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DEL.ICIO.USCombine Report: Wheeler ready for workout; Falcons, Long meet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Indianapolis — Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler can’t wait to run his 40-yard dash.
“A lot of coaches think I run a little bit slower than I actually do,” Wheeler said. “I think I’m faster than what they think.”
Wheeler was measured at 6-foot-1 3/4 and weighs 248 pounds. He played inside and outside linebacker in college.
“I think my versatility will allow me to play with just about any team,” Wheeler said. “I think I’m pretty quick and I’ve gotten a little bit bigger since the end of the season.”
Wheeler was one of the stars of the Senior Bowl, where he was coached by San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach Micheal Singletary.
“I was honored to be coached for a week by him,” Wheeler said. “I think he is a great coach.”
Wheeler is projected as a second- or third-round pick. He had an interview with the 49ers on Friday night. He has 11 interviews set up for Saturday night.
LONG, FALCONS MEET
Virginia defensive lineman Chris Long, possibly the top player available in April’s NFL draft, has met with the Atlanta Falcons.
“I met with a couple of their assistant coaches and the defensive coordinator [Brian VanGorder],” Long said on Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “They really seemed like they are on a mission to get something started.”
It’s doubful that Long, the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, will slip past Miami and St. Louis, the teams with the top two picks in the draft. But if he does, the Falcons will have a chance to improve their defensive line with the No. 3 selection.
Billy Devaney, St. Louis’ executive vice president of player personnel, compares Chris Long to former Falcons and Virginia standout Patrick Kerney for his “high motor.”
“My dad taught me to work hard,” Long said. “If that’s going 100 miles an hour and working hard, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Long, was measured at 6 feet 3, 272 pounds, suffered a sprained thumb in the Cavaliers’ bowl game. He will participate in the full workout here except for the bench press.
Boston College’s Gosder Cherilus, a offensive tackle with a mean streak, has also met with the Falcons. He has a second-round grade.
With the Falcons intent on rebuilding their offensive and defensive lines, Long and Cherilus are players to track.
MULARKEY OFFENSE ‘A LOT OF FUN’
Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt, the former Georgia Tech and Falcons player, is quite familiar with new Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.
They coached together in Pittsburgh, and Whisenhunt took over as offensive coordinator in 2004 when Mularkey left to become Buffalo’s head coach.
“You’ll have an multiple-set offense, with a lot of formations and shifts,” Whisenhunt told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “They’ll run a power-based offense. He’ll mix in the pass and take some shots down the field.”
Pittsburgh is where Mularkey developed his “Inspector Gadget” reputation for his penchant of the well-timed trick plays.
“Some of the things we did gadget-wise came from a bunch of guys sitting in a room having fun coming up with ideas,” Whisenhunt said. “We were trying to put some of players in good positions to make plays. It was a lot of fun because we had a number of different individuals who had good ideas to come up with those plays.”
But the root of the attack was led by a strong rushing attack powered by Jerome “The Bus” Bettis.
“He always called it kind of an exotic smash-mouth football,” Whisenhunt said. “That’s what he wanted. He wanted never to lose the roots of being a physical offense.”
‘RED FLAGS’ ABOUT MCFADDEN
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese kicked off things Saturday at the combine, sharing his secrets of the team’s successful draft in 2007 that helped catapult the underdogs into Super Bowl champions.
But the buzz going into the day was still on how Arkansas running back Darren McFadden cost himself millions with a porous interview.
He came off as indifferent about his character issues, including a club scene gone bad and a Maury Povich Show-style paternity suit issue.
Teams, including the Falcons at No. 3, will have to determine if McFadden is worth the risk. They can put in the LSU game tape and marvel at his talent. Or they can decide he’s a character risk and scratch him off the board.
“There have been some red flags with him,” said Billy Devaney, St. Louis’ executive vice president of player personnel.
BRIAN BROHM Q&A
Highlights of what Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm had to say during his session with the media:
Q: How does the college system you were in help you and hurt you?
A: I think the system I was in is going to help me tremendously to play in the NFL. Under [Former Falcons] Coach [Bobby] Petrino, it was pretty much the same type of system the New York Giants run. It’s where he got the offense when he was with Tom Coughlin out at the Jacksonville Jaguars. We were in that system for pretty much three years. Switched over to more accountable one back spread with zone running my last year. But just being able to adjust to new systems and being in a pro style system, I think is going to help me out a lot.
