Ohio State's Pro Day

Ohio State's pro day lost a lot of it's excitement when Ted Ginn announced he wasn't going to participate. Ginn's ankle still hasn't healed from the injury he suffered in the National Championship game.

Troy Smith participated in all drills. Smith ran two 40s, in 4.65 and 4.71 seconds. He also posted a 36-½-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump. Smith also impressed with his arm strength during passing drills.

Running back Antonio Pittman and receiver Anthony Gonzalez did not run the 40-yard dash.

Seldom used receiver Roy Hall made the biggest impression during the day. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds he ran a 4.35 40.

Smith, Jarret, and Hunt won't run at combine

More players are announcing they'll skip the 40-yard dash at the combine. Troy Smith, Dwayne Jarrett, and Tony Hunt will all be spectators while other players are running the forty.

Its disappointing that these players aren't willing to run with their peers and instead choose to wait till their pro day. Pro day's are notorious for improving forty times and it's difficult to compare a forty run during a pro day to one that is run at the combine.

The number three ranked QB prospect

Just about everyone agrees the top two QB prospects in the 2007 NFL draft are Jamarcus Russell and Brady Quinn, but who is number three?

Opinons are all over the map. Ask just about any scout or draft expert and you're likely to receive a different anwer.

Drew Stanton seems to have the best chance right now of being the third QB taken. Stanton has all of the skills you dream of when you think of a quarterback. He has good size, a good arm, but is also a very good athlete. The biggest problem with Stanton is his consistency.

Kevin Kolb also receives some talk at number three. Kolb has all the skills to develop into a quality NFL quarterback, but will need to adjust to an NFL playbook as he didn't play in a pro-style offense at Houston.

Trent Edwards is the sleeper candidate right now. He has flown under the radar because Stanford has been so bad, but he has the skills and the toughness to project to the next level. He is a talented pocket passer, has good size, and shows the ability to stand in the pocket and deliver the football with accuracy.

Troy Smith has seen his stock really fall since his awful BCS showing and sub-par Senior Bowl. Some still consider him the 3rd best QB, but those who do are becoming scarce.

Other names mentioned at number three are John Beck, BYU and Matt Moore, Oregon State.

Troy Smith wants the Browns to draft him

Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith is lobbying his hometown team to select him in April's NFL draft.

"Hopefully, I'll get a chance to represent you guys at the next level with the Cleveland Browns," Smith said at Tuesday night's Greater Cleveland Sports Awards.

Smith's draft stock has fallen after a poor BCS game and an unimpressive Senior Bowl. His draft projections are now all over the map, from the second to fifth round. While there is no way he'll be selected with the Browns' first round pick, he could be an option with their later round picks.

Scout says Troy Smith will flop

According to Philly.com, Cincinnati Bengals' scout Greg Seamon called Troy Smith an overhyped Heisman-winning quarterback who would flop in the NFL.

"Really, he's not that fast," Seamon said of Smith. "He gets run down by defensive ends. He's not real big. He kind of stares down his targets. You didn't see those breathtaking, thread-the-needle throws [against Florida] that you'd hope to see from a top-of-the-draft quarterback."

Quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl

Fox Sports has a huge article on Senior Bowl week. Including an in-depth look at the quarterbacks. Here are some of the comments:

Drew Stanton - ...he's back and playing well enough to be a late first-round prospect.

Troy Smith - His arm has been average and the height issue has been a factor.

Chris Leak - He's been rock solid this week showing he can be deadly accurate on the short-to-midrange throws.

Kevin Kolb - He's big, mobile, through not a runner, and has the arm.

Jordan Palmer - great arm, lousy decision maker

Tyler Palko - this week showed he can't throw at an NFL level

Troy Smith off to a good start at Senior Bowl

DaytonDailyNews.com reports Troy Smith looked good during the first day of practice. He was on the money with his passes, hitting his receivers in stride, and threw the ball with nice touch and pinpoint accuracy. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden was impressed.

"Troy's arm strength was impressive, and he's learned the playbook quickly," Gruden said. "It's going to be a pleasure to work with him this week."

