NFL Combine 2011 Results: 25 Prospects Who Most Helped Themselves This Week
The 2011 NFL Combine is now wrapping up, and we now have a better idea of how some of these players look. Some ended up being slower than anticipated, others seemed to have less strength than we thought, and others just did not sound right during the interviews.
Having said that, there were also players who were very impressive at the combine, and as a result should see their draft stock soar. Some of these were players that came out of nowhere, while others were expected to have good combines and instead had amazing ones.
Here are the top 25 players whose performance at the combine helped themselves the most, and should see their draft stock rise.
25. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
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Newton had a very mixed combine; people either thought he was terrible or was great. In my case, I thought he did well because of what I specifically looked at. I could care less about completing 11 of 21 passes because he had not thrown to these guys before and probably never will again.
What I kept an eye on was his 40-yard dash time (to see if he rushing yards were deceiving) and his interview (to see if he had the mentality to be a good pro). He passed both of those tests with flying colors, and I personally think he's the best option of the main four quarterbacks Then again, that may say more about the other quarterbacks than him.
24. Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State
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If you're not sure who this is, I don't blame you. Homan has remained on the bottom end of draft boards due to his size (6'1", 240 lbs). His performance at the combine, however, made those numbers look deceiving.
At the combine, Homan had 32 reps on the bench press and a vertical leap of 35.5. He also had a 40 time of 4.68. While none of those numbers are extraordinary, taken together they show a good balance of strength and speed, and should push him from a fifth-round pick to a fourth-round one.
23. Ryan Bartholomew, C, Syracuse
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At 6'1", it was highly unlikely that Bartholomew was going to be drafted before the combine, since you want offensive linemen to have a bit more height than that. Being a guard or center compensates for height, but weighing in at the 300-range on a 6'1" frame was also concerning.
Nonetheless, he ran the 40 in under five seconds despite that bulk, and pulled off 34 reps on the bench. Again, his numbers were not amazing by any standards, but they were enough for a team to take a chance on him late in the draft, and he should be selected.
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22. Da'Rel Scott, RB, Maryland
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Da'Rel Scott is another player who seemed unlikely to have his name called in the draft. His performance in Maryland to end his career was unimpressive, and all eyes were instead on the Terps' wide receiver, Torrey Smith.
He needed a good combine to get back in the discussion, and he did just that with a 4.34 40-time. Yes, speed isn't automatically an indicator of success, but it helps out a great deal. His score will bump him into the seventh round, or possibly even the sixth if the Raiders want to pull the trigger.
21. Buster Skrine, CB, Tennessee-Chattanooga
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Who? I said the same thing when I first heard the name during combine discussion, but he manages to land himself on the list for one reason: his 40-yard dash times. For those who hate on that as a good measurement of talent, we're almost done with these.
This year, Skrine had the combine's fastest 40 time, clocking a 4.29, which was the only sub-4.3 time at the combine. He was set to be a late-round pick, but that 40 time can't be taught. He's still a project, but a team could very well take a shot on him in the fifth or sixth round.
20. Jake Locker, QB, Washington
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I'm not really a fan of Locker's, and I still would not select him at quarterback personally. Nonetheless, his combine performance helped to silence some doubters.
At the combine, Locker was a surprise as one of the fastest quarterbacks, running the same speed as Cam Newton. Once he got in a rhythm at quarterback, he began nailing pretty much all his throws to new receivers, including the deep routes.
I still can't figure out how he practices so well but can't seem to translate that onto the field. There's no way of knowing how he'll do or who will draft him, but he may have been able to slip back into the tail end of the first round.
19. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
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I've always been really high on Kerrigan, and think he will be phenomenal in the NFL. Many scouts disagree with me, calling his athleticism into question. As a result, he needed a great combine performance to keep himself in the middle of the first round.
Kerrigan responded with a 10-foot broad jump, 31 bunch reps, and a vertical jump of 33.5. While they aren't astonishing numbers, they were above average, in particular the broad jump where he beat most of his fellow lineman. A 4.71 40 time doesn't hurt either.
18. Tyron Smith, OT, USC
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Nate Solder went into the combine as the prospective top offensive lineman, but had a pretty bad combine. As a result, the floodgates were open for the other first-round linemen to make their presence known.
Tyron Smith was one of two that did a very good job in this regard. He had one of the better combines of any lineman and looked far better than Solder. He is low on this countdown, however, because he had to shut things down early when he had fluid in his knee.
