A fresh blanket of snow has fallen on Indianapolis this morning as we prepare for day two of the NFL Scouting Combine. On the docket today; quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers make their way through the Lucas Oil Field media room. Additionally, General Manager Brian Xanders will address the gathered press at around 11 a.m. EST (9 a.m. MST).
As we speak, John Elway is meeting with a small group of media near the convention center. Gray Caldwell is there and he will report back shortly on what the Executive Vice President of Football Operations had to say. We will also bring you the video of that media session.
As always, please pass along any questions you have or any prospects you want us to keep an eye out for.
10:22 a.m. EST: Just got back from Elway’s media session. He said he and the team interviewed between eight and 10 players last night, and found that the 15-minute sessions are a perfect amount of time to find out about each guy.
The Hall of Famer said he takes a unique perspective when evaluating talent — he looks at the prospects the same way he did during his playing days.
“I look at it as if I were playing against them,” Elway said, noting he has a particular knowledge of what makes a good defensive back. “I know what I liked to go against and I know what I didn’t like to go against, the way that I thought about guys. When I was watching film (during my playing days,) it was more about going against them, so I’m not so sure that’s going to change. I know when I watched (draft prospects) on film the last month-and-a-half, I looked at, would the guy worry me?”
Elway also touched on the importance of getting the draft right, the defensive line and re-signing Champ Bailey among other topics that we will delve into in this evening’s top story notebook recapping the day’s biggest stories.
Brian Xanders is set to step to the podium in a few minutes.
11:26 a.m. EST: Xanders just concluded his press session touching on a variety of subjects. We will have an update and the video shortly, but check the twitter feed for some live tweets during his session.
While Xanders was speaking, a couple of players made their way through the room including Wisconsin offensive lineman John Moffitt and North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little.
Little (pictured above) is one of the 12 Tar Heels at the combine — the most from any school — and his size is one thing that immediately jumps out at you. According to the NFL Combine page, he stands 6-foot-3 and weighed in at 220 pounds. Little was declared ineligible for the 2011 season, but his combination of size, speed and play making ability make him one of the more intriguing draft prospects.
12:24 p.m. EST: Just back from talking with Xanders for a while. After his podium session, he spoke with a handful of reporters off to the side, touching on a variety of topics that included working with Elway and Head Coach John Fox, which we’ll delve into in this evening’s notebook. In the meantime, he made some insightful comments about the combine process.
“This is really a confirmation of what you see on tape,” he said of this week’s events. “The workouts here aren’t going to sway our draft board up and down drastically, but it confirms what the players’ raw traits are, in terms of what they can be for us.”
He mentioned the importance of “pure, raw speed,” because it creates “immediate mismatches” on either side of the ball. He also noted that this year’s crop at running back is “deeper than I’ve seen in a long time.”
Xanders said the coaching staff has been assigned more than 250 players to interview, including some potential college free agents, to get a feel for which players the team would want in the locker room.
We’ll have more from Xanders later in the day.
12:55 p.m. EST: Georgia’s A.J. Green, widely regarded as the top wide receiver in this year’s draft, just spoke at the podium. We will post his interview in full later this afternoon. In the meantime, John Elway’s media session has now been posted on DenverBroncos.com. Xanders’ press conference video is coming shortly.
1:01 p.m. EST: Top prospects are coming through the room rapidly now. Auburn receiver Darvin Adams just spoke, and Washington quarterback Jake Locker is surrounded by a swarm of media as I type this. He’s fielding a lot of questions about staying an extra year in college when many believe he could’ve been the No. 1 overall selection — or close to it — had he entered the 2010 NFL Draft. He said that he does not regret his decision at all, that he’s very happy and feels far more prepared to go through the combine process having another year of college football under his belt.
2:01 p.m. EST: Another top quarterback is at the podium now — Missouri’s Blake Gabbert (pictured below, on left) — and he’s drawn one of the biggest crowds of the day. He just said he looks at Tim Tebow’s rookie season as proof that he can succeed in the NFL. He declared that he played the vast majority of his collegiate snaps in the shotgun, similar to the college careers of Tebow and Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy. He said the fact that both of those quarterbacks showed some success as rookies proves that he can do the same. In addition, the 6-foot-4, 238-pound quarterback said his plan to succeed is simply to “outwork everybody.”
