Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

	Written by Ernie Estrella
	Written by Marc Caviglia

We’re only a few weeks removed from the Super Bowl XLVII but fantasy football players (and every NFL fan not rooting for the Baltimore Ravens) are already focused on 2013. That begins at the NFL Combine, which Bruno Boys is planning to be glued to the television for countless hours, watching this year’s rookie class begin their march towards the NFL DRAFT in April, where some of them could be lucky enough to make it to the big gridiron. While many of this year’s biggest names shy away from the combine, looking to wow scouts and media at their arranged pro day, there are still many pros who will make an impact that will make a first impression this week or drum up enough hype to keep that self-promotion all the way to the draft. This is where quarterbacks rise out of nowhere, sleepers are born, and those dreams of a small Division I-AA player start to become a reality.

Bruno Boys plans to cover each day of the combine by highlighting workout performances, combing through interviews, making note of impressive potential NFL specimens, and seeing which of them could make a difference in the 2013 season. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and mobile app as our staff shares impressions of what we see at the Combine and afterwards how that will affect our mock drafts.

—Was listening to “Moving the Chains” host, Pat Kirwan on NFL Radio–a trusted wealth of knowledge in the game who once was a scout for the Bucs, Cardinals, and assistant coach/front office guy for the Jets–had this to say to caution those too enamored by 40-yard dashes. He said if you see someone who impresses you in the combine in the 40, make sure to see what they run in the 20-yard Shuttle, because that’s a good indicator to see if these kids can run fast in a straight line, or do they have real speed when they have to make cuts, changing direction and moving laterally too. So while 40s are a nice piece of the puzzle when it comes to finding fast players, the 20-yard Shuttle is a better indicator of game speed, so make sure to review those numbers at the end of this week. -EE

Quarterbacks

— Consistency a problem w/early group of QBs on the field. Landry Jones (Oklahoma), Mike Glennon (NC State) Tyler Bray (Tennessee) and Marqueis Gray (Minnesota) did not do much to separate themselves from the field. On the field, good throws were spotty. -EE

— The last group included interesting prospects to watch: Geno Smith (West Virginia), EJ Manuel (Florida State), Tyler Wilson (Arkansas), and Ryan Nassib (Syracuse). -EE

— Geno Smith runs an official 4.59, EJ Manuel runs 4.65; can’t wait to see these guys throw.  -EE

— Smith threw the ball well and consistently. Easily has the best showing of the quarterbacks especially when you include some of his measurables. Manuel showcased a big arm and will remain a dark horse in the draft. He still grades out as a third round pick, but he’s no longer a secret. -EE

— Another two quarterbacks that looked solid on the field were Tyler Wilson and Ryan Nassib but neither showed to this point that they were first round talent. -EE

— It’s starting to look like Colin Klein made a mistake by not working out at tight end. He did nothing to impress scouts, and his 4.78 40 was mediocre. Klein is likely going to be an UDFA and have to earn a roster spot. Perhaps he changes his mind and works out as a tight end at his upcoming Pro Day. -MC

— Remember when Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones was considered a Top-5 pick. Jones had just finished up his Sophomore season at OU and many scouts saw a big, strong armed drop back passer. Unfortunately, Jones hasn’t progressed over the years and has gone from a can’t miss option to a Day 3 selection. -MC

—Matt Scott (Arizona) is a wild-card to me. He isn’t getting the attention like some of the other quarterbacks, however he showed good speed (4.69 40 time) and his 1.58 10-yard split was fastest at his position. Scott also impressed with his arm in Indianapolis and might have helped his stock more than any other quarterback. -MC

Wide Receivers

— Tavon Austin (West Virginia) & Marquee Goodwin (Texas) cooked in the 40 and were shown to be dead even on video and on hand timer at 4.25 but failed to get 15 reps on the benchpress. Official timer had Goodwin at 4.27 and Austin at 4.34. -EE

