DP: Bugel: Prospects' no-shows not good

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-73846sy0feb28,0,7128122.story?coll=dp-sports-local

Bugel: Prospects' no-shows not good

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-73846sy0feb28,0,3351492,print.story?coll=dp-sports-local

INDIANAPOLIS -- Joe Bugel is from the old school. To him, the NFL Scouting Combine remains an opportunity for college players in general and offensive linemen in particular to increase their draft stock.

But a league-wide trend for top players at all positions is to not work out at the RCA Dome, opting instead to perform for scouts at a "Pro Day" on their home campus.

"I'm mystified by it," said Bugel, the Redskins' assistant head coach. "In the old days, everybody came here and couldn't wait to work out."

Bugel wanted to meet with Virginia guard Elton Brown, but Brown left Indianapolis before Bugel arrived.

"I was going to encourage him to work out," Bugel said.

Brown, who sustained a minor knee sprain last month at the Senior Bowl, will work out March 23 in Charlottesville. He said he could have worked out at the combine, but didn't on the advice of his agent.

"To be honest, he did the wrong thing by leaving - he got bad advice," Bugel said. "It wasn't a good choice. Everybody in the NFL is here, and now they have to go to his campus and go through the same thing. Some won't do it. For a kid to say they need another two weeks - what have they been doing the last two months? It's a great disappointment."

Quarterbacks, running backs and receivers, especially high first-round picks, work out on campus so they can perform with teammates. As for offensive linemen, Bugel said, "You have to be a rare, rare bird to do that," referring to top-five locks like Robert Gallery last year.

Brown is the draft's top-ranked guard. David Baas and Evan Mathis - ranked second and fourth, respectively, among guards - did work out, and three of four top-ranked tackles also worked.

PEARMAN CONFIDENT

Virginia's Alvin Pearman wants to be this year's Mewelde Moore. Moore, a fourth-round choice by the Minnesota Vikings last year, rushed for 339 yards and had 27 catches for 238 yards. Moore (5-10, 209) and Pearman (5-10, 198) are similar in size and skills. During a time when NFL teams require their running backs to catch passes, Pearman thinks Moore's success will give him a chance.

"It gives me a lot of confidence knowing I do have some of those same skills," Pearman said. "He caught a lot of passes in college, ran well and wasn't a very big guy, but his game was able to translate into the NFL."

Pearman, the 19th-ranked available running back by www.theNFLscouts.com, hopes his myriad talents translate into getting mid-round draft choice. Last season, Pearman rushed for 1,090 yards and 10 TDs and had 29 catches for 402 yards.

"My strength is my versatility," he said. "The coaches at Virginia did a great job developing me into the player I became."

Unlike teammates Brown and Heath Miller, Pearman went through all of the physical drills at the combine.

"In my particular case, this is a very deep running back field so it's another opportunity for me," he said. "When you're a running back and not predicted to be at the top, you take any chance you can get to gain ground."

NEW COORDINATOR

New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks will be working with a new offensive coordinator in 2005. Mike Sheppard replaces Mike McCarthy, who took the same job with the San Francisco 49ers.

McCarthy had been with Brooks since the Newport News native joined the Saints in 1999. Sheppard was the Saints' quarterbacks coach before the promotion.

"We're both excited that we get a chance to continue to work together, albeit in a different role," Sheppard said. "We've always had a great relationship."

Brooks' new quarterbacks coach is Turk Schonert.

"We're putting our thoughts together and we have some things (coach) Jim (Haslett) would like us to do," Sheppard said.

Chief on Haslett's list has to be the run game, which ranked 27th in the NFL last year (100.4 yards per game). Brooks threw for 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for the Saints (8-8).

"I think Aaron would probably tell you that he threw more interceptions than he wanted to, and that he wants to play better," Sheppard said. "But he's still accurate, has great arm strength and knows the system very well."

REDSKINS NOTES

The Redskins have signed 33 unrestricted free agents the last two years, including 11 last year that started at least one game in 2004. Don't expect the same kind of turnover come Wednesday. "I think we'll do a lot less this year because our needs are not nearly as many as last year," coach Joe Gibbs said. "I would like to solve every problem we could - as we did last year - in free agency."

Right tackle Jon Jansen, who missed all of last season with an Achilles' tendon injury, has been cleared by doctors to return to full activity.

Gibbs all but ruled out the Redskins acquiring a quarterback, starter or backup. "Patrick (Ramsey) is starting. That's good for us," he said. "I like our quarterback (situation) right now." «

Why do people keep comparing Alvin Pearman to that Mewelde guy? Seems the more obvious comparison is Tiki, good runner and good receiver.

Jansen is ready. SWEET.

Maybe this article reveals why Mike Williams decided to work out at the combine at the last minute.

Maybe Buges got in his ear.

Originally posted by fpickering

Maybe this article reveals why Mike Williams decided to work out at the combine at the last minute.

Maybe Buges got in his ear.

even better.. maybe gibbs got in his ear

Does anyone know how Baas did at the combine outside of Williams I really want the skins to get this guy.