Ben Tate is makin' it do what it do out there today.....

[The Prowler]

Ben Tate's Official Results of the 2010 NFL Combine

5'11" 220lbs.

225lb Bench
26 Reps (Tied for 1st, among RBs, with Lonyae Miller of Fresno St)

40 Yard Dash
4.43 (Third, among RBs, behind Jahvid Best's 4.35 and C.J. Spiller's 4.37)

Vertical Jump
40.5" (Second, among RBs, behind Hardesty's 41.0")

Broad Jump
10'4" (Tied for 1st, among RBs, with Hardesty)

[Aubie16]

The 40 was 3rd behind Jevad Best and C.J. Spiller.

[notthatcool]

late second or early third?

[The Prowler]

late second or early third?

Yeah...I'd say mid 3rd, maybe earlier.  It'll depend on what these teams do:

Chargers
Redskins - (assuming Portis gets cut)
Eagles
49ers
Browns
Bengals

they all need RBs, if they don't go free agency for their RB needs, then it's possible that Ben Tate will go Mid to Late 2nd Round.

[jmar]

In reading about Sproules and Tomlinson with the lack of a strong run blocking group I would think San Deigo would benefit from the tough running style of Tate.

[Townhallsavoy]

I bet he goes 2nd round.  Surprise of the draft IYAM. 

One aspect being overlooked about Ben Tate is his age.  He started his freshmen year at Auburn when he was 17.  He's got young legs. 

[No Huddle]

I say late first. It may sound crazy but he is a sure fire NFL running back.

[jadennis]

I noticed Tate was also the only guy in the top three of 5 of the 6 categories.  He and Montario Hardesty were the only guys in the top seven of all 6 categories.  Tate was an average of 2.8 and Hardesty was an average of 3.5. 

Joique Bell was the only other guy in the top seven of at least 4 categories.  Jahvid Best and Toby Gerhart were in the top 7 of 3 categories.  CJ Spiller was only in the top 7 of the 40. 

Out of 28 guys (not sure of all of them participated), Tate being in the 3 performers of nearly every category is really impressive, just from an "athlete" standpoint. 

McCluster ran a 4.58 40?  That's pretty shocking....anyone know if there was a reason?  Was he carrying someone on his back?  Was that running backwards?  I was impressed to see 20 reps on the bench though, that's impressive for a 170 lbs guy.

[Aubie16]

McCluster ran a 4.58 40?  That's pretty shocking....anyone know if there was a reason?  Was he carrying someone on his back?  Was that running backwards?  I was impressed to see 20 reps on the bench though, that's impressive for a 170 lbs guy.

I watched him run and he didn't have any noticeable stumbles or anything. I assumed he would be faster than that as well. Maybe everybody else slows down with pads on and he doesn't.

[jadennis]

I watched him run and he didn't have any noticeable stumbles or anything. I assumed he would be faster than that as well. Maybe everybody else slows down with pads on and he doesn't.

Maybe, since he's wearing his pop-warner sized gear.

[GH2001]

The only RB to finish top 3 in all the categories. As JAD pointed out, best avg finish (2.8). Exceeding combine expectations...YET - Sports Illustrated says his stock dropped due to his performance at the combine. W-T-F?????

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/02/28/combine.rbqb/index.html

[jadennis]

The only RB to finish top 3 in all the categories. As JAD pointed out, best avg finish (2.8). Exceeding combine expectations...YET - Sports Illustrated says his stock dropped due to his performance at the combine. W-T-F?????

That is interesting.  Bt they do put them through some drills that aren't timed.  Go to the NFL website where all the combine stuff is and tthey have little videos of the different position specific drills they run them through and observe.  Maybe he didn't do as well in that?  That's all I can think it could be.  

Or they asked Birmingham what he thought.

[GH2001]

tthat is interesting.  Bt they do put them through some drills that aren't timed.  Go to the NFL website where all the combine stuff is and tthey have little videos of the different position specific drills they run them through and observe.  Maybe he didn't do as well in that?  That's all I can think it could be. 

Or they asked Birmingham what he thought.

I can see his stock remaining the same if he's having some avg drills but how does it drop when you exceed or match everything that was expected of you.  He exceeded all the measureables and probably did about what they thought he would in drills - nothing special. And he drops?  Of course - they are in love with McKnight. The USC slobber fest continues.

[jadennis]

I didn't read the link last night when I responded.  Looking now at what this Tony Pauline had to say overall....he may just be a moron.  Or maybe I'm a moron, who knows, but it sure seems strange that two of his "risers" were backs that ran 4.7 40s.  4.7?  Really?

