By Cory J. Bonini, Edited by Jeffrey Anderson
The 2006 National Football League Scouting Combine is now behind us,
so who benefited most and who hurt their draft stock equally? Did
several of the prized prospects harm their value by not working out
and opting for their Pro Day workouts instead? The answers to these
questions and more will be answered in this edition of KFFL's Draft
Grapevine.

Big Winners
From a media standpoint, Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler was the biggest
winner of the combine with Maryland TE Vernon Davis being right up
there as well. We will take a deeper look at Cutler under the next
heading, as he really wasn't a true winner in terms of rising stock.

Davis ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, which was the quickest time for the
position in the history of the event. He proved to be a top 10 talent
regardless of position, but does that mean the former Terrapin will
be selected in that range? Arguably the only team with a true need
for the tight end position who can draft him that highly is the St.
Louis Rams at No. 11 overall. New head coach Scott Linehan prefers to
utilize the tight end in his offense, which cannot be said of Arizona
Cardinals head coach Dennis Green. Many mock drafts point to the
Cardinals selecting Davis, though it just doesn't make any sense on
the utilization level. Arizona surely has more pressing needs to
address than to add another receiving target to an already impressive
stable of talent. Currently, the most logical place for Davis to land
is with the Denver Broncos at No. 22 overall. Clearly if this happens
it will be a bargain for the ages for head coach Mike Shanahan's
crew.

Alabama QB Brodie Croyle reportedly wowed scouts so much he should
move into the late second or early third round. Prior to the combine
his value was expected to be at its best in the fifth or sixth rounds
of the draft. As it stands, several undisclosed teams are reportedly
interested in Croyle as a two-to-three year grooming project, which
could be just what he needs to eventually bloom at the pro level.

Speaking of mid-round quarterbacks helping their own cause,
Northwestern's Brett Basanez impressed a lot of scouts despite his
smallish stature (6-1 1/2, 210 pounds) for a gunslinger. Many teams
interviewed Basanez and came away very intrigued, per one source KFFL
spoke with. Known for his intelligence as well as good character, he
was quite productive with Northwestern. In 2005 alone he threw for a
63.2 completion percentage, 3,622 passing yards, 21 touchdowns to
just eight interceptions while adding 423 rushing yards and seven
more scores on the ground. Not quite a major rushing threat in the
mold of Texas' Vince Young, Basanez is surely capable of evading the
rush and buying time with is feet. Look for some team in need of a
quality backup passer to use a fifth- or sixth-round pick on him and
not be disappointed.

Oklahoma OG Davin Joseph helped his stock considerably with his
workout. Measuring in at 6-2, 304 pounds, the former Sooner impressed
with a 5.09 40-yard dash time. Joseph, a former high school state
wrestling champion, feels the Miami Dolphins would be a good fit for
him. He may just get his wish if the team is able to land a free-
agent quarterback prize in the mold of Drew Brees (San Diego
Chargers) allowing them to not burn a pick on a quarterback prospect.
A former scout KFFL spoke with noted Joseph to be the top player at
his position for the upcoming draft.

Others of Note
California-Los Angeles RB Maurice Drew was impressive in all phases
of his combine adventure. He ran great and was able to move up from
the third round to the second in the eyes of many scouts, per one
source KFFL spoke with.

Despite not participating in the mill of events, Southern California
QB Matt Leinart and teammate RB Reggie Bush wowed scouts with their
respective intelligence. One source used the term "blown away" in
reference to how well-received the duo's interviews were taken. As
long as neither player bombs at their Pro Day workout, both should
remain locked into the first three picks.

South Carolina safety Ko Simpson reportedly has locked himself into
the No. 2 safety spot on the draft boards of most scouts due to his
speed, according to one source close to the situation.

Florida State CB Antonio Cromartie (knee, hamstring) participated
during the combine activities after sitting out the 2005 season while
recovering from a torn hamstring, medial collateral ligament and
anterior cruciate ligament. Expect to see a team take a chance on him
as high as the middle of the second round during the draft. Had he
returned for the 2007 season, the 6-2 1/2, 208-pound cornerback could
have likely went as high as the top 10 of the first round with a good
showing.

Tennessee CB Jason Allen seemed to put many questions to a rest
regarding the health of his dislocated hip by posting a 4.39 time in
the 40. He finished second amongst defensive backs with a 10-foot-11
broad jump. One former scout labeled him as a "sure thing" to be a
first-round pick.


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The Other Side of the Fence
While Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler is drawing more hype than a bout
between former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and an orangutan
in a vat of purple Jell-O would get on an episode of Jerry Springer,
his draft stock isn't likely to change for the better or worse. The
former Commodore passer wowed many scouts with his arm strength and
accuracy during his workout, though his 23 reps of 225 pounds on the
bench press also helped him. However, many sources close to the
situation have suggested Cutler is not much more than a product of
overzealous media looking for someone to hang their hat on - the
consummate underdog story. Is Cutler the No. 3 quarterback in the
draft class still? Yes. Is Cutler a lock for the top five of the
draft? Surely not. Don't get us wrong here, he is still a very
promising talent with a bright future ahead of himself, but being the
media's darling doesn't always provide the truth.

Wisconsin RB Brian Calhoun, oft-labeled as a speed back, was very
disappointed with his 40 time. He wasn't the only disappointed party,
as the general consensus from sources close to the situation appears
to be his slow times may have dropped him a full round to two rounds
in the draft. A speedy back running at a sloth-like pace - not just
once - makes many question his overall value. Times of 4.59 and 4.62
are good for most quarterbacks, but they surely are not marquee for a
running back. The 5-9, 201-pound former Colorado transfer hopes to
rebound at his school's March 8 Pro Day.

Once regarded as a potential stud, Ohio State LB Bobby Carpenter has
watched his draft stock slip some, and it has nothing to do with his
individual performance. One source KFFL spoke with indicated the
former Buckeye to be a solid second-round pick, which is slightly
down from the late first-round designation most mocks penned him as.
Carpenter may simply fall victim to a deep pool of players at
linebacker and several defensive ends who figure to be drafted to
convert to linebacker.

Virginia LB Kai Parham didn't do himself any favors, and one former
scout noted his drop-off from a potential late-round pick to an
undrafted free agent to be a very likely scenario to play out.

In Closing
Every year at the combine someone posts gaudy numbers to improve
their draft stock exponentially. This year we had a few names capable
of having such an impact on their draft placement, and we had a few
turns south of the border as far as the "help" department goes.

In any event, keep any eye out for an updated post-combine mock draft
with explanation from KFFL for the upcoming week's Draft Grapevine
article.


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