JERRAUD POWERS
- On how the day's events went: "I think it went well. I think I improved on my 40 a lot. I think a lot of guys were surprised with my 40 time. I ran pretty good at the combine, but the main thing people were worried about was, was he going to do a lot here today at the workout, and I just wanted to show them that I’m a competitor and I believed I could improve and everything. So I think I did everything but the bench, and I think it did well. I think I left on a good note and a lot of scouts told me I did a great job and they were impressed. So I’ll just take it from there."
- On how was this different from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month? "It was more relaxing. I’ll tell you that. The combine, we was like naked everywhere we went, and coaches just taking notes here and there. But the combine, the only difference was out here we had four DBs and at the combine it was like 30, so every time you took a rep, you weren’t tired at all. Out here it was a more conditioning type thing. Other than that, the drills were the same. It’s just a different environment. It was more relaxing. That’s why I was just out there having fun, trying to do my best."
- Powers is working out in Los Angeles at a place called Elite Athletics. He was shocked by how consistently warm it was out there and missed the down-home cooking of Alabama.
- On his draft status: "After today, I think a lot of scouts saw I improved a lot. Going into today, I was more of a third-round or fifth-round guy, but who knows? I might have sneaked up into that second round after today, but I’m not going to worry about that. Wherever I get drafted, it will be a blessing. If I go second, if I go seventh round, it’d be a blessing either way. Because I know once I get on a team and get it going, I’ll be fine."
- Powers didn't have any second thoughts about leaving for the pros a year early and says the coaching change had no factor in his decision. "I didn’t believe my status as a corner was going to change from year to year," he said.
SEN'DERRICK MARKS
- Marks wasn't in the most talkative mood afterward, probably because he's been hampered by a hamstring injury suffered at the NFL Combine. It limited him Tuesday, when he opted out of doing the 40 and vertical leap. "I was expecting for my hamstring to hold up and maybe I can go out and put up the numbers I knew I could put up, but I did pretty good," he said.
- On how badly the injury affected him: "Knocked a lot of my numbers off about two seconds, but it's OK. I'm gonna go get my hamstring right and have another workout."
- Marks hopes to schedule some individual workouts with teams once his hammy is back at full strength. He's projected as a second-round pick right now, although that could be up in the air considering his injury status.
- He's working out in Atlanta.
Another player who was injured (quad) and didn't participate in all the drills. Green deferred to his combine numbers in the 40 and bench press and clearly was laboring with his leg during agility drills.
- Afterward, he did some extensive one-on-one work with different teams. "They were pushing me. Wanted to see what I could do and if I could handle being a little tired. I’ve been out a little bit with my quad so I haven’t really been able to work out and move. It was the first day I actually did some moving, trying to push it and giving them a look. I pushed through it and made it through."
- On what he's been hearing: "I definitely think teams are interested. They like my film. They like the way I move. They like my feet. I think I’ve been helping myself throughout the whole process."
- He's been training in Phoenix, Arizona with Brett Fisher.
- On his plans the next month: "More so working to get in shape, shape. When your training for all this stuff, it’s mostly drills. You’re not necessarily in good running shape. It’s time to really hit it hard in the weight room and conditioning and get ready for wherever I may get drafted and get ready for camp."
TEZ DOOLITTLE
- Tez was by far in the best shape of his life. He's says he's 285, up five pounds from his playing weight last year, but he's a svelte, fit 285. Not flabby.
- Kind of a weird moment afterward when a Raiders scout asked Doolittle to pose without his shirt so he could take a picture of his front and back. I guess when you're investing millions of dollars into draft picks, you've got to turn over every stone.
- Tez also had a tweaked hamstring, but he battled through it. He benched 225 pounds 22 times, although that was down from what he said he's been doing (30 or so). He was happiest with his 4.92 time in the 40.
- He continues to have the most inspiring comeback story of anyone out there, blowing out his Achilles' before the 2007 season, his career all but over before the NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility, during which he grabbed a starting job. Now, he might just get drafted. "I never thought I'd be here," he said.
- On his workout regimen: "I've been working my tail off, day and night I was trying to come in about 290, but I was five pounds short, 285. All these guys were probably happy about that, because most of the teams don't like 315-pound linemen, they like fast, quick 285, 290."
- He's working out in Roswell, Ga., with Tony Bellani. NFLers like Takeo Spikes and Jamal Lewis also work out there.
- He's heard he might get drafted in the late fourth or early fifth round. Again, amazing.
BRAD LESTER
- Lester was so anxious leading in to the workouts, he threw up three times. "I was so nervous because I knew how much today could help me potentially get drafted," he said.
- Lester ripped off 18 reps on the bench, tops among the skill players. He said he was doing 22 or 23 during practices. That drop-off seems common for these guys. It's tough to do a drill with 100 sets of eyes focused on your every move and people yelling at you to keep your form perfect. "For a lot of guys, it's tough, bu t I came in with the mindset that once I start my drills, block everybody out and just focus on myself and just do the best that I can," he said.
- He doesn't care where he goes in the draft. Just that he does. "It doesn't matter to me," he said. "I could go first, second, seventh round. Just as long as someone picks me up, I'm happy."
- He's working out in New Jersey with Joe DeFranco, along with USC linebacker Brian Cushing and Syracuse fullback Tony Fiametta.
- All 32 NFL teams had scouts at the festivities. Like I said, no stone left unturned.
- Former quarterback Brandon Cox came back to toss some passes to a long list of receivers. “It was just good old times having Cox out here throwing to me,” wide receiver Rod Smith said. “He was one of the major reasons I had a good career here at
- Smith hopes to get a shot at the NFL. Hey, it worked for him when he was a walk-on at Auburn. “The NFL Draft’s a crazy thing,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen. Maybe I can be one of those surprise guys.”
- Wide receiver James Swinton put up some great numbers, running the second fastest 40 time (4.39) and finishing first in the vertical jump (42 inches) and broad jump. Makes you wonder why he never broke out at Auburn.
- Running back Tristan Davis had the fastest 40 time of the day, clocking in at 4.38 seconds. He said he's finally fully healthy after finding -- and correcting -- another problem with his feet in the last few months.
- Former LB Steve Gandy worked out for scouts. He retired in 2007 after sustaining multiple concussions.
- Two players who were not there: Tray Blackmon and Robert Dunn. Dunn was on the original list of participants.
2 comments:
I've seen numerous comments from players and coaches that the measurements collected don't mean much because they don't reflect actual football talent. What is your opinion of that after witnessing the pro day activities?
That's true. Perfect example: James Swinton, who crushed the drills the players were doing Tuesday but wasn't much of a producer on the football field.
But you'd be surprised some of the guys that go on to the next level. I think if an NFL team can find the right athletic build it's looking for, it can teach a lot of these guys to be productive players a system.
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