INDIANAPOLIS -- Quarterback Ryan Mallett (out of Arkansas) credited former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino for his development, but did not address accusations of illegal drug-use Saturday at the NFL scouting combine.
"I'm not going to talk about that right now," Mallett said when asked about his alleged drug use. "I have the interviews with the teams, and I'll let them know what they need to know. I'm going to leave it at that."
However, he enjoyed his time under Petrino, who coached the Falcons in 2007, but quit after the 13th game of the season to become the coach at Arkansas.
"I learned a lot of from him," Mallett said. "It helped me get to this point. I have the utmost respect for him."
Mallett plans to participate in all of the drills.
"I look forward to competing with the guys at the top of the game right now," Mallett said. "I'm trying to be like Tom [Brady] and Peyton [Manning]. That is something that I strive for. I watch the way they play the game. They try to control the game at the line of scrimmage, and that's what I try to do."
Mallett has drawn some comparisons to former San Diego quarterback Ryan Leaf, who failed in the NFL after being the second player taken in the 1998 draft.
"I'm a great person," Mallett said. "Hopefully they'll ask the coaches and the people that I've worked with before. If you want to know about my character, you can ask them and they'll tell you."
Mallett noted that he passed for more than 7,000 yards and 60 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He also stated that he can throw the ball 80 yards.
Bailey meets with Falcons
Defensive end Allen Bailey (Miami), from McIntosh County Academy, interviewed with the Falcons, along with the Browns, the Chargers and Tampa Bay.
He felt that his interview with the Falcons went well. He said he had earlier interviewed with the Falcons at the Senior Bowl.
Bailey said he considers stopping the run to be the strength of his game.
"I'm willing to work on the things I need to correct," said Bailey, who was measured at 6-foot-3, 285 pounds, had a wingspan of 82 1/2 inches and size 10 1/2 hands.
Another Matthews
Linebacker Casey Matthews (Oregon) is the brother of Green Bay outside linebacker Clay Matthews, but plays inside linebacker.
"I'd definitely like to play with Clay, but you don't know how people will perceive it," Matthews said.
Casey Matthews, the 161st-rated player and a projected fifth-round pick by nfldraftscout.com, compared his style of play with his brother's this way: "Clay is more of an explosive athlete. I'm more instinctive."
Casey Matthews attended this year's Super Bowl and shared the moment with his brother.
"It was fun to experience," Matthews said. "It was a special moment for the Matthews family."
Casey and Clay are sons of former Falcons linebacker Clay Matthews Jr., who played with the Falcons from 1994-96.
"He's a tough kid," Cleveland general manager Tom Heckert said. "He's got a chance to be a good football player."
Bowers is hurt
Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers (Clemson) is considered the top defensive end in the draft.
He will not work out here because he recently had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. He suffered the injury in a game against N.C. State in October, but played out the season with the injury.
Bowers, who had 15 1/2 sacks last season, plans to be ready to work out at Clemson's pro day March 10.
Bowers, who is 6-4, 275, said the top offensive tackles he faced in college were Alabama's Andre Smith (who has played the past two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals) and Auburn's Lee Ziemba.
"He had great feet and big arms," Bowers said of Smith. "He was a hassle."
Austin confesses
Defensive tackle Marvin Austin (North Carolina), the eighth-rated defensive tackle in the draft by nfldraftscout.com, the was suspended last season by the NCAA for some transactions with agents.
"I got ahead of myself," Austin said.
He said he was suspended for taking two trips to California and two trips to Miami.
"I received extra benefits," Austin said.
Etc.
Noel Devine, a speedy and compact running back out of West Virginia, interviewed with the Falcons. ... Tight end Weslye Saunders (South Carolina) aggravated a broken bone in his foot and had to withdraw from the combine. He's a projected sixth-round pick by nfldraftscout.com. ... Quarterback Cam Newton (Auburn), of Westlake High, read a prepared statement addressing his desire to be an "entertainer" and an "icon." He did well in the rest of his interview as he addressed questions about his father, NCAA allegations and his issues about whether he stole a laptop at Florida. "I made mistakes," Newton said.
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