2012 NFL Combine catchup: defensive backs

Morris Claiborne’s status as the top cornerback in the draft is fine and all, and I doubt he did anything at the Combine to hurt that. His first run of the deep coverage drill with multiple hip turns was picture perfect. Fluid hips, quick feet, excellent balance, highpointed the ball. He looked fine at everything else, but without the wow factor. Claiborne’s status is where it is in my view because he doesn’t have strong competition for the #1 honor. As a result, his main competitor comes from last year’s draft: Patrick Peterson. It’s a natural comparison since they’re both LSU products, and I’ve heard enough people say Claiborne was better than Peterson in college that I’ve thought the Rams have to factor him into their draft decision at #2 or #4. And if Claiborne’s Combine numbers had turned up anywhere close to Peterson’s, I would have been banging the table for him to become a Ram.

Unfortunately for Claiborne, it’s no contest.
Peterson at the 2011 Combine: 4.34 40, 6.58 3-cone, 10’6” broad jump, 38” vertical, 15 benches
Claiborne this year: 4.50 40, 7.01 3-cone, 9’10” broad jump, 34.5 vertical, did not bench

As respectable as Claiborne’s numbers may be, Peterson beats him by a mile. In terms of explosiveness, Peterson is close to a nuclear bomb; Claiborne is more of a RPG. Peterson’s numbers are those of an elite, top-5 quality pick. Claiborne’s aren’t. He doesn’t emerge from the Combine as the kind of best-player-available you’re compelled to take regardless of position.

Someone’s going to have to explain those Combine numbers to me, or Claiborne is going to have to have a heck of a pro day, for me to continue to think he should be in the picture for the Rams’ first draft pick. 

Josh Robinson, (Central Florida) meanwhile, had a Peterson-like Combine, including a 4.33 40, the fastest in Indianapolis this year. It’s believed Robinson’s draft stock has shot up into the first round now, making him a thought for the Rams to entertain at 33 or with Cleveland’s 22. Plenty of nits to pick about Robinson, though. He gives up 2 inches to Peterson. He’s so tight-hipped he was nearly falling on his turns during some of the drills. And in the stupid final team drill where all you have to do is catch short passes, he had a couple of drops. Not sure I’m sold just yet.

It wasn’t just Mike Mayock’s bias from working Notre Dame games talking; Harrison Smith had a solid Combine and is a viable candidate to be the first safety off the board. He was smooth in most of his drills, especially the ones where the DB has to cover a lot of ground. Deion Sanders famously said he couldn’t tell from Smith’s movements whether he was a corner or a safety. Big showing for Smith.

Important Combine for Casey Hayward (Vanderbilt), who I think did well. Made up for a 4.57 40 with a crazy-fast 3.90 shuttle run. Stays low in his backpedal, plays with nice technique. Looked good in most of his televised drills. I’d say he’s closer to the high end of his wildly-inconsistent performances during Senior Bowl week.

McNeese safety Janzen Jackson had the smoothest backpedal-and-turn skills of anyone there, though his footwork got sloppier when the drill was extended to covering deep. He flopped all over the place so badly on one of those reps the coaches had him re-do it. Got it right the second time. Good ball skills, keeps his eyes where they’re supposed to be. Should be one of the top 3 safeties.

Some RamView Sleeper Specials:

Coty Sensabaugh (Clemson) surprised me for a lot of reasons. He came in a late-round prospect at best, and I’ve never thought highly of his cousin Gerald’s play in Dallas. But he showed some of the best movement skills of anybody at the Combine. Very good backpedal, very fluid change of direction, loose hips, good hands, fast (4.47), good leaper (37”). Doesn’t look like a player who has to wait till day 3 to be drafted to me.

Ryan Steed (Furman) ran only a 4.68 but really “popped” during some of the drills. Quick and pretty good feet. Stays good and low in his backpedal and turns well. Finished the deep coverage drill perfectly with a nice, high grab. Did have a drop in close later. Looks at least like a developable prospect.

Jamell Fleming (Oklahoma) stood out for his footwork and movement skills. Good backpedal, good, quick feet and change of direction, covers ground well.

Johnny Thomas (Oklahoma State) is another of those players who’s going to test front offices. He was suspended last year at OkSt for discipline issues, but he really, really looks the part of an NFL safety. Good, low, backpedal, good feet, and he wowed everybody with a sick one-handed catch of a deep ball he had to backtrack. If he interviews well, he’ll get drafted, and I think be a contributor for somebody. If he doesn’t interview well, then just draft Brandon Thomas (LSU), who can give you most of those qualities without the personal issues to explain.

Haven’t figured out yet:

Mayock’s gone gaga for Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech). The guy I saw looked good half the time and stumbled around half the time. My jury’s out for now. Kind of the same thing with Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama). Some very fine, fluid runs, some flawed runs. Made a nice catch of a low pass in what I’ll call an underneath-coverage drill.

Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina) looked really nice in a lot of the drills, then had two brutal drops during the final team drill to lose the competition for his team. The drill only calls for you to catch simple passes, guys. Seriously.

And these guys:

Nebraska and I are probably never going to get along. I blame Eric Crouch. But I didn’t see much about Alfonzo Dennard to impress me. Loses too much ground coming out of turns and breaks, iffy ball skills, ran an amazingly sloppy 2^nd deep coverage drill and gave up on it.

Like Vontaze Burfict yesterday, Cliff Harris looks like another Pac-12 troublemaker who won’t necessarily be worth the trouble. Barely played last season due to off-field issues. On the field in Indy, he nearly tripped over his feet backpedaling and had really bad balance coming out of turns.

Also still don’t know why the NFL Network guys are so koo-koo for George Iloka (Boise State). Tight, stiff, really chops his steps to make cuts, doesn’t have great acceleration out of breaks, shaky ball skills. If teams are starting to look at him as a nickel linebacker, I might get it.

That’ll do it for this year’s RamView Combine coverage. Rams Nation would like to thank Robert Griffin III again for his tireless work to increase the value of our first-round pick. Thanks to Justin Blackmon’s hamstring, the Combine didn’t have the answer for all of our questions as Rams fans, but they seem poised to come out of the first 33 picks with a big wideout, one of the top defensive tackles and probably a starting-quality corner or linebacker, or a legitimate change-of-pace running back.

It’s a start.

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