The Florida Gators will host Pro Scout Day for football players who have decided to enter the 2010 NFL Draft on Wed., March 17 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

More than 15 players – including quarterback Tim Tebow, linebacker Brandon Spikes, cornerback Joe Haden, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, center Maurkice Pouncey and tight end Aaron Hernandez – are scheduled to work out as representatives from every NFL team will be on hand for evaluation purposes.

The Swamp will be open beginning at 8:30 a.m., though the on-field portion of the event will not begin until 10 a.m. Fans will be allowed to enter via Gate 2.

As speculated by OGGOA, restrooms and concession stands will be open. Video cameras, food/drink containers, bottles, cans and a variety of other items are prohibited.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Draft, Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, NFL, The Swamp, Tim Tebow

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow scored a 22 on his Wonderlic exam at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, according to Edgar Thompson of the Palm Beach Post. By comparison, the average for a NFL QB is 24. Former Miami Dolphins QB and Hall of Famer Dan Marino posted a 13; Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick scored a 48. OGGOA sees no need to expand further on this revelation.

2 » ESPN NFL Draft analysts and talking head Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay released their latest mock drafts Wednesday, and two former Gators continue to appear as potential first-round selections. McShay believes cornerback Joe Haden will be selected No. 7 overall by the Cleveland Browns, while Kiper counters that he will go No. 13 to the San Francisco 49ers. However, Kiper has center Maurkice Pouncey being taken at No. 24 by the Philadelphia Eagles, while McShay has him lasting until the end of the first round – going No. 31 to the Indianapolis Colts.

3 » Florida freshman guard Kenny Boynton and sophomore point guard Erving Walker were both recognized by the Southeastern Conference Tuesday for their contributions on the court this season. However, junior forward Chandler Parsons was snubbed by the conference – not that he cares. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me,” Parsons told The Florida Times-Union. “I haven’t even seen them, didn’t even know. As long as my team keeps winning and we get to where we want to, no individual accolades are needed for me. I didn’t get many in high school. I don’t expect any here.”

4 » Updating an item reported late Wednesday, five-star basketball recruit Brandon Knight (Fort Lauderdale, FL) has decided to remove Miami (FL) from his top five and replace them with Syracuse. Knight is also considering Florida, Kentucky, Kansas and Connecticut and will likely decide in just over a month’s time.

Tags: Brandon Knight, Chandler Parsons, combine, Draft, Erving Walker, Joe Haden, Kenny Boynton, Maurkice Pouncey, NFL, SEC, Tim Tebow, Wonderlic

A stellar three-year college football career in the toughest conference in the country should be enough to convince NFL scouts, coaches and front office personnel that former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden will succeed as a professional. And it looked like it was enough, until Haden ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine about two weeks ago.

Ever since, Haden has been doing little but working on his 40 time, mostly because he is confident that he can do better – much better. His father, Joe Haden, Sr., told the Palm Beach Post Tuesday that Haden’s performance at the combine was not representative of his true speed. In fact, Haden, Sr. revealed that his son’s back tightened up as he has recently been dealing with lower back pain from working out and weight lifting.

“We had stopped doing some of the heavier lifting, but it just stiffened up on him, one of those things,” Haden, Sr. told the Post. “It’s just really affected him. I wish I had known, because I would have had him not even work out.”

Evaluators do not want to hear excuses. All they care about is improvement, and Haden plans to do just that at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17.

“The 40 is what time it is right now. That’s the big bang for the buck, that’s what the scouts want to see,” Haden, Sr. said. “He’s preparing very hard, very hard, to put it mildly. […] For Joe, all his life, (speed) has been his biggest strength. So for something to happen like that for him, I mean, Joe ran a 4.5 40 in the ninth grade. It was just something that was a blip.”

That blip happened twice in one day, injury or not. And Haden has fallen out of the top 10 on most team’s draft boards, according to various scouts and evaluators throughout the league. When a player falters at the combine or faces other adversity before the NFL Draft, it is usually his agent – not his father – stepping up to quiet those doubters and shout about the qualifications of his client.

That is where this gets even more interesting.

While quarterback Tim Tebow chose Jimmy Sexton, wide receiver Riley Cooper and center Maurkice Pouncey picked Joel Segal and defensive end Carlos Dunlap signed up with Todd France, Haden’s representation remains somewhat of a mystery.

