I thought it was refreshing to see that the majority of the combine stars slipped in the draft.  It certainly seemed that there generally was more emphasis on what prospects did on the field and their football character rather than how fast they ran in shorts.

Bruce Campbell had perhaps the greatest combine workout for an offensive lineman in NFL Draft history.  Many speculated that the Raiders would select Campbell with the 8^th pick overall.  Oakland did select Campbell, but it was in the 4^th round (#106 overall)!  Campbell’s play in games did not justify a 1st round selection.

Taylor Mays is big, strong and fast.  His game tape also revealed that he struggles to make plays on the ball and change direction quickly.  He dropped into the 2^nd round (#49 overall to San Francisco).

Carlos Dunlap has ideal length and athleticism for an NFL defensive end.  The former Florida standout also has a questionable motor and very raw technique.  He fell into the 2^nd round (#54 overall to Cincinnati).  Brandon Graham (short arms and less than ideal height), on the other hand, was selected with the 13^th pick overall by Philadelphia.  Graham was all about production on the field and intensity.  I was really pleased to see him rewarded by being drafted high.

Jacoby Ford ran the fastest Forty time at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.  The general consensus seemed to be that the former Clemson wideout would be a 2nd or 3rd round pick.  No team put a lot of stock in his speed and went more by his game film.  Ford does not catch the ball well in traffic and is not elusive.  He was drafted by the Raiders in the 4^th round (#108 overall).  This represents fair value for Ford and hopefully he can add some elements to his game.

Brandon Spikes ran a very slow Forty and some thought his draft stock would take a major hit.  The Patriots did not care about what Spikes ran in shorts or how he looks at the beach.  Bill Belichick wants smart and tough linebackers.  He found one in Spikes.  New England grabbed Spikes in the 2^nd round (#62 overall).

Tim Tebow and Tyson Alualu were taken higher than expected, but at least they both produced on the field and have a true passion for the game.  I will be starting to post in-depth post-draft analysis shortly.

Tags: 2010 NFL Draft, Brandon Graham, Brandon Spikes, Bruce Campbell, Carlos Dunlap, Jacoby Ford, Taylor Mays, Tim Tebow, Tyson Alualu

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 at 10:32 am and is filed under 2010 NFL Draft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.