No Richardson at Combine
Alabama RB Trent Richardson, the consensus top back in this year’s draft class, won’t be putting his talents on display at the NFL Combine this week.
That according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported that Richardson’s reps sent a memo to all 32 NFL clubs informing them of Richardson’s minor knee procedure to address discomfort three weeks ago. Richardson, according to the NFL Network had a knee injury in practice leading up to the National Championship game and had surgery not long after the game.
The procedure is being terms minor as the memo reportedly states that he’ll be cleared to do on-field drills at the end of March. But that means Richardson will also miss the Alabama pro day on March 7th. Richardson is the consensus top back in this year’s class.
Prospects expected to test well
Tags: 2012 NFL draft, NFL Combine, Whitney Mercilus
Here’s a rundown of some NFL prospects expected to test well at the NFL Scouting Combine this week courtesy of National Football Post.
The list includes players at multiple positions. The one I find most interesting is Illinois pass rusher Whitney Mercilus. Known as a physical freak it’s not surprising to see him on this list. Knocked for being a one-year wonder it’ll be interesting to see what a strong workout at the Combine can do for his draft stock.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper believes it could solidify Mercilus as a late first-round pick knowing the DE class is not a deep one this year.
“If his workouts equate to what they need to be and what they think he is I think he goes between 22 and 32,” Kiper said of Mercilus.
Mayock’s updated prospect rankings
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock has updated his Top 5 position rankings in advance of the NFL Combine, which starts on Thursday. Here’s what he’s got.
Mayock also listed who fell out of his top 5 and who rose up his rankings position-wise.
Quarterback
1. Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor
3. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
4. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
5. Nick Foles, Arizona
New entries: Weeden, Foles
Running Back
1. Trent Richardson, Alabama
2. David Wilson, Virginia Tech
3. Lamar Miller, Miami (Fla.)
4. Doug Martin, Boise State
5. LaMichael James, Oregon
Wide Receiver
1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2. Kendall Wright, Baylor
3. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
4. Rueben Randle, LSU
5. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
Rise: Wright
Fall: Floyd, Jeffery
New entry: Randle
Out: Wake Forest’s Chris Givens
Tight End
1. Orson Charles, Georgia
2. Coby Fleener, Stanford
3. Dwayne Allen, Clemson
4. Deangelo Peterson, LSU
5. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette
Rise: Charles
Fall: Allen, Green
New entry: Peterson
Out: Missouri’s Michael Egnew
Tackle
1. Matt Kalil, USC
2. Riley Reiff, Iowa
3. Jonathan Martin, Stanford
4. Mike Adams, Ohio State
5. Cordy Glenn, Georgia
Rise: Kalil
Fall: Reiff
New entry: Glenn (switched groups from interior offensive lineman to tackle)
Out: Troy’s James Brown, Florida State’s Zebrie Sanders
Interior Offensive Lineman
1. David DeCastro, Stanford
2. Peter Konz, Wisconsin
3. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
4. Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State
5. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
Fall: Osemele
New entry: Silatolu
Out: Glenn (switched groups from interior offensive lineman to tackle)
Defensive End
1. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
2. Quinton Coples, North Carolina
3. Andre Branch, Clemson
4. Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
T-5. Vinny Curry, Marshall
T-5. Nick Perry, USC
Rise: Ingram, Branch
Fall: Coples, Mercilus, Perry
New entry: Curry
Out: Syracuse’s Chandler Jones
Defensive Tackle
1. Michael Brockers, LSU
2. Jerel Worthy, Michigan State
3. Dontari Poe, Memphis
4. Devon Still, Penn State
T-5. Fletcher Cox, Mississippi St.
T-5. Kendall Reyes, UConn
T-5. Brandon Thompson, Clemson
Rise: Brockers, Poe
Fall: Still, Thompson
New entry: Reyes
Linebacker
1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
2. Luke Kuechly, Boston College
3. Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
4. Ronnell Lewis, Oklahoma
5. Sean Spence, Miami (Fla.)
New entries: Lewis, Spence
Out: North Carolina’s Zach Brown, Arizona State’s Vontaze Burfict
Cornerback
1. Morris Claiborne, LSU
2. Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
3. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama
4. Trumaine Johnson, Montana
5. Leonard Johnson, Iowa State
Rise: Kirkpatrick
Fall: Jenkins, Leonard Johnson
New entry: Trumaine Johnson
Out: Nebraska’s Alfonzo Dennard
Safety
1. Mark Barron, Alabama
2. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
3. George Iloka, Boise State
4. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
5. Phillip Thomas, Syracuse
New entry: Phillip Thomas
Out: South Carolina’s Antonio Allen
Small schoolers at Combine
Tags: NFL Combine
With our feature on Buffalobills.com today (Monday) on the increase in small school prospects invited to the NFL Combine, here a position by position look at who to keep an eye on from the smaller programs later this week in Indy and where some draftniks have them projected to come off the board in the draft.
