Make sure you check out SB Nation's Peter Bean's NFL Combine great write up's. They are both funny and informative! You can find them HERE and HERE. - P
I don't get into the NFL all that much. But this weekends NFL Combine offered up some interesting items...
From The OCR (Part1)
BIGGEST WINNER: JOE MCKNIGHT
I was among those skeptical about how Joe McKnight’s skills would translate to the NFL. I didn’t see him as anything more than a situational player. And I was hardly alone in questioning his long speed after defenders caught him from behind several times last season.
McKnight (above) eased some of those concerns by running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash — fifth best among running backs. And he did that at 198 pounds — eight more than his listed 190 on last season’s USC roster.
McKnight also was among the RB leaders in the vertical and broad jumps.
McKnight was always a bit of an enigma at USC. You knew he was special but there times when you weren't sure just how special he was...
STAFON REPRESENTS
You won’t find Stafon Johnson on any bench-press leaderboard after he did 13 reps. But the fact that he benched at all is significant after he nearly lost his life, or at least his football career, in a bench-press accident.
"Every coach and scout I’ve talked to has been impressed with what he’s done since he showed up at the Senior Bowl," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said. "This guy has gone above and beyond to show people he wants to be in the National Football League. He’s not a great player; he’s not going to go in the first couple rounds. But the fact that he’s willing to step up and compete like this means a lot."
I hope Stafon continues to prove me wrong when it comes to playing again...especially in the NFL.
Damian Williams also represented well...
DAMIAN’S DAY
Receiver Damian Williams solidified his second-round status and might even have done better than that, according to PFT:
"He ran in the low 4.5s and showed quick feet on a day where we saw a lot of weak routes. He could sneak into the first round."
Williams’ TV times on NFL Network were 4.53 and 4.55 — right in the expected range. He had a couple of drops in his first catching drill but aced it the second time. He also was among the WR leaders in the bench press, vertical jump and three-cone drill, which measures change of direction.
I think Williams will be a steal in the draft.
Here are some thoughts on Antony McCoy...
MIDDLING MCCOY
Tight end Anthony McCoy’s workout "could have gone better," according to Todd McShay of ESPN’s Scouts Inc.:
"McCoy (6-4, 259) ran an adequate 4.79 in the 40 but put up only 19 reps on the bench press. He also had a few drops, which was also a problem for him during Senior Bowl week. We knew he was somewhat limited athletically so McCoy did not hurt his second-round grade much, but he did miss a chance to get into the first-round conversation."
This is a particularly deep TE pool. It wouldn’t surprise me if McCoy (above) slipped into the third round. He wasn’t a consistent performer at USC — some would argue even an underachiever — and still has a lot to prove.
I don't disagree with any of this. McCoy was much better in 2008 than he was in 2009. Part of that was Mark Sanchez throwing him the ball vs. Matt Barkley but there were time where you see that McCoy wasn't necessarily giving it his all.
Anyway I am not all that much into the NFL but I also won't deny that I keep tabs on on former USC players. I enjoyed watching Mark Sanchez this season and I have kept tabs on Steve Smith...mostly because they play here in New York but I always want to see USC players do well.
FIGHT ON!