Prospects the scouts will be watching at the combine

[darnik44]

PROSPECTS THE SCOUTS WILL BE LOOKING AT VERY CLOSELY

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Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman will be given the opportunity to make or break himself as a first round talent. Scouts will be paying close attention to his footwork, arm strength, and overall ability to grasp basic NFL concepts. Freeman's arm strength really isn't much of a question, but he will need to show he can throw the ball accuratly and in time.

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Harris, who is making the move from safety to outside linebacker still has a lot to prove. What Harris can do is wow the scouts with his athletic ability and make teams a little more willing to work with the young raw talent. Harris could potentially post a blazing fast 40 time in terms of a linebacker prospect and should be impressive in the other on field drills. Paramount in order for Harris to have a successful combine will be the bench press. Teams will want to know he has adequate strength, and a good showing will show his level of commitment as well.

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With a mind bogling 40 time, Harvin could cement himself as a first round prospect. But perhaps even more important that that will be his medical examination portion of the weekend. Harvin's biggest knock is his injury history. Teams will want to clear up any red flags where Harvin's health is concerned. It will also be important for Harvin to impress as a route runner.

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Perhaps no prospect has more mixed reviews than Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson. No one has ever questioned Johnson's physical abilities, but his production has been highly scrutinized. Maybe no single prospect has more on the line at the upcoming combine. If Johnson wants to stay in the mix as a first round prospect, it's very simple. Blow scouts away at the combine. Johnson's 40 time and verticle may very easily be the best of all the DL prospects. Where he will need to shine is on the bench press and during the interview process. It's also important that he fair well in the OLB drills to show his ability to stand up and play 3-4 OLB. Versatility will only help his stock.

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Aaron Maybin should fair very well in all of the test that guage his speed and athletic ability. Perhaps the most important portion of his weekend will be the beginning, the weigh in. I think it's important that Maybin comes in 10-15 pounds heavier than he was this past season at Penn State. It will be important to show he can add the weight and also carry it well. It will also be important for him to show his strength on the bench press. If he hasn't gained any weight and doesn't fair well on the bench press he could slide out of the first round.

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Teams know about his insticts, his football IQ, his productivity, and all of his other intangibles. What they don't know is, what kind of athlete is this kid. How smoothly McKillop looks during the on field drills could mean the difference between being a late 2nd round pick, and being a 4th or 5th round pick.

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The combine could be the last chance for William Moore to stay in the mix as one of the top safety prospects in this class. Moore's on field performance has not matched his junior season. Teams will want to know what was different and will be asking during the interview portion. Moore could turn things around by showing he's faster and a better overall athlete than scouts expected.

[darnik44]

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Pegues in my eyes is a first round talent on the field. What is in question is his character. It will be important to Pegues bank account to clear up any concerns teams have about Derek Pegues, the man. Also important to his draft stock will be his 40 time. Is he fast enough to play CB? Cover 2 CB? Strictly a safety? His athletic ability isn't much of a question, but his speed has been. If he runs in the 4.4's his stock could increase dramatically because of his versatility. If he runs a slow time and has the lable as a poor character guy he could fall quite far in the draft.

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With Matt Stafford announcing he will not be participating in any of the drills at the combine, Sanchez has been given a great opportunity to shine. With a Joe Flacco type combine performance, Sanchez could firmly plant himself as a top 10 prospect. Sanchez's time in USC's pro style offense should help him greatly during the on field drills. What teams will really be looking to see is, just how strong is his arm?

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Sidbury had a great showing at the East-West Shine game, followed by another great week at the Senior Bowl. Because of this his stock has sky rocketed. Sidbury showed what he could bring to the table as a football player. Now is his chance to show Lawrence Sidbury the athlete. There was a small school "tweener" a few years ago who blew away scouts at the combine and ultimately saw his stock rise high into the first round. I'm of course speaking of DeMarcus Ware. Now I won't go as far to say Sidbury can expect or will see the same thing happen to him. I will saw with a very impressive combine, Sidbury could have a chance to be a top 50 pick.

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An underclassmen, Smith didn't have the opportunity to show his stuff at the Senior Bowl. It will be very important for Smith to dismiss any questions about his ability to play LT at the next level. Scouts will be paying close attention to Smith ability to move his feet and bend his knees all the while keeping his 340+ pound frame balanced. Teams will also be curious to see what type of strength Smith has. His performance could mean the difference between being the first OT taken or the 5th.

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Sean Smith is a big, athletic CB/S prospect. Primarily a CB at Utah, Smith performance will dictate weather or not he gets to keep the slash in his position. If Smith doesn't show to have adequate speed and change of direction, he will be viewed only as a safety prospect and will likely fall into the 2nd round. On the other hand, if Smith shows he has adequate physical skills to play corner he could be drafted very high.

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Pat White will be asked to show something no other prospect this year will. That's willingness and open-mindedness. That of course applies to the thought of moving to wide receiver. If White warms up to the idea, that alone is a feather in his cap. He could follow that up by fairing well during all the on field receivers drills along with a solid 40 time. If he goes in and maintains the idea he wants to be a QB at the next level, he will lose millions of dollars.