Draft 2003, D-Backs: version 2.0

 

The D-backs tested Monday in Indy; in general, the CB ran, following the lead of the big two at the position, Newman and Trufant but, from early reports, the safeties did not.� The following information was taken from two sources: Bernie�s Insiders page tracking RUMORED Combine results and the TFY page, which admits less uncertainty.�

 

The results are organized to address the issues proposed in the D-side Overview.� Those were: Cover 3 player (whether CB or FS) and SS with TE coverage ability; additionally, a small CB (or NCB) table is provided.� As was true in the D-Back version 1.0, prospects are organized by speed, not in a round-for-round fashion easily found elsewhere.��

 

Key:

 

Both 40 times will be shown; listings are by the single fastest reported on TFY.� When Bernie times diverge, those will be

indicated as, say, (4.55).

 

DND:� Do not draft.

DNP: Did not participate

DNR: Did not run

DNL: Did not lift

VJ:� Vertical jump

BJ:� Figure it out.

Height shown as follows:� 5115 indicates 5�-11 5/8�; 6013 indicates 6�-1 3/8�and so on.

 

 

Cover 3: Generally, FS and bigger CB

 

Player	Height	Weight	40	Reps	Remarks
CB Dennis Weathersby	6005	204	4.37 4.39	9	Will move into 1st round; still, rather weak.
S Colin Branch	5116	203	4.41 4.42	22	Chris Hope ran 4.46 and did 28 reps.
S Terrence Keil	5111	204	4.42 4.53	16	Teammate of Sammy Davis at Texas A&M
CB Sammy Davis	5116	186	4.45 4.47 (4.41)	19	More reps than any CB, 40� VJ was better than any D-back.
CB Marcus Trufant	5111	199	4.46 4.48 (4.39)	11	Bigger than expected, slower than expected.
FS Rashon Mathis	6006	202	4.47 4.47	22	Strong enough to play safety
CB Andre Woolfolk	6013	197	4.47 4.51	10	Weak and not as fast as touted.
CB Drayton Florence	6002	198	4.47 inj.	18
CB Charles Tillman	6011	207	4.48 4.54	12	Would have to gain strength to play safety but, generally, has Woolfolk measurables.�
S Nnamdi Asomugha	6023	213	4.48 4.53	16	Big school 2nd day player with decent measurables.
S Hanik Milligan	6023	201	4.49 4.54	9	Pathetically weak.
CB Michael Lehan	5116	196	4.51 4.56	13
CB Chris Brown	6003	195	4.57 4.62	15
FS Anthony Floyd	5094	202	4.62 4.66	22	Produced at Louisville but is short and slow, a perfect fit for the Colbert 2nd day plan.

 

 

Not invited but figure to get drafted:

 

CB Terrence Findley, Tennessee-Martin.

S Jesse Sowells, Houston

CB Ivan Taylor, La.-Lafayette

S Frank Walker, Tuskegee

 

Discussion:

 

Players who produced in college and also have speed figure to be available at 1.27 and in the mid-rounds too.� First round options are Davis, Mathis and Weathersby; mid-round options include Branch, Tillman and Asomugha.� Add players who were not invited to the Combine but also produced and do have draftable measurables and it is absolutely clear that the PS ought not consider any D-back who can�t get under 4.5.� ��

 

 

Small CB:

 

Player	Height	Weight	40	Reps	Remarks
Rod Babers	5086	192	4.36 4.44 (4.40)	15	Good strength, excellent speed.
Kevin Garrett	5093	194	4.36 4.41 (4.32)	DNL
Terrence Newman	5103	189	4.37 4.41 (4.32)	DNL	Deserves credit for competing in a situation where he had little to gain and much to lose.
BJ Tucker	5104	188	4.39 4.42	16	Wisconsin player who made some money Monday.
Ricky Manning	5085	185	4.47 4.61	12	That�s quite a spread in his 40s.
Eugene Wilson	5103	192	4.52 4.54 (4.48)	15
Terrence McGee	5095	201	4.53 4.54	15	Northwestern State.
Donald Strickland	5100	187	4.54 4.56	16	Didn�t help himself though measurables compare to the more highly regarded Wilson.
DeJuan Groce	5100	183	4.54 4.60 (4.48)	18	Strong but slow, typical Husker.
Asante Samual	5107	185	4.58 4.59	9	Small school player who needed a big Combine.� Instead, revealed as slow and weak.
Korey Banks	5097	188	4.60 4.69	15	Said to be a 4.40 guy but I guess not.
Brian Mance	5103	189	4.68 4.72	18	Another short, strong, slow guy.
Shane Walton	5105	184	4.69 4.70	11	Time to get on with life�s work.
Terrell Roberts	5091	203	4.69 4.72	18	As above.
Jason Goss	5100	183	4.69 4.70	15	D.O.
Torrie Cox	5092	181	DNR	DNL	DND

 

Discussion:

 

Oddly, except for the first four listed here, the remaining smallish CB generally were up the track when compared to the Cover 3 types above.