Well maybe Tebow should just be a running back, he ran a 4.72 40, ran the 3-cone drill (change of direction) faster than every running back at the combine, and ran the 20 yd shuttle in 4.17, which was good for 4th among running backs.

Anyway, just seems like a strange list.   This guy said "ordinary"...another opinion could be that he does everything well. 

[Tiger Wench]

Tebow also set a record in vertical jump - I am sure it was because he was reaching for God...

[No Huddle]

Tebow also set a record in vertical jump - I am sure it was because he was reaching for God...

You know it.

[jadennis]

So I continue to read this Tony Pauline guys opinions on the combine.

Here is take on Greg Hardy.

Greg Hardy/DE/Mississippi: NFL scouts handed Hardy the highest pre-season grade of any senior who took the field last season. He was expected to be a top-10 choice. Hardy will be lucky to be drafted in Round 2. On Monday, his spiral down draft boards continued, as Hardy began the day barely breaking 4.95 in the 40, then looked more like a late-round pick during the drills.

So he went from a top 10 choice to "lucky for round 2"?  

Here is his take on Brandon Spikes.

Scouts question the speed of the top two inside linebackers in April's draft, but neither Rolando McClain nor Brandon Spikes ran at the combine on Monday. Both will wait until their pro day to run the 40. It was not a good decision for either prospect, especially Spikes, who participated in drills but did not look particularly effective.

Didn't look "effective in drills"?  He looked pretty damn effective on the field all year.

And "riser" Pat Angerer.

Pat Angerer/LB/Iowa: Angerer ran faster than scouts expected and performed much better in drills than anyone could have imagined. His 40 times were in the high 4.6-area and Angerer looked terrific in pass coverage drills, dispelling the myth he's just a two-down defender.

Again, this is crazy to me.  When he played on the field with actual players, could he cover or couldn't he?  Why is there a "myth" about him being a two down defender?  And how does his ability to change direction when a coach holding a ball moves if from left to right demonstrate his ability to cover on 3rd downs?  Is that the same as watching 3-5 receivers criss-crossing all over the field, a quarterback moving around in the backfield behind 10 guys running into each other?  How is that comparable?

So I'll admit that this guy could be a genius, and I could be border-line retarded.  But I don't think either one is true and I see this guy as the ultimate "combine" fool.  He's the kind that, if he were a GM, would go to the combine, fall in love with the numbers and stats and drill of some guy that had just proved on film that he isn't a great football player.  I mean, couldn't Amare Stoudemire go out there and kill it in every drill, just from pure athleticism?   But don't you also have to be a football player too?  

If they had done this "combine" idea for Larry Bird, he would have had to play in Europe.

[RWS]

So I continue to read this Tony Pauline guys opinions on the combine.

Here is take on Greg Hardy.

So he went from a top 10 choice to "lucky for round 2"?  

Here is his take on Brandon Spikes.

Didn't look "effective in drills"?  He looked pretty damn effective on the field all year.

And "riser" Pat Angerer.

Again, this is crazy to me.  When he played on the field with actual players, could he cover or couldn't he?  Why is there a "myth" about him being a two down defender?  And how does his ability to change direction when a coach holding a ball moves if from left to right demonstrate his ability to cover on 3rd downs?  Is that the same as watching 3-5 receivers criss-crossing all over the field, a quarterback moving around in the backfield behind 10 guys running into each other?  How is that comparable?

So I'll admit that this guy could be a genius, and I could be border-line retarded.  But I don't think either one is true and I see this guy as the ultimate "combine" fool.  He's the kind that, if he were a GM, would go to the combine, fall in love with the numbers and stats and drill of some guy that had just proved on film that he isn't a great football player.  I mean, couldn't Amare Stoudemire go out there and kill it in every drill, just from pure athleticism?   But don't you also have to be a football player too?  

If they had done this "combine" idea for Larry Bird, he would have had to play in Europe.

This is why I don't put a huge amount of stock in the combines. Ok, so this guy doesn't do well in a timed drill. This guy can't run around some cones and catch a ball as quickly as whoever thinks. This guy can't bench as many reps as whoevever thinks. I agree wholeheartedly on your comments about Spikes, and McClain for that matter. Last I checked, both of them were pretty fucking good. Now granted, that doesn't always translate to the NFL. However, both of those guys look like they have been in the NFL a few years already, and damn near play like it too. They look like men amongst boys on the college field.

I'll take what they can do on the field over some combine numbers any day.

[The Prowler]

I'll take what they can do on the field over some combine numbers any day.

Fuck that noise.

Signed,
Mike Mamula