UW Dawg Pound - Huskies and the 2015 NFL CombineAll I Blogged Was Purplehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51197/uw-fav.png2015-02-23T16:00:02-08:00http://www.uwdawgpound.com/rss/stream/78226362015-02-23T16:00:02-08:002015-02-23T16:00:02-08:002015 Combine: DL, LB and DB Drills Results
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<img alt="Marcus Peters with a 37.5" vertical jump" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m4Bc-ZNd0Wa0JV2i1D_jx704X00=/0x475:3840x3035/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45753608/usa-today-8401370.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Marcus Peters with a 37.5" vertical jump | Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It's the final day of the 2015 NFL draft combine in Indianapolis as the defensive backs have wrapped up their on-field drills. We take a look at how our Husky draft hopefuls have done.</p> <p>This weekend provided a great showcase for the four Husky draft hopefuls as the defensive linemen and linebackers did the bench press on Saturday and all of their on-field drills and tests yesterday. The defensive backs were a day behind, as they did their bench presses yesterday and are wrapped up their on-field drills today to close out the event. Let's take a look at the numbers and provide a little armchair commentary:</p>
<h4>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/hau%27oli-kikaha?id=2552292">Hau'oli Kikaha</a>:<br>
</h4>
<p><i>did not test</i></p>
<p>Kikaha apparently was ill in the week leading up to the combine and elected not to participate in any of the tests, but did take part in the on-field drills. His showing at the Husky Pro Day on April 2nd now becomes very important. There were a number of impressive results posted Sunday by other outside backers/edge rushers (Vic Beasley in particular), so there will be pressure on Kikaha to show that he's not simply a high-effort guy, but one with an adequate amount of athleticism to warrant a Day 2 pick or whether he falls to Day 3.</p>
<h4>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/danny-shelton?id=2552325">Danny Shelton</a>:</h4>
<p><i>5.64 40 yard dash; 34 reps bench press; 30.5" vertical jump; 7'11" broad jump; 7.99 3-cone drill; 4.65 20 yard shuttle</i></p>
<p>Big Danny is not a guy you'd expect to post an impressive 40 time, and really, it's a next-to-useless measure anyway for a prospective NT. What <i>was </i>impressive was his 30.5" vertical - for a man nearly 340 pounds, that's a lot of burst. Similarly, his 10 yard split time of 1.88 showed he gets off the line quickly. His strength was apparent with his 34 reps on the bench press (tied for 2nd best among DL and 6th best overall). He arrived at the combine a rising star up draft boards from his impressive showing at the Senior Bowl practices, and his performance in Indianapolis kept that momentum going. Expect him to go in the upper half of the 1st round.</p>
<h4>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/shaq-thompson?id=2552447">Shaq Thompson</a>:</h4>
<p><i>4.64 40 yard dash; 33.5" vertical jump; 9'9" broad jump; 6.99 3-cone drill; 4.08 20 yard shuttle; 11.78 60 yard shuttle</i></p>
<p>Shaq provides a bit of a Rorschach test for NFL scouts as well as armchair evaluators in the usefulness of the combine tests. For those that saw him as a dynamic, athletic playmaker based off of what he did for Washington, his test results are simply evidence that such tests are over-valued. For those that felt his production didn't quite match his hype and are unsure where he fits in the NFL, those tests are validation that he's a man without a defined position and is more name than player.</p>
<p>His overall numbers <i>were</i> a bit underwhelming given his hype, but it should be noted that his results in the 3-cone drill, 20 yard shuttle and 60 yard shuttle were all top-10 or better for the linebackers and would rank high among the safeties as well. These events are better at measuring explosiveness and change of direction, and while they don't get the hype that the 40 yard dash, bench press and vertical jump get, they may in fact be more important.</p>
<h4>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/marcus-peters?id=2552488">Marcus Peters</a>:</h4>
<p><i>4.53 40 yard dash; 17 reps bench press; 37.5" vertical jump; 10'1" broad jump; 7.08 3-cone drill; 4.08 20 yard shuttle; 11.26 60 yard shuttle</i></p>
<p>Peters was generally in the middle of the pack in his testing numbers, with none of them exceptional and none of them terrible either. His bench numbers tied for 13th best among the defensive backs and his 20 and 60 yard shuttle times ranked 14th and 6th respectively. This shouldn't come as a big surprise - Peters did not excel on the field because he was an elite athlete, but because of his aggressive play, his anticipation and his technique, all of which showed well in his positional drills. Of course the biggest question about Peters remains his attitude and whether teams believe that he's learned his lesson from getting kicked off the Huskies by Chris Petersen.</p>
