During the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine, aF.com's Chris Pika will give his observations on the event, the behind-the-scenes information that you won't see on the NFL Network and any other breaking news as it develops. Keep checking back for updated entries during the day (latest entries listed first).
Saturday, February 24, 2007
- 6:42 pm - Let's go to the tape: Matt Moore has been hard at work today getting several player press conferences on tape. Our list so far, Penn State LB Paul Posluszny, Mississippi LB Patrick Willis, Michigan DT alan Branch, Georgia Tech LB KaMichael Hall, Florida DT Marcus Thomas and Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson.
We have also added Georgia DE Charles Johnson and Louisville DTamobi Okoye from Matt as he talked with the crew from PhiladelphiaEagles.com and D. Orlando Ledbetter from the atlanta Journal-Constitutional. - 5:27 pm - Benching the world on their shoulders: The bench press (225 pounds) numbers have been released for the offensive line and here are the leaders in total repititions:
Justin Blalock (Texas) - 40, Manuel Ramirez (Texas Tech) - 40, Nathan Bennett (Clemson) - 34, Dustin Fry (Clemson) - 34, Brandon Frye (Virginia Tech) - 34, Ryan Kalil (Southern California) - 34, Enoka Lucas (Oregon) - 34, Cameron Stephenson (Rutgers) - 34, Kasey Studdard (Texas) - 32, Tony Ugoh (arkansas) - 32.
By the way, Ohio State DL Mike Kudla benched 225 pounds 45 times last year, which tied a record for the Combine. Despite his strength, he was not drafted in 2006. - 4:22 pm - a look at the numbers so far: as I was working on the transcript of Bobby Petrino's press conference, Gil Brandt and Steve alic have been announcing workout numbers over the last hour or so. Here are some of the highlights of the 40-yard dash times to date.
Group 1 (Offensive Linemen): allen Barbre (Missouri Southern) - 4.84, andy alleman (akron) - 5.07, Brandon Frye (Virginia Tech) - 5.08, Justin Blaylock (Texas) - 5.10, Doug Datish (Ohio State) - 5.13.
Group 2 (Offensive Linemen): Gabe Hall (Texas Tech) - 4.91, Joe Thomas (Wisconsin) - 4.92, Ryan Kalil (Southern California) - 4.96, Tony Ugoh (arkansas) - 5.06, James Marten (Boston College) - 5.08, adam Koets (Oregon State) - 5.08, Ryan Harris (Notre Dame) - 5.09, Mario Henderson (Florida State) - 5.11, Kasey Studdard (Texas) - 5.18, Herbert Taylor (TCU) - 5.19.Group 3 (Tight Ends): Greg Olsen, (Miami, Fla.) - 4.51, Michael allan (Whitworth) - 4.71 (note: Whitworth is the only Division-III player invited to the Combine), Gijon Robinson (Missouri Western) - 4.71, Ben Patrick (Delaware) - 4.74, Derek Schouman (Boise State) - 4.74, Dante Rosario (Oregon) - 4.76, Kevin Boss (Western Oregon) - 4.78, Scott Chandler (Iowa) - 4.78.
- 1:47 pm - Petrino meets with the media: Bobby Petrino went through the gauntlet of media here at the media center this afternoon and gave a review of his first 40 days as the Falcons head coach. You can watch the interview here and we will have a more complete report on what he said in a little while.
Petrino also met with a group of reporters in the hallway outside of the room and was asked mostly about Louisville RB Michael Bush and Bush's potential transition to the NFL before he headed back inside to watch the workouts in the RCa Dome.We will have a complete report on the press conference later this afternoon, so stay tuned.
- 11:49 am - a Georgia Bulldog takes the stage: Georgia defensive end Charles Johnson just finished his turn at the media podium. The 6-2, 270-pound Johnson had 19 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks last season for UGa as the fourth-rated DE by NFLDraftScout.com
When asked about what he needs to improve on, he said, "I need to learn the speed of the game, stay humble and learn the plays." - 11:24 am - Poked and prodded: as the offensive linemen begin to warm up for their set of drills on the RCa Dome field, another set of athletes - the defensive linemen and linebackers today - are sitting in the hallway that winds around to the playing field.
They are going through their first day at the Combine where they have an extensive physical exam in every conceivable category, up to and including MRIs - which are conducted at a local hospital.according to a veteran NFC scout, the process takes about three hours as team doctors from each club in groups examine players from head to toe. One change in recent years is that the exams happen two days prior to the on-field drills. Players used to complain that the physical exams and strength testing would take to much out of them, so the two are spaced out as far as possible.
a typical four-day schedule for each player is: Day 1 - travel to Indy, registration, hospital pre-exam and x-rays, orientation and team interviews. Day 2 - Measurements (height, weight), medical exams, psychological testing and team interviews. Day 3 - NFLPa meeting, psychological testing and team inteviews. Day 4 - Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) and departure from Indianapolis.
We have our first Combine Crashers V-Blog of the day as Matt took a stroll down the hallway just past our position in the media center. The convention center complex here is huge and there is a youth gymnastics competition going on. The teams are here looking for the future talent to take them to the Super Bowl, and in that spirit, Matt went to see the future Olympians and came to a conclusion - 10:08 am - Gearing up for a big day: The Combine rolls into Day 3 here at the RCa Dome in downtown Indianapolis. The interviews just started with Clemson DL Gaines adams taking one podium and New York Giants' Senior VP/GM Jerry Reese at the other.
according to aF.com's Matt Moore, when asked by a reporter if the Buffalo Bills are shopping RB Willis McGahee who is in the final year of his deal, the Giants GM responded by acknowledging that there is talk out there about a McGahee trade and that they will look over every possible trade deal.
By the way, adams - who is rated as the number one defensive end in the draft pool by NFLDraftScout.com - was not highly-recruited out of Cambridge (Greenwood, S.C.) academy, the private school he attended. The school played eight-man football and adams, who played on both sides of the ball, had 158 receptions for 4,394 yards and 65 TDs on offense and 341 tackles, 10 interceptions and 33 sacks on defense for head coach Steve Taneyhill, a former all-SEC and South Carolina quarterback.
The field in the RCa Dome will be very busy as the specialists (kickers, punters, long snappers) have given way to the position players. We should be getting workout numbers from those by way of Gil Brandt later today.
Our own head coach, Bobby Petrino, will address the media here at 12:30 p.m. ET today and we will have the video for you once it is complete. It will be the largest media gathering he has spoken to since he became the Falcons' 13th head coach in early January. He spent some time with the media in Miami during Super Bowl week with about 20 people. Today, he will go for 15 minutes with about 100 media members.