2:30 p.m. EST: Three of the top tight ends met with the media at once a few minutes ago — top prospect Kyle Rudolph (pictured above, on right) from Notre Dame along with Wisconsin’s Lance Kendricks and Tulsa’s Charles Clay.
Kendricks said the experience has been “a little overwhelming — there’s a lot going on.”
For the past two days, the players have taken physicals and gotten their measurements taken, which provides for a bit of a stressful environment.
The former Badger said he’s excited that some physical activity finally gets started today, as the players will take on the bench press.
Clay said he’s still anxious to get to the running, which is what he prepared the most for.
“You get here and then you have to wait for the last two days (to run),” he said. “You’re just ready to knock that out.
He said he was a little surprised when he got to the combine to see that all the players get along. He figured that with so much competition going on, it could be an unpleasant atmosphere between the prospects.
Rudolph agreed that’s not the case.
“Guys’ personalities are starting to come out,” Rudolph said. “We’re becoming closer and it makes it fun.”
Rudolph drew the biggest crowd of the three tight ends. Speaking from a podium, he said he hopes to show that his strength is being a complete tight end — dominating at the line of scrimmage while also being able to stretch the field in the passing game.
“Tony Gonzalez is the best tight end that ever played in my time — I really try to model myself after him,” Rudolph said, mentioning his ability to stay on the field for first, second and third downs. “But I feel like Jason Witten, I feel really comparable to his game. He’s a guy that, like I said, can hold the point and is a great blocker, but at the same time he makes huge plays in the passing game.”
2:46 p.m. EST: More quarterback prospects have made their way into the room, including Florida State’s Christian Ponder and Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor. But the only former national champion to step to a podium so far was Alabama signal caller Greg McElroy.
He gave one of the more entertaining pressers of the day, starting by sounding a little bitter that he had been poked and prodded all morning.
“After about 17 physicals today, I realized that I have a fractured second metacarpal, which, if you can believe it, is what I knew two weeks ago,” he joked.
McElroy has a cast on his arm that he hopes to have removed on Monday, when he can begin his rehab. He said he’s disappointed that his competition is getting better while he has to wait with an injury, but he hopes his college career speaks for itself.
“I’ve played in the big game — I think that’s definitely a strength — and I’ve been successful in the big game,” he said, mentioning his accuracy, efficiency and ability to protect the ball and get it to his playmakers as his tangible strengths.
One of his most interesting answers involved what he learned at Alabama. He said he learned to be a professional, thanks to Head Coach Nick Saban’s philosophies.
“Coach Saban runs it like a professional organization,” McElroy said. “He expects you to be punctual, he expects you to not wear a hat to meetings, he expects your hair to be a certain length — there are rules and regulations within the organization that are run like a professional franchise.”
2:58 p.m. EST: One of the top receiving prospects, Boise State’s Austin Pettis, gave a quick press session at a table surrounded by a few reporters.
He said his strengths are his size and understanding of the game, and what he needs to work on most are his deep routes.
I asked the former Bronco, who named Larry Fitzgerald as his favorite receiver, if he had talked to any former teammates — Ryan Clady, for example — about what to expect at the combine.
“Kyle Wilson, he talked to me a little bit before the Senior Bowl, kind of gave me a heads up and what to expect the next couple weeks,” he said. “He just told us to relax and go out and have fun.”
3:10 p.m. EST: Once USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith declared for the draft, pundits raved about his athleticism. But the one flaw they saw in him was his weight.
Standing 6-foot-5, Smith played most games at USC weighing just over 280 pounds. Considerably lighter than most of his contemporaries, Smith knew that in order to raise his stock he would need to put on some weight.
And he did just that, gaining over 20 pounds since the end of the season, weighing in at 307-pounds during combine check-in on Thursday.
