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By Nick Wagoner/Senior Writer
http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-eve ... 7d96270246
Alabama running back Trent Richardson has a chance to become the highest drafted running back since Reggie Bush went No. 2 in 2006.
As the NFL world converges on Indianapolis again for the second time in less than a month this week, the attention has turned from the Super Bowl to the players that will someday help shape the combatants in a future big game.
That’s right, it’s time for the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine with media availability set to begin on Thursday and player workouts slated to start on Friday.
In the changing landscape of the NFL spurred by the new collective bargaining agreement, the NFL Draft has become even more important and the activities leading up to it have also ratcheted up another level.
With that in mind, here are a few questions that may not be answered in totality over the next week but at least some hints figured to be dropped.
1. Can Robert Griffin III challenge Andrew Luck as the top quarterback in this year’s draft?
Heading to Indianapolis, there’s little doubt that the hometown team is set to draft the replacement for Peyton Manning, whether that replacement begins right away or waits a while.
Conventional wisdom says that the choice will be Stanford signal caller Andrew Luck, the guy who is being tagged as the next great franchise quarterback.
There are those, however, who feel that Luck might get pushed for that top spot by the Baylor’s Griffin, the Heisman Trophy winner, and the guy NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock believes might be the most exciting player in the draft.
Cases can be made both ways now but after this week, it’s entirely possible that the situation will have a bit more clarity.
Now, it’s not expected that Luck or Griffin will throw in Indy but they could both participate in some of the agility and speed drills.
Most important for Luck and Griffin, though, will be the battery of medical checkups and their interviews with teams. Luck is thought to be one of the most intelligent quarterback prospects of all time so there will be huge expectations on how he performs on the white board in front of teams.
While Griffin will have those same tasks, his biggest moment might come early when he’s measured. Griffin is listed at around 6’2 but if he checks in closer to 6 foot, teams might start having some questions about taking him in the top five.
2. Is USC tackle Matt Kalil the next great blindside protector?
Aside from Griffin and Luck, the general consensus that the next logical player to go would be the guy who protects quarterbacks better than anyone. In this draft, the early read is that Kalil is that player.
What isn’t yet known is whether teams view Kalil as a franchise tackle who will change the way people look at your line much like an Orlando Pace once did for the Rams or if he’s more of a solid, workmanlike tackle more in line with a player like Washington’s Trent Williams.
The returns in the weeks leading up to the draft come with mixed views. Mayock, for example, believes that Kalil is the best tackle in the draft but only recently placed him in front of Iowa’s Reilly Reiff.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, on the other hand, believes Kalil is much more of a cornerstone player like Cleveland’s Joe Thomas.
Kalil appears to be the total package and there aren’t many things a left tackle can do at the combine that solidifies his status such as running a fast 40. What teams will be looking for with Kalil, though, is his size and strength.
That means the opportunity for Kalil comes in how he looks when he weighs in as well as how he fares on the 225-pound bench press. Strong showings there could alleviate some fears teams might have about his ability to maul in the run game and place him in that upper echelon of players in this year’s draft.
3. Can Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon separate himself as this draft’s top offensive play maker on the outside?
As it stands, the draft pundits are pretty much unanimous in their belief that Blackmon is the best wideout in the draft. He’s drawn comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald for his ability to catch balls outside his area and for his ability to break tackles and gain yards after the catch.
McShay and Mayock both believe Blackmon is the best receiver available but neither is convinced he is quite at the level of the top two receivers taken last year – Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Cincinnati’s A.J. Green.
For Blackmon, this week is all about the 40-yard dash. As unrealistic as it might be, the 40 time number can be huge for skill position players. Last year, Jones blew away everyone in attendance by running a sub 4.4 40 when everyone believed that he didn’t have that type of home run speed.
This year, the expectations for Blackmon are that he’ll run somewhere in the high 4.4s or low 4.5s. Should he meet those expectations, he’ll probably solidify his standing as the top wideout on the board. Should he run slower, though, some questions could pop up.
And, of course, if Blackmon pulls a Jones and burns up the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium, he could ensure that not only is he the best receiver in the draft but also that he’s one of the best players available, too.
