WSJ on the draft: Awesome Hilarity!

[DaKCMan AP]

Run Fast at the Combine and You Might Be a Raider

By JONATHAN CLEGG

When it comes to the NFL scouting combine—drills begin Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis—it's no secret that the Oakland Raiders are crazy about the 40-yard dash.

Since 2006, five of the 15 fastest prospects to run at the combine were drafted by Oakland, including Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

While the Raiders have been obsessed with speed, the Houston Texans appear to prefer players who excel at one of the combine's less-heralded workouts: the three-cone drill.

In the past six years, four of the top 12 performers in the three-cone drill were drafted by the Texans or signed by the team as an undrafted free agent. That includes former Oregon receiver Jeff Maehl, who finished the drill in 6.42 seconds, the fastest of any NFL prospect since 2006.

Houston isn't the only team that has focused on prospects who shine at the combine's esoteric exercises. It seems the Kansas City Chiefs place a lot of stock in the vertical jump—acquiring three of the top 15 performers since 2006—while the New York Giants are partial to players who excel at the bench press, having drafted three of the top 15 standouts in that drill.

In some respects, the attention given to those particular drills makes perfect sense. The three-cone drill is used to measure short-area quickness, which is a key attribute in Houston's zone-blocking offense. The Chiefs may choose to focus on players with extraordinary leaping ability because their struggles at the quarterback position has meant their receivers see a lot of wayward passes.

But so far, the workout-specific drafting strategy hasn't produced great results for Houston. Of the four three-cone drill specialists drafted by the Texans, only one—2011 fifth-round safety Shiloh Keo—is still with the team.

A version of this article appeared February 21, 2013, on page D10 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Run Fast at the Combine and You Might Be a Raider.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...?mod=djemITP_h

[Guru]

In some respects, the attention given to those particular drills makes perfect sense. The three-cone drill is used to measure short-area quickness, which is a key attribute in Houston's zone-blocking offense. The Chiefs may choose to focus on players with extraordinary leaping ability because their struggles at the quarterback position has meant their receivers see a lot of wayward passes.

PERFECT

[Molitoth]

just, wow.

[PhillyChiefFan]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

The Chiefs may choose to focus on players with extraordinary leaping ability because their struggles at the quarterback position has meant their receivers see a lot of wayward passes.

[AdumbGuy]

Somebody at the WSJ is a chiefs fan. That's hilarious.

[Buzz_TinBalls]

so should I click the link to find the funny part.

[the Talking Can]

pie to the face of *****

[RyFo18]

Is this guy 12?

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Buzz_TinBalls

so should I click the link to find the funny part.

You need some coffee, a blowjob and to lighten the **** up.

It was humorous the way it played on our quarterback woes and, to the defense of the writer, have you ever seen Cassel throw one that wasn't high?

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by RyFo18

Is this guy 12?

Shit, this guy might be 14. As in, gang of.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by RyFo18

Is this guy 12?

What you got against 12?

[Radar Chief]

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

You need some coffee, a blowjob and to lighten the **** up.

It was humorous the way it played on our quarterback woes and, to the defense of the writer, have you ever seen Cassel throw one that wasn't high?

Yes, but that’s only because it was either behind the receiver or thrown at the receiver’s feet.

[Saul Good]

Drafting three of the top 15 vertical leapers since 2006 is some sort of pattern in this guy's mind? Pretty sure we had a QB in 2006 who could hit open receivers. ****, this guy doesn't seven say what position the draft picks were.

Spoiler alert: One of them was Eric Berry. Does this guy think we drafted EB to catch passes? Another one was Donald Washington...also a Safety. I don't know who the third was.

This writer is retarded.

[PaulAllen]

National Media bashing. WE MADE IT!