yard Dash (Tyvon Branch, Connecticut, 4.31).

Safeties – Bench Press (Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State, 27); Broad Jump (Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State, 10′7″); Vert Jump (David Roach, TCU, 38′); 3-Cone Drill (Brandon Sumrall, Southern Miss, 6.76); 20-yard Shuttle (Nehemiah Warrick, Michigan State, 4.09); 60-yard Shuttle (David Roach, TCU, 11.11); 40-yard Dash (Josh Barrett, Arizona State, 4.35).

Some final thoughts on the Combine? It is what it is. You can’t base your opinion of a player on the NFL Scouting Combine alone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great event. But ultimately you need to formulate your opinion from three areas — 50% from game tape (aka a player’s “body of work”), 25% from this Combine and 25% from a Pro Day.

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Six

Even though the roughly 500 reporters (including yours truly) have departed Indianapolis and the Media Work Room is now closed, the player workouts continued with defensive linemen and linebackers getting their reps in today. It feels weird watching this on TV at home and not actually being there in Indy, even though I spent some time looking at NFL Network’s coverage on the monitors in the Interview Room. It’s much different when you know the action is just down the hall. But such is the typical schedule here each year.

In my opinion, Virginia DE Chris Long stole the show among the linemen. Chris was already considered a top five pick by most “experts” and it was good to see that he wasn’t afraid to showcase his skills in spite of that. That really said something to me. He had a 34-inch vertical, a 4.75-40 and excellent performance in the drills he took part in. Plus, I’ve seen him interview and he really seems like a kid that has it together. Chris gets my vote as the can’t-miss Draft choice of 2008. He’s obviously supremely talented. He loves the game. He’s confident. He’s humble. And he just plain seems to “get it” when it comes to what it takes to make it in the NFL. Ohio State’s Vernon Gholston certainly made his presence felt, winning the Bench Press, Broad Jump and Vert Jump. He’s the real deal. I also liked what Notre Dame’s Trevor Laws did. He has good lateral movement and body control for a chubby guy. He’s a good athlete even if he doesn’t really look the part.

The linebacker drills were completely dominated by Purdue’s Stanford Keglar and Georgia Tech’s Gary Guyton. Literally. One or the other won every drill. My friends from NFL Draft Scout said their Combine performances have improved their stock and could get them picked in the fourth or fifth round now. Two of the top linebackers in the Draft, Penn State’s Dan Connor and Southern California’s Keith Rivers, did not participate in drills or tests Monday. Dan left Indianapolis early with an intestinal virus (blech), and Keith apparently tweaked his right ankle. That’s a shame because I was really looking forward to seeing both of these players workout.

Here are the winning numbers for defensive linemen and linebackers in their drills:

Defensive Linemen – Bench Press (Vernon Gholston, Ohio State, 37); Broad Jump (Vernon Gholston, Ohio State, 10′5″); Vert Jump (Vernon Gholston, Ohio State, 35′5″); 3-Cone Drill (Cliff Avril, Purdue, 6.90); 20-yard Shuttle (Chris Long, Virginia, 4.21); 40-yard Dash (Marcus Howard, Georgia, 4.45).

Linebackers – Bench Press (Stanford Keglar, Purdue, 29); Broad Jump (Gary Guyton, Georgia Tech, 10′6″ and Stanford Keglar, Purdue, 10′6″); Vert Jump (Gary Guyton, Georgia Tech, 36′5″); 3-Cone Drill (Stanford Keglar, Purdue, 6.70); 20-yard Shuttle (Stanford Keglar, Purdue, 3.98); 60-yard Shuttle (Stanford Keglar, Purdue, 11.43); 40-yard Dash (Gary Guyton, Georgia Tech, 4.47).

