The final day of media availability has passed us by here at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Here's the highlights from who I spoke with today:
Defensive Ends:
Derek Walker, Illinois (6th-7th) - Best offensive tackle he's gone up against was Joe Thomas, formerly of Wisconsin.
- Weighed in at 268 pounds.
Everette Brown, Florida State (1st) - Weighed 225 lbs. when he first arrived at Florida State. Today he was 6'1" and 256 lbs.
- Doing both defensive end and linebacker drills this week.
- Has spoken to Kamerion Wimbley (Browns) about transitioning from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker. Everette said he has some stand-up experience at Florida State.
- Thinks his knowledge for the game is only just beginning, and he considers that a leg up on the competition.
Larry English, Northern Illinois (1st-2nd) - 6'2", 274 lbs.
- Will be doing both linebacker and defensive end drills this week.
- Won the Mid American Conference MVP award two seasons in a row
Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond (4th-5th) - Was invited to both the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.
- It was important to Lawrence to do well at those two games, so he could show the scouts that he could hang with the Division I guys.
- 6'2", 266 lbs.
Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin (3rd-4th) - Another case of a 4-3 defensive end/ 3-4 outside linebacker 'tweener prospect.
- Thought complacency may have had something to do with Wisconsin's fall from grace this past season.
Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech (1st-2nd) - 6'7", 266 lbs.
- Didn't redshirt at Georgia Tech, so Michael believes he has a lot of room and time to add more muscle weight on to his frame.
- Laughed when a reporter asked him about the negative comments made about him by a well-known draft analyst.
- Did a lot of drop back coverage in the Yellow Jackets' defensive scheme, so he'd be comfortable with playing an OLB role.
- Gets a lot of comparisons to Washington DE Jason Taylor.
Robert Ayers, Tennessee (2nd-3rd) - 6'3", 272 lbs.
- Thought his performance at the Senior Bowl was a spring-board for his rising draft status.
- Led the Volunteers in tackles for loss, and did not start a single game.
- Only started in one season at Tennessee.
Tyson Jackson, LSU (1st) - 6'4", 296 lbs.
- Translates to the defensive end position in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense. Played left end in a 4-3 at LSU
- Said his playing weight was around 285 lbs.
Defensive Tackle: Chris Baker, Hampton (5th-6th) - Transferred out of Penn State after being kicked off the team. Baker said it was simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- Originally from Connecticut.
- 6'2", 326 lbs.
- Believes he's the best defensive tackle in the draft. Scouts have projected him as a 3rd-4th rounder.
Fili Moala, USC (2nd-3rd) - Trained as a boxer.
- Was told by other USC-turned-NFL players that the league is "cut throat," and that you have to be an asset and not a liability.
- Weighed in at 305 lbs.
Sen'Derrick Marks, Auburn (2nd-3rd) - Played basketball up until he got to college.
- 6'1", 306 lbs.
- Uses extreme quickness to get around the bigger guards.
- Blocked a few kicks in his time at Auburn.
Linebacker: Dannell Ellerbee, Georgia (2nd-3rd) - Says trying to tackle Knowshon Moreno on a daily basis at practice helped him in his preparation for the NFL.
- 6'1", 236 lbs.
Cornerback: Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest (1st-2nd) - Measured in at 5'8"
- Says he compensates for his height with his level of competitiveness, ball skills, and knowledge of the game.
- Every summer he gets the chance to go up against Anquan Boldin and Santonio Holmes. They are from the same hometown. Anquan's brother, D.J., was a teammate of Smith's and is also a draft prospect (wide receiver).
- Allowed zero touchdowns his senior season. The last touchdown he gave up was to Florida State during his junior season.
Asher Allen, Georgia (2nd-3rd) - Has punt and kick return experience at Georgia.
- Credits going against Matthew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno and Mohammed Massaquoi in practice helped him vastly. "When you go against the best, your game can only rise."
Bradley Fletcher, Iowa (6th-7th) - Says playing for Kirk Ferentz in Iowa really helped prepare him for the combine as well as the NFL.
- 6'0", 196 lbs.
Captain Munnerlyn, South Carolina (3rd-4th) - Has been training with Deion Sanders in preparation for the combine.
- Ran track in high school, but gave it up when he got to college.
- Measured in at 5'8". Hopes to have a 38" vertical.
- Was named 'Captain' after his great-grandfather. His two brothers are named Timothy and Gregory.
- Loves kick returning.
Christopher Owens, San Jose State (5th-6th) - Teamed with fellow prospect Coye Francies to one of the more formidable cornerback duos in the nation last season.
- Spoke to the majority of teams, but the one that stood out was the Baltimore Ravens.
- Played man coverage primarily in college.
D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt (1st-2nd) - Measured in at 5'8".
- Was recruited by smaller schools in South Carolina to play basketball.