4. Can LSU’s Morris Claiborne go higher than Patrick Peterson?
There is a school of thought out there that the sticky cover corner from the bayou is the best player in the draft regardless of position and if he’s not better than Luck, he’s at least No. 2.
The respected NFL website National Football Post has Claiborne rated as the No. 2 player in the draft behind Luck and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes Claiborne is the fourth best player in this year’s draft.
That’s pretty heady stuff for a cornerback, a position that hasn’t seen a player taken higher than fifth at any time in this decade.
Claiborne matches speed, size and athleticism to make him the clear cut top cornerback in the draft. But with a platform to post some eye popping numbers, it’s possible that Claiborne could make the case to go even higher than former teammate Patrick Peterson (No. 5) went last year to Arizona.
5. Will Alabama running back Trent Richardson force teams to use a top 5 pick on a running back?
Since New Orleans used the second pick in the 2006 NFL Draft on running back Reggie Bush out of USC, teams have become far more gun shy about using such a high pick on running backs.
And why not, considering that Houston’s Arian Foster, widely regarded as one of the top back in the league, was an undrafted free agent. The widely held belief in the league these days is that not only is this a passing league but that quality running backs can be found just about anywhere.
The question this year though is whether that changes if a team believes the next Adrian Peterson is available?
That’s the comparison Mayock has made for Alabama’s Richardson, a player with speed, power, moves and determination. Making Richardson even more appealing is that in his time with the Crimson Tide, he often shared carries and thus doesn’t have the tread on his tires that many backs in the draft do.
Should Richardson elect to workout – and indications are that he will – he could put on the type of show that will validate all of the Peterson comparisons and almost certainly cement his spot in the top part of the draft.
A big time performance in Indianapolis could land Richardson in the top five.
6. Which players will emerge with strong performances that make their draft stock soar?
Some players go into the combine as little-known players on a national stage and then emerge with more hype than is justified.
The long time example is former Philadelphia defensive end Mike Mamula, who wasn’t really on the radar but put up a ridiculous performance in combine drills. Of course, he never played like he worked out and washed out of the league after an average at best career.
On the other hand, players like running back Chris Johnson go with little resume from an unknown school like East Carolina and blaze the 40-yard dash and land in the first round. Johnson has been one of the most productive players in the league since he was drafted.
This year, there are plenty of guys who figure to earn a closer look. For the purpose of this exercise, we’ll eschew players you might already know in favor of guys who might not be on your radar yet.
Louisiana-Lafayette tight end LaDarius Green, Tennessee Tech receiver Tim Benford, Coastal Carolina cornerback Josh Norman, McNeese State safety Janzen Jackson and Regina defensive tackle Akiem Hicks are just a handful of names of players without much street cred that could be much better known after the combine.
7. Whither the franchise tag?
NFL teams were allowed to begin tagging players on Monday, a far cry from recent years where they would be wrapping up the tagging process at the combine.
Instead, teams will be working on doing business not only with the tag but also for long term contracts on guys they don’t want to tag this week in Indianapolis.
That means that general managers and agents will be working overtime in trying to handle those negotiations as well as looking at the prospects in Indianapolis.
From the Rams’ perspective, they almost certainly won’t use their franchise tag but that doesn’t mean they won’t be paying close attention to what other teams are doing as they lay out their approach for free agency.
8. Will the auction for the No. 2 pick begin?
Because nearly everyone expects the Colts to take Luck or maybe even Griffin, the real drama surrounding the draft is expected to begin with the second overall pick.
The team holding that pick, of course, is the Rams. As teams are still a while away from stacking their boards, it’s unlikely that meaningful trade discussions pertaining to picks will begin in Indianapolis.
But it doesn’t mean that teams won’t begin at least kicking the tires to see what it would take for Rams coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead to make a deal.
Speculation about the required compensation has run rampant pretty much since the day Griffin declared for the draft.
It’s likely the Rams and quarterback needy teams such as Cleveland, Miami, Washington, Buffalo and Seattle will keep a keen eye on Griffin and how he performs this week which could eventually evolve into substantial talks about what figures to be a very valuable pick in April.
http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-eve ... 7d96270246
Alabama running back Trent Richardson has a chance to become the highest drafted running back since Reggie Bush went No. 2 in 2006.