<p>Here's a sampling of reactions to how our guys did:</p>
<ul>
<li>Peters earned a couple of mentions in this <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000473470/article/mondays-best-performances-from-the-nfl-scouting-combine">NFL.com roundup of Monday's top performers</a>, with slight disappointment over his 40 time but general praise for how he looked overall</li>
<li>More important than his work on the field though is how Peters' attempts to own up to his issues off the field are perceived by the league, and count SI's Don Banks as one that<a target="_blank" href="http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/02/21/nfl-combine-marcus-peters-cornerback-washington-huskies-chris-petersen"> thinks he delivered his mea culpa with "feeling"</a>
</li>
<li>That contrition is reportedly going over well with teams as Peters went through the interview process and he's <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnesn.com%2F2015%2F02%2Fmarcus-peters-raising-draft-stock-at-combine-during-interview-process%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uwdawgpound.com%2F2015%2F2%2F23%2F8091977%2F2015-combine-dl-lb-and-db-drills-results-danny-shelton-shaq-thompson-marcus-peters-hauoli-kikaha" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">seeing his draft stock rising as a result</a>
</li>
<li>Meanwhile Shelton and Shaq earned <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000473388/article/washington-nt-danny-shelton-has-rare-strength-power">mentions in this roundup of the defensive linemen and linebackers</a>, with Shelton looking like a "lock" to be the first interior DL picked and questions lingering about where Shaq fits best</li>
<li>Shaq made <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000473645/article/2015-combine-players-who-helped-hurt-their-draft-stock">this list of those players that helped or hurt their draft stock</a> with their performances at the combine, and unfortunately he was included in the latter group</li>
<li>Over at CBSSports.com, Will Brinson <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25078256/sorting-the-sunday-pile-nfl-scouting-combine-winners-losers">lists Shelton as a combine "winner"</a>
</li>
<li>Meanwhile Pat Kirwan interviewed several top prospects and <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pat-kirwan/25078962/nfl-combine-jameis-tops-list-of-12-who-impressed-in-interviews">came away impressed</a> with Shelton's enthusiasm for taking on double-teams and his overall work ethic and attitude</li>
<li>Shelton's 40 yard dash was a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/2/22/8085063/defensive-tackle-danny-shelton-washington-combine-40-vine-gif">source of entertainment</a> for our fellow SBNation friends at Lookit</li>
</ul>
<p>Feel free to give your own impressions of the combine. Did any player really stand out to you, good or bad? Did any of the Husky draft prospects surprise you?</p>
https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2015/2/23/8091977/2015-combine-dl-lb-and-db-drills-results-danny-shelton-shaq-thompson-marcus-peters-hauoli-kikahaKirk DeGrasse2015-02-20T11:53:02-08:002015-02-20T11:53:02-08:002015 NFL Combine: DL & LB Measurements
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<img alt="DE/LB Hau'oli Kikaha" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Nc0TvYq09pBEh7A4vreyIFpjaPc=/0x21:1413x963/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45736416/usa-today-8339877.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>DE/LB Hau'oli Kikaha | Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After arriving yesterday, settling in and getting preliminary x-rays and interview sessions, today the DL and LB groups got their official measurements. We look at the results for the three Huskies involved...</p> <p>It's Day 4 already of the 2015 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but with the staggered arrivals of the various position groups today marks the first day of any public significance for the Husky draft hopefuls. Today the defensive linemen and linebackers were weighed and measured, and here are the results for our three guys:</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/hau%27oli-kikaha?id=2552292">Hau'oli Kikaha</a>: 6'2", 253 lbs, 32.5" arm length</p>
