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MelK
02-20-2003, 11:23 PM
From GBN...

(12:01 AM): SC RB makes statement...While most of the chatter about RBs at this year's scouting combines in Indianapolis has focused on injured Miami star Willis McGahee, Southern California RB Justin Fargas made something of a statement of his own when he checked in at a solid 219 pounds at the weigh-ins for RBs yesterday. For Fargas, that's up over 15 pounds over his playing weight for the Trojans this past season. And for good measure, Fargas posted an impressive 27 reps pressing 225 pounds. Those numbers should solidify a mid-second grade for Fargas at this April's draft and if, as expected, he runs well Fargas could ultimately emerge as a darkhouse late first or early second-round prospect in what is a generally considered to be a weak RB class this year. Fargas, however, won't run this week at Indianapolis, but rather will wait for the on-campus workout at Southern Cal next month when the former trackman hopes to get close to the 4.3 second mark for the 40 yards. Other highlights from the combines - and news is coming out very slowly - have Hawaii junior OT Wayne Hunter impressing with 37 reps at 225 pounds, while Arizona OG Makao Freitas posted 36 reps. Georgia OT Jon Stinchcomb, who is one of the smaller offensive linemen in Indianapolis, didn't hurt himself with 32 reps. Not so, though, for Louisiana Tech OT Damien Lavergne who only posted 17 reps at 225 pounds.

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:25 PM
"Hey coach, don't forget about me!"...That's what Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs will probably tell Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis if the two run into each other at this week's combines in Indianapolis. Earlier, Lewis named 6 players - QBs Carson Palmer of Southern Cal and Marshall's Byron Leftwich, DTs Jimmy Kennedy of Penn State and Miami's William Joseph, Kansas State CB Terence Newman and Michigan State WR Charles Rogers - as the prospects the Bengals would most likely be looking at if they were to keep the #1 pick at the 2003 draft. The one conspicuos absentee from that list is Suggs who is rated as high as second overall on some pre-draft rankings. The big question regarding Suggs, who broke former Syracuse and current Indianapolis DE Dwight Freeney's single season collegiate sack record with 24 this past season, was whether he was big enough to be a full-time DE at the next level.

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:25 PM
Gentleman, start your engines...Things will start to get really serious at today's combine sessions as the first group to actually run and workout will take to the field. Later today, NFL personnel people will put the offensive linemen and the first group of RBs through their on-field paces. Few of the top prospects in either group, though, are expected to fully participate in today's activities. Meanwhile, the LBs and DBs, the last grouping to get going, will go through their first day of testing today.
http://www.gbnreport.com/index.htm

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:25 PM
NFL bloodletting gets underway...In addition to being the deadline for NFL teams to designate franchise and transition players, yesterday was the first day teams could begin tweaking their rosters in order to get under the 2003 salary cap. Among players who got the axe on the first day of cuts were veteran OT Richmond Webb of Cincinnati; QB Neil O'Donnell of Tennessee; OT James Williams and WR Marcus Robinson of Chicago; WR/KR Jermaine Lewis of Houston, S Damien Robinson and DE Steve White of the Jets and troubled CB Dwayne Gooderich, FB Robert Thomas and OG Jeremy McKinley of Dallas.

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:26 PM
clevelandbrowns.com/news_room/building/arts/1860.0.html

some exerpts:
"Southern Miss OL Torrin Tucker (6-foot-5, 320) is big. Florida State OG Montrae Holland (6-foot-1, 333), at least in the shoulders, is bigger. With his shaved head and broad shoulders, Illinois OT Tony Pashos (6-foot-6, 337) looks like he might beat you up and take your lunch money. Texas OL Derrick Dockery (6-foot-6, 347) immediately passes the eye test and gets an A+ on the test when you see his monstrous hands. Georgia OL George Foster also passes the eye test with flying colors. Watch Foster as he walks and, if his dreadlocks sway just enough in the right direction, you get a glance of his 50-inch neck.

"Maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit on the 50-inch thing, but you get the point. These guys are huge.

"The first player to pass my eye test Wednesday morning was Mississippi State FB Justin Griffith. Shortly after passing my test, he did an impressive 29 reps on the 225-pound bench press (and yes, I patted myself on the back). Griffith (5-foot-11, 230 pounds) has experience at both running back and fullback. Also impressive on the bench were USC’s Justin Fargas and Dwone Hicks of Middle Tennessee State, who each did 27 reps. But the running back that had everyone talking is strictly an observer this week—Miami’s Willis McGahee."

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:27 PM
From NFL.com
www.nfl.com/draft/story/6200986

some exerpts:

"The average weight of the four fullbacks was 251 pounds. The lightest was Casey Moore from Stanford, who measured 6-foot-1 7/8, 240 pounds. The heaviest was Jeremi Johnson of Western Kentucky (5-11½, 260), who had a 50-plus-yard touchdown reception in the Division I-AA championship game at a weight of 284 pounds.

"Twelve running backs were given their measurements. The average was 227 pounds. Penn State's Larry Johnson rang in at 6-1, 228 pounds; Onterrio Smith of Oregon was 5-10, 220; Lee Suggs of Virginia Tech measured 5-11 5/8, 202; Andrew Pinnock from South Carolina was the heaviest at 265 pounds."
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"Jimmy Kennedy from Penn State measured 6-4, 322. If the "eyeball test" moves a player up in the draft, then DT Rien Long of Washington State would benefit -- he measured 6-6 1/8, 302 pounds.

"Sapp look-alike Dewayne Robertson from Kentucky is 6-1 3/8, 317. Tron Lafavor (6-1 7/8, 290) is almost a Sapp look-alike.

