Tribal Warfare
04-03-2008, 05:00 PM
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Extras/2008/wwhi040308.htm
The Way We Hear It — draft edition
USC LB Rivers impresses at pro-day workout; OLT Baker, TE Davis disappoint
By Nolan Nawrocki
April 3, 2008
USC LB Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers did not work out at the Combine (except for the bench press) after having arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle, but he showed up big at his pro-day workout, clocking as fast as 4.54 on the watches of three evaluators that PFW consulted and as slow as 4.68 on a compact, FieldTurf surface. The average of 12 times given to PFW was 4.61. He more impressively sprang 42 inches in the vertical jump, showing the type of speed, athletic ability and explosion typically reserved for top-15 selections.
There is a general feeling among scouts that he will get overdrafted because of the lack of LB depth in this draft.
“He’s not as physical as you’d like,” one old-school evaluator in attendance said. “He looked a little stiff in positional drills, but he’s going to go high because he has such high character and there are no elite linebackers in this draft. He did not show me anything I didn’t expect. I would think about him late in the first, but he’ll go a lot higher.”
The way we hear it, the Saints, who were well-represented at the workout, could be surprise suitors for the services of Rivers.
The Saints’ new D-line coach, Ed Oregeron, who helped recruit NT Sedrick Ellis to USC, put Ellis through a series of workouts, and the Saints could use help on the inside. However, after Ellis dropped 11 pounds from the Combine to his pro day and cut his 40-time more than two-tenths of a second from an average hand-held time of 5.3 at the Combine, Ellis is not expected to last until the Saints' selection at No. 10.
"He's the real deal," one longtime evaluator said. "He battled (Chiefs DL coach Tim) Krumrie hard. He got after it in his positional workout. He worked out great. Oakland might have to look at him a little more closely after how he performed today."
The Saints, who were planning to draft A.J. Hawk with the second overall pick before Reggie Bush fell into their lap two years ago, still have a need at linebacker despite signing Dan Morgan and trading for Jonathan Vilma, both of whom join New Orleans with serious injury concerns.
Also of note at the Trojans’ pro day were the sub-4.4 times clocked by RB Chauncey Washington and the low-5.5 times produced by OLT Sam Baker, who did not work out at the Combine because of a left medial collateral ligament sprain. Washington clocked very well in a straight line but looked very rigid in agility drills, and more importantly, he failed to consistently produce in college.
“He has never taken the bull by the horns,” one veteran evaluator said of Washington. “He lacks lateral strength and quickness. He does not run hard and play with confidence. For as big as he is, you would expect him to run harder and be more physical.”
Nonetheless, Washington’s size-speed ratio could make teams think about him as early as the fourth round, where teams generally become willing to roll the dice on height-weight-speed prospects with little career production.
Baker, who has made considerable strength gains following the season, appeared as if he were not able to carry the weight and trudged around more heavy-footed than he did in college. However, several clubs well-represented at the workout still remain very highly interested in Baker, and it’s unlikely his marginal 40-time will hurt him much. Two key evaluators of note who were in attendance at the workout and sizing up the left tackle were Packers GM Ted Thompson and Seahawks V.P. of player personnel Ruston Webster, both of whom have aging left tackles and could use help inside, where Baker may play initially because of his short arms.
Trojans TE Fred Davis, who chose not run at the Combine, also did not impress at the pro day, clocking in the mid-4.7s.
"He's not very flexible," one evaluator said. "He's not a first-round talent by any stretch of the imagination. I was disappointed with his Combine and pro-day workout. (Rams and ex-USC TE) Dominique Byrd was much more flexible, much more athletic and had much better hands. His problem was that he was not committed to the game. (Davis) is not much different in that regard."
Others who improved their times from the Combine include OG Matt Spanos, who registered in the high 5.2s after clocking in the high 5.4s at the Combine, and LB Thomas Williams, who moved from an average hand-held time of 4.89 to the mid-4.7s at his pro day. CB Terrell Thomas did not improve upon his results from the Combine, clocking in the mid-4.5s as he had in Indianapolis.
