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

1 » Though he has told the media and his players that he plans to return to the Florida Gators on March 17 for the beginning of spring practice, head coach Urban Meyer will not be speaking at a Gator Gathering in Jacksonville, FL, on April 21. Instead, interim head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will fill in. Over the last few years, Meyer made an exuberant number of Gator Gathering stops throughout the state of Florida during the offseason. Curtailing those appearances is a step in the right direction in limiting his travel and responsibilities. UPDATE: Addazio will also take Meyer’s place at the same event on April 30 in Atlanta, GA.

2 » In his latest Big Board, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. dropped former Gators cornerback Joe Haden seven spots from No. 5 to No. 12 overall. Kiper still lists Maurkice Pouncey, who he calls an “athletic, versatile interior lineman [who is] rising quickly,” at No. 18 – the top center/guard on his board.

Extra Bit » Reports have the Washington Redskins showing a strong level of interest in former Florida quarterback Rex Grossman. OGGOA will update.

Tags: Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, NFL, Rex Grossman, Steve Addazio, Urban Meyer, Washington Redskins

1 » In a Q&A session on Rivals Thursday, recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg addressed the Florida Gators’ needs at wide receiver by mentioning that five-star safety Jonathan Dowling (Bradenton, FL) has requested that the catch instead of defend passes while wearing the Orange and Blue. Dowling, assumed to be playing free safety, is listed as an athlete by many recruiting services, could find a spot in Florida’s receiving corps, though he should also see an opportunity to get some time on the field in the secondary.

2 » Though he was not focused on former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris praised the signal caller and believes there will be plenty of teams interested in his services. “Teams will be fired up to get him,” Morris told The Tampa Tribune. “He’s won at every level. His teammates love him. They’ll let you know they love him. [...] Those are the kind of guys you look for to involve in the character, leadership and also the winning of your football team.”

Two more BITS on Joe Haden and UF award-winners after the break!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Dowling to WR? SEC award winners

Tags: Bob Van Overbeek, Central District Invitational, combine, Freshman of the Week, golf, Golfer of the Week, Isabelle Lendl, Joe Haden, Jonathan Dowling, Kinderlou Forest Challenge, Lauren Embree, NFL, Raheem Morris, SEC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, tennis, Tim Tebow, University of Florida

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

1 » Former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden, unanimously considered the best player at his position available for the 2010 NFL Draft before the Scouting Combine, is being criticized by draftniks and supposedly sliding down boards because of his “slow” 4.57-second 40-yard dash. Comments from some like ESPN’s Todd McShay have Haden falling out of the top 10 (never mind the fact that he has a chance to improve it at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17). The time has even spurned beat writers for teams like the Atlanta Falcons to speculate that Haden could fall as low as No. 19. Others, like Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, put Haden’s time in perspective. It’s a bigger deal to those talking about it on television than it is to the NFL scouts hired and fired based on their ability to discern successes from busts.

2 » Florida men’s and womens’ golf each competed at tournaments over the last few days; unfortunately, neither came out as victors. Though they jumped four spots in the final round, the men’s team finished the John Hayt Invitational with a seventh-place score of 899 (+35). The women tied for seventh in the Kinderlou Forest Challenge with a 913 (+37).

Two BITS of Florida Gators football recruiting news after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Haden’s 40, golf, Prestwood, Floyd

Tags: All-American, combine, Draft, golf, Joe Haden, John Hayt Invitational, Jordan Prestwood, Kinderlou Forest Challenge, Maxwell Football Club, National High School Player of the Year, NFL, Pro Day, Sharrif Floyd, U.S. Army