Unofficial 40 times

[flea]

http://www.gbnreport.com/combineblog.html

[defiantgiant]

http://www.gbnreport.com/combineblog.html

 

Edmund Gates, Johnny Knox's old teammate from Abilene Christian and Tyler JC, ran an unofficial 4.37. And when they put him on the simul-cam with the other super-fast wideouts (Ricardo Lockette, Julio Jones, Torrey Smith) he had a full step or even two steps on ALL of them after 20 yards. There must be something in the water down there at ACU.

 

Gates seems like a less-polished version of Knox - similar height/weight (6'0" 189 pounds) on a slightly bigger frame, similar vertical speed.

[lemonej]

Edmund Gates, Johnny Knox's old teammate from Abilene Christian and Tyler JC, ran an unofficial 4.37. And when they put him on the simul-cam with the other super-fast wideouts (Ricardo Lockette, Julio Jones, Torrey Smith) he had a full step or even two steps on ALL of them after 20 yards. There must be something in the water down there at ACU.

 

Gates seems like a less-polished version of Knox - similar height/weight (6'0" 189 pounds) on a slightly bigger frame, similar vertical speed.

There is also similar questions about his toughness in terms of going over the middle and making catches.

 

The guy that impressed me besides Julio Jones was Kentucky's Randall Cobb who was even more impressive when I watched him in a couple of games. The problem with him and some of these other WRs is that the Bears may have to spend an earlier draft pick than intended to get the type of big physical guy that is needed.

[defiantgiant]

There is also similar questions about his toughness in terms of going over the middle and making catches.

 

The guy that impressed me besides Julio Jones was Kentucky's Randall Cobb who was even more impressive when I watched him in a couple of games. The problem with him and some of these other WRs is that the Bears may have to spend an earlier draft pick than intended to get the type of big physical guy that is needed.

 

I think we can still be hopeful, though. Guys like Jones, Cobb, Edmond Gates, Torrey Smith, and Leonard Hankerson moved their stock up, but that also means they pushed somebody else down. If some team falls in love with Cobb or Smith or Hankerson toward the end of the 1st round, then Jon Baldwin could slip down into the top of the 2nd (especially since he ran slower than advertised.) If that happens, maybe the Bears could trade up from their 2nd and grab him. I'm not that impressed with his separation skills, but he's unstoppable on jump balls and definitely fits the "he's open even when he's not open" cliche. He's going to struggle to break free from NFL corners, but he's definitely not going to struggle to jump over them. The guy has a better vertical leap than Larry Fitzgerald.

 

Also, was anybody else was watching Greg Little from UNC? That dude looks like a beast. I thought he might be a Boldin-type player, but he's built more like Andre Johnson. He looked like he could throw on 10 more pounds and play linebacker. He had a decent 40 for a possession guy (somewhere in the 4.5s, if I remember right) and put up insane numbers everywhere else (27 reps on the bench, 40.5" vertical, 10'9" broad jump.) Little could still be around in the 3rd-4th round, and I think he'd be a great developmental pickup. Wideouts with that kind of power and after-the-catch ability don't come around that often.

[flea]

While we won't be taking a RB Not a lot of speed from the RB's this year. Pretty poor showing from John Clay

 

Da'rel Scott, Maryland 4.34

Mario Fannin, Auburn 4.38

Derrick Locke, Kentucky 4.40

Jordan Todman, UConn 4.40

DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma 4.41

Roy Helu, Nebraska 4.42

Brandon Saine, Ohio State 4.43

Shane Vereen, California 4.50

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State 4.53

Alex Green, Hawaii 4.53

Deleone Carter, Syracuse 4.56

Johnny White, North Carolina 4.56

Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh 4.57

Allen Bradford, USC 4.58

Darren Evans, Virginia Tech 4.58

Mikel Leshoure, Illinois 4.59

Jamie Harper, Clemson 4.59

Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech 4.61

Mark Ingram, Alabama 4.62

Damien Berry, Miami 4.63

Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State 4.64

Evan Royster, Penn State 4.65

Graig Cooper, Miami 4.65

Stephen Ridley, LSU 4.66

Vai Taua, Nevada 4.71

Shaun Draughn, North Carolina 4.75

Matt Asiata, Utah 4.81

John Clay, Wisconsin 4.87

 

FBs

Anthony Sherman, UConn 4.75

Owen Marecic, Stanford 4.91

Shaun Chapas, Georgia 4.91

Henry Hynoski, Pittsburgh 5.06

[lemonej]

I think we can still be hopeful, though. Guys like Jones, Cobb, Edmond Gates, Torrey Smith, and Leonard Hankerson moved their stock up, but that also means they pushed somebody else down. If some team falls in love with Cobb or Smith or Hankerson toward the end of the 1st round, then Jon Baldwin could slip down into the top of the 2nd (especially since he ran slower than advertised.) If that happens, maybe the Bears could trade up from their 2nd and grab him. I'm not that impressed with his separation skills, but he's unstoppable on jump balls and definitely fits the "he's open even when he's not open" cliche. He's going to struggle to break free from NFL corners, but he's definitely not going to struggle to jump over them. The guy has a better vertical leap than Larry Fitzgerald.