“I surprised myself by hitting the 300 mark,” Smith said. “I didn’t think I would get higher than that so I really surprised myself weighing 307.”
How did he accomplish the feat? Smith said he did it by eating the right way and by cutting out his obsession with McDonald’s – which he said he ate all day and every day.
“I basically just started eating right,” Smith added. “I stopped eating so much junk food and eating my three meals a day with breakfast, lunch and dinner and some snacks in-between.”
That change in lifestyle is music to the ears of teams looking for help along the offensive line.
3:54 p.m. EST: Many of you had asked us to keep our eye out for Wisconsin running back John Clay.
A few minutes ago, a running back walked in the room and everyone said that it was indeed Clay. However no one recognized the former Badger because he had dropped over 30 pounds since leaving Madison.
“A lot of people were second-guessing how much I would come in and weigh in,” Clay said. “That was the first question that was on everybody’s mind. And by today’s weigh-in I think I impressed a lot of people right away.”
Measuring 6-foot-1 and weighing a svelte 230 pounds, Clay – like Tyron Smith – said he achieved his weight by eating three meals a day and not just one big meal.
He hopes that new size equals a faster 40 time and a boost to his draft stock.
4:44 p.m. EST: In 2008, Spencer Larsen became the first Bronco in club history and just the fourth player in the NFL since 1980 to start on both offense and defense in the same game when he opened the game against the Falcons at middle linebacker and fullback.
Stanford’s Owen Marecic knows what that is like. During his senior season with the Cardinal, Marecic excelled at both linebacker and fullback, earning the inaugural Paul Hornung Award given to college football’s most versatile player.
But heading into the NFL, Marecic says that he will focus on fullback rather than on defense.
“I think I feel most comfortable at fullback and that is how I project the best at the next level,” Marecic said. “I am just pouring myself into fullback.”
Marecic said that the teams he has talked with have specifically talked to him about playing fullback, but Marecic let it be known that as a football player he is happy to contribute any place he can.
5:02 p.m. EST: Figured we’d give you a quick rundown of some of the most recent players to talk. The highlight has been Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. He said he’s feeling healthy and talked a little about his experiences at Alabama, calling himself an all-around back.
“I can be in the game first down, second down, third down, goal-line, short-yardage, pick up pass protections, go out of the backfield and catch the ball — things like that,” he said. “I’m a complete back.”
Two North Carolina running backs — Shaun Draughn and Johnny White — talked about being able to go through the combine experience with familiar faces. As we noted before, the Tar Heels have the most players of any school at this year’s event.
“It’s just a good feeling to see some of your boys that you call your brothers in the same place as you,” White said.
Draughn said that shows just how much talent UNC had, and he hates to think of what the team could’ve accomplished if it weren’t for injuries and NCAA sanctions.
“Man, I think it brings tears to my eyes when I think about what could’ve been,” he said. “But now it’s an afterthought. The good thing is those guys who sat out are getting a chance to come here and showcase their talents.”
Finally, a familiar name to Florida fans and Steelers fans alike stepped to the podium — Mike Pouncey, brother of Steelers center Maurkice.
Mike said he knows it was hard for his brother to miss Super Bowl XLV.
“We’ve both played football together since we were 6 years old and he hasn’t missed a game, so it was shocking that he missed that,” he said.
When Maurkice left, Mike moved to center for the Gators. It took him one game to get accustomed to it, and now he’s potentially set to be one of the top linemen taken in this year’s draft.
“I knew all the line calls, it was just tough after that first game,” he said. “I went out there and had a bad game, felt like crap, told myself when I left the locker room I would never play like that again, and since that game I went on to have a great season.”
5:38 p.m. EST: Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams just concluded the final press session of day two. We will be back tomorrow with our first look at the defensive side of the ball. Look for a notebook on the day’s events and video from a pair of National Champions, Alabama’s Mark Ingram and Greg McElroy on DenverBroncos.com.
– Gray Caldwell & Kyle Sonneman
Tags: 2011, NFL Scouting Combine
Carping, interesting choice of word.
