Scouts Inc.- some more combine fodder

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Updated: Feb. 28, 2005

Brown, Edwards impress scouts

By Todd McShay, Scouts Inc.

Todd McShay Archive

Not all news from the 2005 NFL scouting combine has been bad. In fact, there have been several players who have seized the opportunity. The most impressive performer to date was Ronnie Brown. The Auburn running back now has a slight edge in what has been a three-horse race at running back with teammate Carnell Williams and Texas' Cedric Benson.

Brown showed up in terrific shape, had a solid showing with 18 reps on the bench press and was the most fluid and explosive of the running backs in position drills. At 233 pounds, he was the fastest of the running backs with two 40-yard dash times in the low-4.4's (or high 4.3's by some scouts).

Others that have raised their draft value with strong showings at the combine include Carnell Williams, South Carolina WR Troy Williamson, USC WR Mike Williams, Washington OT Khalif Barnes, North Dakota OC Rob Hunt, Harvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB/WR Matt Jones, Hampton WR Jerome Mathis, Indiana WR Courtney Roby.

In the most impressive scene so far at this year's combine, Michigan WR Braylon Edwards elected to bench-press despite the fact that wide receivers -- along with quarterbacks, kickers and punters -- are not required to. Edwards simply walked into the designated weightlifting board room when the second group of running backs was in the middle of the lifting process and began to warm up as if he was supposed to be there. Edwards ripped off 22 reps in front of a confused, yet energetic crowd. Scouts and coaches in attendance were so impressed they gave him a raucous ovation as he departed the room, which is a rarity in this relatively subdued process.

After Edwards played the role of trailblazer, Hawaii WR Chad Owens, Cal WR Chase Lyman and former Florida State QB Adrian McPherson also decided to jump in. Owens and McPherson were extremely impressive, as Owens completed 23 reps and McPherson 22. Lyman's 16 reps didn't do much for him.

Virginia DE Chris Canty's absence Saturday has been one of the more talked about stories of the weekend. When it originally was announced that Canty was tardy because he could not fly to the event, many scouts and coaches assumed he was afraid to fly.

The real story is that Canty recently had eye surgery to repair an injury that occurred during a brawl outside of a bar while he was training in Scottsdale, Ariz. The doctor that performed the surgery told him he could not travel to Indianapolis via airplane because of the cabin pressure, so he had no choice but to take a cross-country train.

The real trouble began when his original train was delayed 14 hours. Since he was to miss one of his connections because of the delay, Canty had to get off the train at one point, take a bus to a station somewhere in Texas, then pick up another train that would take him to Chicago, where a family member was waiting to drive him to Indianapolis. Needless to say, Canty will not participate fully in Monday's defensive line workouts, but by getting here, he can at least have his "measurables" taken and interview with several teams.

In what had been a well-kept secret the past couple of weeks, LSU DE Marcus Spears had to tell NFL officials in attendance during Saturday's defensive line bench press event that he had injured his knee while training. The injury required arthroscopic surgery Feb. 17, and Spears is rehabilitating. LSU has set two pro-timing dates: March 9 and 17. Spears is hoping to be healthy enough to finish a complete workout on the second of the two. If not, he will need to schedule a private workout at a later date -- likely in early April.

[Green Jets & Ham]

Others that have raised their draft value with strong showings at the combine include Carnell Williams, South Carolina WR Troy Williamson, USC WR Mike Williams, Washington OT Khalif Barnes, North Dakota OC Rob Hunt, Harvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB/WR Matt Jones, Hampton WR Jerome Mathis, Indiana WR Courtney Roby.

Jets draft either one of these kids {Mathis/Roby} in the 2nd RD and I'll be thrilled

IMO both players possess an enormous upside

What I love about these WR's is that neither man is solely a workout warrior ... both players were productive as well ... Mathis even more than Roby cause Indiana had a poor QB and passing offense

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Jets draft either one of these kids {Mathis/Roby} in the 2nd RD and I'll be thrilled

IMO both players possess an enormous upside

What I love about these WR's is that neither man is solely a workout warrior ... both players were productive as well ... Mathis even more than Roby cause Indiana had a poor QB and passing offense

GJ & Ham

I give you deserved accolades you had Roby pegged a couple of weeks ago as a real player long before everyone else is catching up to. There is the old expression you can not teach speed and Mathis has it and more to be a gamebreaker with that element of his game

[Green Jets & Ham]

GJ & Ham

I give you deserved accolades you had Roby pegged a couple of weeks ago as a real player long before everyone else is catching up to. There is the old expression you can not teach speed and Mathis has it and more to be a gamebreaker with that element of his game

Thanks faba :wink:

Reason I fell in love with Roby was not solely speed ... it was the combination of speed and acceleration

You know how some guys do not play as fast as they clock, and how some guys play faster than they clock?

That is attributed to "acceleration"

The guys who can accelerate on a dime are the guys who play faster than they clock ... and when you combine great speed with quick acceleration you have a very dangerous man

That describes Courtney Roby ... he plays fast ... accelerates on a dime, so he plays as fast as he clocks ... and that makes Roby a very danergous man

Anyway, that's why I projected him higher than most when I saw him at the Senior Bowl