<p>For those that like to track these things, Hau'oli lost an inch but has picked up 7 lbs from his listing as a Husky. The weight gain is presumably good muscle weight; for those looking at him as a rush end, the added weight projects as a potential improvement in his ability to hold up at the point of attack vs. the run (a perceived weakness); of more importance will be his agility drills and workouts as he displays whether he will be acceptable in coverage in schemes where he's more of a true OLB. Also very important will be his medical examinations and doctors test his knee to see if there's any lingering concerns after his two ACL tears.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/danny-shelton?id=2552325">Danny Shelton</a>: 6'2", 339 lbs, 32" arm length</p>
<p>Shelton reportedly had gotten up to over 370 lbs by the time of the Cactus Bowl, so it's good to see his weight in a more reasonable range. He's already impressed folks with his work at the Senior Bowl practices and is projected in the upper half of the 1st round, so his mission is to not post any numbers in his workouts to damage that. The main questions with him are likely to revolve around his conditioning - that he allowed himself to balloon this past year will be a bit of a red flag as teams will want to know if he can keep himself in shape in the NFL and be a 3-down lineman or not.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/shaq-thompson?id=2552447">Shaq Thompson</a>: 6'0", 228 lbs, 33" arm length</p>
<p>Shaq has lost an inch off his listing on GoHuskies.com but has maintained his weight. His size is the big question mark along with his coverage skills - can he fill a big-safety type of role similar to a Kam Chancellor? Is he big enough to hold up closer to the line of scrimmage as a more traditional OLB? He's a guy expected to impress in his agility drills testing, and if he can put up good numbers there in the 40, the 3-cone and the shuttle drills, he'll have a chance to secure a shot at being selected in the 1st round.</p>
<p>Other news and notes regarding the Washington combine participants:</p>
<ul>
<li>The most interesting news is that Shaq will <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000472382/article/shaq-thompson-27-others-to-perform-double-duty-at-combine">perform some workouts with the running backs</a> in addition to his drills with the linebackers as he displays his versatility to NFL scouts</li>
<li>Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated names Shelton as the player <a target="_blank" href="http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/02/18/nfl-combine-phillip-dorsett-brett-hundley-danny-shelton">he's most excited to watch at the combine</a> </li>
<li>This one is about a week old, but Bob Sturm of the Cowboys beat for Dallas Morning News has <a target="_blank" href="http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2015/02/2015-nfl-draft-profile-hauoli-kikaha-lb-washington.html/">this detailed scouting report</a> on Kikaha</li>
<li>Also from the Dallas area <a target="_blank" href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/02/19/nfl-draft-combine-names-to-know/">comes this report from Jeff Cavanaugh</a> on names to know and players that might be available for the Cowboys at #27 with mention of both Shelton and Marcus Peters</li>
<li>It's a brief mention, but the official Tennessee Titans site<a target="_blank" href="http://www.titansonline.com/news/article-4/Combine-Confidential-Top-5-Storylines/efae317b-8288-409a-b0e2-c97beb10435c"> has this piece on key questions for Combine participants</a> showing that folks will be looking closely at the medical reports on Kikaha's knee</li>
<li>Gregg Bell has <a target="_blank" href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2015/02/20/the-remarkable-roads-uws-danny-shelton-hauoli-kikaha-have-taken-to-the-nfl-combine/">a nice piece in the TNT</a> looking at the path that Kikaha and Shelton have taken to get to this point and how far they've both already come</li>
</ul>
https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2015/2/20/8077847/2015-nfl-combine-dl-lb-measurements-danny-shelton-hauoli-kikaha-shaq-thompsonKirk DeGrasse2015-02-18T08:00:03-08:002015-02-18T08:00:03-08:00Huskies at the NFL Combine - Dates and Links
<figure>
<img alt="DT Danny Shelton is moving up draft lists" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KJnm6ew73pdMxrMVLNhhatRMWNQ=/0x0:4915x3277/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45712782/usa-today-8341622.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>DT Danny Shelton is moving up draft lists | John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Tuesday kicked off the the official start to the 2015 NFL Draft Combine, so let's take a closer look at the Huskies invited to participate, what's being said about them already and their schedules in Indianapolis.</p> <p>It's time once again to regale in the ritualized meat-market that is the annual NFL Draft Combine - players in their skivvies getting weighed in and measured in front of hundreds of strangers, far too much attention being paid to 40-yard dashes and bench presses and the overuse of terms like "Downhill Thumper", "Natural Bender", "Bubble Butt", "Get Off" and "Dancing Bear" (is it just me or do these sound like song titles?)</p>
