NFL College Player Combine

Nconroe · #1 02-16-2014, 05:03 PM

Starts in 5 days on Feb. 22.

Manziel isn't throwing, so that might be one of the big stories.

Speed always seems to be one of the main topics.

And GMs will say it is their one on one interviews that are most important.

chuck · #2 02-16-2014, 06:52 PM

Manziel obviously wants to save his arm for signing memorabilia.

HPF Bob · #3 02-16-2014, 09:30 PM

zing

nunusguy · #4 02-24-2014, 07:27 AM

Anybody else watching the combine coverage on TV ? Very impressive group of offensive tackles. Mayoc and other Draft "experts" claim this years crop is better than last years when OTs were taken in 3 of first 4 picks. WRs also strong and very deep. The QBs ? Mixed ratings.

Arky · #5 02-24-2014, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Anybody else watching the combine coverage on TV ? Very impressive group of offensive tackles. Mayoc and other Draft "experts" claim this years crop is better than last years when OTs were taken in 3 of first 4 picks. WRs also strong and very deep. The QBs ? Mixed ratings.

Ya, I've caught a little of it (combine coverage). Bortles stock rose for me especially after watching Mariucci do a chalkboard with him. Mariucci was being kind of a jerk and Bortles played it perfectly.... Bortles was slow in the 40 (4.85 was it?) but did well in the other stuff....

I thought Manziel looked like he was dying to throw during the QB passing drills but stayed committed to not throwing at the combine....

HPF Bob · #6 02-25-2014, 04:45 AM

Clowney (4.53 in the 40) showed he is faster than any of the QBs we are considering. He's clearly the beast of this draft.

Keith · #7 02-26-2014, 09:35 PM

The combine is just draftnik nirvana. When it comes to the top prospects though, it told us nothing we didn't already know. Clowney is a scout's dream because of his freakish athleticism, but game film don't lie. Running sprints and cones in shorts and no pads will lie. Scouts won't get canned for recommending an athlete like Clowney, because it is then on the coaches to coach 'em up. They will get canned for going out on a limb for someone who doesn't fit the mold like Johnny Manziel.

I don't mean this to be anti-Clowney, but the Combine is exactly the place where athletic freaks shine. I want football guys first.

And for the Texans, I want them to have a PLAN for what they want at quarterback. The answer doesn't need to be under center in week 1, but 2014 should be about making long-term progress with whomever that player is going to be for the next 5-6 years, minimum. So if they take Clowney, then I'm going to be very interested in their plan at QB, because long-term success is driven by having the right QB first.

HPF Bob · #8 02-27-2014, 05:39 AM

If the combine highlights the "workout warriors", it also benefits the players with the ideal height/weight/speed numbers which benefits Bortles over Bridgewater and Manzeil.

Those "in the know" think Bortles will be better in 3-5 years than Bridgewater because of his tools but that Bridgewater is more ready now because of experience in a pro-style offense and his ability to read defenses. If this were the expansion Texans of 2002, Bortles would be the better choice because the roster around him would need time to build too.

The 2014 Texans, however, already have major pieces in place and will need to find replacements for Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, Owen Daniels and possibly Duane Brown in 3-5 years when Bortles is ready. You might as well trade them now Astros-style if that is the blueprint.

Bridgewater or McCarron gives the Texans the best chance of taking a rookie QB and jumping back into the playoff race. Yes, they aren't as athletic and possibly lack the upside but they seem the most poised to quickly rebuild the offense.

Drafting a QB at 1-1 means bypassing the best athlete in this and may other drafts, the Bruce Smith of this decade. But drafting Clowney means the Texans will have to be very creative to find a starting quarterback for the future.

We took David Carr over Julius Peppers and look what move would have been better but we also took Mario Williams over Young, Cutler and Leinart with underwhelming results.

I think Clowney is the no-doubt best pick of the draft *when motivated*. I also think he mailed in his last season at USC because he knew he would enter the draft and didn't want to sacrifice his future payday the way he saw teammate Marcus Lattimore get ruined. I bet he will be hell on wheels his first two years in the NFL. The question is whether he is still going to want it in the years that follow that. I'd liken him to the up-and-down career of Jevon Kearse.

But if the Texans draft Clowney they are probably stuck with a caretaker QB in 2014 yet won't be drafting this high in 2015. If they take a QBOTF, they are probably sacrificing their veterans while the new QB takes a few years to get up to speed

It's a Catch-22 with several ways to blow up in our face.

nunusguy · #9 02-27-2014, 10:00 AM

If the opinion of O'Brien is that the difference between a Manziel or a Bridgewater vs McCarron or Garoppolo is a B vs a B-, then I say draft a top position guy like Clowney or maybe Auburn OT Greg Robinson (whoever they rate the highest) with your 1.1 and get your QB with your 2.1. But if they rate the top QB as an "A" prospect, then by all means use the 1.1 on him.

Keith · #10 02-27-2014, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

If the combine highlights the "workout warriors", it also benefits the players with the ideal height/weight/speed numbers which benefits Bortles over Bridgewater and Manzeil.

Those "in the know" think Bortles will be better in 3-5 years than Bridgewater because of his tools ...

Yep this is the scout-speak we get this time of year when we spend less time watching game film and more time looking at measurables and projecting what may happen some time down the road.

Granted, my viewing of the QBs game film has been less than exhaustive, but of what I have seen, Bridgewater is clearly ahead of Bortles (and I question how well Manziel translates to the NFL and a 16-game schedule).

The size/speed guys like Clowney and Bortles are bound to get the bump up boards in the Combine and Pro Days. Question is just how much this impacts the Texans, and especially since this is the first year with O'Brien, no one really knows for sure. Sorry internet couch scouts...

HPF Bob · #11 02-27-2014, 04:55 PM

Personally, I am hoping that all this attention on Bortles and Manziel is just pre-draft misdirection. David Carr, OTOH, was Casserly's boy from practically the Senior Bowl on and he didn't care who knew it. Rick Smith came from Denver where, in '06, Shanahan spent months looking at everyone but Jay Cutler because he did not want the rest of the league to know who he wanted. We got no write-up whatsoever about J.J. Watt before we picked him.

I think Smith is from the Shanahan school where the less they talk about a guy, the more likely they are interested. I kinda think they'd rather trade down anyway and get their QB plus another draft pick.

barrett · #12 02-27-2014, 06:13 PM

If you know who you want at 1, there is no reason to disguise it. It is nothing like keeping quiet at 9 (or whatever Cutler was). At 9 you keep quiet so nobody jumps ahead of you to steal your guy. The only reason for misinformation at 1 is if you want out of the pick.