2010 NFL Draft Updates (3-11-2010)
Several more teams have held their Pro Day workout sessions for NFL teams over the past couple of days. There are also some other tidbits to discuss as it relates to prospects in this year’s draft.
Alabama
Top linebacker prospect Rolando McClain worked out for scouts this week after sitting out the combine due to injury. He weighed in at 249 pounds and posted respectable 40 times of 4.68 and 4.69 seconds. There was nothing to suggest coming out of this week’s workout that McClain did anything to jeopardize a spot in the top 15 of the draft.
Defensive tackle Terrence Cody continues to shed the pounds as he checked in at 349 pounds, roughly 20 fewer than he weighed at the Senior Bowl. It sounds like getting Cody off the banquet circuit has done him a world of good.
Auburn
There is not a ton to report out of the Auburn pro day. Running back Ben Tate stood on his scores at the combine and reportedly looked good in the position drills. Tate is quickly working his way up to being one of the first five backs taken off the board. I would not be surprised if he is the fourth back taken after C. J. Spiller, Jahvid Best, and Ryan Matthews. Right now it could be between him and Montario Hardesty for the #4 back slot in the draft.
Defensive back Walter McFadden who was not at the combine helped himself out by posting times of 4.40 and 4.43 in the 40. Both of those times would have been the fastest for a corner back at the combine. McFadden likely will not be a high draft pick but his workout likely solidified him as a mid-round pick.
Perrish Cox
The banished Oklahoma State corner back will work out for scouts on March 30th in Waco, Texas. Cox is considered by many to be one of the top 50 players in the draft and is a solid second round prospect.
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
Owusu-Ansah was supposed to perform for scouts at IUP’s Pro Day this week but decided not to, and instead will work out for scouts at Ohio State’s Pro Day this Saturday. He is currently considered a mid-round prospect and ran one of the fastest 40 times at the combine amongst corner backs.
Kansas
A handful of Kansas prospects helped themselves out at Kansas’ Pro Day. Running back Jake Sharp, who did not participate in the scouting combine, ran a 4.43 in the 40 which should get him some notice from scouts. Given his size, 5′ 9 1/4″ and 194 pounds, he is a tough sell to teams as an every down back in the NFL. But, given his speed and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield he should draw interest as a potential 3rd down back and return specialist. Sharp was seen as a potential undrafted free agent but could now see himself land in the back half of the draft.
Receiver Dezmon Briscoe rebounded from a sub-par performance at the combine with more respectable 40 times of 4.53 and 4.51. Some red flags were raised after he posted 40 times in the mid 4.6s at the combine. With his workout this week he probably salvaged his draft spot and should go somewhere in the second or third round depending on how some of the other receivers work out in the coming weeks.
Colorado
Cornerback Ben Burney stole the show at Colorado’s Pro Day by running his way into the draft with a blazing 40 time of 4.38 seconds. Burney was not considered a viable draftee and was not even invited to the scouting combine. Burney’s workout will probably nab him a spot in the draft. He still has a long way to go in terms of his skill and technique, but, guys who are capable of running the 40 in less than 4.4 seconds do not go undrafted.
Other than Burney there is little else to talk about coming out of Colorado’s Pro Day.
Fordham
Quarterback John Skelton had no fewer than nine teams on campus to watch him work out. The Bengals, Bills, and Eagles were amongst the teams in attendance to watch the stout quarterback go through the paces. Skelton started for three plus years at Fordham and showed marked improvement in each of his four seasons at the university. He went from completing less than 50% of his passes and a QB rating of under 100 to completing over 64% of his passes and a rating of over 150 in his senior season.
Prior to the post season workout sessions Skelton was considered a 7th rounder at best. At 6′ 5 3/8″ and 241 pounds Skelton looks the part of a NFL quarterback. He also reportedly threw the ball very well during his workout and has as strong an arm as anyone c0ming out this spring. The biggest knock on him is he relies too much on his arm strength and that gets him into trouble at times. Skelton is still widely viewed as a project player who needs to fine tune his mechanics and will likely spend his first couple of years on the practice squad, but, he may have performed his way into a fifth or sixth round selection with his workouts the past couple of weeks.
Offensive lineman Andrew Tyshovnytsky caught folks eyes as well. At 6′ 4 1/4″ and 317 pound he has adequate size to play in the NFL. Tyshovnytsky, who was not invited to the combine, ran the 40 in under five seconds and posted 33 reps on the bench press. His 40 time would have been the third best at the combine while his bench press score would have rated him in the top ten amongst offensive lineman. Tyshovnytsky was also said to look good in the position drills. He very well may have gone from undrafted free agent to a late round selection with his workout.
