Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins

NFL.COM:Notes from "the carpet" (DT at Combine)


bubba9497

Recommended Posts

Notes from "the carpet"

By Gil Brandt

Special to NFL.com

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/7112531

NFL.com draft expert Gil Brandt is in Indianapolis at the 2004 National Scouting Combine. While there, he will file daily reports for draft-hungry fans. In addition, Brandt will be part of the trio reporting from Indy for NFL Network .

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 23, 2004) -- The defensive linemen took to the field to show off what they could do. There were 30 guys invited, and 22 of them ran. And once again, there were a lot of big guys who ran pretty well. Isaac Hilton from Hampton ran really well -- he measured up at about 6-foot-3 and 267 pounds, and ran a 4.75 in the 40-yard dash. Fellow prospect Jason Babin from Western Michigan clocked in under 4.75. Just about all of the better D-linemen ran; the best one that didn't run was Dave Ball from UCLA.

Following those drills, several defensive linemen also worked out as linebackers in what they call "alternate skill" drills. Basically, these players who just worked out as defensive ends and tackles are now working out as linebackers. Among them are Babin, Kevin Emanuel (FSU), Claude Harriott (Pitt), Travis LaBoy (Hawaii) and Nathaniel Adibi (Virginia Tech). Remember, last year we saw Terrell Suggs, a defensive end in college, get drafted by the Ravens so he could play linebacker.

Tight ends also were part of the day's festivities. A total of 15 ran, while two did not participate for medical reasons. Also, Kellen Winslow of Miami (Fla.) and Ben Troupe of Florida did not run. Check out this whopper: Arkansas' Jason Peters weighed in at 336 pounds, and ran slightly under 4.9! Ben Watson of Georgia ran under 4.6 at 256 pounds and did 34 strength reps as well. This is quite an interesting crop of tight ends.

Helping themselves out

Two players have really stepped up and probably improved their draft stock significantly.

Luke McCown, quarterback, Louisiana Tech. He's been out here since the first day and has been throwing in nearly every drill. He, Robert Kent (Jackson State) and Scott Rislov (San Jose State) have taken advantage of helping out on other drills and showing scouts what they can do. McCown especially has looked good.

Rashaun Woods, wide receiver, Oklahoma State. Woods' claim to fame up until now was catching seven touchdowns in one game. Here in Indy, he has run very well (the 4.4 area) and also had an outstanding vertical jump. Just another name to add to the growing list of top receiving talent.

Terry Johnson, defensive tackle, Washington. Johnson measured up at 6-foot-2 ¾ and 304 pounds, and ran as low as a 4.7, which is pretty fast for someone his size. He also lifted the bar 31 times.

Off the carpet

I got to catch up with the gigantic Ted Hendricks, a former linebacker with the Colts, Packers and Raiders who is in the Hall of Fame. He was drafted in 1969, and he noted how things have changed. Specifically, he reminded me that we used to send people down to Miami (where he went to school) in the summer. In fact, another team that scouted him, the Colts, had him come to a house owned by then-owner Carroll Rosenbloom. No fancy scouting combine here; Hendricks was weighed on Rosenbloom's wife's scale in her bathroom, complete with pink carpeting. Of course, all football trivia buffs will remember that Rosenbloom's wife was Georgia Frontiere, who is now the owner of the Rams.

"We've come a long way since Georgia Frontiere's bathroom," Hendricks said. I couldn't agree more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...