NFL Combine Results: Cam Newton and 10 Prospects Who Struggled Sunday
Sunday was a hugely important day at the NFL Scouting Combine, as today was the day when the running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks came out to strut their stuff. In the NFL, this is where the big money tends to go, so it pretty much goes without saying that you don't want to look bad.
Naturally, there were plenty of players who stood out. But there were also plenty of players who struggled in the assorted drills, and they could see their draft stock drop as a result.
As you may have already surmised, one of these players was Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. The combine has pretty much been the "The Cam Newton Show" to this point, but he really didn't do anything to live up to the hype during drills today.
Because we don't want to pick on just Newton, he is just one member of the ensuing list, which will discuss which 10 NFL draft prospects didn't do themselves any favors on Sunday.
10. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
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Take it from me that I am extremely hesitant to include Green on this list, as it would perhaps be a little harsh to say that he "struggled" on Sunday. But he did look a little more human than many pundits are making him out to be.
For one, Green's 40 time of 4.48 placed him behind several other receivers. One of those was Alabama's Julio Jones, who ran a 4.39.
Now, Green is not a speedburner. His main assets are his speed, hands and body control. If this is the case, then the gauntlet should have been his best friend. Instead, he struggled, dropping a pass and stumbling.
He will be the first receiver off the board on draft day, but one gets the sense that Jones' great showing on Sunday has narrowed what was perceived to be a pretty wide gap in talent between he and Green.
It's all relative, folks. And on Sunday, Jones looked like the better player.
9. Greg Little, WR, North Carolina
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North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little definitely impressed with his showing at the bench press on Saturday, completing 27 reps of 225 pounds.
On Sunday, however, word came out that Little has been "less than honest" in the interview process, which doesn't look very good, considering the fact that he was suspended for the 2010 season for violationg school and NCAA rules.
On the field, Little didn't look terrible by any means, but he did have some trouble making certain cuts, particularly on the five-yard out route. He also had to really slow down on the curl.
Like I said, not terrible, but it sounds like he could be under the microscope from here on out, and it's likely that any and all shortcomings could cause a snowball effect.
8. Titus Young, WR, Boise State
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Boise State wide receiver Titus Young came into the combine with the goal of running a 4.2 40-yard dash, and the thinking was that he had a chance to establish himself as the next DeSean Jackson.
Young did have good showings in the 40 with times of 4.43 and 4.44, but he obviously wasn't as fast as he wanted to be. He also looked tentative in pass-catching drills, and it sounds like he looked nervous about catching the ball.
A little later on, Young's calf muscle started cramping up and he had to be helped off the field.
One supposes that Young could have looked worse, but he definitely let fellow Boise receiver Austin Pettis grab the spotlight by comparison. Still, Young's draft stock is by no means going to plummet after today.
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7. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami
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The last time we glimpsed Miami wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, he was lighting up the stat sheet at the Senior Bowl. Teaming up mainly with Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder (who looked very good today), Hankerson caught five balls for 100 yards and a touchdown and showed a great knack for making something out of nothing.
At the combine on Sunday, Hankerson posted a pretty good 40 time of 4.43, but he had trouble catching the ball consistently during drills. That's obviously a little concerning, as they don't typically pay wide receivers just so they can go out there and be fast.
6. Damien Berry, RB, Miami
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For a guy who stands at just 5'10", Damien Berry is a pretty big guy, as he tips the scales at upwards of 210 pounds. Because of this, it's perhaps not all that surprising that he ran the 40 in 4.61 seconds.
Not a terrible time. But if you're not going to be a burner, you have to be agile, and Berry was neither. While players like Alabama's Mark Ingram and Kentucky's Derrick Locke really stood out in the running back drills, Berry failed to showcase any kind of balance or agility.
On balance, he definitely didn't help himself.
5. Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho
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With all the ruckus surrounding players like Newton, Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett, you don't hear about Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle all that often. But he shows a strong arm on film, and the thinking is that he could make a nice late-round option.
In throwing drills on Sunday, Enderle apparently failed to grasp the notion that scouts like to see strong arms in person. He underthrew several passes, causing his receivers to adjust their routes.
The thinking is that he was more caught up in being accurate than anything else, and his performance left a lot to be desired as a result.
4. Ryan Colburn, QB, Fresno State
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A couple days ago, one of ESPN's pundits called Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn a good late-round option. At the very least, he conceded that he might be a good project as an undrafted free agent.
After Colburn's showing on Sunday, the latter seems more likely. Colburn showed a significant lack of arm strength and really struggled with his overall accuracy.
Kinda sounds like another Fresno State quarterback that we all know of: David Carr. At this point, that's obviously not a good thing.
3. Tyrod Taylor, QB, Virginia Tech
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Nobody doubted Tyrod Taylor's speed coming into the combine, and he didn't disappoint by pacing all his fellow quarterbacks with a 40 time of 4.51.
Nevertheless, Taylor still seems hell-bent on fighting the notion that he would be more useful as a wide receiver at the next level than he would be as a quarterback. As such, he really needed to look good in throwing drills, and he did just the opposite.
Both Taylor's accuracy and timing were inconsistent during his session, and he pretty much didn't do anything to sell scouts on the idea that he can handle quarterback duties as a pro.
Keep in mind that he's a little on the smaller side at 6'1," so maybe a switch to receiver is a good idea, whether he likes it or not.
2. John Clay, RB, Wisconsin
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Up until he got hurt towards the end of the year, John Clay was the featured back for a Wisconsin team that killed teams with the run. But nobody has ever made the mistake of labeling him as a burner, and he showed why on Sunday.
In the 40-yard dash, Clay ran a 4.84, barely beating out Wisconsin teammate Scott Tolzien.
For the record, Tolzien is a quarterback.
Making matters worse is the fact that Clay really didn't show much agility or balance in other drills, which basically means he doesn't bring anything to the table.
Let the "feet of Clay" jokes begin.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
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Obviously, things didn't go as well for Newton on Sunday as he probably would have liked.
Newton had a solid showing in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.59 seconds, but his throwing session wasn't very good. He completed just 11 of his 21 passes, airmailing receivers on 10-yard outs, 15-yard ins, and fly patterns.
True, Newton was working with unfamiliar receivers. But so were the other top quarterbacks, and they didn't have Newton's struggles. Making matters worse is that Ryan Mallett and Jake Locker, two quarterbacks who are not know for their accuracy, looked really good in the throwing drills.
Newton's stock won't take that much of a hit after today, mind you. But for a guy who could be a top-five pick, Newton needed to hog the spotlight.
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