— Ryan Swope (Texas A&M) also had an official time of 4.34. Also breaking 4.4 were TCU product Josh Boyce (4.38) and Oklahoma Sooner Kenny Stills (4.38). Physical freak, Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson had an impressive 4.42; other notable receivers clocking fast times: Denard Robinson (Michigan) 4.43, Markus Wheaton (Oregon State) 4.45, Quinton Patton (LaTech) 4.53 and Robert Woods (USC) 4.51. -EE

— Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert’s main WR in college, TJ Moe (Missouri) ran an official time of 4.74, but puts up an impressive 26 reps on bench. Though he doesn’t have lightning speed, he did catch 92 passes from Gabbert in his sophomore year -EE

— Denard Robinson had some nice catches on the field, including a nice deep over-the-shoulder grab. There is some concern though since he is struggling with a damaged nerve in his right hand. He did not do anything to hurt his stock and did so with his shoelaces tied. Oh and he logged in a 36.5-inch vertical, which should help with the concerns about his small stature. -EE

— Some other impressions from the receivers: Wheaton looks like a gamer but was trying a little too hard. Patterson will make an immediate difference with whichever team drafts him. Woods showed he is a complete receiver, running crisp routes and catching well. At 6-0, he’s not the biggest or the fastest receiver, but he might be one of the most complete and NFL-ready. I was also impressed by Florida State’s Rodney Smith. -EE

—  Like Ernie, I’m very impressed with Robert Woods out of USC. He showed great hands and made the game look slow. There is a reason he posted solid statistics in college. Woods might not be the first wideout taken, however I wouldn’t be surprised if he posts the best stats as a rookie. -MC

—Taking account what I mentioned earlier about 40-yard dash vs. 20-Yard Shuttles, the best receivers in the shuttle were T.J. Moe (3.96), Tavon Austin (4.01), Quinton Patton (4.01), Markus Wheaton (4.02), Da’Rick Rogers (4.06)  Rodney Smith (4.07) and Ryan Spadola (4.07). -EE

—Justin Hunter (Tennessee) showed off his speed and leaping ability. A little over a year removed from a serious leg injury, Hunter posted a 4.44 40-time and led all wideouts with a 39.5-inch vertical jump. His stock is rising and Hunter could be a solid mid-round value pick. -MC

—Fittingly, the Al Davis (he loved speed) led Oakland Raiders drafted the fastest wide receivers in 2009 (Darius Heyward-Bey) and 2010 (Jacoby Ford), however Davis is no longer with us and there is no guarantee this happens again. I’m sure Marquise Goodwin (fast WR at NFL Combine) is hoping they don’t, because who wants to play for the Raiders? -MC

—There are some talented wide receivers, but none of them impressed me enough to make an huge impact as a rookie. A lot has to do with which team these guys get drafted to, however don’t expect anyone to post rookie stats like Anquan Boldin (101 receptions) and Randy Moss (17 touchdowns) did in their first seasons. -MC

—Something I don’t like about Tavon Austin is his height. 5-8, 174 pounds is small, even for a slot receiver and his hands are on the small side too. He’ll definitely be returning kicks as a rookie. -EE

—Another measurable for receivers is vertical jump. Along with Hunter, Marcus Davis (Virginia Tech) and Da’Rick Rogers (Tennessee Tech) also had 39.5 inches. -EE

—Cordarrelle Patterson is the prototypical first round receiver at 6-2, 216. With 4.42 speed and a 37-inch vertical, there’s a lot to like about him. He had a good showing at the combine, but is known to catch with his body and wasn’t trained to use his leaping ability to catch the ball at its highest point. He doesn’t have the biggest catcher’s mitts for hands, nor does he use them in a physical manner to shake a defender. He has just one year of experience at Tennessee so while he’s physically gifted, he’s extremely raw with a long ways to go to becoming a complete receiver. -EE

—A name to keep an eye on is Texas A&M receiver, Ryan Swope. He was one of Ryan Tannehill’s favorite targets, catching 72 passes his sophomore year and 89 as a junior. So what did he do as a senior? He helped Johnny Manziel win the Heisman, pulling in 72 passes. He ran a 4.34 officially-timed 40, jumped a 37.0 vertical, and had a respectable 20-yard shuttle. He’s got strong but small hands (8 1/2”) but could be a Day 2 draft pick, and the Dolphins are in need of receivers. Could we see a reunion with his Swope’s former QB and coach? -EE

