PantherProud
02-28-06, 07:17 AM
College stars light up combine
By Chick Ludwig
Dayton Daily News
INDIANAPOLIS | Ten notes, quotes and billy goats from the NFL combine:
1. Most impressive: N.C. State DE Mario Williams wins the award in a close call over Southern Cal TB Reggie Bush. Although Bush is "cut like Charles Atlas," according to NFL consultant Gil Brandt, Williams (6-7, 295) is a bronze god who fills doorways with his awesome physique.
2. Most interesting: Boise State OT Daryn Colledge hails from North Pole, Alaska (Pop: 1,600) — 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks and 1,750 miles from the actual North Pole. Only nine native Alaskans have played in the NFL since 1970, including safety Reggie Tongue (Raiders) and DE Travis Hall (49ers) in 2005.
"I'm an outdoors guy," Colledge said. "I snowboard, ski, mountain climb, ice climb, rock climb, all that stuff."
He also played five sports (wrestling, basketball, baseball, football and shot put in track). He started off as a wrestler and shifted to hoops.
3. Most engaging: Memphis TB DeAngelo Williams had reporters laughing.
"A lot of people tell me (the NFL) changes your lifestyle," he said. "But I'm a very conservative person. I'll still continue to eat at Wendy's, Burger King and McDonald's. It's not an endorsement. It's just the way I eat."
4. Most versatile: Colorado TE Joe Klopfenstein. He played quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver and linebacker in high school.
5. Strongest man: Ohio State DE Mike Kudla unleashed 45 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press.
"I'm glad he tied the (combine) record," teammate A.J. Hawk said. "Forty-five is a bad day for Kudla. He'll probably break that at pro day (March 9)."
6. Tiny dancers: The draft is loaded with small, explosive, wideouts such as Santonio Holmes (5-10½, 198), Sinorice Moss (5-8, 185) and Skyler Green (5-9, 197).
"It's not even an issue about your size," Moss said. "If you can play football, and you have the heart to go out and make plays, size doesn't matter."
7. Hottest rumor: That Texas QB Vince Young bombed his Wonderlic test, scoring a 6. Combine officials said the score was wrong. ESPN.com's John Clayton reported that Young scored a 16 on his second try, according to agent Major Adams, and is expected to take it again.
8. Saliva test: Browns coach Romeo Crennel was drooling over Hawk.
"(Ohio State) coach (Jim) Tressel was telling me he has a center, a wide receiver, some DBs and a lot of good players," Crennel said. "But this guy's a playmaker. He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball. He's got some size, some speed, some production. I like all of those things."
9. Most hungry: Andy Wellendorf, a 6-5, 217-pound wide receiver from The College of Mount St. Joseph, wasn't invited to the combine. But he showed up anyway. His promenade at the Indiana Convention Center worked because he got to meet head coaches Jon Gruden (Bucs), Art Shell (Raiders) and Bill Parcells (Cowboys). With 4.56 speed and a 37-inch vertical, Wellendorf has a little bit of Joe Jurevicius in him.
10. All-name team: Virginia OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Texas A&M special teamer Boone Stutz, Washington OT Joe Toledo, Virginia TB Wali Lundy, Brigham Young FB Naufahu Tahi, Georgia Tech WR Damarius Bilbo, UCLA TE Marcedes Lewis, Oregon State DT Sir Henry Anderson, Southern Cal DE Frostee Rucker, Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil and Stanford DT Babatunde Oshinowo are my favorites.
nice to see him going out of his way to get his name out there.
By Chick Ludwig
Dayton Daily News
INDIANAPOLIS | Ten notes, quotes and billy goats from the NFL combine:
1. Most impressive: N.C. State DE Mario Williams wins the award in a close call over Southern Cal TB Reggie Bush. Although Bush is "cut like Charles Atlas," according to NFL consultant Gil Brandt, Williams (6-7, 295) is a bronze god who fills doorways with his awesome physique.
2. Most interesting: Boise State OT Daryn Colledge hails from North Pole, Alaska (Pop: 1,600) — 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks and 1,750 miles from the actual North Pole. Only nine native Alaskans have played in the NFL since 1970, including safety Reggie Tongue (Raiders) and DE Travis Hall (49ers) in 2005.
"I'm an outdoors guy," Colledge said. "I snowboard, ski, mountain climb, ice climb, rock climb, all that stuff."
He also played five sports (wrestling, basketball, baseball, football and shot put in track). He started off as a wrestler and shifted to hoops.
3. Most engaging: Memphis TB DeAngelo Williams had reporters laughing.
"A lot of people tell me (the NFL) changes your lifestyle," he said. "But I'm a very conservative person. I'll still continue to eat at Wendy's, Burger King and McDonald's. It's not an endorsement. It's just the way I eat."
4. Most versatile: Colorado TE Joe Klopfenstein. He played quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver and linebacker in high school.
5. Strongest man: Ohio State DE Mike Kudla unleashed 45 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press.
"I'm glad he tied the (combine) record," teammate A.J. Hawk said. "Forty-five is a bad day for Kudla. He'll probably break that at pro day (March 9)."
6. Tiny dancers: The draft is loaded with small, explosive, wideouts such as Santonio Holmes (5-10½, 198), Sinorice Moss (5-8, 185) and Skyler Green (5-9, 197).
"It's not even an issue about your size," Moss said. "If you can play football, and you have the heart to go out and make plays, size doesn't matter."
7. Hottest rumor: That Texas QB Vince Young bombed his Wonderlic test, scoring a 6. Combine officials said the score was wrong. ESPN.com's John Clayton reported that Young scored a 16 on his second try, according to agent Major Adams, and is expected to take it again.
8. Saliva test: Browns coach Romeo Crennel was drooling over Hawk.
"(Ohio State) coach (Jim) Tressel was telling me he has a center, a wide receiver, some DBs and a lot of good players," Crennel said. "But this guy's a playmaker. He runs all over the place, and he runs to the ball. He's got some size, some speed, some production. I like all of those things."
9. Most hungry: Andy Wellendorf, a 6-5, 217-pound wide receiver from The College of Mount St. Joseph, wasn't invited to the combine. But he showed up anyway. His promenade at the Indiana Convention Center worked because he got to meet head coaches Jon Gruden (Bucs), Art Shell (Raiders) and Bill Parcells (Cowboys). With 4.56 speed and a 37-inch vertical, Wellendorf has a little bit of Joe Jurevicius in him.
10. All-name team: Virginia OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Texas A&M special teamer Boone Stutz, Washington OT Joe Toledo, Virginia TB Wali Lundy, Brigham Young FB Naufahu Tahi, Georgia Tech WR Damarius Bilbo, UCLA TE Marcedes Lewis, Oregon State DT Sir Henry Anderson, Southern Cal DE Frostee Rucker, Louisville DE Elvis Dumervil and Stanford DT Babatunde Oshinowo are my favorites.
nice to see him going out of his way to get his name out there.