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Five

Today was the last official day for the media to be working at the NFL Scouting Combine. Only one head coach made an appearance today — Detroit Lions leader Rod Marinelli. And Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian also stopped by. The final group of players to speak with the media were defensive backs. And LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey took his turn at the presser podium, making up for a missed opportunity yesterday because he was involved in a battery of tests at the hospital. I think he also wanted to clear the air regarding the rumors surrounding his attendance and ailing leg:

“I’m never surprised. I always try to set myself up to hear wild things. Some stuff I just wonder where people get it from. Even the reports saying I was not coming. I don’t know where that came from. It is what it is. I’m just trying to enjoy myself and make sure I’m taking care of my responsibility. Everybody is going to have their opinion on what they think about me and my game, but as long as I’m taking care of my business, that is all that matters to me ….. I have not missed a game since I got to LSU. Everybody gets bruised up. That’s the way I look at it. Who does not go through a season without getting bumps and bruises? I don’t think it’s an issue at all. I’ve played every game since I’ve been at LSU, my whole four years, so I do not think it’s a problem at all.”

Other than Glenn Dorsey, the talk of the day has been Arkansas RB Darren McFadden’s blazing 40-time as RBs, QBs and WRs worked out. Already considered one of the top prospects (and maybe the best overall athlete) in this Draft class, Darren ran a 4.33-40. I really didn’t expect him to get that good of a time. A 4.43 maybe. But, this was something to see. Darren was a blur. Somehow, that number was not the day’s best among running backs, though. East Carolina’s Chris Johnson ran a 4.24-40. This was nothing new for Chris. He is one of the fastest athletes at this Combine and a player teams are very seriously going to consider given his impressive collegiate stats and speed. One example — he had 408 total yards against Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl. And he’s comparing himself to Brian Westbrook. Sounds about right.

The quarterbacks impressed. My feeling that a bunch of these guys are going to make solid NFL QBs was supported by their workouts today. Joe Flacco showed off his big arm and speed for such a big guy. I thought Chad Henne (especially out-routes and deep throws) and Colt Brennan (20 of 21) also threw well. John David Booty looked sharp, especially on his long passes. He might be the most NFL-ready QB in this class. Brian Brohm showcased his accuracy, even on 45-yarders off seven- and five-step drops. Joshua Johnson is also a quarterback to watch. He was really off my radar screen until I saw his workout. Plus he ran the fastest 40-time (4.55) among the QBs. Matt Ryan (Boston College) and Andre Woodson (Kentucky) watched the action. Matt chose not to workout and Andre was nursing a hamstring.

The wideouts were a speedy bunch as five players came in under 4.4 in the 40. DeSean Jackson not only had the fastest 40-time (4.35) but he ran good routes and caught everything near him. He impressed me. One knock on him is his size (he’s a buck 70), but I think NFL’s team can utilize him much like the Bills use Roscoe Parrish or the Bears use Devin Hester. He’ll have a role for some NFL team in the fall. Indiana’s James Hardy is one of my “sleeper” picks if you can even call him that. In an NFL Network interview he admitted to needing to work on his blocking and route running, but this guy is going to be a good one. With his big frame, I think he has the potential to be unstoppable in one-on-one matchups.

Here are the winning numbers for quarterbacks, running backs and wideouts in their drills:

Quarterbacks – Bench Press (Bernard Morris, Marshall, 18); Broad Jump (Brian Brohm, Louisville, 9′7″); Vert Jump (Joshua Johnson, San Diego, 33.5″); 3-Cone Drill (Joe Flacco, Delaware, 6.82); 20-yard Shuttle (Alex Brink, Washington State, 4.19); 40-yard Dash (Joshua Johnson, San Diego, 4.55).

Running Backs – Bench Press (Jerome Felton, Furman, 30 and Carl Stewart, Auburn, 30); Broad Jump (Carl Stewart, Auburn, 11′2″ and Anthony Alridge, Houston, 11′2″); Vert Jump (Carl Stewart, Auburn, 39″); 3-Cone Drill (Ray Rice, Rutgers, 6.65); 20-yard Shuttle (Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois, 4.18); 60-yard Shuttle (Matt Forte, Tulane, 11.49); 40-yard Dash (Chris Johnson, East Carolina, 4.24).

