Gators at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine – Day 3

By Adam Silverstein
February 26, 2010

ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will be covering the 10 former Florida Gators players who have been officially invited to participate in the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine (National Invitational Camp) in Indianapolis, IN, at Lucas Oil Stadium each day.

Day three of the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine featured the arrival of Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow and wide receivers Riley Cooper and Brandon James. Each was measured, completed exams, met with the media, underwent psychological tests and continued their team interviews. All three players arrived Thursday for registration, pre-exams, x-rays, orientation and the first round of interviews.

Tebow, Cooper and James, who will remain on the same schedule throughout the week, have a meeting with the NFLPA on Saturday along with more psychological tests and interviews. Sunday, they will complete the combine workout (timing, stations, skill drills).

Quarterback Tim Tebow (Group 05, QB19)
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 236 lbs.
Arm Length: 31 3/4 in.
Hand Size: 10 1/8 in.

Pre-Combine Overview: Probably the best college quarterback of all-time, Tebow comes into the combine with questions about his mechanics and ability to succeed in the NFL. He has undergone extensive work to change his throwing motion and footwork and has chosen not to throw over the weekend (though he will compete in other drills and exercises). Tebow has a strong arm, is quick in and out of the pocket and has a great football mind.
Strengths: Size, speed, athleticism, intelligence, competitive, productive, high-character
Weaknesses: Accuracy, release, mechanics

Wide receiver Riley Cooper (Group 04, WO12)
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 222 lbs.
Arm Length: 32 5/8 in.
Hand Size: 10 3/8 in.

Pre-Combine Overview: The top receiver on the Gators in 2009, Cooper was Tebow’s favorite target and wowed scouts with his size and skills at the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl. Has work to do in order to be an NFL WR, but scouts believe he has the capability of being molded to fit a system.
Strengths: Size, strength, athleticism, leaping ability, hands, intelligence, high-character
Weaknesses: Speed, explosion, separation, blocking

Wide receiver Brandon James (Group 04, WO19)
Height: 5’6″
Weight: 176 lbs.
Arm Length: 29 3/4 in.
Hand Size: 8 3/4 in.

Pre-Combine Overview: Excelling as a return specialist at Florida, James also played a little running back and wide receiver but is at a disadvantage because of his size. He has numerous qualities that may allow him to continue returning on the professional level.
Strengths: Speed, acceleration, vision, judgment, body control, elusiveness
Weaknesses: Height, strength, unpolished

Touching down in Indianapolis, IN, Friday were linebacker Brandon Spikes (Group 09, LB30) and defensive ends Carlos Dunlap (Group 07, DL13) and Jermaine Cunningham (Group 07, DL09). Cornerback Joe Haden (Group 10, DB20) and safety Major Wright (Group 11, DB58) will check in at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

Read about each player’s day-to-day schedule in Indianapolis after the jump!

The event, which will run for six days from Feb. 24 to March 2, consists of more than 300 players being put through a series of drills, tests and interviews while more than 600 NFL personnel in attendance including coaching staffs, executives, player personnel and medical staff look on and evaluate each of them. It amounts to the final job interview these athletes will participate in before the 2010 NFL Draft commences on April 22.

Schedule:
Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-ray, Orientation, Interviews
Wednesday – Groups 1-3; Thursday – Groups 4-6
Friday – Groups 7-9; Saturday – Groups 10, 11

Measurements, Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Thursday – Groups 1-3; Friday – Groups 4-6
Saturday – Groups 7-9; Sunday – Groups 10, 11

NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Friday – Groups 1-3; Saturday – Groups 4-6
Sunday – Groups 7-9; Monday – Groups 10,11

Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure
Saturday – Groups 1-3; Sunday – Groups 4-6
Monday – Groups 7-9; Tuesday – Groups 10, 11

Gators at the 2010 NFL Combine – Days 6, 7
Gators at the 2010 NFL Combine – Day 5
Gators at the 2010 NFL Combine – Day 4
Gators at the 2010 NFL Combine – Day 2

15 Comments

  1. Joe says:

    Adam, who wrote the player summaries? How is Cooper’s weakness considered to be his blocking and speed? Explosiveness, yes, but blocking and speed. I must have seen a different Riley Cooper this season.

  2. I did, but they are not my opinion. They are the widely-held opinions of scouts. However, I don’t totally disagree. He is quick but is a long strider and has to build speed up. He doesn’t have breakaway speed and does not get great separation off of the line.

  3. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    I think scouts have probably underestimated his speed because he runs faster than it looks because of that long stride….remember Cooper just said they had him listed as a 4.5 guy and he said something to the affect he is going to lay down a better time cause he’s no 4.5 guy

  4. If he can beat a 4.5, the speed concern will certainly be removed by scouts. As I indicated, those are pre-combine summaries, strengths and weaknesses.

  5. Mark01 says:

    Aversive Racism in action. They think Riley Cooper is “slower” because he is white.

    In the words of Chris Rainey. That white boy fast.

  6. Mr2Bits says:

    I’m going to have to agree with Joe. Copper is by far one of the best blocking wr I have seen in quite some time let alone this draft. If they think Dez is better at blocking they are wrong.

    Go back to his film and you can see time after time him being the key to opening up the field. I also cannot state how many times announcers have commented on his blocking ability and how he is the best they have seen as well.

    I really need to become a scout or analyst as this seems to be the only profession to be 90 percent wrong every year and still make the big bucks.

  7. Oldflyer says:

    Of course he was blocking college defensive backs. They were SEC defensive backs.

  8. HotandBothered says:

    Quarterback Tim Tebow
    Hand Size: 10 1/8 in.

    HOLY SMOKES, you know what they say about big hands……..big gloves. Tebow has Pouncey beat by almost an inch. Guess the old saying once you go black you never go back is just wrong with old Timmy driving.

  9. Here are quotes from numerous scouts/evaluators on Cooper’s speed:

    “takes too long to reach top-end speed”
    “not going to make defenders miss”
    “isn’t going to pick up a lot of yards after contact”
    “adequate speed”
    “doesn’t show great burst”
    “difficult time getting open downfield”
    “appears faster on film than timed speed indicates”
    “builds speed but is not explosive off the line”

  10. brlgator says:

    I agree. I almost fell out of my chair at work when I saw a “weakness” of coopers was his blocking. Normally when theres a guy his size(6’3 225 lb) and he has the rep as a bad blocker its because of a lack of effort. No way is cooper lacking in effort so I cant beleive that a weakness of his blocking. As a dolphins fan I contend that if he were on our team he d be the best blocking wr we have. no doubt

  11. brlgator: “As a dolphins fan I contend that if he were on our team he d be the best blocking wr we have. no doubt”

    Now THAT is the truth.

  12. Joe says:

    Hartline a close 2nd. He’s a pretty tough cookie!

  13. vsherrel says:

    Adam,
    Maybe Im behind the curve here, but have you seen reports that Tebow will not do ANY athletic drills at the combine?

  14. Joe – good call.

    vsherrel – Yes. A Jacksonville newspaper wrote about it and we tweeted it initially. However, Tebow snuffed those rumors out last night on NFL Network at 7 p.m. A few posts down you can see a video of what he said – that he will do all of the athletic drills except for throwing.

Leave a Reply to Joe Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Top
WordPress Appliance - Powered by TurnKey Linux