<p>This year four Huskies were invited to the Combine, all from the defensive side: NT Danny Shelton, LB/S/RB Shaq Thompson, CB Marcus Peters and OLB/DE Hau'oli Kikaha. You can find the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nflcombine.net/players/schedule">complete schedule of events here</a>, but for our guys these are the dates you need to know:</p>
<table class="sbn-data-table" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td><b>Day 3 Arrivals</b></td>
<td><b>Group 7 (DL)/Group 8 (DL)/Group 9 (LB)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Thursday, 19 February</td>
<td>Registration, Pre-Exam, X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Friday, 20 February</td>
<td>Measurements, Medical Examinations, Media, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Saturday, 21 February</td>
<td>NFLPA Meeting, Psych Testing, Bench Press, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Sunday, 22 February</td>
<td>On-field workouts (timing, stations, skill drills)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<table class="sbn-data-table" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td><b>Day 4 Arrivals</b></td>
<td><b>Group 10 (DB)/Group 11 (DB)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Friday, 20 February</td>
<td>Registration, Pre-Exam, X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Saturday, 21 February</td>
<td>Measurements, Medical Examinations, Media, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-even">
<td>Sunday, 22 February</td>
<td>NFLPA Meeting, Psych Testing, Bench Press, Interviews</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ui-state-odd">
<td>Monday, 23 February</td>
<td>On-field workouts (timing, stations, skill drills)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>Coverage over at NFL.com is already in high gear, and there are a few items of interest for your reading pleasure:</p>
<ul>
<li>First up is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470108/article/mike-mayocks-position-rankings-for-2015-nfl-draft">Mike Mayock's list of his Top-5 Players Per Position</a>; good news for Shelton & Peters, and check out where he's listed Shaq...</li>
<li>In the same vein, here's a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000459787/article/top-five-2015-nfl-draft-prospects-by-position">similar list from Bucky Brooks</a>, and all four Huskies make the cut</li>
<li>In a three-hour teleconference on Monday, Mayock touched on a variety of different prospects, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470842/article/mike-mayock-nebraskas-randy-gregory-needs-to-add-weight">including notes on Shelton and Shaq</a> </li>
<li>Mike Huguenin lists his <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/story/0ap3000000470319/article/2015-nfl-scouting-combine-six-linebackers-to-watch">Six Linebackers to Watch</a>, and both Shaq and Hau'oli make the list</li>
<li>His list of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/combine/story/0ap3000000470472/article/2015-nfl-scouting-combine-six-defensive-backs-to-watch">Six Defensive Backs to Watch</a> includes Peters</li>
<li>Daniel Jeremiah weighs in with his list of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/top50">Top-50 Draft Prospects</a>, including Shelton and Peters but no Shaq or Hau'oli</li>
<li>Bucky Brooks provides his own list of his <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470606/article/buckys-big-board-leonard-williams-debuts-atop-rankings">Top-32 Draft Prospects</a>, and Shelton, Peters and Shaq all make the cut</li>
<li>Charles Davis checks in with the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470855/article/tough-questions-top-prospects-will-be-asked-at-nfl-combine">Tough Questions Top Prospects Will Face</a>, and it's no surprise that Peters is on this list</li>
<li>Mayock skips the mock draft futility and instead gives his take on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470767/article/mike-mayock-discusses-who-teams-will-target-in-the-2015-nfl-draft">which prospects the various NFL teams will be targeting</a>, including potential landing spots for Peters and Shaq</li>
<li>Davis, Brooks, Jeremiah and Lance Zierlein all submit their own <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/mock-drafts">1st Round Mock Drafts</a>, and it's unanimously good news for Shelton, not quite as good news for Shaq and Peters and not good news at all for Hau'oli</li>
<li>Finally, an <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000470333/article/mayockisms-a-glossary-of-mike-mayock-terms">amusing primer</a> on the various scouting terms you'll hear thrown around by Mayock</li>
</ul>
https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2015/2/18/8057335/huskies-at-the-nfl-combineKirk DeGrasse