2010 NFL Combine Report — Brandon Marshall Rumors and Drafting His Replacement

When asked about the Darrent Williams trial at his press conference yesterday, Josh McDaniels said that he didn’t want to get too much into that. He didn’t believe that the NFL Combine was the right forum for that kind of discussion.

He may not have a choice anymore. After word leaked out that Brandon Marshall’s testimony included an admittance that he escalated a fight with the men accused of Williams’ murder, it’s all anyone’s going to ask him.

When I caught up with McDaniels yesterday, he was adamant that character is paramount for success. He even went so far as to say that even just one guy, one distraction, can break apart the hopes of 53 men. Brandon Marshall is a great player, but the media circus he tows has become too much. And while it’s hard to see him in a Broncos uniform next season, his actions have made at least one thing easier — drafting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Dez Bryant is the likely choice there. He’s a 6’2″ receiver with great bulk and excellent body control. He’s a Marshall doppelganger without the baggage. He’s nursing an injury, and won’t run the 40 yard dash in Indianapolis, but his hands are freakishly large, and after the success that Michael Crabtree had last season, Bryant is looking more and more like a sure thing.

When you take Marshall out of the equation for Denver, the talent level in the receiving corps takes a spill. McDaniels said that some of the blame falls on the staff for not getting Eddie Royal more involved in 2009, but it’s hard to ignore such a surprising disappearing act by the sophomore after an incredible rookie season. Brandon Stokley will live as a legend in Denver forever after his miraculous catch in game one, but he’s aging and isn’t a number one receiver. And while Jabar Gaffney really shined in Marshall’s absence in the season-ender, it was apparent that Kyle Orton is going to need more than one target.

The only problem? It appears that Bryant may not be on the board with the 11th pick in the first round. It’s Buffalo’s fault. The Bills have plenty of needs, and anyone who’s ever accidentally watched a game of theirs knows that offensive line should be the top priority in round one, but there’s a scenario brewing that could leave Denver holding the bag. If the top offensive tackles are selected before the Bills pick (and it could happen considering Washington, Kansas City, Oakland, Detroit, and Seattle all need help up front), and if the top two quarterbacks are gone (again, likely with St. Louis, Washington, Cleveland and Seattle all needing a franchise passer), then Buffalo may have no choice but to spend some dough on Bryant, after losing a diva wide receiver of their own in Terrell Owens.

If, and I stress if, that happens, Denver may have to wait until round two to find their guy. After Brandon Lafell ran a 4.60 40, he’s looking like a guy who could fall to that spot. He’s got similar size to Marshall and Bryant and was a productive contributor at LSU for four years. Of course, reaching for needs over value is a well-known practice around the NFL Draft, and if Denver feels that wide receiver is a big enough concern, Illinois’s Arrelious Benn could get the call. Another guy who stands over 6’1″ and weighs over 200 pounds, Benn might be the best athlete of any pass catcher in this class, but inconsistent quarterback play throughout his career left him with paltry career stats and a load of questions about his ability to produce consistently. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Golden Tate ran an unofficial 4.36 today, even if he is likely too small to be considered that highly in round one at only 5’10″.

But, as McDaniels said, this draft isn’t about the size of a player’s arms or hands or body, it’s about the size of their character. A guy with more character than Brandon Marshall should be easy to find in any round.