 

Strong Safety types:

 

The top SS types didn�t compete; the rest ran slow.� Nick Barnett, who I had imagined as a SS, came in bulked up and worked out with the LB; however, he would have run no worse than third in this sad group.� Off the speed criteria discussed elsewhere, most of these stiffs are undraftable.� Exceptions are noted in boldface.� It may be worth considering Nnamdi Asomugha as a SS candidate; his stats are shown under Cover 3 above; of note, he�s about the same size as Hamlin (and Battle) but runs far better.� Listed as a CB suggesting the Lake Road, if in reverse.

 

Player	Height	Weight	40	Reps	Remarks
Derek Pagel	6010	208	4.55 459	25	Iowa tough guy; a Cowher type.
Antwoine Sanders	6015	202	4.57 4.64	14	Too weak to be that slow.
Nick Barnett	6015	236	High 4.5s	32	Certainly strong enough; needs to slim down and get back towards that alleged 4.33.
Curry Burns	6003	216	4.59 4.60	19
Willie Pile	6020	206	4.60 4.63	14
Todd Johnson	6007	206	4.60 4.68	19	4.60 is marginally draftable, 4.68 is not.
Ken Hamlin	6024	209	4.60 4.62	16	Not real strong, not nearly fast enough.� 4th-5th round in my book.
Cato June	6001	218	4.64 inj.	DNL	Big school slow safety, DND.
Donny Nickey	6022	208	4.66 4.66	17	Consistently slow, DND.
Gerome Sapp	6001	216	4.68 4.69	DNL	Big school slow safety, DND.
Norm LeJeune	6003	200	4.62 4.68	11	Big school slow safety, DND.
Thomas Wright	6013	201	4.77 4.79	13	Most DE run faster.
Charles Drake	6010	205	Inj.	20
Terrence Holt	6016	208	DNR	16
Julian Battle	6022	205	DNP	DNP
Mike Doss	5101	207	DNP	DNP
Troy Polamula	5101	206	DNP	DNP

 

Summary:

 

Despite Kevin Colbert�s recent pronouncements, speed is of the essence.� Since taking over here in 2000, Mr. Colbert has drafted impressively through the first two rounds but his record from round 3 to the close has not been good.� Of seven players selected in 2000 from the 3^rd on, only (3) remain with the team and for one of those (Poteat), NFL truly does stand for not-for-long.� Three of five remain from the late picks in the class of 2001, however, all of those men are linemen; the speed guys, Roger Knight and Chris Taylor, were cut in camp.� The 2002 class looks little better; in fact, the only 2^nd day D-side space player selected that year (Lavar Glover) got cut in camp too.� Typically, Mr. Colbert has ignored the measurables on Day 2 and, typically, he�s come away with nothing, at least not for the edge positions.� DB drafted by Colbert include: Poteat, Hope and Glover; add OLB Roger Knight and its clear why the Steeler ST coverage units have been among the slowest and least effective in all of football.� So long as Mr. Colbert pursues his day two modus where modest differences in productivity trump considerable differences in upside, those units, and the Steelers championship hopes, shall founder.�

 

On the plus side, Sammy Davis is just the kind of player that the Steelers have selected round 1 in the Colbert Era; good productivity, big school, good measurables.� IMO, Davis will be the guy at 1.27 though Rashon Mathis would constitute value at that spot too.� Of course, (1) DB won�t get it; the PS require a flood of talent at that position.�� To get there, Mr. Colbert will have to abandon his fixation on the small and slow (Poteat and Glover) and move towards a more potential-based or speculative approach.� If he does, the PS may land that elusive day two starter, the type that make good drafts great but a type absent here in the Colbert Era.� If not, well, here are some low dollar FA safeties to consider:

 

Eric Brown

Dexter Jackson

Izell Reese

Keion Carpenter

Cory Hall

�

Given the 3^rd round picks here in the new millennium (Clancy, Poteat and Hope), the best use of 3.92 may be as compensation to the Chiefs for signing RFA SS Greg Wesley.