2007 NFL Combine: DBs Take Center Stage on Tuesday

February 27th, 2007 - - Filled in: Sports

In what is usually a thin showing of DBs — based on quality, not quantity — the 2007 NFL Combine features a number of quality DBs ready to do the things necessary to raise their stock. For fans, it’s the day when 40 yard dash times are broken. Deion Sanders was on hand with the NFL Network crew to give his always colorful commentary on what are considered to be the elite athletes of the entire combine.

The bar had been set a couple of days before by WR Yamon Figurs (Kansas State) with a 4.30 40-yard dash. Top rated DB Leon Hall (Michigan) clocked a 4.39; the linebacker-sized Safety, LaRon Landry (LSU), ran a 4.35; and, cornerback Chris Houston (Arkansas) from LBJ HS in Austin, Texas ran a 4.32. Chris was the guy everyone thought would topple Figurs 40-yard dash time. Beyond the 40-yard dash, I’m not too excited about watching DBs run back peddle/pursue the RB coming out of the backfield/turn around and sprint down the field to catch the ball drills. So, I don’t really have any new opinions of these guys AFTER the NFL Combine drills…only based on what I’ve seen during the season. Free Safety Brandon Meriweather (Miami, aka “The U”) is a favorite of Mike Mayock’s, who has him as a 1st day guy. That evaluation goes against that of most scouts, but luckily Deion Sanders agrees with Mayock based primarily on his confidence and his “physicality”. Quick, Primetime…submit that one to Merriam-Webster!

I didn’t watch much of Monday’s NFL Combine performances, but there were definitely some players that were relatively low on the totum pole in their respective positions that vaulted to the top of that list. One of those players was Texas DE Brian Robison. He was a haus. I’ve always been a huge fan of the guy, but Draft Analyst, Mike Mayock, had him listed as a mid tier Defensive Lineman…one of the few times I’ve disagreed with a player appraisal. Robison’s drill results spoke for themselves: #1, Three Cone - 6.89 sec; #1, Vertical Jump - 40.5″ (2nd highest among defensive lineman was 36.5″ by C.J. Ah You of Oklahoma); #3, Shuttle - 4.26 sec; #1, Broad Jump - 10.1″; #3, 40-yard dash - 4.67 sec; and #T12, Bench Press - out of 40 defensive lineman with 27 reps. Um. Most of those numbers are RB and WR numbers.

As a sidenote, Deion Sanders’ alleged 4.19 40-yard dash time is considered to be the fastest 40-yard dash ever recorded at the NFL Combine. He didn’t confirm nor deny that claim, but he did attest to running full-speed straight into the locker room without stopping. As I mentioned in my post about Sunday’s NFL Combine results, there’s an article that shows a Bo Jackson 40-yard dash time of 4.18 sec. Who knows. All I know is anything below 4.30 is fast…really fast. Wikipedia has a list of the fastest 40-yard dash times ever recorded on its site…with sources. The one caveat: electronic timing did not begin until 1990 leaving a margin of human error to question times prior to that date.

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