2010 NFL Combine Report — Five Prospects Who Improved Their Stock

It’s only just begun. No matter how much scrutiny these prospects have undergone in the weeks leading up to the NFL Combine, nothing can compare to what they’ll face now. Now that they’ve run the 40 yard dash, sprinted through cone drills, faced the vertical jump, and the white-hot interrogation of the media it’s only going to get worse.

It’s important to remember that no matter what happened here, there are years of game film on all of these prospects, and one weekend of auditioning shouldn’t have a drastic effect on their stock. But, in a world of immediate news and up-to-the-millisecond opinion-shifting tweets, knee-jerk reactions are inevitable.

So, in the volatile tradition of the NFL Draft, here are 10 prospects that saw their stock leap through the roof of Lucas Oil Stadium.

1.) Sam Bradford, Quarterback, Oklahoma Sooners
It’s really all about who you asked. Some entered Indianapolis with Jimmy Clausen as the higher rated passer, some liked Bradford. The split seems to have disappeared. It would have been easier to find a Saints Super Bowl shirt in Indianapolis than a writer, GM, coach, or reporter who didn’t move Bradford into the top spot after his weekend here. First, he alleviated concerns about his slight frame by showing up with an extra 20 pounds of muscle and checking in at over 6’4″ 236. For a guy who missed nearly the entire season with two shoulder injuries, packing on the extra bulk was huge. There are no more complaints about his build.

And second, he was everything you look for in the interview portion. His revelation that every Oklahoma practice allowed him to take one snap from under center for every shotgun snap is huge. At the next level, the ability to make the right drops and the right reads from under center is a valued trait for quarterback prospects. It’s part of the reason that Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow are viewed as middle round guys despite decorated college careers. But Bradford was poised, intelligent, relaxed, and self-assured. Everything you look for in a “face of the franchise,” top overall pick quarterback. I’ll be pretty surprised if he’s not the guy for the St. Louis Rams. It’s still early, and a lot can change, but for now it seems that Bradford, without working out at all, has clearly established himself as the top QB in the draft.

2.) Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma Sooners
The NFL Combine belonged to Gerald McCoy. The guy is a quote machine. I’d need about a hundred extra fingers if I was going to try to count how many people told me that his media interview was the best in combine history. For 20 minutes, this was no longer a scouting event, it was a comedy club. A great one.

A few of the top NFL Draft analysts had moved McCoy ahead of the much more publicized Ndamukong Suh before arriving in Indianapolis. After leaving Indy, finding even a few who hadn’t jumped on that bandwagon would be a Lewis and Clark expedition.

When you start talking about a guy as a possible number one overall pick, more than simple football talent finds its way into the conversation. This guy has to be the face of the franchise. He’s the figurehead, the spokesman, the one player in total control of a coach’s fate.

So when Gerald McCoy joked that he was “going to kill Sam [Bradford]” if he got the chance at the next level after enduring for years of not being able to touch him in practice, when he talked about tackling three players at once as a 238 pound 12-year-old, when he told reporters that he thought his biggest strength might be his smile, when he did all of that while maintaining a refreshing humility, he proved beyond any doubt that he’s the type of guy that can handle the spotlight. And when he decided to participate in the full gauntlet of workouts when so many top prospects declined, he might have cemented his status as the top defensive tackle.

3.) Jacoby Ford, Wide Receiver, Clemson
Unless you were living under a rock, or gave up on life and became a baseball fan, you probably heard about Trindon Holliday’s unofficial 4.22 time in the 40 yard dash. When the smoke cleared, Holliday’s official time slipped to 4.34.

But this is a weekend of one-upping. At least, it was for Jacoby Ford. With the buzz building about Holliday’s speed, and fellow blazer Dexter McCluster tripping during a 4.55 run, Ford stepped up. His 4.28 is is the second fastest time in NFL Combine history. Read that again. Only one man has ever been faster. That guy? The Tennessee Titan’s Chris Johnson. Not bad company to be in.

For a wide receiver who measured in at only 5’8″ 180 pounds, this was a dream scenario. Size is becoming less of a concern in an NFL that puts a premium on speed in space, especially when that speed breaks the 4.3 mark. With a time like this, Ford is no longer a late-round guy who can possibly contribute 20 catches a year and boost a special teams unit as a kick returner. He’s being hailed as the next Desean Jackson. At the very least, he could provide some motivation for Eddie Royal if he ends up in Denver.

4.) Mitch Petrus, Offensive Guard, Arkansas
Like so many positions, the offensive guard spot has a couple of guys in Mike Iupati and possibly Maurkice Pouncey that are clearly the cream of the crop. After that, the picture is muddled with as many as five guys mired in a battle to become the third option. That contest might have ended in Indianapolis.

When Mitch Petrus tied a combine record by putting up 45 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press segment, scouts went running back to his film. What they’ll see is a guy who blasted open holes for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, a pair of 1000-yard rushers and former first round picks. And they’ll see that he did it against top defensive tackles like Peria Jerry. When a player can back up years of productive experience with eye-popping, record-tying numbers, it tends to help.

With center Casey Wiegmann no longer a Bronco, and the well-documented struggles of Denver’s redzone rushing game, a mauling guard with strength like this might have just leaped past possibility into absolute must for a team that is desperate for interior blocking.

5.) Donald Butler, Middle Linebacker, Washington
Another polarizing prospect. There are top NFL Draft analysts that list Donald Butler as the fifth best player at his position, and then there are a few that have him rated as a undrafted free agent. After his Combine visit, the former may have been correct.

Butler topped all linebackers with 35 reps in the bench press, and was dynamic and humble when speaking to reporters. His versatility, which allows him to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense, is another plus.

And I’ve got the evidence to prove it. Butler was swarmed time and again by scouts from myriad teams at his hotel last night, and looked every bit the part of an NFL middle ‘backer. When Kansas City and Oakland run through your defense like a high school football team through a cheerleaders’ banner, it’s time to fix the problems. Denver has to add some depth and youth to the core of their defense. Butler could provide great value in the middle rounds.

Be sure to check back for the five prospects who took it on the chin in Indianapolis.