 

Also, was anybody else was watching Greg Little from UNC? That dude looks like a beast. I thought he might be a Boldin-type player, but he's built more like Andre Johnson. He looked like he could throw on 10 more pounds and play linebacker. He had a decent 40 for a possession guy (somewhere in the 4.5s, if I remember right) and put up insane numbers everywhere else (27 reps on the bench, 40.5" vertical, 10'9" broad jump.) Little could still be around in the 3rd-4th round, and I think he'd be a great developmental pickup. Wideouts with that kind of power and after-the-catch ability don't come around that often.

DFG there is another little problem with Baldwin on his consistency. He will make the spectacular catch and then sometimes drop the routine ones. With that being said if he does drop to round 3 I wouldn't mind them taking the plunge there.

 

Just imagine if Greg Little had played last season. He was obviously carrying 10 pounds more than his 220 playing weight as he weighed in at 230. He looked like he has spent a lot of time in the weight room and the bench press numbers support that. In the games that I saw him play, he was outstanding on jump balls especially in the redzone. Obviously UNC is producing some nice NFL prospects since Butch Davis has gone there and I'm hoping the Bears might have a shot at DT Austin in round 2.

 

One other WR I like is the one from Boise St. Austin Pettis who showed decent speed and ball skills and has the size that the Bears need at WR at 6-3 209 he could be somewhere in the middle rounds when the Bears pick come draft day.

[defiantgiant]

Just imagine if Greg Little had played last season. He was obviously carrying 10 pounds more than his 220 playing weight as he weighed in at 230. He looked like he has spent a lot of time in the weight room and the bench press numbers support that. In the games that I saw him play, he was outstanding on jump balls especially in the redzone. Obviously UNC is producing some nice NFL prospects since Butch Davis has gone there and I'm hoping the Bears might have a shot at DT Austin in round 2.

Yeah, if Little had played, I think he'd be in that mid-2nd round conversation. Physically, he might be the second-most impressive wideout after Julio Jones.

 

Also, I'm watching the Combine now, and Warren Sapp seems to really like Marvin Austin. Austin and Liuget are the guys who've been drawing ooohs and ahhhs from Sapp in the bag drills, not Fairley or Dareus. Can't blame him...Austin was just blowing up the bags - a couple of times he just about knocked the other DL holding the bag right off his feet.

 

One other WR I like is the one from Boise St. Austin Pettis who showed decent speed and ball skills and has the size that the Bears need at WR at 6-3 209 he could be somewhere in the middle rounds when the Bears pick come draft day.

 

Yeah, you know, I wasn't that high on Pettis until I saw him at the Combine. He looks to have great hands, and he was a lot smoother changing directions than most of the other wideouts. He looks like he could run the kind of precise routes that Martz asks for.

[lemonej]

Yeah, if Little had played, I think he'd be in that mid-2nd round conversation. Physically, he might be the second-most impressive wideout after Julio Jones.

 

Also, I'm watching the Combine now, and Warren Sapp seems to really like Marvin Austin. Austin and Liuget are the guys who've been drawing ooohs and ahhhs from Sapp in the bag drills, not Fairley or Dareus. Can't blame him...Austin was just blowing up the bags - a couple of times he just about knocked the other DL holding the bag right off his feet.

 

 

 

Yeah, you know, I wasn't that high on Pettis until I saw him at the Combine. He looks to have great hands, and he was a lot smoother changing directions than most of the other wideouts. He looks like he could run the kind of precise routes that Martz asks for.

Sapp's evaluation carries a lot of weight with me since he played most of his career in the Bears scheme and under Marinelli. Thats why when he made the comments about Tommie Harris last offseason it made everyone take notice.

 

BTW- The 40 times though unofficial are outstanding for these D-lineman and bodes well for some of their stock rising ahead of some skill position players.

[AZ54]

Austin had the same 10yd split time as the best DEs in this draft....that's amazing quickness.

[defiantgiant]

Austin had the same 10yd split time as the best DEs in this draft....that's amazing quickness.

Yeah, and that first-step quickness is the most important thing for a 3-technique in the Tampa 2. Marinelli can teach him the things that he still needs to learn - like hand placement, counter moves, and keeping his pad level down - but you can't teach a genuinely elite first step. The difference between a freakish first step and an average first step is the difference between 2006 Tommie Harris and 2010 Tommie Harris.

 

Plus, it's not like Austin's a pure finesse DT, either. The dude put up 38 bench-press reps, which was the best in the whole Combine except for Paea (who's a monster in his own right.) At UNC back in '09, about half his pressures/hurries (that I saw) came when he just manhandled guards straight back into the pocket. If he can get his head on straight, he's got the quickness of a prototype under tackle, but with a lot more size and strength than most UT prospects.

 

That said, Marvin Austin the person is a legitimate concern. I definitely won't fault the Bears if they pass on him because they think he'll be a problem off the field or in the locker room. You don't need every player to be a choirboy, but if a guy won't take coaching or can't stay out of trouble, that limits his value pretty severely. Seeing how he stayed in shape during a year off from football, I don't have many doubts about his work ethic, but as far as his character, the scouts who talked to him at the Combine seem to think he's a knucklehead. According to one reporter who's been talking to scouts, here's what they said about Austin: "If he had any character at all he'd be a first-round pick" and "he's a punk, but he has special, special feet and he can run...he does some (athletic) stuff you go, 'Holy (expletive).' "

 

So it's a major question whether they think they can straighten him out to the point where he won't be a problem to the team. If they think they can, then they need to run to the podium and pick him.