Wideouts – Bench Press (Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech, 24); Broad Jump (Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina, 11′4″); Vert Jump (Keenan Burton, Kentucky, 38.5″); 3-Cone Drill (Harry Douglas, Louisville, 6.57); 20-yard Shuttle (Arman Shields, Richmond, 3.96); 60-yard Shuttle (Arman Shields, Richmond, 10.87); 40-yard Dash (DeSean Jackson, Cal, 4.35).

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Four

My friends from NFL Draft Scout just alerted me to this news. An NFL team doctor said there are serious concerns over the lingering effects of a 2006 stress fracture in the right tibia of LSU’s highly-rated defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey. Glenn is generally considered a top-five prospect in April’s NFL Draft. He underwent a physical Saturday at the Scouting Combine and was subsequently sent to the hospital for additional tests. At his Combine presser today Glenn admitted he was put through a grueling battery of tests but contends he is ready to play in the NFL and has no concerns about his past injuries, although he does understand why NFL teams are curious:

“I haven’t spoken to anybody about how the tests came out. I got to the hospital around nine o’clock and left around 6:30. I had MRI’s, I had CAT scans, I had everything. I mean there were stingers from high school they wanted to check out ….. When you are one of the top players people are looking for the negatives. They are looking for anything. But I played four years. I played every game since I’ve been with LSU. Who doesn’t get hurt during the year?”

Glenn Dorsey was measured at 6-1 1/4, 297 pounds, and elected not to work out, explaining he stopped preparing for the Combine because of the death of his grandmother. However, the NFL team doctor said there are still issues with the tibia and it is raising red flags among NFL teams because it is in an area that is difficult to heal. Glenn played most of the 2006 season at LSU with the injury, and took painkillers before every game. He wore a bone stimulator for up to 18 hours per day until he was cleared to practice in the spring of 2007. And although he has been the target of some infamous chop and double-team blocks, he explained the injury to his leg happened in the weight room.

Glenn is clearly one of the best players in this class. And a rare talent at defensive tackle. My concern is that if his leg injury is not fully healed, how much risk is a team taking by drafting him? He’s a big guy and I wonder if his leg will stand up to the constant pressure. It’s hard to argue with his body of work, though. He didn’t miss a game at LSU because of injury so it would seem to me durability should not be an issue for interested NFL teams. But that’s part of what the Combine is all about. If there is even an inkling of concern about an injury (past or present), it will be revealed here.

This information is courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com, published by The Sports Xchange.

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NFL Doctor Concerned About Glenn Dorsey, Two-Year-Old Leg Injury a Potential Problem

It was nice to see the sun shining in Indianapolis today. It certainly made getting around outside the RCA Dome and Indiana Convention Center much easier. Not that you would really need to go outside here, though. The Dome and CC are connected to much of the city with indoor walkways. I get a big kick out of this. I can walk all over the city without putting on a jacket in the middle of winter. And yes, I’m easily entertained.

The Media Work room was kind of quiet early on, but things picked up as the day progressed with defensive linemen and linebackers being shuttled in and out. One of the most anticipated players was Virginia defensive end Chris Long. Chris, of course, is the son of Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and former Oakland Raiders DE Howie Long. But he made no case for playing in Oakland nor did he make any predictions on where he might wind up being drafted:

“No matter where I was picked, any opportunity to play in the National Football League is an opportunity I would cherish. To be in that position you have to work even harder and show up with more humility and more of an open mind, because people will be looking at you. Wherever I go and whoever I go play for, I’m a football player. I enjoy playing football, I enjoy the game, I enjoy being a teammate. I won’t change. I’ll be the same guy.”

