Put it in the bank: Mohamed Sanu

NBT · #1 02-17-2012, 02:34 PM

You put on pads to block and tackle, right? Isn't there a league rule against that until they are signed?

I don't see the big deal. They will show in their dexterity, foot speed, bending ability, route running, etc., what they are capable of doing, so what the hell would be the benefit of putting them in pads?

WMH · #2 02-17-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBT

You put on pads to block and tackle, right? Isn't there a league rule against that until they are signed?

I don't see the big deal. They will show in their dexterity, foot speed, bending ability, route running, etc., what they are capable of doing, so what the hell would be the benefit of putting them in pads?

What's the benefit of them running in shorts and T-shirts for 40 yards in a straight line? IMO, not much, yet these kids are absolutely scrutinzed for the difference between a 4.49 and a 4.50 forty.

Some of the other drills make perfect sense, but I've never understood the whole 40 thing. Do we need to know how fast he is....absolutely. Can you tell me the difference between a "4.4" and a "4.5" guy? Doubtful. And when will they run in a straight line for 40 yards?

But, that's the way its always been......

Just an amusing observation to me.

chuck · #3 02-17-2012, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WMH

What's the benefit of them running in shorts and T-shirts for 40 yards in a straight line? IMO, not much, yet these kids are absolutely scrutinzed for the difference between a 4.49 and a 4.50 forty.

Some of the other drills make perfect sense, but I've never understood the whole 40 thing. Do we need to know how fast he is....absolutely. Can you tell me the difference between a "4.4" and a "4.5" guy? Doubtful. And when will they run in a straight line for 40 yards?

But, that's the way its always been......

Just an amusing observation to me.

I think that websites, ESPN, fantasy players and armchair GMs get worked up over stats that you and I agree are not terribly meaningful in an isolated context. I suspect that most teams care less about whether a guy is 4.44 or 4.49 and more about some of the more esoteric measurements or, more probably, certain combinations of measurements. I'm thinking specifically of the Texans and Ben Tate. The Texans liked him in part because of some combination of measurements - I believe he was the fastest back per pound, something like that.

barrett · #4 02-17-2012, 05:04 PM

Guys come from well over 100+ schools every year just in D1 alone. They play wildly different schedules and competition levels. They also have unknown practice habits and attitudes that NFL teams can only guess at.

The combine puts them all on an even playing field for comparison's sake. Every team probably weighs it differently, but it is a useful tool to be able to tell if a guy is actually fast or just looked fast playing against Memphis or some other terrible team.

But to me the biggest thing the combine shows is professionalism. They are performing for future pay, just like they do in the NFL, and you get to see if they know how to train, prepare, and perform (in a basically non-football setting). If a guy is out of shape and unprepared at the combine he probably lacks the professionalism to be in-shape, prepared, and healthy in the NFL environment.

HPF Bob · #5 02-17-2012, 08:37 PM

Good points. I think the Combine is a good place to see everyone on somewhat equal footing but I also suspect teams have become so sophisticated at this that they try not to give away who they are really interested in so you never are sure who's being sincere and who's not - sort of like speed dating.

NBT · #6 02-19-2012, 04:07 PM

I feel the drills help to establish a pecking order for scouts and GM's to populate their draft boards. So for that reason, I suppose that is the rationale for the 40, and all the other drills.

Nconroe · #7 02-27-2012, 07:38 PM

Sanu had a disappointing slow 4.65 in 40 .

nunusguy · #8 02-28-2012, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NBT

I suppose that is the rationale for the 40

There's a downfield sprint that occurs repeatedly in NFL games, and that's WRs going full-tilt on fly-patterns and other deep routes with corners in hot pursuit.
So for those 2 positions, 40 times have real relevance, other wise not so much.

barrett · #9 02-28-2012, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nunusguy

There's a downfield sprint that occurs repeatedly in NFL games, and that's WRs going full-tilt on fly-patterns and other deep routes with corners in hot pursuit.
So for those 2 positions, 40 times have real relevance, other wise not so much.

Guys who are fast running 40 yards are generally fast. Guys who are slow running 40 yards are generally slow. So it has a little more relevance than fly routes. Especially for a guy from a bad team in a mediocre conference who did not play against great DBs.

HPF Bob · #10 02-28-2012, 10:35 AM

Jerry Rice had a slow 40 time. That and being from a small college is how he fell all the way to the 49ers.

barrett · #11 02-28-2012, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Jerry Rice had a slow 40 time. That and being from a small college is how he fell all the way to the 49ers.

Clearly that was a miss.

But there are about 1000 guys who were slow who didn't pan out. Film study should be the first concern, but if Sanu doesn't play very fast on film (and I'm not sure) then his competition and his 40 are huge concerns. Good hands, good size, good blocker, but slow sounds like Kevin Walter more than a 1st round pick.