- Has experience in both man to man and zone coverage, but prefers playing man to man.
Darius Butler, Connecticut (2nd-3rd) - He wants to show "freakish athletic ability."
- Wants to jump 44" in the vertical this week.
- Prefers man-to-man coverage but can do both.
- 5'10", 183 lbs.
Don Carey, Norfolk State (5th-6th) - Believes that he's a leader.
- The first prospect from Norfolk State to be invited to the combine since 2005, and just the third since 1995.
- Primarily played press coverage in college.
- Didn't return the ball, but did all the pursuit special teams.
- Grew up a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.
- 5'11", 192 lbs.
Jairus Byrd, Oregon (3rd-4th) - His father is Gil Byrd, defensive backs coach for the Chicago Bears.
- Says it wouldn't be weird at all to play for his father if he were to be drafted by Chicago.
Macho Harris, Virginia Tech (2nd-3rd) - Thought about declaring after his junior year, but doesn't regret the decision to stay.
- His father nicknamed him 'Macho' when he was two years old and it stuck. His real name is Victor.
- Has "Mama's Boy" tattooed on his neck, in honor of his late mother. She passed away on Christmas day in Macho's senior year of high school.
- 5'11", 198 lbs.
Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State (1st) - Widely thought of as the top cornerback prospect in the draft.
- Some think Malcolm would make a better safety than corner. He believes he's a cornerback.
- Four-year starter at Ohio State.
- Participating in all workouts.
- Believes his bigger size as a corner will help him succeed at the next level.
Mike Mickens, Cincinnati (3rd-4th) -Will not be working out at the combine due to injury.
- 5'11", 184 lbs.
- Known for taking an interception for a touchdown in his time at Cincinnati.
- High school teammates with two fellow draft prospects: LB Marcus Freeman (Ohio State) and WR Greg Orton (Purdue).
Ryan Palmer, Texas (5th-6th) - 5'8", 190 lbs.
- Said going against Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley in his time at Texas really helped prepare him for the next level.
Sean Smith, Utah (2nd-3rd) - 6'3", 214 lbs.
- Mentioned the reason that facilitated him declaring early was to help his mother.
Vontae Davis, Illinois (1st) - Little brother of San Francisco 49ers' TE Vernon Davis, who told Vontae "Get ready for the real world."
- He'd rather compete against his brother than play on the same team as him.
- 5'11", 203 lbs.
- Gave up one touchdown total this season, to Minnesota WR Eric Decker.
Wopamo Osaisai, Stanford (5th-6th) - 5'10", 198 lbs.
- Believes his passion for the game exudes itself every time he's on the field.
- Lived in Nigeria for 8 years. He said it helped him grow as a person.
- Living there turned him in to a soccer player. He started off as a striker/forward, and as he got a lot bigger moved to defense.
Safety: Mike Hamlin, Clemson (3rd-4th) - Started all 4 years at Clemson.
- Hopes to run a high 4.4 to a low 4.5 in the 40-yard dash.
- Best receiver he's played against was Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey.
- Thinks his intelligence gives him the edge over the other safeties.
- Participated in special teams all 4 years as well.
- 6'2", 214 lbs.
Nic Harris, Oklahoma (2nd-3rd) - 6'2", 234 lbs.
- A 'tweener prospect. Some scouts say safety and others say outside linebacker. Harris would prefer to play safety, because he's played it all through school. They played him at linebacker against Kansas and he felt "extremely uncomfortable." He later added, "but I did what I needed to do to get the win."
- He believes playing in a pro-style defense at Oklahoma helped prepare him mightily for the NFL.
- Says he separates himself from other prospects because of the lack of his off-the-field concerns, and his help with the community.
- Served as president of a community service-based organization. The group helped raise $2,500 for 15 under-privileged families for Thanksgiving and participating in Toys for Tots. Personally, Harris ran the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon every year he was there.
- Has a degree in physical therapy, and wants to open up his own orthopedic firm and work in post-trauma.
Rashad Johnson, Alabama (1st-2nd) - Went from walk-on to All-American in his time at Alabama.
- Worked his way from special team's player to starting safety.
- Believes he can play both the free and strong safety position at the next level.
Stephen Hodge, TCU (4th-5th) - Doesn't care when or where he's drafted, he just wants to be on an NFL team.
- He said going in a higher round in the draft would just make him work harder to prove everyone wrong.
- Very experienced on special teams.
- 5'11", 234 lbs.
William Moore, Missouri (2nd-3rd) - 6'0", 221 lbs.
- Has seen his draft stock fall lately due to injury concerns.
- It was a foot injury that happened at the beginning of the season. He tried to work around it, but didn't allow it to fully heal because he forced himself back in to the lineup.
- Wants to prove that his foot is 100% by running well at the combine.
- Converted from wide receiver to safety at Missouri.
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