Despite that, he may have risen to the 12th or 13th pick in the draft, much better than where he was earlier.
17. Mario Fannin, RB, Auburn
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Mario Fannin was the running back for Auburn that few know outside of the state of Alabama. As a result, he was likely to go undrafted since he didn't see much playing time his senior year behind Michael Dyer and others.
At the combine, Mario Fannin made us forget some of the other running back names being thrown about by running a 4.38, the second-lowest for a running back behind Da'Rel Scott. His receiving ability despite being a running back could have him being drafted in the seventh round now.
16. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
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Von Miller was the gem of the Senior Bowl, and his stock has been skyrocketing ever since. He now had to prove that he was worth all the hype at the combine, and he did exactly that.
Aside from other numbers, his shuttle and three-cone times ranked among the highest for linebackers, clocking in at 4.06 and 6.70, respectively. He also posted a 40 time of 4.53, and proved that his Senior Bowl performance was no fluke. He is now guaranteed to be a top-10 selection, and could even go to Buffalo at number three.
15. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
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Like Von Miller, Patrick Peterson was already a big name who was high on draft boards, so he didn't have to prove himself as a good player. Instead, the combine was merely a time to show if he could dominate, which other top players such as A.J. Green and Nick Fairley failed to do.
Needless to say, Peterson excelled. He ran a 4.32 40, was great in workouts, and in my personal opinion, cemented his status as the best player in the draft, period.
14. Virgil Green, TE, Nevada
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As much as people diss the WAC, there are many people from Nevada that made their presence known in the combine. One of them is tight end Virgil Green.
Projected originally to be a late day two acquisition, Green showed off his leaping ability by posting numbers of 10'10" on the broad jump and 42.5" on the vertical jump, which are amazing numbers for a tight end. That leaping ability alone should be able to boost him up to an early third round pick, possibly putting him in the top three tight ends.
13. Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina
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After missing all of last season, Marvin Austin needed to have a great combine to prove that he's a viable prospect. For that matter, every North Carolina prospect needed a good combine because they all seem to be under the radar.
Austin ended up shining when it mattered. He has 38 reps, which was second behind Stephen Paea, and he had a very solid broad jump of nearly 10 feet. By showing that he is just as athletic as he's always been, he likely moved himself back into the top two rounds.
12. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami
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After A.J. Green and Julio Jones, the wide receiver group gets pretty muddled with uncertainty. Who's the best one after them? It could be the big man Jonathan Baldwin, the speedy guy Titus Young, or it could be Torrey Smith, who has been rocketing up draft boards.
After the combine, Leonard Hankerson made a solid case as a borderline first/second-round pick. He had a 4.43 40 yard time, which is great considering his size, and he did very well in other drills as well. He's a guy to keep an eye on, especially with the numbers he put up at Miami.
11. Edmond Gates, WR, Abilene Christian
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Perhaps the biggest name of the small school prospects going into the combine was Edmond Gates of Abilene Christian University. He was looked at as a mid-round prospect, but needed a good combine to prove that he should actually be selected there.
Gates did not disappoint in the combine, running a 40 time of 4.35, which was among the fastest for wide receivers. Add that to how well he performed in school and the only question left is how he'll do against NFL talent. That will hopefully be answered soon, since he should go on day two.
10. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada
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We knew going into the draft that Colin Kaepernick was athletic, but after a 40 time by Nevada RB Vai Taua that was not very good, we had to make sure that it wasn't the system that made Kaepernick look good.
Sure enough, he was very impressive in the combine, and was reported to have the strongest arm. He also had a 40-yard dash time of 4.53, second only to Tyrod Taylor. He's 6'6" and has ideal form for the quarterback position, yet can run and throw. If he's still not drafted at the end of round two, then someone will get an amazing steal.
9. DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
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Going into the draft, I had some concerns about Murray. His yards per carry had taken a pretty big drop in Oklahoma, and it seemed like turned into a workhorse rather than the speed back of old, and I wasn't sure if he would be all that fast despite a third round projection.
His 4.41 40-yard dash time, as well as a broad jump of over ten feet, shut me up. Clearly he has the explosiveness to bring it at the next level, and after Ryan Williams and Mikel Leshoure were not anything out of the ordinary, Murray could sneak far into the second round.
8. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
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Like Tyron Smith, Anthony Castonzo had an opportunity at the combine to shine and prove that he was first-round worthy. Also, there were concerns about the weight distribution in his frame, and if he would have the lower body strength to do well on the line.
While his numbers were not all that amazing, he was consistently good and showed steady hands and knees. His 40 time wasn't all that impressive, but he's a lineman, he's not going to need to sprint 40 yards. As long as has the strength, he's had now confirmed that he'll be a first-round pick.
7. Cameron Jordan, DE, California
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Like Von Miller, Cameron Jordan had an amazing performance at the Senior Bowl, and all he needed was a good combine to confirm what many already thought of him.
He did exactly that, with a 3-cone time of 7.07 and other good numbers as well. His solid effort, combined with a subpar performance by Robert Quinn, was likely enough to push Cameron up to the number two defensive end spot, which could translate into a top eight pick.
On a side note, rival USC tight end Jordan Cameron had a solid combine as well, but adding him would get confusing. Luckily, Cameron Jordan is pushing the gap apart between Cameron Jordan and Jordan Cameron.
6. Dontay Moch, DE/OLB, Nevada
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The last of the Nevada players to make a big push after a great combine, Moch was projected to be a third or fourth-round pick after a solid college career. He ran with the defensive line, but I see him fitting more as an outside linebacker. Either way, he looks to be a force in the NFL.
As for his numbers, aside from a 10'8" broad jump, Moch had a 40 time of 4.44, the all-time fastest for a defensive lineman. This tells me that, along with his blazing speed, he should have no problem taking down the opposing quarterbacks and having a great sack count. He'll be a third round pick, and could even sneak into the second.
5. Stephan Paea, DT, Oregon State
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Stephen Paea came into the combine with a slipping draft stock after having a torn lateral meniscus, which knocked him entirely out of the first round. As a result, he needed to get people talking about him so that he could jump back into the top 25.
Well, breaking a combine record and notching 49 reps on the bench will do just that. Having that kind of strength and endurance doesn't automatically say you can play, but when you put that strength on someone who's already talented, then that creates a no-brainer first-round pick.
4. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
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Who is the top quarterback in the NFL Draft if you go by Senior Bowl and combine performances? It's none of the big four, and it's not even Kaepernick. It's Florida State's Christian Ponder.
Despite having to deal with a swollen bursa sac his senior year, he showed that he had great power and accuracy in his throwing arm at the combine, and on top of that, he looked like one of the best west cast quarterbacks.
He could be taken in the second round, or even late in the first if Seattle wants to take a gamble and groom him as Matt Hasselbeck's successor?
3. Roy Helu, Jr., RB, Nebraska
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Roy Helu is perhaps one of the most under-the-radar backs in the draft. Nebraska and Big 12 fans will tell yo that his projection should be far higher than the seventh round because he's a playmaker who can get things done.
His 40 yard time was 4.42, one of the higher times out there for a running back. His 3-cone time of 6.67 was also impressive, and he just looked outstanding out there. He likely shot his draft stock up to the fourth or fifth round with his performance at the combine.
2. Martez Wilson, ILB, Illinois
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Martez Wilson was already considered the top inside linebacker at a position that did not have all that much talent. He was projected to go mid-to-late in the second round, behind fellow Illini Corey Liuget and Mikel Leshoure.
After the combine, he not only confirmed that he was the top middle linebacker in the draft, but that he was a force in his own right. He ran a 4.49 40, he was flashy during drills, and he just had the look of an NFL prospect. While he may not necessarily be a first-round pick, he won't fall any further than the top 40 now.
1. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
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Julio Jones was considered to be the second best wide receiver behind A.J. Green. He had many strengths, but I was a bit concerned about dropped passes from him, and I seemed to have a couple minor doubts about his performance heading into the combine. He was expected to fall to the Rams with the 14th pick.
Now that the combine is over, I was blown away by his performance, he silenced any concerns I had of him, and he may have proven himself to be as good a pick as A.J. Green, possibly even better. His broad jump of over 11 feet was the best of any player in the draft, and his other numbers were great as well.
Oh, and that 4.39 40-yard dash was with a broken foot. That shows unbelievable determination, and while he will be out for two months, that kind of no-nonsense attitude is exactly what you want to see in a player.
My only remaining concern about Jones? If he breaks his foot during a game, I'd prefer he tell the coaches and actually get that looked at.
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