Projected number one pick defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey will not work out at the Combine. He has a Pro Day scheduled at LSU on March 26. Dorsey has gotten behind in his workouts and through his agent, said it was in his best interest to wait few weeks before showcasing his talents.
Offensive tackle Jake Long, who is expected to be a top five pick in this years NFL Draft, weighed in at 6’7, 313 lbs. and is rumored to have less than 15% body fat (almost unheard of when talking about offensive linemen). During workouts he bench pressed 225 pounds 37 times, and put up a respectable 5.17 in the 40-yard dash.
The top rated quarterback at the 2008 Combine is Matt Ryan, who measured in at 6’5 and 228 pounds. He announced that he plans to run but will sit out of the positional drills and save his throwing for his Pro Day on March 18.
On Friday representatives for the Falcons, Chiefs, and Raiders met at the RCA Dome to finalize the draft order for this April’s NFL Draft. The Falcons rep called tails and won the right to select third. The Raiders lost the toss and will pick in the fourth, the Chiefs will pick fifth. Had the Raiders won the toss, the Falcons and Chiefs would have held a second coin flip for fourth place.
Tight ends at the top of General Manager’s Draft boards may have changed on Saturday. Fred Davis and John Carlson went into the 2008 Combines as the consensus top two at the position, but Davis didn’t run because of injuries suffered at the Senior Bowl and Carlson turned in a unofficial 4.89 40. Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Brad Cottam weighed in at 6’7 ½, 270 pounds and came out with a 4.63 40 and a 33 inch vertical. The top run blocking tight end Craig Stevens weighed in at 6’3 ¼ and 254 pounds, and ran a 4.59 40, which should help his stock rise.
Michigan WR “Super Mario” Manningham, considered the best deep threat of the draft, posted a shocking 4.59 in the 40-yard dash. Manningham was expected to come in under 4.40. He may have disappointed those going to the RCA Dome for the speed show that the Draft Combines normally bring, but those same people got their fix elsewhere. Arkansas RB Darren McFadden clocked in 4.33, but East Carolina’s Chris Johnson didn’t want to be out done so he ran the 40 in 4.24 seconds. Other attendees at the 2008 NFL Draft Combines that turn in sub 4.50 forties include:
Anthony Alridge (RB, Houston) 4.36
Jamaal Charles (RB, Texas) 4.38
Chad Simpson (RB, Morgan State) 4.42
DeSean Jackson (WR, California) 4.35
Andre Caldwell (WR, Florida) 4.37
Will Franklin (WR, Missouri) 4.37
Dexter Jackson (WR, Appalachian State) 4.37
Eddie Royal (WR, Virginia Tech) 4.39
Devin Thomas (WR, Michigan State) 4.40
Arman Shields (WR, Richmond) 4.44
Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois) 4.45
Matthew Forte (RB, Tulane) 4.46
Felix Jones (RB, Arkansas) 4.47
Jalen Parmele (RB, Toledo) 4.47
Jonathan Stewart (RB, Oregon) 4.48
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Bernie Marshall