2011 NFL Combine: Maurice Clarett and the 10 Worst Combine Workouts

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While everyone knows about the debacle that was Maurice Clarett, there have been a lot of players that have shown up at the combine and have been underwhelming.

With the 2011 NFL Combine about to kick off, it is time to take a look back at previous combine performances.

From poor 40 times to players that can't lift 225 pounds, here is a list introducing the worst performances at the combine:

10. Jonathan Dwyer RB, Georgia Tech

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Dwyer was a running back that came out of the triple-option offense in Georgia Tech, but failed to impress at the combine.

Dwyer ran a horrible 40-time, coming in at 4.68.  Jonathan Dwyer came into the combine expecting to perform well and try to land in the second round of the draft.

That didn't happen for Dwyer.

9. Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame

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Jimmy Clausen didn't throw at the NFL combine, but that couldn't stop him from destroying his stock.

Clausen was projected to go in the first round of most mock drafts before the combine; however, Clausen eventually fell to the second round.

His fall was mainly in part due to the interviews that he took part in at the combine. 

Clausen was rumored to be immature and didn't know how to respond to a lot of questions during the interview process, one of the main reasons that teams like the Washington Redskins decided to pass on the Notre Dame QB.

8. Zach Miller TE, Arizona State

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Zach Miller came into the combine competing with Greg Olsen to be the first TE selected on draft day.  Needless to say, Zach Miller failed to impress scouts at the combine, but has had a solid NFL career since being selected by the Oakland Raiders.

Olsen used the combine to solidify himself as a first-round pick, but Miller was a big disappointment.  Miller ran a 4.83 40-time, nearly 0.3 slower than Olsen.

Miller also entered the combine being known for having great hands, but routinely dropped passes during drills.

7. Davone Bess WR, Hawaii

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Davone Bess makes the list because of his horrid 40-time.  The shifty receiver out of Hawaii had all the scouts raising an eyebrow when he showed up and ran a 4.69 40-time.

With a poor 40-time, Bess did not make up for it in the strength department as he was only able to bench press 225 pounds 12 times.

Bess has gone on to have a pretty solid career in Miami and really turned out to be a value pick for the Dolphins.

6. Gary Russell RB, Minnesota

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Gary Russell and Maurice Clarett will forever be linked as they both came into the combine out of shape after sitting the previous season out.

Russell was suspended from Minnesota for the previous season and showed up at the combine hoping to secure himself as a mid-round selection.

However, Russell "pulled a Clarett" and ran a 4.8 40-time at the combine.  Russell was later signed as a free agent after the draft ended and ended up scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII, but has since failed to make an impact with any NFL team.

5. Mario Manningham WR, Michigan

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Mario Manningham used his speed often at Michigan to get open and stretch the field for the Wolverines.

However, when Manningham stepped up to the line at the combine, he failed to impress, running a 4.59 40-time.

When a small receiver runs a slow 40-time, without pads on, it usually throws up red flags for most teams, and left no chance for Manningham to be selected in the first round.

Manningham did improve his times at his pro day, however, and has had a solid NFL career to date.

4. Dezmon Briscoe WR, Kansas

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Dezmon Briscoe wasn't expected to put up freakish numbers at the combine, but his numbers were horrific.

Briscoe ended up running a 4.61 40-time, and while scouts expected something in the 4.5 range, this was even slower. 

Briscoe also raised red flags with his bench press totals.  When a receiver doesn't put up a good 40-time and then proceeds to only bench press 225 pounds nine times, scouts will begin to worry.

Many people had Briscoe projected to go in the second or third round, but these concerns pushed him all the way to the sixth round and Briscoe failed to crack the lineup on a regular basis for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season after the Cincinnati Bengals released him before the season.

3. Joe Haden CB, Florida

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Haden was likely the most disappointing player at the 2010 NFL Combine.  Haden entered the combine as the clear-cut top-rated CB and left the combine leaving scouts scratching their heads.

Haden ran a very disappointing 40-time of 4.57 and also disappointed with his vertical jump of only 35 inches.

Many scouts were questioning whether he should have been a top-10 pick after the combine, but the Cleveland Browns still pulled the trigger on him and he has turned out to be a solid pick to this point.

2. Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers

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Anthony Davis entered the combine with questions surrounding his work ethic, and those questions were not answered with his performance.

Offensive linemen are not expected to be fast, but anytime a professional athlete runs a 5.3 40-time, scouts are going to question that player's work ethic.

Not only did Davis disappoint in the 40-yard dash, but he didn't show much strength, only bench pressing 225 pounds 21 times, a below-average number for an OT.

Anthony Davis had an up-and-down season in 2010 with the San Francisco 49ers at RT, but has the potential to have a successful NFL career.

1. Maurice Clarett RB, Ohio State

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Was there any question that Maurice Clarett would hit the top spot on this list?

Maurice Clarett showed up heavier than usual, out of shape and slow.

Clarett ran a 4.72 followed by a 4.82 in the 40.  After running poor 40 times, Clarett put a hoodie on and walked out on the remaining drills.

Many scouts had the feeling that Clarett would not be taken until the fifth or sixth round of the NFL draft, but Mike Shanahan and the Denver Broncos selected him in the third round.

Clarett's NFL career was a failure and he eventually ended up in prison for aggravated robbery and has since been released and continued his football career in the UFL.