I'm not totally sold on Clowney either, but he was a physical freak and presented the catch 22: if you pass on him and he becomes a star, it's hard to explain passing on him. If you pick him and he is a bust, people will say "we knew it" but at least you can explain why he was picked. Best pure athlete in the draft.
Johny Manziel was exciting to watch.. In college. He will not translate. All the smart guys know that. Bill O'Brien is a quarterback guru. That's why he passed on Manziel and took the gamble for Carr in the second. It's a risky but brilliant move. Houston front office nailed it. I'm surprised you see it that differently.
Let's look at former top 40 times at the combine...shall we?
2013 Marquise Goodwin had the fastest 40 time...and did very little in his first year.
2012 Josh Robinson had the fastest 40 time...hasn't done much since entering the league.
2011 Demarcus Van Dyke had the fastest 40 time...who? Exactly.
2010 Jacoby Ford had the fastest 40 time...he has been an OK wide receiver...but not great.
2009 Darrius Heyward Bey had the fastest 40 time...hasn't done anything at the pro level.
2008 Chris Johnson had the fastest 40 time...finally someone who has done...something.
2007 Yamon Figurs had the fastest 40 time...again...who? Currently in the CFL. Nice.
2006 Tye Hill had the fastest 40 time...journeyman who never did much.
There you see that fastest 40 time mostly means you can run in a straight line...and fast. I'm sure this 5 foot 9 slot receiver will buck the trend.
Manziel is gonna get the same reception that Eli Manning did...they were trying to kill Eli as early as his first preseason game. Let's see if Johnny can take the pain...or will he wilt from the pressure. I'm still ____ed off I stayed up to watch who the Seahawks draft...and they trade down. Grrr...the struggles of watching your team pick 32.
The guy actually produced at college though. If he was some 800 yd/5 TD guy that brought those combine numbers like a lot of the guys listed, I could see calling him a combine warrior, but he was the Biletnikoff winner that was as productive as any WR in the history of his conference.
Also, you mention straight line speed. The guy had the best shuttle times of all WR's as well, so he's a guy that can cut and go as well as any receiver.
All this coming from a guy who's team signed Percy Harvin last year, a player who Cooks reminds me a lot of.
Combine Warriors are the guys who do exceptional things at the combine...and get bumped into the first round because of it. Brandin Cooks was not always a first round guy. Let me throw some names at you...
Jay Cutler
Aaron Curry
Mike Mamula
Adam Archuleta
Jonathan Sullivan (wonder who took him?)
Matt Jones
Vernon Gholston
Darrius Heyward-Bey
More often than not if these guys weren't first rounders before the combine...they shouldn't have been first rounders...PERIOD.
Right, the phrase combine warrior generally means a guy who has measurables who did not produce up to his measurements at the college level.
This guy is just undersized and quick. There are a ton of undersized speed guys who produce in the NFL. One of them happens to be on the Seahawks.
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