An OGGOA source has confirmed that Haden is being represented by DSI Sports, specifically agent Malik Hafeez Shareef. Certified in Sept. 2007 by the NFL Players Association, Shareef does not have a client in the NFL and failed at placing his previous one (WR Brandon Whittington of Purdue) with a professional team last season. For the record, Whittington had 26 catches for 206 yards and one touchdown in two seasons with the Boilermakers and is not anywhere near the same caliber player as Haden, who will be drafted ahead of any other Florida player in 2010.

So who exactly is Shareef, and why did Haden choose him over more established agents who would have done their best to squash any concern over his “slow” 40 time? Is he simply a NFLPA-certified front man so Haden, Sr. can manage his son’s career?

Either way, an explanation is needed for the little-to-no damage control that was done on behalf of Haden after his sub-standard 40-yard dash became one of the biggest stories coming out of the combine.

Tags: Carlos Dunlap, combine, Draft, Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, NFL, Pro Day, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

One name not garnering much publicity as the 2010 NFL Draft approaches is former Florida Gators linebacker and defensive leader Brandon Spikes.

Hampered by a number of injuries (as well as a bruised reputation for an eye gouge) throughout the 2009 season, Spikes only participated in a few events at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, planning to do most of his testing at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17 and at individual workouts scheduled by various NFL teams.

Pro Football Talk is reporting that the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will all conduct private visits with Spikes in the coming weeks.

Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah told OGGOA before the combine that Spikes could be picked anywhere from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second. The Browns (especially) have a dire need at linebacker, and Spikes would fit well in a 3-4 defense reconstituted by new team czar Mike Holmgren.

Photo Credit: Tim Larson/Icon SMI

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Mike Holmgren, NFL, Pro Day, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Having already competed in the 2010 Senior Bowl and 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, there are only two things left on former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow’s plate before the 2010 NFL Draft: individual team interviews and Florida’s Pro Day on March 17.

Two NFL teams, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks, have already arranged individual workouts with Tebow after he works out for most of the NFL early next week, according to ESPN

Interestingly enough, the Bills and Seahawks combine to have five of the first 41 picks in the draft. Seattle has the No. 6 and No. 14 overall picks in the first round and the No. 38 selection (No. 6 in the second round), while Buffalo possesses the No. 9 and No. 41 overall picks.

Photo Credit: Jimmy DeFlippo/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Buffalo Bills, combine, Draft, NFL, Pro Day, Seattle Seahawks, Tim Tebow

Jon Gruden has been raving about former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow for almost two years. Thursday, the former NFL head coach had a chance to tutor the Heisman Trophy-winning signal caller one-on-one in Tampa, FL.

“I love quarterbacks, and today I had a blast,” Gruden told The Tampa Tribune. “How can you not root for Tim Tebow? He’s a courageous, competitive, play-making, undeniable force. I think he’s going to be a great success.”

The duo first worked on NFL defensive formations in Gruden’s office before heading out to Carrollwood Day School to throw some passes and work on mechanics. Tebow is in the middle of tweaking his throwing motion and delivery before competing his final work out at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17.

“It was wonderful,” Tebow said of the experience. “To be able to spend a day with Coach Gruden was a lot of fun. He’s got a passion and love for the game that’s unrivaled.”

The Tribune also reports that an ESPN camera crew was on-site to film the day’s activities for a one-hour special that will air a week before the 2010 NFL Draft.

Photo Credit: Cliff McBride

Tags: Draft, Heisman Trophy, Jon Gruden, Pro Day, Tim Tebow

1 » ESPN’s Bruce Feldman covered some of the most polarizing figures at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in his most recent Insider blog. Topping the list, of course, is former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. “Tebow Talk will dominate the draft coverage right through late April,” Feldman writes. “Is he an every-down QB? How will he do at his Pro-Day on March 17 since he’s worked hard to shorten his previously slow and long delivery? Did his fast shuttle times and impressive vertical jump (38.5 inches, tied for best ever by a QB) actually give more juice to the camp that says he’s best suited to be an H-back or a fullback?”

2 » Covering another side of the controversy surrounding former Gators cornerback Joe Haden’s 4.57-second 40-yard dash time is Yahoo! Sports’ Dr. Saturday blog, which points out that Haden was listed as running a 4.33 during his time with Florida. Calling the board “fake” and ludicrous, writer Matt Hinton does make a good point: Haden’s listed time is faster than any single player actually ran in last year’s combine.

Two more Florida Gators football recruiting BITS are available after the break!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Tebow; 40s; recruits Driskel, Gosha

Tags: baseball, combine, Draft, Jeff Driskel, Joe Haden, Kevin O’Sullivan, Lonnie Gosha, NFL, Scot Loeffler, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer