It’s combine time, the male version of a swimsuit calendar shoot. But don’t get too high or too low about this stuff. Like my friend Bill Smith says, “beware the workout warrior.” The site of the past Super Bowl, Indianapolis is also hosting the 2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine. Let’s take a look at who’s draft stock is trading higher and who’s trading lower after the workouts.
BUYING:
Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
The big winner, because 40 time had been a concern surrounding his draft stock, and he ran a sub 4.5. Now he should land anywhere from pick #10-#20. Of course, he did have three alcohol offenses and he did get kicked off the team (only to be reinstated later), so Robert Griffin III he is certainly not. It’s a simple balance equation: the guy who has monster measurables and broke every ND receiving record imaginable versus the character concerns
A.J. Jenkins, Illinois Fighting Illini
Ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, the 4th fastest among all WRs. Now a 4-5 rounder becomes possibly a mid-late second rounder. Had a MONSTER first half of 2012, but kind of disappeared in the second half. The question is, how much of that drop in production was his own fault vs. how much was due to the regression of his quarterback/the fact that he was his team’s only decent receiver?
Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
Weighing in at a solid 6-4, 215, ran a 4.39 40 time, put in a 11-1 broad jump and 39.5-inch vertical. He’s a bit inexperienced, catching just 28 passes, but averaging an eye-popping 29.8 yards per catch. The numbers are skewed because Georgia Tech runs a 1930s service academy football offense.
HOLD
Nick Toon, Wisconsin Badgers
Ran a 4.54 and performed as expected on the drills. Being the son of a NFL player, I’m sure he was coached on the interviews and performed very well in that regard. Who sells the Midwest’s main contribution to the NFL is linemen? Look at all the top receivers coming out of the breadbasket.
SELLING
Juron Criner, Arizona
Has great size at 6-3, 224, but a 4.68 in the 40? In wide receivers world, to quote one of Jimmy “B. Rabbit” Smith’s rap battle opponents in 8 Mile, “this is a turtle race.”
Alshon Jeffrey, South Carolina
Didn’t run for some reason, and reportedly interviewed terribly. Did he take character advice from his former QB Stephen Garcia? Then there was pre-combine hype about his weight ballooning, but he alleviated those concerns by coming in lighter than expected.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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