The Combine. Time for workout warriors to emerge and shoot up the board, and time for football players to fall off the board because they couldn’t run 40 yards in a pair of shorts fast enough.
There are plenty of things to look for, but here are five guys that could see their stock rise – or fall – thanks to the stopwatches.
RB Maurice Clarett, Ohio State
A big question mark on almost every team’s big board. Had he stayed at Ohio State for the two years he didn’t play football, then we could be talking about a draft with four running backs who could all go in the top 10. He’s got great size and strength, but his lack of blazing speed looks like it could be a problem. He only played one year of college football, and there are more questions about his maturity than there are scouts in Indy this week.
WR Mike Williams, USC
Too small, too light, not fast enough. Hasn’t played football for a year. Blah blah blah – this guy makes plays. Do these scouts watch football? With good times and good interviews, he could find himself at number 1 on the receiver’s board.
QB Aaron Rodgers, California
His school lists him as 6’3, but he looks to be 6’0. If he’s as tall as the Bears say he is then he’ll likely be the first pick – if he’s 6’0, he might even leave the top 10. Teams really like the 6’4, 220 stereotype and won’t touch Rodgers with a ten foot bargepole. Teams tend to shy away from passing drills as a sign of a player’s talent, but that doesn’t mean a bad showing won’t knock him down further. He also reminds a lot of scouts of Peyton Manning – in his mobility, that is.
QB Adrian McPherson, FSU via Indiana Firebirds, AFL
When a guy is named Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball in Florida then you know that you’ve got one hell of an athlete. If he throws well in the drills and shows off his athleticism as much as he thinks he can he could shoot up the board.
CB Pac-Man Jones, West Virginia
Supposedly, he can run in the 4.3 range. If he does, and Antrel Rolle comes in with the expected 4.5, then Jones will more than likely be the first corner of the board. There are so many corners in the draft that are in a pack that this could either take him to the top or drop him into the second round.
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