As the NFL world converges on Indianapolis again for the second time in less than a month this week, the attention has turned from the Super Bowl to the players that will someday help shape the combatants in a future big game.
That’s right, it’s time for the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine with media availability set to begin on Thursday and player workouts slated to start on Friday.
In the changing landscape of the NFL spurred by the new collective bargaining agreement, the NFL Draft has become even more important and the activities leading up to it have also ratcheted up another level.
With that in mind, here are a few questions that may not be answered in totality over the next week but at least some hints figured to be dropped.
1. Can Robert Griffin III challenge Andrew Luck as the top quarterback in this year’s draft?
Heading to Indianapolis, there’s little doubt that the hometown team is set to draft the replacement for Peyton Manning, whether that replacement begins right away or waits a while.
Conventional wisdom says that the choice will be Stanford signal caller Andrew Luck, the guy who is being tagged as the next great franchise quarterback.
There are those, however, who feel that Luck might get pushed for that top spot by the Baylor’s Griffin, the Heisman Trophy winner, and the guy NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock believes might be the most exciting player in the draft.
Cases can be made both ways now but after this week, it’s entirely possible that the situation will have a bit more clarity.
Now, it’s not expected that Luck or Griffin will throw in Indy but they could both participate in some of the agility and speed drills.
Most important for Luck and Griffin, though, will be the battery of medical checkups and their interviews with teams. Luck is thought to be one of the most intelligent quarterback prospects of all time so there will be huge expectations on how he performs on the white board in front of teams.
While Griffin will have those same tasks, his biggest moment might come early when he’s measured. Griffin is listed at around 6’2 but if he checks in closer to 6 foot, teams might start having some questions about taking him in the top five.
2. Is USC tackle Matt Kalil the next great blindside protector?
Aside from Griffin and Luck, the general consensus that the next logical player to go would be the guy who protects quarterbacks better than anyone. In this draft, the early read is that Kalil is that player.
What isn’t yet known is whether teams view Kalil as a franchise tackle who will change the way people look at your line much like an Orlando Pace once did for the Rams or if he’s more of a solid, workmanlike tackle more in line with a player like Washington’s Trent Williams.
The returns in the weeks leading up to the draft come with mixed views. Mayock, for example, believes that Kalil is the best tackle in the draft but only recently placed him in front of Iowa’s Reilly Reiff.
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay, on the other hand, believes Kalil is much more of a cornerstone player like Cleveland’s Joe Thomas.
Kalil appears to be the total package and there aren’t many things a left tackle can do at the combine that solidifies his status such as running a fast 40. What teams will be looking for with Kalil, though, is his size and strength.
That means the opportunity for Kalil comes in how he looks when he weighs in as well as how he fares on the 225-pound bench press. Strong showings there could alleviate some fears teams might have about his ability to maul in the run game and place him in that upper echelon of players in this year’s draft.
3. Can Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon separate himself as this draft’s top offensive play maker on the outside?
As it stands, the draft pundits are pretty much unanimous in their belief that Blackmon is the best wideout in the draft. He’s drawn comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald for his ability to catch balls outside his area and for his ability to break tackles and gain yards after the catch.
McShay and Mayock both believe Blackmon is the best receiver available but neither is convinced he is quite at the level of the top two receivers taken last year – Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Cincinnati’s A.J. Green.
For Blackmon, this week is all about the 40-yard dash. As unrealistic as it might be, the 40 time number can be huge for skill position players. Last year, Jones blew away everyone in attendance by running a sub 4.4 40 when everyone believed that he didn’t have that type of home run speed.
This year, the expectations for Blackmon are that he’ll run somewhere in the high 4.4s or low 4.5s. Should he meet those expectations, he’ll probably solidify his standing as the top wideout on the board. Should he run slower, though, some questions could pop up.
And, of course, if Blackmon pulls a Jones and burns up the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium, he could ensure that not only is he the best receiver in the draft but also that he’s one of the best players available, too.
