NFL Combine 2011 Results: Indy's 10 Biggest Disappointments
NFL Combine 2011 results are in, and these next chaps left a lot to be desired. The goal of the NFL combine is simple. Get in, get out, leave them licking their chops in anticipation of you in their NFL uniform.
These next few guys will have some fence-mending to do. Whether it be for a caustic demeanor or a shabby arm, some red flags have gone up for the next few NFL hopefuls.
The good news is they have a couple of months and possible pro days to remedy the situation. Let's take a look at the biggest losers in this year's NFL combine.
10. Nick Fairley DT
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Nick Fairley's combine was a mixed bag. He failed to impress in the individual events and could see his stock take a tumble because of that. The sad part is that he could have locked up the No. 1 spot with a stunning performance.
Da'Quan Bowers sat out the combine with an injury and will wait for his pro days to impress. Fairley looked small and slow compared with other defenders his size. That should be taken with a grain of salt, though. Fairley is still the kid who annihilated the Oregon Ducks on the biggest stage in college football.
It was a forgettable combine for Fairley, who is still a top-five pick.
9. Colin Kaepernick QB
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In any other year, Colin Kaepernick would be a bit higher on the board. This year is very deep at quarterback, especially swift-footed quarterbacks.
Kaepernick was one of the fastest QBs out there. But we hardly needed a list of 40-yard dash times to tell us that. The problem was his erratic throwing session. He did well with curls, but was inconsistent otherwise.
If this were a thin draft, it may be overlooked, but this year is stocked with arms.
8. Damien Berry RB
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It was Damien Berry's hope to make a splash at the combine. He came in as a potential backup for a team, and his stock stayed that way after this weekend.
He didn't show the speed or cutting ability that starting running backs need to show at this stage in their career. His cone drills were abysmal, leading scouts to shrug their shoulders and pit him as a borderline back in the NFL.
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7. Tyrod Taylor QB
4 of 10
Tyrod Taylor wants to be a quarterback. He has the talent to play a great many positions, but QB is where his heart is. He may have to reconsider that thought process.
Taylor had the fastest 40 time of any quarterback at the combine. That is no big revelation. We all knew he was a speed demon. He had an atrocious throwing day, though. He was timid with his tosses. It seemed like he was trying to be too accurate and the results were dismal.
He will most likely go late to a team hoping to groom him farther down the line. He could also transition into a fine receiver. His 40-yard dash time would put him in the upper echelon of receivers.
6. Jon Baldwin WR
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One of the big questions scouts have for receivers is can they run a tight route? At the next level, quarterbacks will expect you to run precise, quick routes.
Everyone has blazing speed. Pretty much everyone can catch the ball. It is the small attention to detail that gets you the big paycheck.
Baldwin was sloppy on routes, missing a few cones on the drills. He will wish he had practiced on the subtle nuances before taking to Indianapolis.
5. Cam Newton QB
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There is nothing like trying to do good to come back and bite you in the rear end. Cam Newton went against general wisdom and decided to throw at the combine.
You see most top draft picks opt to throw at their own personal pro days. That way they are in a setting comfortable to them and have receivers they are used to throwing to. Newton took to the combine and left with mixed results.
He nailed pretty much everything but the throwing. While he was not horrible, he was long on much of his passes and gave scouts room for pause. That is what is so cringe-inducing here.
Newton came into the combine as the biggest riser in the draft. Scouts were enamored with him without even tossing one pass. He should have just left well enough alone.
4. John Clay RB
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John Clay entered the combine as a potential bruiser of a running back. He may be someone who you can run with confidence in the red zone. He is leaving the combine with a bevy of question marks.
In short, Clay was underwhelming. Scouts were not enamored with his 40-yard dash time of 4.80. They also disliked his balance in the cone drills.
He did not show the necessary ability to cut with precision that you want from your running back. Clay may have taken a couple of steps back this weekend.
3. Ryan Mallett QB
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Ryan Mallett, in a way, won this weekend. Some might say that he looked great with his passes and powerful arm, but that would be forgetting all his media interviews.
Mallett came into the combine amidst allegations that he was a drug abuser. Mallett had plenty of time to maneuver a game plan for the assured questions. He instead opted to reply to them in a caustic and highly sarcastic manner.
He did not evoke an image of a quarterback with his wits about him. He did show amazing arm strength, but that was never questioned. His personality was under fire, and he went a long way to verify the question marks regarding it.
2. Jimmy Smith CB
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You really need to walk on egg shells at the combine. When top athletes are running 40-yard dashes that are separated by hundredths of a second, scouts will use just about everything in their arsenal to dissect your talent.
Every hip movement, every sigh, every word muttered is measured. That is where Jimmy Smith comes in.
The future NFL cornerback was asked how it feels to be compared to Nnamdi Asomugha. He stated, "I like the comparison, he's a shutdown corner in the NFL. I mean, I like the comparison a lot. I think I have better ball skills than he does, though."
Someone please teach this kid some humility before he slips to the bottom of the second round.
1. Ricky Stanzi QB
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Please say hello to future NFL backup quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The Iowa quarterback needed to impress at the combine. He had a poor showing at the Senior Bowl, and needed a turnaround this week.
He went the other way and further put himself in a hole. Stanzi showed little to no arm strength. He was constantly throwing low. Worse, receivers had to stop and wait for the ball on deep routes. Do that in the NFL and he may just kill somebody.
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