Running Backs

—Auburn’s Onterio McCalebb ran an eye-popping 40-yard dash, 4.21/4.27 hand-timed, but eventually got officially timed at 4.34, so for at least another day, Chris Johnson’s record is safe. Other backs burning down the strip were Knile Davis (Arkansas) 4.37, Kerwyn Williams (Utah St.) 4.48, Jonathan Franklin (UCLA) 4.49, Michael Ford (LSU) 4.50, Kenjon Barner (Oregon) and D.J. Harper (Boise St.) 4.52, Giovani Bernard (UNC) and Mike James (Miami) 4.53, Christine Michael (Texas A&M) 4.54, Mike Gillislee (Florida) Zac Stacy (Vanderbilt) and Matthew Tucker (TCU) all clocked in at 4.55 and Notre Dame’s Cierre Wood had a 4.56. -EE

—An even more important drill for RBs in comparison to a straight 40-yard dash is the 20-yard Shuttles since they do the most cutting, pivoting, spinning and juking. Christine Michael had the best time at 4.02 seconds, followed by Rex Burkhead (Nebraska) 4.09, C.J. Anderson (California) 4.12, Giovani Bernard (UNC) 4.12, Kerwyn Williams (Utah St.) 4.15, Zac Stacy (Vanderbilt) 4.17, Montel Harris (Temple) 4.18 and Kenjon Barner (Oregon) 4.20. -EE

—I know that Fullbacks cease being sexy since the 1990’s but if we’re looking at workout warriors, what’s not to like about Tommy Bohanon who has the size at 6-1, 246 pounds with 10” hands? He put up a new bench press record at the combine for running backs with 36 reps, and you want to see that kind of strength in a lead blocker. On a fantasy level, he’s a guy who could eventually be a John Kuhn-type player who will primarily be a blocking back and short yardage situational back, vulturing TDs from the tailback. Will he get drafted? Maybe on Day 3, but only if there’s a run-heavy offense that regularly uses two back formations. -EE

—One of the backs who showed he can catch the ball is Giovani Bernard and didn’t have to work hard between the cones. But he is shorter than expected at 5-8, 202 and a torn-ACL history in 2010. -EE

—THE workout warrior for backs has to be Christine Michael (pronounced Chris-TIN). We’ve noted his speed in the 40 and 20-yard Shuttles, but he put up the bench press 27 times, had a 43.-inch vertical, 125-inch broad jump and a 6.69 sec 3-Cone Drill. He did this, despite tearing his left ACL in November, and broke his right tibia as a sophomore so there should be some caution exercised drafting him too early. Michael also played in the same backfield with Johnny Manziel. -EE

—A back that has that ideal balance of size and speed is LeVeon Bell who stands at a statuesque 6-1, and weighs in at 230. Consider his numbers last year as a junior at Michigan State. He carried the ball 382 times for 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns. He caught the ball well at the Combine, so look for Bell to move up into Day 2 of the draft as a potential cowbell runner who can take and dish out the punishment. -EE

—I liked what Jonathan Franklin (UCLA) showed at the Senior Bowl and there was more to like at the Combine. If he can he rid himself of the fumble problems he had in college, Franklin won’t last past Day 2 of the draft. -EE

—Montee Ball must be regretting his decision to come back to Wisconsin for his senior year. He was a Hesiman Trophy finalist in 2011 and made a run for 2,000 yards, but with Russell Wilson gone, Ball faced stacked defenses. He still finished with 356 carries, 1,850 yards and 22 touchdowns but he’s coming into the league with that much more wear and tear, including an assault on campus last August. He ran a less than spectacular 4.66 in the 40 at the combine and is beginning to look like a third or fourth round pick. -EE

2013 Combine Coverage:  Preview  |  2/22/2013  |  2/23/2013  |  2/24/2013  |  2/25/2013  |  2/26/2013