Maclin pressor tomorrow

[Mr. Laz]

expected to announce that he's entering NFL draft

espn

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Ugh... good read.

The kid was a blast to watch. He'll be missed.

Next year's going to be interesting. Last few years an aberration or a launching pad?

[KChiefs1]

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2009/...111Spor006.asp

Eyes on the next level
Maclin now ready to tackle challenge of becoming a pro


By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune’s staff
Published Sunday, January 11, 2009


Now that Jeremy Maclin’s about to embark on his pro football career, his next route goes through a gantlet of skeptics, stopwatches and NFL talent evaluators.

What kind of player will Maclin be at the next level? Opinions will fluctuate during the next few months, but the player on the opposite end of Maclin’s 182 college receptions is stoked about the potential.

Nick King photo

Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel watches as one of his prized players, receiver/return specialist Jeremy Maclin, announces Friday that he will forgo his final two seasons to pursue a career in the NFL.

As Chase Daniel polished his own draft repertoire in Houston, the former Missouri quarterback raved about Maclin’s pro potential in a phone interview Friday.

"It’s not just his receiver prowess and everything he does running routes, his vision and stuff like that," Daniel said from Houston, a few hours after Maclin announced he’ll enter April’s draft. "He’d be a first-round pick as just a receiver. But then you take his return ability - teams will cherish that. It’s a double threat. He’s totally ready to take the next step."

The NFL Draft Advisory Committee gave Maclin a first-round projection, but that’s by no means a promise, just an educated forecast based on game film. Over the next few months, he’ll go through an exhaustive series of tests, drills and interviews that will ultimately determine his draft stock.

"That’s what they have me projected as, but it’s all how you perform at the combine," said Maclin, referring to the NFL scouting combine, which kicks off Feb. 18 in Indianapolis. "So, right now, that’s what they got me at.

But, hopefully, I can keep that up by performing and doing my best when it’s time to test."

If Maclin declines to participate in some drills at the combine - as many projected first-round picks do - he’ll have two smaller pro days at MU’s Devine Pavilion to work out for scouts. Running on familiar turf should be especially beneficial for the all-important 40-yard dash. During Missouri’s offseason testing drills last spring, Maclin’s best time 40 time was 4.32 seconds. For comparison’s sake, that would have been the fastest time among receivers at last year’s combine.

"When they … put that stopwatch on him - they’re all about speed - he’ll light it up," Tigers Coach Gary Pinkel said on Friday.

Along with that speed, Pinkel also pointed to the intangible factors that Maclin displayed during his three seasons at Missouri, the first of which was wrecked by a career-threatening knee injury a few days before preseason camp opened in 2006.

"At the level he’s going to now, there’s a lot of guys with a lot of great ability," Pinkel said. "What really defines the great ones is how they think, how they compete, how they handle adversity, how driven they are to be successful. He’s all that. And that’s why he’s had the couple years he’s had since he’s been here. That’s why he overcame that very serious injury. He’s very special."

● PEERLESS?: Finding a current NFL player that compares favorably to Maclin’s profile isn’t easy. That didn’t stop Daniel from playing draft guru.

The quarterback ticked off Chicago’s Devin Hester, Miami’s Ted Ginn Jr. and Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson as Maclin’s closest peers. All three led their teams in either receptions or receiving yards this season, though Hester and Ginn are also accomplished return specialists.

Maclin, a shade taller than 6 feet and around 200 pounds, is bigger than all three.

"Look at what DeSean Jackson did this year, but J-Mac’s got 20 pounds on him and is just as fast," Daniel said. "I see him more as Ted Ginn, a type of receiver who can play in the slot and create mismatches."

● DANIEL AT WORK, TOO: As for Daniel, he’s been in Houston since the end of Missouri’s season working under the care of Danny Arnold, who runs The Plex, a training facility that specializes in preparing players for the combine. Among the other draft hopefuls at the Plex are LSU receiver Brandon LaFell and offensive guard Herman Johnson and, coincidentally, former Missouri cornerback Domonique Johnson, who played for Jackson State the last two seasons.

"It’s no joke here," Daniel said. "It’s combine training. I’m loving it. I’m living in my single apartment, letting all the stresses in the world pass me by. I’m going to bed early, getting up early and working out."

Daniel’s primary objective in Houston is training his muscle memory to play quarterback from under center. After playing almost exclusively in shotgun formations throughout high school and college, Daniel’s had to practice taking snaps from under center and dropping back into the pocket. Daniel has worked closely with longtime NFL quarterbacks coach Jerry Rhome, who’s tutored a long list of quarterback stars, from Troy Aikman and Warren Moon to Steve McNair and Kurt Warner. So far, so good, Daniel said.

"Honestly, I surprised myself with how little work I needed on that just for the fact that I’m so used to going out of shotgun," said Daniel, who reported yesterday for the East-West Shrine Game in Houston. "I thought it was going to be a big ordeal for me to switch to under center. I know it’s just practice and just 1-on-1 versus the air. But I feel really comfortable doing it. It’s a little different when a defensive line gets in front of you, but I feel like I can go into the East-West Game and do well."

On Saturday, after a week of practices in Houston, Daniel will quarterback the East team in the annual all-star game. Louisville’s Hunter Cantwell and Michigan State’s Brian Hoyer are the team’s other quarterbacks. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. at Houston’s Robertson Stadium and will be televised on ESPN2.

Missouri defensive end Stryker Sulak also will play for the East team, coached by Bobby Ross.

Daniel also will participate in the NFL combine, reporting for duty in Indianapolis on Feb. 19. Taking only an online course this semester, Daniel is scheduled to graduate from MU in May.

For an agent, he signed with Houston-based Jeff Nalley of Select Sports Group. Among Nalley’s NFL clientele are New England wideout Wes Welker, Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson and St. Louis defensive lineman Adam Carriker.

[eazyb81]

That pic of Pinkel is priceless.

"Damn. I'm fucked now."