More coaches made their way to the Media Work Room. I sat in on pressers with Mike Smith (Falcons), Ken Whisenhunt (Cards), Jeff Fisher (Titans) and John Harbaugh (Ravens). Coach Smith is obviously very happy with his new position in Atlanta. Seriously, he smiled the entire time. He never stopped smiling. It was nice to see that. Coach Smith said there wasn’t much difference between a 4-12 team and a 12-4 team in the National Football League. And you know what, he’s right. In today’s NFL, a team could flip their record that drastically in one season. He also noted that the “new” Atlanta Falcons will be a more physical football team, much like the punishing defense he led in Jacksonville. Offensively, he said the Falcons would control the line of scrimmage and run the football first and foremost. The Falcons need to address their quarterback situation and Coach Smith mentioned an interest in a number of QBs at the Combine, although me didn’t mention any names.

Today was also the first day for player workouts on the RCA Dome floor. (Note: This is the last sporting event in the RCA Dome. Everything moves to nearby Lucas Oil Stadium post-Combine.) Offensive linemen and tight ends were the focal point of today’s workouts. Here are the winners’ results:

Offensive Line – Bench Press (Jake Long, Michigan, 37); Broad Jump (Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, 9′5″); Vert Jump (Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, 30.5″); 3-Cone Drill (Michael Gibson, Cal-Berkeley, 7.21); 20-yard Shuttle (Mike Pollak, Arizona State, 4.47); 40-yard Dash (Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers, 4.99).

Tight End – Bench Press (Craig Stevens, Cal-Berkeley, 27); Broad Jump (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 10′11″); Vert Jump (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 38″); 60-yard Shuttle (Gary Barnidge, 11.29); 3-Cone Drill (Derek Fine, Kansas, 6.8); 20-yard Shuttle (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 4.14); 40-yard Dash (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 4.55).

NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang reported that USC’s Fred Davis, widely considered the top TE in this class, struggled with these drills. Fred had been impressive early with 24 reps of 225 pounds, but dropped several passes today and elected not to run the 40-yard dash. He could be a classic case of a player struggling with the pressure of the Combine because he stood out at the Senior Bowl and won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. His struggles with drops definitely caught the attention of scouts.

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Three

The winter storm that has an icy grip on Indianapolis has slowed things down outside. But as promised, today was a whirlwind of activity around the Media Work Room here at the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine. The players being shuttled in and out were mostly wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks.

My day was really one big press conference with a few of my own interviews thrown in for good measure. I took part in every head coach presser — Tom Coughlin (Giants), Brad Childress (Vikings), Gary Kubiak (Texans), Tony Dungy (Colts), Herm Edwards (Chiefs), Scott Linehan (Rams), Jim Zorn (Redskins), Jack Del Rio (Jags), Mike McCarthy (Packers) and Romeo Crennel (Browns).

Several team VIPs were also speaking with the media — Packers GM Ted Thompson, Texans GM Rick Smith, Redskins VP of Football Ops Vinny Cerrato, Jags VP of Player Personnel James Harris, Browns GM Phil Savage and Rams Executive VP of Player Personnel Bill Devaney.

We also had a surprise guest — Cleveland Browns RB Jamal Lewis who recently signed a new three-year contract with the team. Jamal said he wants to play three more years and finish his career as a Cleveland Brown. He was thankful the team gave him that opportunity. He just wants to help the Browns get to the Super Bowl and feels they are making strides to get there. When asked how much gas he had left in his proverbial tank, he said:

“I’ve been answering that question for the last three years. I’m the old Jamal. A lot of gas is left in the tank. I work hard in the offseason to prepare myself for a 20-to-24-game season. I’m healthy and when I’m healthy I’m a good Jamal.”

Coach Childress gave some great insight into the career of Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson. While Tarvaris had an up-and-down 2007 season, his second half play in a loss to the Broncos in the final game of the season was what the team would look for mentality and physically next fall. Coach said he looked forward to Tarvaris logging more games in his third season as a starter. Personally, I think I would’ve pulled the plug by now. But I would like to see Tarvaris succeed. He certainly needs to keep working on his mechanics and he needs to be more consistent. Coach Childress also mentioned that DE Kenechi Udeze, who is battling a form of leukemia, told him: “Coach, this is nothing more than a cold. I’m gonna beat this.”