I do not think I am star struck by Tebow I just prefer unproven over proven mediocracy. I just don’t see a champion in Orton.
Another thing – say we trade Orton … what does that leave us with?? … Tebow and “every fan’s favorite”, Brady Quinn … you’d want that??? … agree or not, it’s clear the Broncos brain trust feel that Tebow is still a work in progress … by playing him at the end last year they learned a lot about him, both good – AND bad … it was smart for them to do that … but he’s a LONG way from stepping in and knowing enough to go out and succeed right now … give him some time … believe it or not, I really like the kid … I HOPE he ends up playing a dozen years and taking the Broncos to the SB numerous times … but like it or not, the Broncos organization does NOT cater to the fans desires – their only job is to acquire the best players to make the best team they can, and WIN ball games … their decisions will be based solely on that … do you think they signed Champ Bailey to appease us on this blog??? … not in a hundred years … they signed Champ Bailey because they think they have enough now, that with some judicious draft choices, a more team friendly system, and a few FA pickups, they can improve the defense and running game and compete in the AFC West … if they didn’t feel that way, they’d never have signed Champ … and they’re not going to feel that way and then turn the team over to TT right now and then light some candles and cross their fingers … think it through, for gosh sakes …
It could go either way, or maybe we’ll start Delhomme, LOL.
The way I see it is that we SUCK on D…no way around it, how do we fix this fast? Pick up a good D minded coach (Check) grab good players from FA and the draft. Orton has proved he can ball, a little, so cash in now…why wait till next year to prove that Orton is an average QB at best….If we can get value for Orton I’ll be satisfied, Orton will take us no where, so why would we keep him?…think it through, for gosh sakes… cut our losses and ship him out!
Hey guys…
Finally have a chance to get back on! Been doing birthday events with the family today so haven’t had much time but now I’m good now for the rest of the night!
Haha Bay…
I might just wait until the draft competition before I start coming out and guessing every fullback going into the draft! Haha, especially since it’s a lost cause since you wont tell me if I am right!!
I hope we get the FB from Stanford though, dude is a beast and would be perfect for our rushing attack, in my opinion!
I swear, all of this talk about FA’s is making me down right sick, because there is NOTHING we can do about it until a new CBA is in place.
As a matter of fact, I am not going to mention anymore FA’s just because of how we can do nothing about it! Once the CBA is reached and we can go after FA’s, then I will give my opinion even though everyone already knows what I have said with the free agents that I want us to pick up!
On the other hand, Antowge is able to sign with us now so GET IT DONE JOHN’S!! My cousin and uncle are HUGE rams fans, and were sooooo mad when they released OJ!! He has been the leader of their defense for years now and is only 30! They believe he’ll be good until he reaches 35. He is just like Champ in regards to not losing a step at all!!
Strand…you met my cousin when we went to the game! He was the guy with blonde hair rooting for the Rams, haha! Didn’t we just want to throw him a beating!!
Yovi…
In all seriousness, I do not think how we are on defense and I really do not believe anyone else knows either! Obviously, we SUCKED at the 3-4!!! There is NO question about that! Fox said that most of our players are better suited for the 4-3 already so we really can’t know until this coming year!!
On the other hand, no matter what scheme we had, we all know that we need drastic DL help!! I really want to see if we sign Antogwe! I will be extremely excited about that if we do and it would be a great signing! I hope we hurry on it because other teams are highly considering him as well, as they should be!!
Here is the newest info I have found about him and our team!
INDIANAPOLIS — Thursday night, we noted the Denver Broncos were considering pursuing former Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe.
Friday, a source close to the situation said the Broncos are definitely planning to pursue Atogwe. He is the first veteran the team has targeted in the John Fox era. The Broncos are interested in Atogwe because he creates a lot of turnovers.
Denver will be looking for several aggressive defensive players. The Broncos ranked last in the NFL in total defense and points allowed in 2010. They are expected to concentrate heavily on the defensive side of the ball in the draft and in free agency.