Q: Talk about possibly playing for Bill Parcells’ Dolphins. Have you talked to them yet?
A: I have spoken to them briefly. Obviously, it would be great to be on the Dolphins and play for the Dolphins but I am here to showcase my skill to all the teams and try to get my draft stock as high as possible.
Q: Is it important to you to be the first quarterback taken?
A: I think it is important as a competitor. You want to be the first guy from your position taken. You want to be taken as high as possible. That’s just what all competitors want but at the same time I can’t worry about what other guys are doing. Can’t worry about what they are going to be doing. Just got to go out there and worry about myself. Go out there and perform.
Q: There are always different opinions about the quality of positions each year and if it is a good year for quarterbacks or receivers. You hear mixed views of this group. How do you see your group representing?
A: I think we have a very deep quarterback class. I think there are a lot of good quarterbacks here. Guys who have had very successful careers in college. Guys who will probably translate well into the NFL. I think there is a good group here and good competition. I’m looking forward to the competition.
Q: Who is the best quarterback in this class?
A: That is a tough question. If you are going to ask me, I’m going to say it is me. There are a lot of opinions out there. I just need to go out and compete, get my stock up as high as I can and not worry about the other guys.
Q: What role did Coach Petrino play in your development?
A: Coach played a huge part in my development. He’s a tremendous Xs and Os coach. He’s a hard-nose, tough coach. We ran NFL-style offense. He geared things for the quarterback to be successful. He did a large part of coaching the quarterbacks. He really helped me out a lot to become a better player and take my game to the next level.
Q: What was your reaction when he went to Atlanta?
A: It was obviously a difficult situation for him. Maybe his style of coaching isn’t necessarily a perfect fit for the NFL and more of a better fit for college. But he wanted to give that a shot, you could tell he really did want to give it a shot and go to the NFL and see what he could do. But I guess that after the first 13 games, he had a change of heart and felt he was better suited at the college level.
Q: What are your impressions of [Boston College QB] Matt Ryan?
A: I’ve never seen a full game of his. From what I have seen, I think he is a great quarterback. It looks like he has a lot of poise, a lot of skill. Looks like he has good leadership qualities and his team follows him. He seems like a great quarterback. Just talked to him briefly and he seems like a great guy.
Q: Do you find yourself gauging yourself against him at all just because you are considered the two top guys here?
A: It’s hard for me to gauge him because I haven’t really watched any film of him or studied him that much. It’s hard to put in perspective.
MAYOCK RANKS THE PROSPECTS
A look at NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock’s top 20 prospects heading into the combine:
Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern Cal
Chris Long, DE, Virginia
Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
Vernon Golston, DE, Ohio State
Jake Long, OL, Michigan
Ryan Clady, OL, Boise State
Keith Rivers, LB, Southern Cal
Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Jeff Otah, OL, Pittsburgh
Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Chris Williams, OL, Vanderbilt
Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan
Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
Branden Albert, OL, Virginia
Mayock’s top prospects at each position:
Quarterback
Matt Ryan, Boston College
Chad Henne, Michigan
Brian Brohm, Louisville
Joe Flacco, Delaware
Andre Woodson, Kentucky
Running back
Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
Felix Jones, Arkansas
Chris Johnson, East Carolina
Fullback
Jacob Hester, LSU
Peyton Hillis, Arkansas
Owen Schmitt, West Virginia
Wide receiver
Mario Manningham, Michigan
Limas Sweed, Texas
DeSean Jackson, California
Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma
Early Doucet, LSU
Tight end
Fred Davis, Southern Cal
John Carlson, Notre Dame
Dustin Keller, Purdue
Jermichael Finley, Texas
Brad Cottam, Tennessee
Offensive tackle
Jake Long, Michigan
Ryan Clady, Boise State
Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
Interior offensive line
Branden Albert, Virginia
Chilo Rachal, Southern Cal
Roy Schuening, Oregon St.
Mike Pollak, Arizona State
Mackenzy Bernadeau, Bentley College
Defensive end
Chris Long, Virginia
Vernon Golston, Ohio State
Phillip Merling, Clemson
Derrick Harvey, Florida
Lawrence Jackson, Southern Cal
Defensive tackle
Sedrick Ellis, Southern Cal
Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina
Trevor Laws, Notre Dame
Letroy Guion, Florida State
Inside linebacker
Dan Connor, Penn State
Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma
Spencer Larsen, Arizona
Beau Bell, UNLV
Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Boston College
Outside linebacker
Keith Rivers, Southern Cal
Erin Henderson, Maryland
Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech
Tavares Gooden, Miami
Ali Highsmith, LSU
Cornerback
Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech
Aqib Talib, Kansas
Mike Jenkins, South Florida
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
Safety
DaJuan Morgan, N.C. State
Kenny Phillips, Miami
Thomas DeCoud, California
D.J. Wolfe, Oklahoma
Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Scouting combine
Comments
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By Morris Hames
February 23, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
The Falcon’s wrote the book on character issues. Next candidate, please!!!
By Terry
February 23, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
Thanks AJC for the coverage. Look forward to what Coach Smith has to say. Hard to find live coverage of the combine on the Internet, and my cable doesn’t get NFL Network!
By Gram
February 23, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
The Falcons ought to think long and hard about that third pick. Good running back can be had in the mid rounds (see Jerious Norwood). If McFadden does in fact have issues, Atlanta will regret taking him down the road (see Michael Vick). Matt Ryan would be the logical pick IF he’s what the scouts say he is. This, though, is hard to project. Remember that Joey Harrington was a high first round pick. Looking into the future as far as what a quarterback can do is extremely difficult. It’s not all about height and arm strength. Tom Brady was picked in the sixth round. Who would be close to can’t miss? Either one of the Longs or Glenn Dorsey. It’s much easier to project what linemen will do based on past experience. And the Falcons can’t afford any more mistakes.
By Falfan
February 23, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
I second that!
By mustang100
February 23, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
Looks like Darren is slow realizing the NFL is getting weary of the Thug Pro image in its organization.
By Arizona Falcon Fan
February 23, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this
I think the Falcons should trade D. Hall to the Giants for their number one. Trade the number 3 overall to Dallas for their 2 number ones. That gives them 3 first round picks. What they need is more good players. They need to hit a home run with this draft and all the picks they have
By New England Southerner
February 23, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
If we draft Ryan I’m through with this team. I live in Boston and had the chance to watch him a few time in person this past season. He’s a great leader but he doesn’t have the arm strength needed in the NFL. The DB’s in the league would feast off of him. He deep ball is decent at best and he wouldn’t be able to get the ball to the receivers quick enough on out routes. If the Falcons select him it would be a huge mistake. Jake Long is the logical pick.
By PLEASE TRADE THE PICK
February 23, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
We need to work with Jerry Jones on trading up to take McFadden…we should trade the #3 and MeAngelo and get about 10-12 picks in this draft. Pay Boley what he is due and save the rest to sign all the draft picks. We can get instantly better in this draft by not taking a QB at 3…
By leftcoastfan
February 23, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
trade d hall to wash, sign assante samuel, draft Jake Long, draft chad henne, darft a DE, LB, safety, TE, and brandon coutu. nuff said.
dave
By Jimmy
February 23, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this
New England Southerner,
Thanks for the scouting report, but don’t you think if Ryan ends up being a top 5 draft pick that maybe he does have the arm strength?? I mean you don’t think pro scouts have been analyzing this guy through and through? If he plummets, ala Brady Quinn last year, THEN i’ll believe you when you say he doesn’t have the arm strenght.
By saint
February 23, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this
I see two great picks that I have watched a lot. John Carlson, TE, big guy, soft hands plays like Alge Crumpler. Trevor Laws, DT: Coleman redux. Fierce pass rusher, totally disrupts the play, terrific motor.
By Dawgs
February 23, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
you need the nfl network for combine coverage really.
I say try and pick up Either Long and if not TRADE the pick to Big D for their first round picks and a 2nd rounder next year (If I remember my draft pick value chart correctly)
3-4 players I would like to see us pick up
Henne or Flacco (sp?) Mendenhall or F.Jones Would love to have Hester too even though we do have Mahali or what ever. Wheeler in the 4th round if he falls far enough. Just pick up a butt load of line men outside of that.