QB B.J. Coleman – Tenn-Chattanooga (5th)
RB Lennon Creer – Louisiana Tech (6th)
WR Brian Quick – Appalachian St. (3rd)
WR T.Y. Hilton – Florida International (4th)
TE LaDarius Green - Louisiana-Lafayette (3rd)
OT Tom Compton – South Dakota (5th-6th)
G/C Amini Silatolu – Midwestern St. (2nd-3rd)
DE Jonathan Massaquoi – Troy (2nd-3rd) [some teams see him as an OLB]
DT Akiem Hicks – Regina (Canada) (4th-5th)
OLB Demario Davis – Arkansas St. (7th)
ILB Caleb McSurdy - Montana (undrafted free agent)
CB Ryan Steed – Furman (3rd)
S Justin Bethel – Presbyterian (2nd-3rd)
Stay close to Buffalobills.com for coverage from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis beginning Thursday.
Report: Stevie contract talks at Combine
According to the Buffalo News contract talks between the Bills and Stevie Johnson’s representatives will continue at the NFL Combine next week.
Per the report, contract proposals have been exchanged between the two sides over the past week or so. Johnson is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent March 13th, but has stated all along that he’d like to re-sign with the Bills.
Stay close to Buffalobills.com next week for wall to wall coverage of the NFL Combine and Bills related news like this.
Who will be fastest at Combine?
Hard core football fans are always enamored with pure speed. So which one of the 327 prospects will run the fastest 40 time at this year’s NFL Combine? NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock had a lead pipe lock candidate, but that prospect turned down the Combine invite.
“It would’ve been (Florida’s) Jeff Demps, but Demps declined an invitation because he’s trying out for the U.S. Olympic team and he’s going to get ready for that,” said Mayock. ”If it’s not Demps who might it be? You might not have to go any further than his college teammate Chris Rainey. Now urban legend has it that back in 2008 the two of them squared off behind their dorm building. Rainey won one and Demps won another. If that’s the case Chris Rainey may be the fastest player at this year’s Combine.”
Other players that Mayock mentioned were Baylor WR Kendall Wright, who reminds him a bit of Philadelphia WR DeSean Jackson, and North Carolina LB Zach Brown.
“I think (Wright is) going to run in that mid-4.3 range,” Mayock said. ”Just as impressive if not more so is Zach Brown the linebacker from North Carolina. Now at 237 pounds he holds the North Carolina 60-meter record, not for football players, but for the entire student body. So which would be more impressive? Zach Brown running a 4.35 at 237 pounds or Rainey running a 4.25. For me I’d take the linebacker.”
Wall to wall coverage of the NFL Combine will begin on Buffalobills.com next Thursday from Indianapolis with 1-on-1 interviews with Bills GM Buddy Nix, head coach Chan Gailey as well as coverage of all the top prospects in this year’s draft class.
Ingram to leapfrog Upshaw?
South Carolina DL/OLB Melvin Ingram is getting more buzz a couple of weeks out from the NFL Combine. It’s because there are rumblings that his 40 time is going to push him up draft boards even further.
Already considered a lock to be a mid-first round pick, Ingram could leapfrog the likes of Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw when it comes to the top pass rushers as he has every bit the power to his game as Upshaw and might offer more speed and athleticism. According to DraftInsiders those close to Ingram and the South Carolina program are expecting Ingram to run in the 4.6s.
That would be pretty impressive for a 6’2″ 276-pounder. If he pulls it off and has a solid workout otherwise some believe he could vault himself into the top 10. Buffalo picks 10th overall.
We’ll have full coverage of the NFL Combine from Indy on Buffalobills.com later this month.
