Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
The 2011 NFL draft is several months away but there's still plenty going on with the NFL Combine just a couple of weeks away. Here are a few NFL draft stories to start the day involving TE Kyle Rudolph, QB Jake Locker, boycotting the NFL Combine and QB Cam Newton comparisons.
-Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph won't work out at the NFL Combine. Rudolph suffered a hamstring tear last season and missed the final seven games, so there's a level of unknown with him. Even so, he's the best tight end in the class and won't be able to work out at the NFL Combine. As Mocking The Draft points out, that's a little like Jermaine Greshman who suffered an injury his senior year but the difference is that he was able to work out at the Combine and put on a show. Rudolph won't be able to do that.
-QB Jake Locker working out with former Carson Palmer and Matt Cassel tutor. Tony Pauline passes along an interesting tidbit on QB Jake Locker: he's working out with former All-Pro QB Ken O'Brien, who has also worked with Palmer and Cassel. It's no surprise then that O'Brian calls Locker's recent workouts as "lights out".
-Boycott on NFL Combine is unrealistic and won't be happening. The NFLPA has said they're not organizing a NFL Combine protest as some have suggested. Technically, rookies aren't in the union yet so it wouldn't make much sense for the union to do that. Plus, missing your first real "job interview" isn't the best way to enter the NFL and I'm sure all parties realize that. I understand the gesture they would make relating to the NFL's and the Player's labor deal, but it's not happening.
-A popular comparison for QB Cam Newton is QB Ben Roethlisberger. Here's what George Whitfield, the man preparing Newton had to say about that: "Physically, and style-wise, they're giants. Ben's over 6-foot-5, Cam's 6-6, they're both 250, they're both agile, both can play off the script. Cam can make an awful lot of throws, just like Ben. They're both as comfortable out of the pocket as they are in it.
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I don't really understand
what a boycott of the combine would accomplish anyway. Either there’s a lockout, or there isn’t. Even if they did boycott the combine (which as you said would be stupid because they’re not even in the union), there’s still gonna be a draft. The combine is most useful in evaluating later round talent than first or second rounders. So the people that would be hurt would be the marginal guys.
by Mark Mandingo on Feb 17, 2011 10:44 AM EST reply actions
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