"Terrell Suggs, who arrived at Arizona State as a running back but emerged at defensive end and led the nation in sacks in 2002, is 6-3 3/8, 262. William Joseph of Miami (Fla.) had the longest arms (35 inches) and measured 6-5, 308.

"Oklahoma State's Kevin Williams is another Adonis-looking guy at 6-4 7/8, 304. Kenny King from Alabama, who will do his workout in its entirety, is 6-2¾, 281. Johnathan Sullivan of Georgia is 6-3 5/8, 313.

"With some clubs contemplating the move to a 3-4 defensive scheme, a lot of teams are asking some of the lighter guys to work out as linebackers"

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:28 PM
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From APSS's Matt Gamble
http://www.allproscouting.com/

Yesterday, Bowling Green QB Andy Sahm worked out in Indianpolis in front of eight teams(Green Bay, Oakland, New Orleans, Seattle, Atlanta, Kansas City, Miami). Sahm came in at 6053, 225-pounds and his workout numbers are as follows: 4.96/40, 6.94 3-cone, 30 1/2" vertical, 9'3" long jump, and a 4.20 short shuttle. Sahm may be an intriguing late round pick as a developmental prospect.

In combine news, Penn State DE Michael Haynes did 23 reps of 225..... Cal DE Tully Banta-Cain did 25 reps of 225 and weighed 265-pounds.....Cincinnati DE/OLB Antwan Peek weighed in at 247-pounds and did 21 reps of 225.....Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs came in at 6033, 262-pounds..... Wisconsin OT Ben JOhnson checked in at 6064, 329-pounds, but will not workout due to a pulled hammy..... Kentucky DT Dewayne Robertson checked in at 6014, 317-pounds.....Clemson DT Nick Eason came in at 6032, 301-pounds.....

DL, OL, RB, K, WR have all checked into Indianapolis. The rest will check in tomorrow and aturday. Each position is there for three days. Tomorrow is the first day where players will be timed in the forty and do position drills.....

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:29 PM
From KFFL's John Blaze:

- Jerry Angelo stated "QB is the most overrated position at the top of the draft". Went on to say that Angel believes the Bears need to build both sides of the lines before they can put in a new QB. Could be blowing smoke signals, but you never know.

- Jack Del Rio stated speed on defense is the Jags priority in the draft. He also said it was a priority to get someone to lineup opposite Jimmy Smith so defenses couldn't roll coverages towards him. Andre Johnson perhaps?

- Marvin Lewis made it a point to emphasize that Jon Kitna is and will be his starting QB. He implied that the Bengals first pick will NOT be a QB. Main reason being he does not want to imply to his players that yet another long rebuilding process waiting for another QB to develop is in the works. Takeo Spikes is probably the main target of this statement.

- Dave McGinnis talked up second year QB Josh McCown and stated the Cards offense will be opened up this year, regardless of who is the QB.

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:29 PM
Day two report from Zac Jackson!
clevelandbrowns.com/news_room/building/arts/1864.0.html

An exerpt:
"These prospects passed the eye test Thursday: Washington State DL Rien Long, the Outland Trophy winner, is huge at 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds. DT Jonathan Sullivan from Georgia measured at 6-foot-3, 313 pounds, and has shoulders as wide as a house. Colorado DL Tyler Brayton measured at 6-foot-5, 271 and looks more like he’s 6-foot-7. Wake Forest's Ovie Mughelli (pronounced Moo-hailey) passes the eye test, the personality test, and the character test. His play, however, does most of the talking, as the draft’s top-rated fullback is a punishing blocker. USC’s Sultan McCullough did 27 reps on the 225-pound bench press Thursday, matching the total put up Wednesday by teammate Justin Fargas. McCullough predicted a third USC back, Malaefou Mackenzie, would put up more than 30 reps

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:29 PM
Patriots.com an article from Bryan Morry
www.patriots.com/news/fullarticle.sps?id=23400&type=general&bhcp=1

An exerpt:
"Washington State defensive lineman Rien Long appeared weary after two long days of Combine related travel, interviews and the like and said the Patriots were among the 10 teams he met already, but he didn't remember every team. “I've been up since 5 a.m. the last two days and this is a long process,” he admitted. “But it's my job.” He won't submit to testing while in Indy, but will run through position drills."

MelK
02-20-2003, 11:30 PM
The line starts here for teams wanting a DT...NFL teams looking to upgrade at DT at this year's draft - and which teams don't these days - got an eyeful when this year's potential elite DTs stepped up to the scales in Indianapolis. Heading into the draft, there are a half dozen DTs who could be selected in the top half of the first round this coming April and the 6 - Jimmy Kennedy of Penn State, Dewayne Robertson of Kentucky, Rien Long of Washington State, William Joseph of Miami, Kevin Williams of Oklahoma and Johnathan Sullivan of Georgia - all tipped the scales at over 300 pounds at yesterday's weigh-in for defensive linemen. In fact, the six averaged 6-4 and 311 pounds. Kennedy was the biggest coming in at 6-4, 322, but that's actually smaller than some scouts had expected. For the rest, the numbers were 6-2, 317 for Robertson; 6-6, 302 for Long; 6-5, 308 for Joseph; 6-5, 304 for Williams; and 6-4, 313 for Sullivan. Clemson's talented, but sometimes inconsistent, DT Nick Eason also showed up at over 300 pounds, measuring in at 6-3, 302.

TigerJ
02-21-2003, 11:03 AM
That took a lotta work to do. Great job. Thanks, Mel! Just one one question . . . how does one possibly digest all of this?

Earthquake Enyart
02-21-2003, 11:14 AM
Angelo was talking up Chris Simms the other day too.

The Bears love Suggs and also would be happy with Kennedy at DT too. But if Cincy doesn't take Palmer, he just can't be sitting there for the Bears at No. 4, can he? :huh: