2009 NFL Combine: Cornerbacks and Safeties Open Thread
by Saintsational on Feb 24, 2009 6:00 AM CST
18 comments
The final day of the Combine is upon us which means it's time for Saints fans to start really paying attention to what is actually going on in Indianapolis. We watched the linebackers perform yesterday but today it's all about the defensive backs. It's no secret that the secondary is where the Saints defense needs the most help so today's results should prove to be most important. This is the what we've all been waiting for right? After today's results the mock draft landscape should adjust dramatically and the picture will become a little clearer for Saints fans. Make the jump for a quick run-down of players to watch today and find out what kind of numbers these guys are targeting in the individual workouts to consider their Combine successful.
The NFL Network will have Combine coverage at 11am, 4pm and 8pm ET along with round-the-clock analysis. If you don't have NFL Network, you can get live video and real-time commenting right here on the NFL's website and updated news right here.
Vontae Davis - CB
Illinois
5'11"
203 lbs.
Vontae Davis is by far the popular mock draft consensus for the Saints as their first round draft pick. Davis is supposed to be an incredible athlete above all else so todays workouts should be a breeze for him. A good day at the Combine could even make him the most desired cornerback in the draft.
Malcolm Jenkins - CB
Ohio State
6'0"
204 lbs.
Though he's been a popular choice as the Saints first round pick in a few mock drafts, he's already off the board in many others. As it stands now, Jenkins is considered the best cornerback in the draft which, unfortunately, means he's got nowhere to go but down. He will need to do well today to back up all the hype.
Alphonso Smith - CB
Wake Forest
5'9"
193 lbs.
I'll admit that I'm not crazy about Smith's height but he really turned heads during the Senior Bowl last month. He will do wonders for his draft stock If he can excel during todays workouts. Still, 14th overall might be a stretch for the Saints depending on who is left on the board.
Louis Delmas - CB
Western Michigan
5'11"
202 lbs.
Delmas has the disadvantage of coming from a small school. Nothing does more to put those small school stereotypes to bed better than an awesome Combine performance. Currently, Delmas doesn't project to be a first round pick so he might be a more likely option for the Saints if he's still on the board in the middle rounds.
Darius Butler - CB
Connecticut
5'10"
183 lbs.
Darius Butler helped his draft stock immensely with consistently solid play at this years Senior Bowl. Though he is a longshot to be picked by the Saints at the 14th spot or even in the first round, Butler could definitely help his case by putting up respectable numbers today. We should also keep an eye on him in case the Saints do trade down and want to pick up a cornerback in the second or third round.
Patrick Chung - Strong Safety
Oregon
5'11"
212 lbs.
Like Darius Butler, Chung was a relative unknown until he made a name for himself during last month's Senior Bowl where he played very well. His popularity has risen among Saints fans recently and a solid performance at the Combine would do wonders for his draft stock.
William Moore - Safety
Missouri
6'0"
221 lbs.
Of all the safeties being discussed as possible Saints draft picks, William Moore has the best size to match up against the tall receivers of the NFL. Moore's Senior Bowl performance certainly didn't help his stock so I'm sure he'll be looking for redemption today. A good day today could solidify him as the top safety in the draft, a position that's been questionable lately.
Rashad Johnson - Free Safety
Alabama
5'11"
203 lbs.
Johnson definitely has the ability to be one of the top safeties chosen in this years draft with a good day at the Combine. If the Saints did in fact draft Rashad, he would join fellow Crimson Tide alum Roman Harper in the backfield at safety.
Target Numbers
Below are target numbers, put together by Gil Brandt, that both cornerbacks and safeties should be looking to hit or surpass in their Combine performance today.
Cornerback
Drill
40-yard dash
10-yard split (40)
20-yard split (40)
Bench press
Vertical jump
Broad jump
20-yard shuttle
60-yard shuttle
3-cone drill
Safetey
Drill
40-yard dash
10-yard split (40)
20-yard split (40)
Bench press
Vertical jump
Broad jump
20-yard shuttle
60-yard shuttle
3-cone drill
0 recs |
18 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Can't vote
There’s just too many of them. We need an “all of the above” choice.
Oh when the Saints...Start kicking ass...You don't want to be in that number...
by MtnExile on Feb 24, 2009 7:33 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Geez
where is everyone today? Hello?
Being a Saints fan will take years off your life
by MobileSaint on Feb 24, 2009 8:51 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Rotoworld.com:
Vontae Davis-DB- Player Feb. 23 – 8:00 pm et
Illinois CB Vontae Davis did 25 reps of 225 pounds at the Scouting Combine.
As NFL Net cut away from Davis’ bench press, former Texans GM Charley Casserly was caught saying he’s “gotta believe” Davis will be the first corner taken in April. Davis certainly has impressive strength and build (6’1/204).
Fine. I like Malcolm Jenkins better, even if he only did 10 or 12 reps. And I like that Chung kid. Somebody else does too, I see they voted for him here.
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 9:06 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I voted Chung
I’ve heard people talking him up, wanted to see if the kid’s got it. Looks like he’s giving a solid performance at the Combine thus far, but if anything it makes it less likely we’ll get him as a good Combine will likely push him into the lower reaches of the first round and thus outside of what we can go get (barring a trade). That and the fact that we’re WAY more in need at free than at strong.
Of course, I’d prefer to see us make a decent run at someone like a James Sanders (young, talented and relatively cheap rather than old, slow and expensive like Sharper) and just take defensive value (or trade down) with the first-rounder, but we’ll see.
by MarcusR on Feb 24, 2009 11:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Here’s some results:
Chung- 25 reps on the bench press, very nice.
40 times:
V Davis 4:43
Chung 4:51
M Jenkins 4:55
Rashad Johnson 4:54
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 10:40 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
2nd pass on the 40:
Chung 4:47
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 10:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Not so good for Jenkins, though
He’s running slower than the safeties. Well, maybe that’s good for us. We can get us a top free safety out of this draft.
Oh when the Saints...Start kicking ass...You don't want to be in that number...
by MtnExile on Feb 24, 2009 10:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Triplett just said in the T-Pic that now we have a chance at Jenkins!
http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2009/02/bad_news_for_ohio_state_corner.html
Walterfootball had us mocked up as taking Jenkins. Now it’s Cushing! WTF? I sure hope G-Dub is on top of things.
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 11:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
What's the deal?
Is there something different about the stopwatch this year or what? No 4.3 40’s for CB’s?
WHO DAT
by pukenbowl on Feb 24, 2009 12:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Ladarius Webb, Nicolls State 4:36 unofficial
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
uh oh
rotoworld.com:
Malcolm Jenkins-DB- Player Feb. 24 – 1:06 pm et
In addition to running his forty in the mid-4.5s at the Combine Tuesday, Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins reportedly struggled in position drills.
NFL Network’s Deion Sanders was down on Jenkins’ footwork. Jenkins was fast and fluid enough to cover Greg Orton and Eric Decker in the slowed-down Big Ten, but he’s probably going to be a free safety in the league.
Source: Tacoma News Tribune
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 24, 2009 1:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Buckeyes...
i always find myself wanting the saints to draft a buckeye defender, yet they often fail to live up to the hype on the teams that draft them ahead of us. if they have a big name LB who gets lost in blocks easily and a big name CB who might not have the footwork for the NFL…maybe they are a bit over valued just because they are buckeyes?
great systems sometimes only produce players who are good in great systems…
the saints, my friends, do not have a great system
by NYSaint on Feb 24, 2009 7:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Sean Smith
Kind of enamored by his size and speed. Could probably play FS.
Just read that he was recruited as a WR.
WHO DAT
by pukenbowl on Feb 24, 2009 8:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
yeah, he's got size, too
our secondary needs some height and weight
The Detroit Lions are on the clock!
by HansDat on Feb 25, 2009 6:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The Sean Smith bandwagon is tuning up
Let’s see if he can climb to #14. When is his pro day?
Oh when the Saints...Start kicking ass...You don't want to be in that number...
by MtnExile on Feb 25, 2009 8:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
tuning but sounds a little pitchy to me
Sean Smith
Positives: Good height and great length for a boundary corner. … Very quick feet for his size. … Runs well with taller receivers down the sideline, but also lines up in the slot. … Former receiver has great ball skills and the vertical to go up and get the ball. … Able to locate and high-point in coverage. … Elusive runner with some vision to flip field position after the interception. … Forces fumbles by using his length to get a hand on the ball. … Has the size and closing speed to be an effective blitzer. … Very quick to support the run or attack quick screens and passes in the flat. … Reacts quickly on plays in front of him and finds the ball well in the air.
Negatives: Might be seen as a corner/safety “tweener.” … Stiff in the upper body. … Does not play with the physicality scouts would like given his size. … Is slow to adjust when backpedaling if a receiver cuts his route short or goes to the skinny post. … Catch-and-drag tackler whose height is a disadvantage when trying to bring down ballcarriers with a low center of gravity. … Inconsistent using his hands at the line of scrimmage. … Gets stuck on blocks. … Takes poor angles to make tackles in space or when attacking a screen. … Just a little more than two years of experience on defense. … Cocky and talks trash.
Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
It ain't no good
if there's too much wood.
by stujo4 on Feb 25, 2009 9:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