Troy Smith's Florida nightmare

Florida's defense dominated Ohio State and Troy Smith in the BCS Championship game. The Heisman trophy winner managed just 7 total yards and was hurried and harassed all night, spending most of the game running for his life or on the ground. When Smith did manage to get a pass away it was usually off the mark. He completed just 4 passes on 14 attempts.

This will knock Smith down on some draft boards and he'll have a lot to prove at the Senior Bowl and scouting combine. The first question to be answered will be his height. If he is only 5-11, as rumored, he won't stand much of a chance at being chosen in the first round, maybe not even the second. He'll also have to show he can perform against other elite prospects, something he couldn't do against Florida.

JaMarcus Russell's decision to impact draft

LSU junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell is expected to be a first round selection should he enter the NFL draft. He has yet to give any indication on what his decision will be, but teams, players, and agents are all anxious to learn if the 6'-6" QB with a cannon for an arm will go pro. If he does, it will change the make up of the entire top of the draft.

The number one overall pick will lose some of it's value as Brady Quinn won't be the only elite QB in the draft. Teams won't want to give up as much to move into the first pick.

Brady Quinn will have some competition for the first QB taken. Most scouts still rank Quinn higher then Russell right now. However, that could change after Russell displays his skills for scouts during the combine and workouts. Some say Russell has one of the strongest arms to ever play the game.

Troy Smith might fall to the second round. The Smith bandwagon has been picking up steam and many consider him a first rounder. That could change with both Quinn and Russell expected to go higher then him.

Quinn and Smith accept Senior Bowl invites

Troy Smith and Brady Quinn will both compete in the Senior Bowl on January 27, 2007. The Senior Bowl is an important pre-draft event featuring the nation's best senior collegiate football stars and top NFL draft prospects. Players are coached by the entire coaching staffs from two NFL teams and practices are attended by over 700 general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches, scouts and other front office personnel. Past Senior Bowls have had a big influence on the draft stock of the top prospects.

For Smith, the weigh in portion of Senior Bowl week could have a huge impact in his draft stock. If his official height is around his listed 6-1, he'll have a good chance of being a first rounder. If he measures up to only 5-11, as rumored, it's doubtful he'll make the first round.

Quinn has less to prove and some may question why he'll even participate in the Senior Bowl. However, NFL personal will appreciate his desire to compete and unless Quinn has a miserable game his draft stock shouldn't be affected.

Peter King lists Troy Smith #2 overall

In a recent issue of Sports Illustrated, Peter King's mock has Troy Smith going number two overall to the Oakland Raiders. Troy Smith's stock continues to rise and while he could go in the first round, it seems like a stretch to predict he'll go that high. While scouts love Smith's athleticism they are worried that his lack of height (listed at 6-1, but might be 5-11) could cause problems at the next level.

Troy Smith now in Kiper's top 20

Troy Smith made his first appearance on Kiper's big board this week at number 20. Smith has seen his stock skyrocket this season and could be selected in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. A big performance during the national championship game could give his stock another boost, as it did for Vince Young last year. Before Young's performance, few considered him a first round talent, let alone a top five pick.

Troy Smith a Philly option?

With Donovan McNabb's season cut short once again, is it time for the Eagles to draft a QB? One intriguing possibility is Troy Smith. The knock on Smith, his height or lack of it, wouldn't be much of an issue in Philadelphia's west coast offense. Short, mobile QBs have thrived in this offense and Smith has everything else you look for in a franchise QB. He has a good arm, and the ability to make all the throws on the field. Smith shows the willingness to throw the ball from the pocket, and the ability to throw on the move if flushed out. If things break down, he is a great athlete, with the ability to scramble and make plays.

Troy Smith's Stock Up After Big Win

Troy Smith put an exclamation mark on his impressive college resume with a performance fitting a future Heisman winner. In the biggest game of the year, Smith dominated the talented Michigan defense. He completed 70% of his passes for 318 yards and 4 TDs. Smith showed he can make all throws and has an NFL caliber arm. He displayed a remarkable ability to avoid the rush and throw accurately on the run. Smith's performance earned a berth in the National Championship game, a Heisman trophy, and a possible spot in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft.