TheGhostofJimKelly
02-25-2004, 02:43 PM
Images left from NFL Combine
By Chick Ludwig, Cox News Service
INDIANAPOLIS — General managers, coaches and scouts couldn’t help but fall in love with the University of Alabama’s Justin Smiley at the NFL Combine.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive guard wasn’t planning to lift or run at the RCA Dome, but he had a change of heart — thanks to a little arm-twisting. Thought to be a mid-second-round pick, Smiley’s stock is climbing.
“They talked him into lifting, and he did very well,” NFL consultant Gil Brandt said. “Then they talked him into running, and he ran very well (4.93 seconds in the 40-yard dash). He helped himself quite a bit.”
In Smiley’s honor, here’s a top-10 list of my favorite memories of the Combine, which wrapped up Tuesday:
1) The Freak: Miami (Fla.) safety Sean Taylor. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder — who plays free and strong safety — is the second coming of Ronnie Lott and David Fulcher. He’s a punishing hitter with the athleticism to dunk a basketball. “The team that picks me is getting an all-around athlete with a lot of heart,” he said.
2) The Question: Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris. Observers were shocked at the muscleman’s lack of bulk (6-3, 296). That could cause him to slide down draft boards. One scout called him “light in the britches.” Translation: He’ll get engulfed in the trenches if he doesn’t bulk up.
3) The Attitude: Miami (Fla.) tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. never met a mirror he didn’t like. He’s a great player, and he’ll tell you that. “I want to accomplish a lot of things,” he said. “We’ll be here all day talking about that. I want to be the complete tight end and I want to be the best ever.”
4) The Student: Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning seemed extremely shy until he was asked to compare himself to his brother, Peyton, of the Indianapolis Colts. “Well, I think I’m better looking than Peyton. No, we’re pretty similar players. We’re both pocket quarterbacks. I’ve watched him my whole life and always learned from him. I’m just as competitive as he is. I want to win. I want to be a great quarterback.”
5) The Fastest: Texas Tech wide receiver Carlos Francis. Thought to be a fifth-, sixth- or seventh-rounder, he’s flying up the charts after burning up the AstroTurf track. Scouts’ stopwatches had the 5-9, 198-pounder between 4.29 and 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also climbed 38.5 inches in the vertical leap.
6) The Strongest: Hawaii defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga (6-1, 31 caused jaws to drop when he performed the 225-pound bench press. He finished with a whopping 42 reps. “He could lift trees,” Miami RedHawks guard-tackle Jacob Bell said.
7) The Confident: Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall, an early-entry junior, claims he’s been timed at 4.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Well, the truth will come out during the Hokies’ Pro Day on March 18.
8) The Overlooked: Oklahoma State wide receiver Rashaun Woods. The 6-2, 194-pounder isn’t being mentioned in the same breath with the elite wideouts. But he showed spectacular body control in receiving drills. Moving sideways — back and forth across the field — in the “Gauntlet Drill,” he never dropped a ball.
9) The Prince: A tie between quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (Miami RedHawks) and Philip Rivers (N.C. State). Both showed personality plus. Rivers talked about being married in college. “If anything, it helped, having my wife and child there. It keeps you more grounded and keeps things in perspective.”
10) The Story: The Maurice Clarett Show overshadowed everything, including the tale of Florida offensive tackle Max Starks. Starks’ biological father is former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Ross Browner. Browner and Starks’ mother never married, so Max was adopted and grew up the son of a mortician. Max’s mother finally arranged for Max to meet Browner when Max was 17. The two have stayed close since.
By Chick Ludwig, Cox News Service
INDIANAPOLIS — General managers, coaches and scouts couldn’t help but fall in love with the University of Alabama’s Justin Smiley at the NFL Combine.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive guard wasn’t planning to lift or run at the RCA Dome, but he had a change of heart — thanks to a little arm-twisting. Thought to be a mid-second-round pick, Smiley’s stock is climbing.
“They talked him into lifting, and he did very well,” NFL consultant Gil Brandt said. “Then they talked him into running, and he ran very well (4.93 seconds in the 40-yard dash). He helped himself quite a bit.”
In Smiley’s honor, here’s a top-10 list of my favorite memories of the Combine, which wrapped up Tuesday:
1) The Freak: Miami (Fla.) safety Sean Taylor. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder — who plays free and strong safety — is the second coming of Ronnie Lott and David Fulcher. He’s a punishing hitter with the athleticism to dunk a basketball. “The team that picks me is getting an all-around athlete with a lot of heart,” he said.
2) The Question: Oklahoma defensive tackle Tommie Harris. Observers were shocked at the muscleman’s lack of bulk (6-3, 296). That could cause him to slide down draft boards. One scout called him “light in the britches.” Translation: He’ll get engulfed in the trenches if he doesn’t bulk up.
3) The Attitude: Miami (Fla.) tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. never met a mirror he didn’t like. He’s a great player, and he’ll tell you that. “I want to accomplish a lot of things,” he said. “We’ll be here all day talking about that. I want to be the complete tight end and I want to be the best ever.”
4) The Student: Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning seemed extremely shy until he was asked to compare himself to his brother, Peyton, of the Indianapolis Colts. “Well, I think I’m better looking than Peyton. No, we’re pretty similar players. We’re both pocket quarterbacks. I’ve watched him my whole life and always learned from him. I’m just as competitive as he is. I want to win. I want to be a great quarterback.”
5) The Fastest: Texas Tech wide receiver Carlos Francis. Thought to be a fifth-, sixth- or seventh-rounder, he’s flying up the charts after burning up the AstroTurf track. Scouts’ stopwatches had the 5-9, 198-pounder between 4.29 and 4.31 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also climbed 38.5 inches in the vertical leap.
6) The Strongest: Hawaii defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga (6-1, 31 caused jaws to drop when he performed the 225-pound bench press. He finished with a whopping 42 reps. “He could lift trees,” Miami RedHawks guard-tackle Jacob Bell said.
7) The Confident: Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall, an early-entry junior, claims he’s been timed at 4.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Well, the truth will come out during the Hokies’ Pro Day on March 18.
8) The Overlooked: Oklahoma State wide receiver Rashaun Woods. The 6-2, 194-pounder isn’t being mentioned in the same breath with the elite wideouts. But he showed spectacular body control in receiving drills. Moving sideways — back and forth across the field — in the “Gauntlet Drill,” he never dropped a ball.
9) The Prince: A tie between quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (Miami RedHawks) and Philip Rivers (N.C. State). Both showed personality plus. Rivers talked about being married in college. “If anything, it helped, having my wife and child there. It keeps you more grounded and keeps things in perspective.”
10) The Story: The Maurice Clarett Show overshadowed everything, including the tale of Florida offensive tackle Max Starks. Starks’ biological father is former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Ross Browner. Browner and Starks’ mother never married, so Max was adopted and grew up the son of a mortician. Max’s mother finally arranged for Max to meet Browner when Max was 17. The two have stayed close since.