Draft board getting set
Tags: 2012 NFL draft, Buddy Nix, Chuck Cook, Doug Whaley, NFL Combine
The college scouting staff has arrived at One Bills Drive this week as they begin preparations for the NFL Combine at the end of the month as well as the 2012 NFL draft.
During this time, Bills GM Buddy Nix, Asst. GM/Director of Player Personnel Doug Whaley and Director of College Scouting Chuck Cook spearhead the process of setting up a preliminary draft board prior to the Combine. It will take up to two weeks to have it completed as the scouting staff pours through player reports and the other pertinent information gathered through the course of the past college season.
Each player will be assigned a grade and slotted accordingly on the draft board, horizontally by position and vertically by round.
NFL Combine invite breakdown
Tags: NFL Combine
Here’s the positional breakdown of the 327 invites handed out by the NFL to pro prospects for the NFL Combine, which begins later this month (Feb. 22nd-28th).
Defensive linemen and defensive backs had the most invites of all the position groups with 59 each. Here’s the full breakdown by position keeping in mind that defensive ends and defensive tackles are lumped together as are offensive tackles, guards and centers and punters and kickers.
Defensive backs – 59
Defensive linemen – 59
Offensive line – 55
Wide receiver – 47
Linebacker – 33
Running back - 30
Quarterback – 19
Tight end – 14
Kicker – 11
A reminder that Buffalobills.com will have comprehensive coverage of the NFL Combine from Indianapolis including interviews with Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix, a closer look at positions of interest for the Bills and some interactive material for the fans, all on Buffalobills.com. Stay tuned.
A good synopsis of Upshaw
Tags: 2012 NFL draft, Courtney Upshaw, NFL Combine
Alabama OLB/DE Courtney Upshaw was the mock pick for the Bills by ESPN’s Mel Kiper in his first mock draft last week at 10th overall. This week at the Senior Bowl most of the reviews on his play have been very favorable.
Veteran NFL reporter Jeff Legwold’s thorough review of Upshaw lends some good insight into Upshaw’s game. Perhaps the most interesting note is Upshaw’s desire to get down to 265 pounds by the NFL Combine in late February. Whether that’s his aim to make him a quicker and more effective pass rusher or to make him more attractive to 3-4 teams as an OLB is unclear. It’s something I’ll ask him about at the combine in Indy. In any event here Legwold’s write up on Upshaw in today’s Denver Post.
Mayock calls Dareus his top prospect
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock released his list of top 32 prospects in the draft pool. He has Alabama’s Marcell Dareus number one on his board followed by Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, A.J. Green and Blaine Gabbert.
Here’s his entire list, which by the way has Cam Newton rated 21st.
For those that missed it, here’s a condensed version of Marcell Dareus’ workout at the NFL combine.
The athleticism for a man that big is nothing short of impressive. All I’m going to say is watch the way this guy hits the tackling dummy bags. The word I’ll use is violent. Enjoy.
Julio Jones surgery Saturday
Alabama WR Julio Jones is going to have surgery on his foot this Saturday.
That according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen via his twitter account.
A fracture in Jones’ foot was discovered during his medical exam at the NFL combine, but he still ran a 4.39 40-time and had a ridiculous broad jump of better than 11 feet, the best at the combine. He’s forecast to be one of the top two receivers off the board along with Georgia’s A.J. Green.
CB Van Dyke blazes
It’s official, Miami CB DeMarcus Van Dyke was the fastest prospect at the NFL combine.
Van Dyke ran an official 4.28 40-time Tuesday. It’s the third fastest time at the combine since 2000. LSU’s Patrick Peterson had the next best time at 4.34 tied with Maryland RB Da’Rel Scott this year.
We bring up Van Dyke as a note because last month he told ProFootballTalk that the teams that had shown the most interest in him were the Bills and Cowboys. He’s forecast as a late round pick.
Put combine in perspective
The NFL combine gets a ton of coverage and a ton of hype, but for the NFL clubs seeking answers to questions on prospects it has to be put in perspective. Bills GM Buddy Nix explained that in an appearance on Morning Bull on 103.3 the Edge Tuesday.
“If you come in here and let this decide who you’re going to pick and whether or not a guy is going to be successful, you’re going to have a very low percentage of hitting on a guy,” said Nix. ”It’s a yearlong process and sometimes longer on some of these guys and this may set them back a little bit and then you go check further.
