DEL.ICIO.USCOLLEGE FOOTBALL: GEORGIA
Knowshon Moreno ready to dazzle scouts at NFL combine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Indianapolis — Former Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno is receiving the rock-star treatment at the NFL scouting combine.
As Moreno walked from Lucas Oil Stadium to his hotel, autograph seekers braving the cold winds surrounded him. He was pleasant and signed all of the autographs.
Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com
Former Georgia running back Knowhson Moreno will get his chance to impress NFL scouts at the combine this weekend in Indianapolis.
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It seems that just about everyone in the football world has seen his leap over the poor Central Michigan defender on a thrilling 29-yard run last season.
“It’s been what I’ve expected, but not to this magnitude,” Moreno said. “It’s just now starting. I believe it’s going to get crazier. But I’m enjoying it.”
Moreno, who left Georgia after his redshirt sophomore season for family and financial reasons, is considered one of the top running backs in the draft along with Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells.
“His lateral quickness and explosion is amazing,” said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. “What separates him for me — I’ve seen a lot of quick running backs, but I haven’t seen a guy in the last 10 years who finishes every run the way he does.”
A defensive back in high school, Moreno, who measured 5-feet-10-1/2 and 217 pounds at the combine, learned that it’s better to give hits than to receive them.
“You have to deliver the blow,” he said.
Also, he has studied his favorite running back, former Chicago Bears great Walter Payton, who rarely ran out of bounds or shied away from contact.
“There are a lot of great running backs in the NFL right now,” Moreno said. “I really love the way Adrian Peterson runs. I also like LaDainian Tomlinson. But my favorite running back is Walter Payton.”
Moreno said he would watch film of Payton and read his autobiography, “Never Die Easy.” “That’s when I fell in love with him,” he said.
Moreno acknowledges that some of his improvisational moves in the open field befuddled even himself.
“That’s just all instincts,” he said. “When you look back you can’t believe some of it.”
He prepared for the combine by working out with former Olympian and world-record holder Michael Johnson near Dallas, Texas.
“I’ve been working out there for three weeks actually,” Moreno said. “I’ve been doing drills for the 40 [yard dash] and lifting weights.”
Working with Johnson, Moreno has shaved three-tenths of a second off his time in the 40, he said, by working on his starts and transitions. He is scheduled to run the 40-yard dash at the combine Sunday.
NFL teams also want to see Moreno catch passes to determine if he can be a third-down weapon.
“At Georgia, I was in the slot quite a bit,” he said. “Quite a bit also catching the ball out of the backfield. I’m used to being out there, but I have to still work on it though.”
Learning to block effectively will be important for Moreno, who must pick up blitzing linebackers or defensive ends.
“I think I did a good job blocking last year,” he said. “At the same [time], I still want to work on that. I want to work on my route running and reading defenses. But I think I did a decent job of blocking last year.”
Moreno doesn’t seem to mind if Wells is drafted ahead of him.
“It’s not really important, but at the same time it depends on what the team wants,” he said. “I’ll be happy to go anywhere. They’ll be getting a great person. An accountable guy. I will be ready to participate and compete.”
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