The Way We Hear It — draft edition
USC LB Rivers impresses at pro-day workout; OLT Baker, TE Davis disappoint
By Nolan Nawrocki
April 3, 2008
USC LB Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers did not work out at the Combine (except for the bench press) after having arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle, but he showed up big at his pro-day workout, clocking as fast as 4.54 on the watches of three evaluators that PFW consulted and as slow as 4.68 on a compact, FieldTurf surface. The average of 12 times given to PFW was 4.61. He more impressively sprang 42 inches in the vertical jump, showing the type of speed, athletic ability and explosion typically reserved for top-15 selections.
There is a general feeling among scouts that he will get overdrafted because of the lack of LB depth in this draft.
“He’s not as physical as you’d like,” one old-school evaluator in attendance said. “He looked a little stiff in positional drills, but he’s going to go high because he has such high character and there are no elite linebackers in this draft. He did not show me anything I didn’t expect. I would think about him late in the first, but he’ll go a lot higher.”
The way we hear it, the Saints, who were well-represented at the workout, could be surprise suitors for the services of Rivers.
The Saints’ new D-line coach, Ed Oregeron, who helped recruit NT Sedrick Ellis to USC, put Ellis through a series of workouts, and the Saints could use help on the inside. However, after Ellis dropped 11 pounds from the Combine to his pro day and cut his 40-time more than two-tenths of a second from an average hand-held time of 5.3 at the Combine, Ellis is not expected to last until the Saints' selection at No. 10.
"He's the real deal," one longtime evaluator said. "He battled (Chiefs DL coach Tim) Krumrie hard. He got after it in his positional workout. He worked out great. Oakland might have to look at him a little more closely after how he performed today."
The Saints, who were planning to draft A.J. Hawk with the second overall pick before Reggie Bush fell into their lap two years ago, still have a need at linebacker despite signing Dan Morgan and trading for Jonathan Vilma, both of whom join New Orleans with serious injury concerns.
Also of note at the Trojans’ pro day were the sub-4.4 times clocked by RB Chauncey Washington and the low-5.5 times produced by OLT Sam Baker, who did not work out at the Combine because of a left medial collateral ligament sprain. Washington clocked very well in a straight line but looked very rigid in agility drills, and more importantly, he failed to consistently produce in college.
“He has never taken the bull by the horns,” one veteran evaluator said of Washington. “He lacks lateral strength and quickness. He does not run hard and play with confidence. For as big as he is, you would expect him to run harder and be more physical.”
Nonetheless, Washington’s size-speed ratio could make teams think about him as early as the fourth round, where teams generally become willing to roll the dice on height-weight-speed prospects with little career production.
Baker, who has made considerable strength gains following the season, appeared as if he were not able to carry the weight and trudged around more heavy-footed than he did in college. However, several clubs well-represented at the workout still remain very highly interested in Baker, and it’s unlikely his marginal 40-time will hurt him much. Two key evaluators of note who were in attendance at the workout and sizing up the left tackle were Packers GM Ted Thompson and Seahawks V.P. of player personnel Ruston Webster, both of whom have aging left tackles and could use help inside, where Baker may play initially because of his short arms.
Trojans TE Fred Davis, who chose not run at the Combine, also did not impress at the pro day, clocking in the mid-4.7s.
"He's not very flexible," one evaluator said. "He's not a first-round talent by any stretch of the imagination. I was disappointed with his Combine and pro-day workout. (Rams and ex-USC TE) Dominique Byrd was much more flexible, much more athletic and had much better hands. His problem was that he was not committed to the game. (Davis) is not much different in that regard."
Others who improved their times from the Combine include OG Matt Spanos, who registered in the high 5.2s after clocking in the high 5.4s at the Combine, and LB Thomas Williams, who moved from an average hand-held time of 4.89 to the mid-4.7s at his pro day. CB Terrell Thomas did not improve upon his results from the Combine, clocking in the mid-4.5s as he had in Indianapolis.