The NFL Scouting Combine that ended earlier this week in Indianapolis drew plenty of attention (as usual) from pro football fans but all the measureables recorded of participating players certainly don’t guarantee future results.
Representatives of the NFL’s 32 teams judged more than 300 college prospects, evaluating speed, strength and what’s in their collective noggins (Wonderlic intelligence test). Over the years the combine has proven this: low test scores won’t deter players from fooling the personnel gurus and becoming All-Pros.
Former Vikings All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen wasn’t drafted until the fourth round in 2004 by the Chiefs. Michael Salfino, writing in the February 19 Wall Street Journal, offered insight on Allen in his article about the combine. “Jared Allen became a fearsome pass rusher despite being third-weakest since 1999 in the bench press.”
Combine results from 2015 aren’t yet posted on NFLcombineresults.com but details of prior years are. Ever heard of Tom Brady? He is the guy who won four Super Bowls as the Patriots quarterback despite being a sixth round draft choice. Salfino points out that since 1999 Brady ranks 283rd among the 288 quarterbacks tested in the vertical leap at the combine. “Coming out of Michigan in 2000, Brady barely managed to get himself two feet off the ground in the vertical-leap drill,” Salfino wrote.
A source close to the Vikings told Sports Headliners that going into last year’s NFL Draft the Vikings weren’t interested in selecting quarterback Johnny Manziel. “Johnny Football” was drafted by the Browns’ with the No. 22 choice in the first round last year while the Vikings took Teddy Bridgewater at No. 32, the final pick of the round. Maybe Manziel’s 32 score on the Wonderlic (Bridgewater had a 20) was part of the Browns’ decision-making process.
Manziel was no wonder last fall as a rookie having zero touchdown passes, two interceptions and a passer rating of 42 in five games (two starts). Bridgewater was selected as the quarterback on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. His percentage completion of 64.4 percent was the third highest in NFL history for a rookie.
While college prospects at the combine parade around in track outfits, it might be best to remember how these guys played on the field during their college careers. NFL teams have countless hours of game films to use in evaluating prospects and scouts are seeing players live week after week in the fall.
ESPN talk show host Colin Cowherd wisecracked last week on his show that if he were running an NFL team he would instruct the personnel guys to stay home. Instead he suggested dispatching a private detective and psychologist to Indy.
Worth Noting
NFL scouts also look at college prospects during pro days at various schools. Expected to participate at the Gophers Pro Day on Monday are former U players Michael Amaefula, Cameron Botticelli, David Cobb, Derrick Engel, Zac Epping, Isaac Fruechte, Logan Hutton, Marcus Jones, Donnell Kirkwood, Harold Legania, Ben Perry, Cedric Thompson, Derrick Wells, Maxx Williams, Damien Wilson and Devon Wright. The event isn’t open to the public.
The Vikings will use their No. 11 first round draft choice to select Stanford junior offensive tackle Andrus Peat, according to this week’s NFL mock draft by Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks. He predicts on Si.com the Browns, drafting one spot after the Vikings, will take DeVante Parker, a wide receiver from Louisville and former college teammate of Bridgewater’s.
Parker, 6-3 and 210, is one of the best wide receiver prospects in the 2015 draft. Although Parker doesn’t have elite speed, he has quickness and is able to get open and make yards after receptions. Bridgewater’s familiarity with Parker causes speculation the Vikings, who need help at wide receiver, will give plenty of thought to drafting him.
The Gophers basketball team upset Michigan State last night for the program’s first win in East Lansing since 1990. It was one of Minnesota’s best performances of the season but the Gophers are a disappointing 6-10 in Big Ten games. Many college basketball authorities thought before the season the Gophers would finish between third and sixth in the standings but with two regular season games remaining Minnesota is in seventh place.
The Gophers have lost seven conference games by a total of 27 points. Jim Dutcher believes if Minnesota had former Apple Valley star and Duke freshman Tyus Jones the Gophers would be around .500 in the Big Ten. Jones, among the nation’s elite point guards, has been a clutch performer for the Blue Devils. “He’s a big game player who knows when certain things need to be done,” said Dutcher, the former Gophers coach.
Dutcher thinks it will be a mistake if Jones decides to enter the NBA Draft after this season. He said Jones, 6-1, 190, needs more experience and physical strength to maximize his chances of succeeding in the pros.
Darryl Mitchell, who was an all-conference selection on Dutcher’s 1982 Gophers Big Ten championship team, has been practicing law in Florida but is relocating to Minnesota in March. Mitchell was a first team Parade Magazine high school All-American and chose the Gophers over other schools including 1970s powerhouse UCLA.
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association has three teams in the top 11 in the country in two national polls, with No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato; No. 3 Michigan Tech and No. 11 Bowling Green. Tonight and tomorrow evening Minnesota State hosts Tech.
“I think we’re as competitive as any other league in college hockey,” WCHA commissioner Bill Robertson told Sports Headliners. “We have the hope and intention to get three teams into the NCAA Tournament and we’re on track for that. We could also have more if a surprise team wins the WCHA Final Five which would give them an automatic bid.”
The Final Five will be March 20 and 21 at the Xcel Energy Center. Robertson hopes to approach 8,000 fans in attendance on each of the dates. Ticket information is available via Ticketmaster.com.
St. Thomas men’s basketball coach John Tauer was featured in a February 17 article in the New York Times. Tauer is not only one of the most successful Division III basketball coaches in the country but is also among the few who teach in the classroom, according to the story. Tauer, who has his doctorate in social psychology, is currently teaching a class called Motivation and Emotion.
The Tommies, who won an MIAC record 10th regular season title in 2015, open the playoffs tonight at home against Gustavus. St. Thomas finished 22-3 and 17-3 in the MIAC while the Gusties were 16-10 and 11-9. The Tommies are one of only three Division III programs to have won 1,600 games.
Tommies football coach Glenn Caruso speaks tomorrow at the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Clinic at Fenwick Park High School in Oak Park, Illinois. Other speakers include Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. Caruso is 73-13 in seven seasons at UST and the Tommies have participated in the NCAA playoffs five of the last six seasons.
Tickets are on sale for the sixth annual Camden’s Concert at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The event will be held July 13 featuring The Wright Brothers who were popular at last summer’s concert and helped generate funding for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tickets are available via Hopkinsartscenter.com.
The gophers last win at Michigan State was 1997 not 1990