Atogwe can be signed now because he was cut by the Rams. Washington, Buffalo, Dallas and the Rams are reportedly interested in signing him.
Also here are two other very interesting articles that y’all might like to read!!! Don’t know if y’all have posted any of these so if y’all have I am sorry about repeating!
Denver GM Xanders talks No. 2 pick, Tebow
February, 25, 2011
Feb 25
1:30
PM ET
By Bill Williamson
INDIANAPOLIS — Denver Broncos general manager Brian Xanders said the team is open and ready to either keep the No. 2 overall pick or trade it.
Xanders understands that Denver will most likely keep the pick. The second overall pick hasn’t been traded in 11 years. The Broncos will get a better feel for whether the pick is tradeable if there is a new CBA agreed upon prior to the April 28-30 draft. If there is a new rookie pay scale, the pick could be easier to move.
Xanders said he does not have a preference on what to do with the pick, but Denver is preparing itself for any scenario.
Meanwhile, Xanders strongly denied a recent NFL.com report that second-year quarterback Tim Tebow doesn’t have the support of the team’s brass. Twice, Xanders said the report is “false.” Xanders said Tebow is doing everything the team expects him to do.
Xanders said the Broncos are open to addressing any position in the draft and will evaluate every position closely. However, he did acknowledge Denver’s major needs on defense. Xanders said the defensive side of the ball is deep in this year’s draft. It’s clear Denver — which has four picks in the first 67 — is planning to concentrate on defense.
Talking with John Elway
February, 25, 2011
Feb 25
12:55
PM ET
By Bill Williamson
INDIANAPOLIS — John Elway calls it “football rehab.”
That’s the new Denver regime trying to bring to the Broncos back after a horrendous 4-12 season and the end of the Josh McDaniels era.
“Football is too hard to hate,” Elway said Friday while attending his very first NFL combine.
Elway is hoping the angst of the 2010 season will be evaluated by new coach John Fox.
“He brings a great energy,” Elway said. “We’ve already seen it. We got a lot of work to do, but you can already see the difference.”
Elway hit on several other topics Friday.
* Elway said his best scouting attribute is his ability to evaluate defensive players. Elway said he thinks he best knows pass-rushers and defensive backs because those are the players he competed against as a Hall of Fame quarterback. Elway said players who stick out in his mind when he is watching film of draft prospects are players who would make him “worry” on the field.
* Elway said the Broncos are looking for several players in the draft who can play soon. Denver has four picks in the first 67 choices. Elway clearly understands the task. “We don’t have the luxury of having any misses,” he said.
* Elway said he has met with quarterback Kyle Orton since the end of the season. Elway reiterated what Fox said Thursday. Orton is the starter as of now, but anything can happen.
* Elway relayed a funny story that Champ Bailey’s final decision before accepting his new deal was meeting with Fox. Elway joked that he told Fox that if his meeting with Bailey went poorly and Bailey turned down the offer, Fox would be out the door. Apparently Bailey and Fox hit it off.
* Elway said he has been impressed with the working of the combine. There were four combines when he entered the draft in 1983. Elway didn’t attend any of them. It didn’t hurt his draft status. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick.
This was also reported on NFL.com and kind of also ties in with one of the articles that I posted above!
GM denies Tebow lacks support from Broncos
NFL.com Staff
By NFL.com Staff |
Published: February 25th, 2011 | Tags: Tim Tebow, 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, Brady Quinn, Brian Xanders, Denver Broncos, John Elway, John Fox, Kyle Orton
INDIANAPOLIS — Broncos general manager Brian Xanders denied an NFL.com/NFL Network report that second-year quarterback Tim Tebow lacks support within the organization.
“First of all, I think that report was false,” Xanders said Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I think there’s a lot of people in our building that are behind Tim Tebow. He had a very successful career at Florida, and he’s working hard in his career to become a better quarterback at the NFL level. He’s somebody that the franchise invested a lot into in terms of draft picks and contract, but he’s going to create his role, and he’s done a good job so far with his limited opportunities. So, that report was false.”
