Adrian Peterson possibly falling......
 

Former Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, an almost certain top-10 pick in the first round of Saturday's NFL draft, re-injured his collarbone in the Sooners' loss in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day -- an injury that has not been previously disclosed except to NFL teams.

Peterson broke his collarbone on Oct. 14 against Iowa State and missed the rest of Oklahoma's regular season, returning for the first time in the bowl game against Boise State. Peterson made NFL teams aware of the re-injury at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

But at least two teams that SI.com spoke to acknowledged that Peterson's health was a consideration in their draft analysis.

A high-level source on one team said the evaluation of his team's medical staff was that Peterson will require a surgical procedure, which would delay his availability at the start of training camp and perhaps longer. That team estimated Peterson would be sidelined after the procedure for "two or three months." That would likely mean Peterson would miss the entire offseason workouts of the team that drafted him and make him questionable for the early part of the preseason.

"Because of him re-injuring it in the bowl game, it's not as far along as it should be, it's not healed," said a team executive. "He lost three months with the re-injury. The question is, will it be healed enough to take a hit. Or will he hurt it again, the way [ex-Detroit receiver Charles Rogers] kept doing.

"It's not enough to take him off anyone's board, but it's a concern because of his straight-up running style. He has been a bit injury-prone and now you've got a situation where you're drafting damaged goods."

A source on a second team stressed that Peterson's re-injury was a "minor" consideration in the grand scheme of things.

"If we take, we take him because he's a good football player," the source said. "If it takes him time to heal, it takes him time. We're looking at his skills. But it's one of those things that everyone in the league knows about. He re-injured it in the Fiesta Bowl, but he kept playing."

Peterson told SI last week that he was "completely healthy," and that his collarbone injury had suffered no setbacks during the course of his rehabilitation. Peterson underwent a re-check from NFL medical personnel earlier this month at which time the status of his recovery was forwarded to NFL teams. That is a common step in the league's medical evaluation process for draft prospects with injury concerns discovered at the combine.

Peterson, the top-rated running back in the draft, is a candidate to go as high as No. 3 to Cleveland and is not expected, in any scenario, to last past No. 10 Houston.

This comes on the heels of a coach saying he wouldn't pick him under any circumstances because he doesn't believe he'll last 5 years in the league.

No freaking way this happens, but if he were to fall to 23...........

We take him in a heart beat.

This is classic overanalysis. Teams are just now concerned about his health? He's always been projected as a top pick despite his injuries. I've seen Peterson in person and he's a freak. Look out once he reaches the secondary because he's too big for most DBs to tackle.

If Cleveland passes on him they're reeruned. Every single back that is tearing up the league right now Cleveland has passed on.

I think it would be hard to pass on Brady Quinn if you are Cleveland.

Somebody's trying to make him drop to their slot. Probably the same coach who said he wouldn't last 5 years.

Is Frye that bad? Cleveland has no RBs.

Jamal Lewis

I don't know how much Cleveland should rely on him.

Like it was said, Cleveland has no RB's. :)

Honestly you can get by with Jamal Lewis for a year. To pass on a potential franchise quarterback who is local to sell tickets would be foolish.

No way in hell.

We have freakin' LJ and we'd take him.

Cleveland has a bruiser half the quality of LJ. They shouldn't think twice about it, but I'm pretty sure they want QB.

I just read that the Browns ownership wants Quinn, so I guess it'll be him because ownership usually gets the last word.

I think all of us would start Peterson on our fantasy team if Atlanta picked him. I think Houston would be ecstatic to bring him home.

Remember when Jamal Lewis was good........

bust

Peterson isnt going to be able to last a full 16 game schedule, plus he has a lot of mileage from college alone.

Peterson has too much heart and skills to be a bust. Peterson will do what it takes to become a successful back in the league. Bust?? That's funny as Hell.

Those two whole seasons are so much more than all the other players coming out of college. :rolleyes:

If Reggie Bush had come out this year do you think he'd have been picked above AP?

Easily.

with all the injury problems the browns have been having I wouldn't be surprised to see them pass on AD

I think Peterson's injuries are way overblown. He got one by diving into the endzone in one of those celebration dives...stupid, yes...but it doesn't point to a lack of durability. AD will never last to the Chiefs pick, but it's fun to imagine that he might.