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Teddy Bridgewater supposedly bombed today at his Pro Day. Wobbly passes. Missed throws. Mechanics weren't right. Mayock called it average.
On top of being a black QB this performance should take him out of the top 10. Maybe even a free fall out of the first?
On top of being a black QB this performance should take him out of the top 10. Maybe even a free fall out of the first?
Cowboysrule122
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average that goes to show what a dipshit Mayock really is.The average Joe throws wobbly passes and misses his targets.
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Bob Sacamano
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4.52 at his Pro Day.
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Pat Kirwin mocks UCLA's Anthony Barr falling in our laps:
2014 NFL mock draft: Bortles rises, Bridgewater drops after pro days
March 20, 2014 7:35 pm ET
1. Houston Texans -- Blake Bortles, QB, UCF: He's the prototypical quarterback in this draft and his pro day was just another strong piece to the Texans' decision. I spent some time with him at the Combine and right after his pro day, and he has the football knowledge and personality to be a success in the NFL.
2. Oakland Raiders (Mock trade from St. Louis via Washington) -- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: Oakland moves up and St. Louis drops to No. 5. Clowney is too good to pass up at this point in the draft, and the Raiders will get a veteran quarterback before the draft. The Raiders solved their left tackle situation by signing Donald Penn.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn: Some believe Robinson will be the highest-graded player in the draft. Coach Bradley will draft a quarterback in the second round if he goes in this direction.
4. Cleveland Browns -- Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M: The Browns need a quarterback, and after the Bridgewater workout, it's up in the air about which one to take. I wouldn't be surprised to see them take a wide receiver here and a QB later in the round.
5. St. Louis Rams (Mock trade from Oakland) -- Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: The Rams could take an offensive tackle here but Watkins is a game-breaking wide receiver and will do more to help Bradford.
6. Atlanta Falcons -- Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M: The Falcons need a pass rusher, but first, they finish the project of protecting Matt Ryan. Matthews is a plug-and-play athlete who will play for 12 years.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan: Six-foot-eight tackles with athletic ability and a nasty streak are hard to find. Tampa Bay already signed DE Michael Johnson, so no need to draft Kalil Mack. Lewan is facing an off-field issue, but I don't think it will affect his draft status.
8. Minnesota Vikings -- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville: Two weeks ago, Bridgewater was gone by this point in the mock draft, but his pro day put some doubt in people's minds. He might not be the type Norv Turner likes to coach, and Bridgewater might slide even more by next week.
9. Buffalo Bills -- Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo: The local kid who wanted to stay home for college gets to stay home for pro football. The Bills could move Mario Williams over to the left side on passing downs and plug Mack in on the right side. Now they should be able to get after Tom Brady.
10. Detroit Lions -- Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State: The battle for the top cornerback is between Dennard and Justin Gilbert. After talking with Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, I was impressed with all the intangibles and leadership qualities Dennard has to offer besides being a top athlete.
11. Tennessee Titans -- Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State: The Titans need to replace the talent of Alterran Verner, who left in free agency.
12. New York Giants -- Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh: Linval Joseph is gone and so is Justin Tuck. The Giants need a starting defensive tackle and they need more pass rush. Donald can cover both issues. He had 26 sacks from the inside in the past three seasons.
13. St. Louis Rams -- Hasean Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama: The Rams picked up WR Sammy Watkins earlier and they now get the deep middle safety to complement an already good defense. This safety has the range to cover a lot of the field in the passing game.
14. Chicago Bears -- Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State: The Bears lost Henry Melton in free agency and are lacking for a disruptive force inside. His production in college didn't show up in sacks, but he was disruptive. I wonder about his ability to play 60 minutes.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Ra'shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota: Prototypical size for a 3-4 defense like the Steelers. It's so hard to find 6-6 athletes that can play across the front. He will have to learn to play hard all the time if he wants to stay on the field for Pittsburgh.
16. Dallas Cowboys -- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA: DeMarcus Ware is gone and Mincey isn't enough of a replacement. Some see Barr as an outside linebacker but he will be big enough to play with his hand on the ground. He had 22 sacks and nine forced fumbles in the past two years.
17. Baltimore Ravens -- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M: A big target with a 37-inch vertical is just what Joe Flacco needs, even though Jacoby Jones has returned the team.
18. New York Jets -- Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina: Ebron is the top tight end in the draft and has all the skills to be a matchup problem for teams. Geno Smith will be better as soon as Ebron is on the field.
19. Miami Dolphins -- Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame: The Dolphins did sign Brandon Albert to play left tackle but Martin can play anywhere on the line. The Dolphins need versatile linemen to repair all the damage from last year.
