Path to the Draft, 3/8/2010

Path to the Draft – Monday, March 8

Notes:

* Mike Mayock believes the new three-day format of the draft will help bad-drafting teams re-stack their boards.

* Nominations for most impressive player at the Combine:
- Charles Davis picked Eric Berry. The Tennessee safety has cornerback speed.
- Mayock picked Fresno State RB Ryan Matthews. Big back, athletically explosive, ran a 4.45.
Also named workout warrior/TE Clay Harbor, who he described as a potential 4th rounder.
- Bucky Brooks named Oklahoma T Trent Williams and Lamar Houston.

In general, these guys were focusing WAY too much on players' 40 times.

* Who hurt themselves the most at the Combine?
- Mayock: Joe Haden, for a slow 40 time, of course. Then Mayock turns around and says he plays faster than he runs and is still the #1 corner. How much did he hurt himself, then?
- Davis' pick, Brandon LaFell, made more sense. He did mention his 40 time was over 4.6, but he also emphasized the LaFell showed inconsistent hands.
- Brooks also made more sense in picking Jonathan Dwyer, who he said looked soft physically and didn't run or drill well.

* Should the Rams draft Sam Bradford? All three said yes, campus workout unseen.
- Brooks said you have to take a franchise QB when you can get one but offered little proof Bradford will be a franchise QB. Mentioned he interviewed very well. Now there's a great reason to spend tens of millions on a guy. He interviews well. Jerry Seinfeld interviews well, let's draft him!
- Mayock criticized the Rams for passing on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez without ever peeling himself off of Chris Long's jock. Mayock's losing a lot of stock with me these days. He at least mentioned that while Bradford's built like Matt Ryan, he didn't have to take the hits Ryan did at BC (or survive the ones he did take, I might add) or bring the team from behind as many times as Ryan did.
- Davis, short and sweet, made the most sense. Bradford is a big risk because he missed most of last year with the shoulder problem, but the Rams should take him IF he checks out medically. Called Bradford as accurate a thrower as Aaron Rodgers.

* Saints at 32. The Saints beat writer projects them to take a pass rusher or front seven playmaker. They could go for a tight end. Names thrown out included Carlos Dunlap, Ricky Sapp, Sean Weatherspoon, Darryl Washington, Everson Griffen and Taylor Mays. Mays came up because they discussed that the Saints aren't going to overpay for Darren Sharper.

* God forbid we get through a show without talking about Tim Tebow. Mayock believes Tebow's campus workout won't really matter that much. Teams either like him already or they don't.

* Stock report. Jacoby Ford down. He only has straight-line speed. Ben Tate and Montario Hardesty up. RB coaches around the league love them.

45 days till the draft!