“The big picture is, every player has to create their own role on the team and (coach) John Fox wants competition at every position.”
NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi stated in his “Monday Insider” column that Broncos personnel who were around when Tebow was selected in the first round of last April’s draft are looking to distance themselves from the pick under the new regime of Fox and team executive John Elway.
Fox told reporters Thursday that the team viewed veteran Kyle Orton as its starting QB heading into next season, and Xanders on Friday echoed the coach’s praise for Denver’s collection of signal-callers.
“We feel great about that position group as a whole. Brady Quinn, Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton — we have a strong group there. We feel they’ll all compete and fight for their jobs, their roles.”
– Marc Sessler
Wow guys…
Stocker put out 27 reps today on the bench press, haha, passing most of all offensive linemen!!!
Definitely wouldn’t mind having him!!
Both Lombardi and Mayock both think that we’re going to take Quinn!!
Very interesting!
I hope we don’t take a DE, please for the love of all things sacred. On another note I would love to trade Orton for some defensive players if a CBA doesn’t get met before the draft and have to wait till before the season starts.
I would love to get Quinn! As long as we get an DT in the 2nd, then I am all for Quinn! He as been the most consistent and reminds of completely of Julius Peppers! I believe Bowers has one year wonder written all over him and he just doesn’t look as explosive as Quinn does! Here is a video of Quinn and I think it speaks for itself!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNoYxbvKxXE&feature=related
Doom, Bannan, Paea, Quinn!!!!
That just sounds amazing to me right there!! I do not about what y’all think about that but that is just beastly!! Plus get our LB as well and our front 7 should be set in my opinion!!!
I believe my pick is Quinn now, haha how I love to change!!
I say for my mock at this moment!
Sign Antowge and we should be more than fine at the S position!
Quinn/Fairley/Dareus
Paea
Wilson/Jones
Matthews
For our 1st 3 rounds! What do y’all think about that? Even though, you do not have to comment Bay if you do not want to because I know that you want Rudolph in the 2nd. Haha, I bet that that is one of your picks in your mock! I do not doubt it one bit!
I just listened to X-mans video he sounds sold on ayers and doom as startin ends and stressed DT position from what I got on it. So likelyhood of us drafting ends are unlikely. This is what I would like to see from the draft.
1st round: DT Failey/Dareus
2nd round: TE Rudolph
2nd round: ILB Wilson/Jones
3rd round: FS Barry Sands (I have a feeling his stalk will rise these next couple of weeks.)
LOL. Sorry its Robert Sands.
Yea Mikey…
If we get a S in the draft I really want it to be Sands!! Dude is a beast and I would love to get him here and be able to call him by his nickname which is Predator!!!
Nah, but in all seriousness, I think he could automatically come in and make an immediate impact and help Antogwe, considering that we will sign him which seems really likely!!
I do think Atogwe would be a great pick up but do you honestly think whit all his options he would want to come to the second worst team in the NFL as of now? But I do like Predator he would be great at playing center field and hits really hard not to mention its had to throw over something thats 6’5″.
Man I just found this guy and like him alot. His name Quinton Carter FS. Intangibles: Exceptional leader on the field and in the locker room. Receiving degree in sociology with a non-profit organization studies, but already has started has own non-profit called SOUL (Serving Others with Unity and Leadership) to help kids in the Las Vegas area. To me he sounds like he has the personality of Champ and I for one love it.
doom and ayers are our ends so why will we get quinn we need either DT or CB
and please get sands because he is a beast
We have a decent offense. No offense in this draft imo. you can pick up a blocking FB in the CA market. I do it in Madden all the time……jk. As for TE, address it next year. We need D!
Damn phone and its auto correcting. FA, not CA.
Mikeyb, if you leave college not trying to save the world you weren’t paying attention.
Broncofreak30, I remember dude. Your cousin is real cool. We all had a blast, especially him since his rams won.
Just watched an interview of OT Anthony Costanzo who blocked Bowers and Quinn. I got the impression from him that Quinn is better or at least harder to block.