2010 NFL Draft Updates (03-12-2010)
Today we are checking in with some more Pro Day news and notes. Some of the bigger names in the draft had their chance to show the scouts some more of their wares this week with Maryland, Rutgers, Oklahoma State, and Nebraska amongst others hosting Pro Days in the last few days.
Ndamukong Suh
Suh participated in positional drills only and reportedly performed well. There was nothing to suggest he did anything to hurt his status as the top prospect in the draft.
Bruce Campbell
Campbell opted not to work out for scouts at Maryland’s Pro Day this week. Campbell showed up and did some interviews and that was about it. Campbell really had little else to prove after his showing at the combine.
Oklahoma State
The two big names, Russell Okung and Dez Bryant did not work out, however a couple of guys seemed to have made an impression on folks in attendance. Offensive lineman Brady Bond and Andrew Lewis reportedly impressed scouts in the position drills and were better than anticipated.
Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights feature two potential first round picks in this year’s draft. The sure-fire first rounder, offensive lineman Anthony Davis, did not work out this week at Rutgers’ Pro Day. He reportedly had dinner with a team the night before the event and then bailed on working out claiming to be ill. This reportedly did not sit well with some teams who already have questions about his work ethic, attitude, and other off-the-field issues. Some teams had also started souring on him when he showed up to the combine looking sloppy and out of shape. Davis was once thought of as potentially being the first tackle taken in the draft. He has now likely been passed by guys like Bruce Campbell, Russell Okung, and Trent Williams who have shown up in shape and worked out well for scouts.
Rutgers’ other hot prospect is cornerback Devin McCourty. McCourty has been steadily moving up a lot of draft boards since the end of the season. He worked out well at the combine and has adequate size for a corner. He runs well and is willing to step in and support the run, something a lot of elite corners are not willing to do. McCourty is in the mix to be the third corner taken in the draft and many see him as a late first rounder. Devin did not do any of the combine drills but did participate in the position drills for scouts.
LaGarrette Blount
LeGarrette Blount opted not to work out at Oregon’s Pro Day this week and will work out individually on March 18th instead. Apparently his agent had not informed everyone of this and there was some confusion amongst some in attendance why Blount was not going to be working out.
Cincinnati
Twenty six teams showed up to watch Bearcats standouts Mardy Gilyard and Tony Pike go through the paces. Pike has reportedly altered his throwing style a bit as scouts told him at the combine they wanted to see tighter spirals. It sounds as though Pike is making progress adapting to the pro style offense but is still going to be a mid round pick who teams see as a guy who is going to take a couple of years to develop.
There is nothing to suggest that Gilyard did anything to significantly hurt or help his chances. Gilyard pretty much is what he is. He does not have elite size or speed to warrant a top pick on him but he should still go somewhere in the second or third round simply based on his knack for making things happen when he has the ball in his hands. Teams looking for a secondary receiver who can line up in the slot and return kicks will have in interest in Gilyard.
Northwestern
Quarterback Mike Kafka reportedly impressed the 25 teams who were there to see him. He reportedly missed just one throw the entire workout. The two things that are going to keep teams away from Kafka are the fact he took the majority of his snaps from the shotgun and whether he has the arm strength to be a starter in the NFL. He is a heady player who relies more on his ability to read defenses and accuracy than he does his overall talent.
Texas A&M
A trio of Aggies impressed the scouts this week at A&M’s Pro Day. Center Kevin Matthews reportedly drew raves for how well he ran the position drills for scouts.
Cornerback Jordan Pugh may have ran his way into the draft by posting a 4.44 40 time which would have ranked first amongst corners at the combine.
Jamie McCoy ran well posting a 40 time of 4.56 seconds. The question remains as to what position he would play in the NFL. At 6′ 2″/240 he is not quite big enough to play tight end at the next level so some think he may have to transition to full back. He has the speed to play TE and one wonders if perhaps he catches on as a secondary receiver some where.
Kentucky
Running back Alfonso Smith was the big story coming out of Kentucky’s Pro Day. The senior, who did not even go to the combine, turned in a pair of blazing 40s clocking in at 4.38 seconds both times he ran it. At just a shade over six feet and 211 pounds Smith could very well go from being undrafted to a mid-round pick. Guys with that kind of legitimate speed do not go undrafted.
There was nothing else of note to really talk about coming out of Kentucky.
