[PAmedic]

movers and shakers after the combine: a certain big name evidently did NOT impress anyone, actually- quite the opposite:

Young's draft rating takes big hit

NFL teams to question QB's decision-making ability after poor exam score

Bill Williamson

For many prospective NFL draft candidates the final two months of their road to the clock will be an easier, calmer affair after excelling at the NFL combine in Indianapolis this past week. For those who ran fast, lifted tons, jumped high and aced the books, the journey to the NFL should be a breeze.

But for those who stumbled their way through a lost weekend in the Heartland, the pressure is on. The collegiate résumé is moot. Their combine failures is what counts. They have until the April 29-30 draft to correct it.
They are now on the clock.

The following is a look at some of the more notable risers and fallers of the combine.

Risers
Joseph Addai, running back, Louisiana State
Addai emerged as one of the top running backs in the draft. In a draft were big tailbacks are at a premium, Addai stood out in a large way. Considered big for this draft, the 6-foot, 214-pound Addai burned a 4.4 40-yard dash. There were few questions about him, but now that he showed he can fly and that he has size, he could be a top 20 pick as he overshadowed both the big and the small this weekend.

Jay Cutler, quarterback, Vanderbilt
As far as well known players go, no player benefited more in Indianapolis than Cutler. Scouts already came in with a stalker’s crush on Cutler after he dominated on the field during the season and at the Senior Bowl. Cutler continued that riser momentum at the combine. First of all, he participated in all of the events, something Matt Leinart and Vince Young can’t say. That alone gained him points. But more importantly, Cutler excelled. He ran decently, he threw brilliantly and effortlessly, he tested well and he even wowed the media with a gregarious way. This guy will be a top-3 pick.

Vernon Davis, tight end, Maryland
Upon departing Indianapolis, a veteran NFL assistant said the Terrapins’ junior tight end had one of the most impressive combines by any prospect, regardless of position. At 6-4, 250, Davis ran a 4.37 40 and registered similar off the chart results in lifting and jumping categories. Considered a potential top-15 pick, Davis will go top-10 now and will cause a tight end craving team, Cincinnati perhaps, to try to trade up. It could be well worth it. Davis still is not a finished product and he has some flaws, but he was productive enough in college and his ceiling is clearly high.

Derek Hagan, wide receiver, Arizona State
Perhaps no one helped himself more at the combine than Hagan. Some worried this polished, productive college player could slip to being a third-round pick. Now, he could be one of the first receivers off the board. Hagan floored scouts by running a 4.42 40. The concern was that he was slow. However, he’s not. Hagan is very, very fast. Combine his speed with his route running and hands, this can be a special player. Teams are tired of gambling on fast receivers who aren’t polished football players. Hagan can be the complete package.

Mike Kudla, defensive lineman, Ohio State
He’s the curiosity of the draft. Kudla gained celebrity status by hoisting 225 pounds on the bench press 45 times. It tied the official combine record. Big, stout and strong defensive lineman get draft and they get picked high. With offensive lineman growing every year, a strong man in the middle is essential for any stout front four. Kudla’s record will help hide any flaws and could get him drafted as high as the second round.

Fallers
Jeremy Bloom, wide receiver, Colorado: Bloom needed to prove something here. He didn’t. Now, he went from a sleeper who could be a nice side show to another under-sized receiver without stunning speed. Bloom, of course, went to the combine basically right after finishing in sixth place in mogul skiing at the Olympics. Thus, after not playing college football for almost three years and not doing too much football training, Bloom’s 4.5 40-time may be overlooked. But in his personal workout, Bloom must fly. He has to be great. If Bloom fails to take significant time of his 40, the 173-pounder may have a difficult time getting drafted.

Brian Calhoun, running back, Wisconsin
Here’s another smallish player who created more questions than answers for himself. At 5-9, 201, Calhoun, who was a touchdown machine in his one season at Wisconsin, needed to translate that college success to the 40-yard dash. It didn’t happen as he hovered around 4.6. That may not be good enough. More backs just have to be fast in addition to being tough. But the speed is a need. Calhoun does have nice receiving hands, but he has to find a way get faster or he could drop from a second round pick to a second day man.

Greg Lee, wide receiver, Pittsburgh
Many scouts hinted that Lee should have gone back to Pitt for his junior season. After the combine, there’s more than hints. Too bad this isn’t the NBA, where Lee would have the ability to head back to school. His 4.67 40 time worried scouts. There were already many questions about this young receiver. Now there’s even more murkiness. It will be tough for him.

Maurice Stovall, wide receiver Notre Dame
Stovall had a golden opportunity to catapult himself up the draft boards. After being inconsistent, the big, sturdy receiver became a quality college player and a promising NFL prospect in one season under Charlie Weis. Being an Weis student will do nothing but help Notre Dame offensive skills players in the admiring eyes of NFL scouts. But Stovall ran poorly and hurt his momentum. Stovall can still be a high pick but he may have some money to make up.

Vince Young, quarterback, Texas
He’ll be the story of the next two months. After the Rose Bowl hangover, there was talk that Houston couldn’t pass up using the No. 1 overall pick on Young. However, after the combine, there’s some wondering if Young will be this year’s Aaron Rodgers and sweat Saturday away as the picks fly by?

At the center of the wondering is a disputed Wonderlic intelligence test score Young took. There were several reports that said he scored a stunningly low 6 out of 50. Then there are reports that it was graded incorrectly and he took it again and scored a 16. But nothing’s official.

But there are now new questions about Young’s ability to think quickly. A 16 is a poor score for a quarterback and that is a position where the Wonderlic is extremely important. No matter how wonderful of a runner and a leader Young could be, if he can’t read a defense, he could be in trouble in the NFL.

There’s already questions about his throwing mechanics and lack of experience in a non-shotgun offense. Now there are more questions. After being bypassed by Cutler, Young may now have to hope Detroit picks him at No. 9.

[Rocketfan]

Some GM is going to bet the farm on him and end up without a job in 3 years time when this guy can't comprehend offensive schemes. I mean even a 16 on this test begs the question, how did this guy keep a good enough GPA in college to even play every week. The questions are hardly difficult and i think athletism goes a long way but he could easily be the next Akili Smith. (lots of hype but 0 results) I think he is a superior athlete but i don't see a guy who only ran the shotgun and with that score on the test being able to handle anything but a very basic playbook, we have seen what Peyton can do when you can read defenses, with the Wonderlic he put up i question whether he can even read? Sorry if thats harsh but, its objectively how i view him.

[LUconn]

Same was said about Dan Marino, but then again Akili Smith... well I don't want to talk about him


Has anybody seen the DT from Oregon Ngata? The guy is like 325 with 12% body fat or some outrageous number like that. Also Vernon Davis ran a 4.42!! A Tight end! A good sized one at that. He is going to be the next great TE.

[PAmedic]

The kid from Colorado was getting a lot of hype- apparently he was an Olympic skier and lost his ride at school due to skiing sponsorship issues? He was quick, with good hands, had a bunch of TDs returning punts out there for the year or two that he did play- and has been doing a lot of MTV stuff lately (or something similar)

Guess he was a disappointment too, going by what the reports are.