Trader Kevin:

>> Chad Henne, All-Pro material? LOL! He'd be about a
third-rounder if he came out now. He has a slow release
that will be a liability at the next level. You think he
puts the ball on the ground a lot now? Wait until he gets
to the NFL. <<

Brian Boger:

>> At the risk of being argumentative: How's your boy Drew
Stanton looking? <<

Pretty good, thanks...

Story by Mike O'Hara
The Detroit News
February 26, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS--Drew Stanton was throwing for dollars, and he
put some cash in the bank.

Stanton was on target--and on the money--in the passing
drills at the NFL combine workouts Sunday afternoon at the
RCA Dome.

Stanton, a three-year starter at Michigan State, has been
regarded as the No. 3 quarterback in this year's draft.
Stanton's performance Sunday solidified his status for any
team thinking of drafting a quarterback after JaMarcus
Russell of Louisiana State and Brady Quinn of Notre Dame
are off the board.

Stanton stood out in his group. Another group was tested
earlier Sunday. Stanton threw passes in 11 separate drills
that lasted about one hour. He worked with receivers who
are in the draft. Stanton had few misfires on patterns
ranging from short, quick slants to a deep post-corner
pattern for the day's last drill.

"He looked very good," Lions offensive coordinator Mike
Martz said. "He was very impressive, very consistent, which
is kind of his trademark. He made the throws he needed to
make. It was good."

The combine workouts are conducted in a clinical
environment under high pressure because of the stakes
involved. A player's stock can rise or fall based on his
workout.

Moving up or down a few spots can make a substantial
financial effect on a player. The NFL has a practice of
basing rookie signing bonuses on draft position. The higher
the draft position, the richer the bonus.

Stanton did not cost himself any money. He acted sure of
himself, and he looked fundamentally sound, with a quick
release, good velocity, and accuracy.

"He was very well balanced," Martz said. "He was accurate."

Stanton was not available for interviews after the workout.
Before his workout, he talked about his goals and the
combine experience.

"You compete against yourself in these kinds of
situations," Stanton said. "That's what I do every time I
step out on the field. I can only control what I can do.

"I never took a snap against any of those guys. You want to
go out there and you want to compete, no doubt."

Although the competition for draft position is intense, the
quarterbacks interacted with each other.

Stanton and Ohio State's Troy Smith, who won the Heisman
Trophy last year, have become friends. As they waited for
the drills to start, Smith tried to strip a ball from
Stanton's grasp. Stanton hugged the ball to his chest as he
and Smith laughed.

The atmosphere had no resemblance to game day. The stands
were empty, and the only sounds came from the players, and
the scouts and coaches giving directions. The quarterbacks
were tested on arm strength. Smith was clocked at 58.5
miles an hour, fastest in his group. Stanton was third at
55.5.

Stanton's session started with six completions--three to
the right, three to the left--to a player holding a
blocking bag. Stanton also connected on all six throws on a
deep pattern down the hash marks. He missed one pass on an
out pattern, when he threw behind a receiver. There was
another miss on a cut over the middle when the receiver
tripped and fell. Stanton had two incomplete passes on four
deep takeoffs, but one was a drop.

He ended the workout by completing seven straight
passes--one takeoff, two sideline cuts to the right, two
curl patterns, and two post-corner routes.

http://tinyurl.com/2mye8p





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