That would have been a full day in itself. But the offensive skill position players were in and out of the Media Work Room all day as well. Big names that are expected to be called very early in this upcoming Draft — like Matt Ryan (Boston College), Darren McFadden (Arkansas), Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois) and Mario Manningham (Michigan) — all stopped by for a visit. And Brian Brohm (Louisville), who hopes to have a great Combine workout to challenge Matt Ryan for the top QB spot, felt his game was NFL-ready:

“I think the system I was in is going to help me tremendously to play in the NFL. Under Coach Petrino, it was pretty much the same type of system the New York Giants run. It’s where he got the offense when he was with Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville. We were in that system for three years. Then we switched over to a more accountable one back spread with zone running my last year. But just being able to adjust to new systems and being in a pro style system, I think is going to help me out a lot.”

I couldn’t agree more, but I don’t think he’ll be able to do enough to be the first QB taken in April. I think this is a solid group of QBs. The aforementioned Matt Ryan and Brian Brohm. Kentucky’s Andre Woodson. Michigan’s Chad Henne. USC’s John David Booty. Hawaii’s Colt Brennan. These guys were superstars in college and I feel like they can make an impact in the NFL.

Finally, what better way to end the day than to slide (literally — remember, I’m stuck in the middle of a winter storm here in Indy) four blocks down Maryland Ave. to Conseco Fieldhouse for the Pacers/Nets game. A special thanks to Pacers Director of Media Relations David Benner for the hook-up. By the way, Indiana won 113-103. (Check out our Sports Channel’s NBA blog — NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.)

Additional Photos by David Kindervater

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Two

I ran into the SURGEX gang here in the RCA Dome/Indiana Convention Center and they gave me the scoop (literally) on their new, scientifically advanced “sports formula.” Athletes training for the 2008 NFL Scouting Combine at Tom Shaw Performance (like USF safety Mike Jenkins) and Test Sports Clubs were using this stuff with great results.

Simply put, SURGEX is a whole food powder combining a blend of extended release proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids to meet the multi-nutritional needs of strength, speed, and endurance athletes. You mix it with cold water, juice or milk, shake it up and enjoy. Sure, it’s made for elite athletes, but you don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit from it. If you work out/lift weights/play hard, you need to give this a try. Here’s yet another useful scenario. I was pretty much running out of gas today after only a few hours of sleep last night (working, traveling, fighting the weather, etc.) and I needed something to “feed the machine” because my day was far from over. I sure felt great about putting something good into my body. And this really is good food. The taste? It’s outstanding. I mixed Berry Banana Blast with skim milk and consider it to be one of the best protein/recovery shakes I’ve ever tasted. I don’t care how good something is for me, if I don’t like the taste of it, chances are I won’t keep eating or drinking it for more than a few days. This, I like. Other flavors are Tropical Crush, Vanilla Storm and Chocolate Thunder.

To learn a lot more about SURGEX (their Web site is absolutely loaded with helpful information) and/or to order your own supply, visit them online at SURGEXsports.com or call 1-866-604-9577.

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Combine-Prep Ballers Refuel With SURGEX

The NFL Scouting Combine is the annual job fair for more than 300 prospective new NFL players. For six straight days from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts. From just outside the Media Work Room at the Indiana Convention Center, I sat down with NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang to get his thoughts on this Class of 2008.

Shownotes: David Kindervater (host), Rob Rang (guest)

• 0:29 – Defensive tackles Sedrick Ellis (USC) and Glenn Dorsey (LSU)
• 1:43 – No obvious front-runner in this year’s Draft class
• 3:02 – Boston College QB Matt Ryan leads the quarterbacks
• 4:18 – Offensive tackle is the strongest position in this Draft class
• 5:15 – Offensive guard, safety and inside linebacker are weak
• 6:16 – Some players can improve their standing with a good workout
• 7:40 – Sleeper picks: WR Donnie Avery, RB Chris Johnson,
• 8:44 – Rob’s Mock Draft might change on poor workout or character
• 10:00 – Rob’s only sleeping a couple hours a day during Combine time

Sponsor: Under Armour Trainer
Links: NFL.com, NFLDraftScout.com

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008

The NFL Scouting Combine signage around Indianapolis states: “The 2008 NFL Season Begins Now.” Thus, just three weeks removed from my trip to Arizona for Super Bowl XLII, here I am in Indy for a fresh start to a new football season.