4. Can LSU’s Morris Claiborne go higher than Patrick Peterson?
There is a school of thought out there that the sticky cover corner from the bayou is the best player in the draft regardless of position and if he’s not better than Luck, he’s at least No. 2.
The respected NFL website National Football Post has Claiborne rated as the No. 2 player in the draft behind Luck and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. believes Claiborne is the fourth best player in this year’s draft.
That’s pretty heady stuff for a cornerback, a position that hasn’t seen a player taken higher than fifth at any time in this decade.
Claiborne matches speed, size and athleticism to make him the clear cut top cornerback in the draft. But with a platform to post some eye popping numbers, it’s possible that Claiborne could make the case to go even higher than former teammate Patrick Peterson (No. 5) went last year to Arizona.
5. Will Alabama running back Trent Richardson force teams to use a top 5 pick on a running back?
Since New Orleans used the second pick in the 2006 NFL Draft on running back Reggie Bush out of USC, teams have become far more gun shy about using such a high pick on running backs.
And why not, considering that Houston’s Arian Foster, widely regarded as one of the top back in the league, was an undrafted free agent. The widely held belief in the league these days is that not only is this a passing league but that quality running backs can be found just about anywhere.
The question this year though is whether that changes if a team believes the next Adrian Peterson is available?
That’s the comparison Mayock has made for Alabama’s Richardson, a player with speed, power, moves and determination. Making Richardson even more appealing is that in his time with the Crimson Tide, he often shared carries and thus doesn’t have the tread on his tires that many backs in the draft do.
Should Richardson elect to workout – and indications are that he will – he could put on the type of show that will validate all of the Peterson comparisons and almost certainly cement his spot in the top part of the draft.
A big time performance in Indianapolis could land Richardson in the top five.
6. Which players will emerge with strong performances that make their draft stock soar?
Some players go into the combine as little-known players on a national stage and then emerge with more hype than is justified.
The long time example is former Philadelphia defensive end Mike Mamula, who wasn’t really on the radar but put up a ridiculous performance in combine drills. Of course, he never played like he worked out and washed out of the league after an average at best career.
On the other hand, players like running back Chris Johnson go with little resume from an unknown school like East Carolina and blaze the 40-yard dash and land in the first round. Johnson has been one of the most productive players in the league since he was drafted.
This year, there are plenty of guys who figure to earn a closer look. For the purpose of this exercise, we’ll eschew players you might already know in favor of guys who might not be on your radar yet.
Louisiana-Lafayette tight end LaDarius Green, Tennessee Tech receiver Tim Benford, Coastal Carolina cornerback Josh Norman, McNeese State safety Janzen Jackson and Regina defensive tackle Akiem Hicks are just a handful of names of players without much street cred that could be much better known after the combine.
7. Whither the franchise tag?
NFL teams were allowed to begin tagging players on Monday, a far cry from recent years where they would be wrapping up the tagging process at the combine.
Instead, teams will be working on doing business not only with the tag but also for long term contracts on guys they don’t want to tag this week in Indianapolis.
That means that general managers and agents will be working overtime in trying to handle those negotiations as well as looking at the prospects in Indianapolis.
From the Rams’ perspective, they almost certainly won’t use their franchise tag but that doesn’t mean they won’t be paying close attention to what other teams are doing as they lay out their approach for free agency.
8. Will the auction for the No. 2 pick begin?
Because nearly everyone expects the Colts to take Luck or maybe even Griffin, the real drama surrounding the draft is expected to begin with the second overall pick.
The team holding that pick, of course, is the Rams. As teams are still a while away from stacking their boards, it’s unlikely that meaningful trade discussions pertaining to picks will begin in Indianapolis.
But it doesn’t mean that teams won’t begin at least kicking the tires to see what it would take for Rams coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead to make a deal.
Speculation about the required compensation has run rampant pretty much since the day Griffin declared for the draft.
It’s likely the Rams and quarterback needy teams such as Cleveland, Miami, Washington, Buffalo and Seattle will keep a keen eye on Griffin and how he performs this week which could eventually evolve into substantial talks about what figures to be a very valuable pick in April.