“I know yesterday there was some talk about some of the quarterbacks looking good throwing. Most of them were not very accurate and for different reasons. Go back and they say one of the best QB workouts ever here was Joey Harrington. Where’s Joey now? You can’t base it off this. It’s something to add to the evaluation process. It doesn’t make or break them.”
Nix also said the scouting staff will hit the road on Wednesday to attend the pro day workouts of most of the prospects through the month of March and early April.
“We will be working these guys out and satisfying questions that were brought up or that we saw at the combine,” he said.
Nix on QB interviews
Bills GM Buddy Nix appeared on Morning Bull on 103.3 the Edge Tuesday and provided his impressions of some of the quarterbacks the Bills met with one-on-one at the NFL combine.
When asked for his impressions of Auburn’s Cam Newton and other quarterbacks from their one-on-one meetings Nix provided the following answer.
“He’s a confident young man, he’s bright and all the others were too,” said Nix. ”Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert all the guys that we talked to were very impressive. It’s amazing how far the knowledge of the game and the physical ability of these guys has come. Every one of those guys certainly has a chance in the right situation.”
So without saying so Nix confirmed that they talked to Locker and Gabbert as part of their 60 personal interviews, and didn’t deny that they met with Newton. There is a good chance there were other quarterbacks on that list as well.
Peterson runs low 4.3
LSU CB Patrick Peterson just ran his first 40 and didn’t quite hit his goal of running a 4.2.
Peterson ran an unofficial 4.32 according to the NFL Network. Peterson is forecast as a top five pick.
UPDATE: His second 40 time was an unofficial 4.37.
ILB Wilson cements status
Illinois’ Martez Wilson is seen as the consensus top inside linebacker in this year’s draft class. His workout, particularly his 40 time only helped.
Wilson had the top 40 time among all linebackers with a 4.49, which even bested Texas A&M OLB Von Miller who had a 4.53. Wilson is forecast as an early second-round pick, which could make him an option for Buffalo at pick 34.
Jones stock to slip?
With NFL Network’s Charley Casserly reporting that Alabama WR Julio Jones will need surgery for a fracture in his foot, there is question now as to whether or not he’ll be one of the top two receivers drafted come last April.
Jones had a great combine workout, which included a 4.39 40-time on that fractured foot. He’s widely believed to be a mid-first round pick and immediately after his workout some thought he had a chance to come off the board before Georgia’s A.J. Green. Now with eight weeks of rehab some wonder if his stock could suffer.
UB’s Thomas not after advice
UB cornerback Josh Thomas, who tests at the NFL combine later today (Tuesday) has not sought advice from some of the UB players that have gone before him and landed roster spots in the NFL.
Thomas had both Naaman Roosevelt and James Starks as teammates at UB, but he chose not to bug either of them for advice.
“Naaman and James I didn’t want to bother them,” said Thomas. ”Starks just won the Super Bowl and I know everyone is blowing him up (calling him). Naaman I know he’s low key in Buffalo. So I’ve just been really focused and working really hard on what I need to do.”
Of course in no way does that mean that Thomas doesn’t appreciate those UB players that initially laid out the path to the NFL and convinced NFL talent evaluators that there is pro talent at Buffalo.
“Once those first two guys, Trevor Scott and Jamey Richard went out and sustained a position in the NFL it just gave everybody else confirmation that UB is just as elite as any other big name school,” Thomas said. ”They definitely paved the way and gave me confidence when they went.”
Thomas is hoping to run in the low 4.4s possibly high 4.3s at the combine. He’s forecast as a late round pick.
Nevada prospects explosive
Tags: NFL Combine
While most NFL draft followers knew of Nevada’s athletic quarterback Colin Kaepernick, few anticipated that his two Wolfpack teammates would be blowing up in workouts at the NFL combine.
First it was Nevada TE Virgil Green who at 6’3 3/8″ and 238 had a 42-inch vertical leap, eclipsing that of former record holder Vernon Davis. He also had an insance 10-foot 10-inch broad jump.
Now during DL workouts Nevada DE Dontay Moch is tearing it up posting the fastest 40 time ever run by a defensive linemen unofficially clocking in at an astounding 4.45. At 6’1 3/8″ 248 pounds Moch may have to make the switch to OLB, but if his time holds he’ll have broken the record for fastest 40 time by a DL besting Bryan Thomas’ mark of 4.47 back in 2002.
Moch was the 2009 WAC Defensive Player of the Year.