There used to be an offseason in the NFL, but that’s a thing of the past. Almost immediately after the Super Bowl you’ve got the Combine, the Draft, mini camps and OTAs. It never ends. This is my 4th straight year working the Combine and each season has been bigger in terms of media coverage. This year there are a reported 500 members of the media credentialed, including 14 reporters from ESPN. There’s even a mini “Radio Row” outside the Media Work Room. Crazy. But it clearly shows how popular the NFL has become.

The Combine and Indianapolis have some sentimental value to me. Back in 2005, this is where I wrote my very first blog entry and recorded my first-ever podcast. So returning here each year is always kind of special. I love this city and I love this event.

For those of you who aren’t aware, the NFL Scouting Combine is the annual job fair for prospective new NFL players. For six straight days from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts. These players and NFL personnel also take time to meet with the media in the form of “press conferences.” It’s actually not unlike Media Day at the Super Bowl, minus the freaks.

Day One is typically a warm-up day, but it’s not without it’s fair share of stories. In the Media Work Room were head coaches Lovie Smith (Bears), Dick Jauron (Bills), Eric Mangini (Jets) and Mike Nolan (49ers); plus Kevin Colbert (Steelers director of football ops) and Scot McCloughan (49ers GM). Michigan OT Jake Long, widely considered one of the best at his position and a potential Top 10 pick, also answered questions. Obviously he’s been prepped well as he said all the right things. In his four years at Michigan, he committed only two penalties (that were called) and gave up only two sacks. Pleased that he stayed at Michigan for his senior season (rather than entering the NFL Draft a year early), Jake said:

“Last year I didn’t feel I was good enough to come out, I wanted to improve on things and those things I improved on. I feel I’m a smarter and better player than I was last year. I’m smarter in identifying the defenses. I worked on the little things in my game and I’ve gotten a lot better.”

The Media Work Room will be especially busy the next two days. Ten head coaches and an assortment of team VIPs will be here tomorrow; plus more players than the place can handle. For now, I really need some sleep.

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day One

Mike Mayock watches college football’s best players. All year. That’s all he does. I only pick up on who’s good in college football from time-to-time, becoming especially attentive around Combine time, of course. Mike and I joked about his job a couple years ago during an interview because he thought it was “pretty sad” to be so devoted to this cause. Well, it’s turned into a nice career for the NFL Network Draft guru. He now rivals ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the foremost authority on the NFL Draft. Anyway, Mike released his Top 10 pre-Combine Draft prospects today.

1. Matt Ryan – QB, Boston College
2. Sedrick Ellis – DT, USC
3. Chris Long – DE, Virginia
4. Glenn Dorsey – DT, LSU
5. Vernon Gholston – DE, Ohio State
6. Jake Long – OL, Michigan
7. Ryan Clady – OL, Boise State
8. Keith Rivers – LB, USC
9. Phillip Merling – DE, Clemson
10. Leodis McKelvin – CB, Troy

Mike is heavy on the linemen this year. And I have to agree. Speaking generally, it’s a great class at those positions. As you can see, seven of his Top 10 prospects are offensive or defensive linemen. But Boston College QB Matt Ryan impressed him enough to make Matt not only the top-rated quarterback, but also the top-rated player. Period. It will be interesting to see how this group changes after the Combine.

(Note: I will be blogging the activities from the Media Work Room at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis next week; University of Hawaii WR Jason Rivers will be guest blogging for EMQB; I’ll have a number of individual player interview podcasts over at BPR; and more.)

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NFL Network’s Mike Mayock Debuts Top 10 Prospects Heading Into Scouting Combine