20. Arizona Cardinals -- Calvin Pryor, FS, Louisville: The Cardinals need a hard-hitting safety, especially with the way San Francisco and Seattle run the ball.
21. Green Bay Packers -- Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State: Some think Shazier is undersized but he plays bigger than his weight, and he is a sideline-to-sideline type. He can also play the MLB position in nickel and dime defenses. He has pass-rush skills; Dom Capers will look at his 10 sacks and 10 pressures Shazier racked up in the past two years and know how to scheme him into the defense.
22. Philadelphia Eagles -- Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame: Tuitt is a versatile big man who can play any of the three spots on the Eagles defensive line. He fits better in a 3-4 than a 4-3 but he still had 17 sacks in his last two years in South Bend.
23. Kansas City Chiefs -- Marqise Lee, WR, Southern California: Lee fell a bit in this mock draft but he's too good to pass up for the Chiefs. Lee is not only a big-play receiver but he is a feisty blocker, which will help Jamal Charles.
24. Cincinnati Bengals -- Dee Ford, DE, Auburn: The Bengals lost Michael Johnson in free agency, and Ford brings pass-rush skills. Go watch the Senior Bowl game when Ford put on a clinic in getting to the quarterback.
25. San Diego Chargers -- Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame: Many believe Nix will go before his teammate Stephon Tuitt, but Nix is a 3-4 nose tackle and has less range. Nix can be a space eater but needs to play the double-teams better. The Chargers let Cam Thomas go in free agency.
26. Cleveland Browns -- Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State: The 6-5 wide receiver can team up with Josh Gordon and give a young QB like Manziel a few big targets.
27. New Orleans -- Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri: Rob Ryan can fit most schemes and the Saints still need more people up front. Ealy had nine sacks last year despite being the man teams sent their protections to week in and week out.
28. Carolina Panthers -- Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU: Beckham is a high-character person with speed and the Panthers are desperate for quality young receivers.
29. New England Patriots -- Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State: The Patriots need help up front. When I watched Crichton's tapes, I noticed he plays with great effort all the time. He can do some of the things Rob Ninkovich does for the Patriots.
30. San Francisco 49ers -- Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State: Cooks can fly and he knows how to find the end zone (16 touchdowns in 2013). Put on any tape you want and watch any of his 128 receptions last year.
31. Denver Broncos -- C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama: Wesly Woodyard is gone and Mosley can stay on the field in all down-and-distance situations.
32. Seattle Seahawks -- Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama: The Seahawks lost their right tackle in free agency, and even though they have signed a few veteran guards, a big tackle is needed. Coach Tom Cable will develop this underclassman into a solid player who might someday move to the left side where he played in college.
2014 NFL mock draft: Bortles rises, Bridgewater drops after pro days
March 20, 2014 7:35 pm ET
1. Houston Texans -- Blake Bortles, QB, UCF: He's the prototypical quarterback in this draft and his pro day was just another strong piece to the Texans' decision. I spent some time with him at the Combine and right after his pro day, and he has the football knowledge and personality to be a success in the NFL.
2. Oakland Raiders (Mock trade from St. Louis via Washington) -- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: Oakland moves up and St. Louis drops to No. 5. Clowney is too good to pass up at this point in the draft, and the Raiders will get a veteran quarterback before the draft. The Raiders solved their left tackle situation by signing Donald Penn.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn: Some believe Robinson will be the highest-graded player in the draft. Coach Bradley will draft a quarterback in the second round if he goes in this direction.
4. Cleveland Browns -- Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M: The Browns need a quarterback, and after the Bridgewater workout, it's up in the air about which one to take. I wouldn't be surprised to see them take a wide receiver here and a QB later in the round.
5. St. Louis Rams (Mock trade from Oakland) -- Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: The Rams could take an offensive tackle here but Watkins is a game-breaking wide receiver and will do more to help Bradford.
6. Atlanta Falcons -- Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M: The Falcons need a pass rusher, but first, they finish the project of protecting Matt Ryan. Matthews is a plug-and-play athlete who will play for 12 years.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan: Six-foot-eight tackles with athletic ability and a nasty streak are hard to find. Tampa Bay already signed DE Michael Johnson, so no need to draft Kalil Mack. Lewan is facing an off-field issue, but I don't think it will affect his draft status.
8. Minnesota Vikings -- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville: Two weeks ago, Bridgewater was gone by this point in the mock draft, but his pro day put some doubt in people's minds. He might not be the type Norv Turner likes to coach, and Bridgewater might slide even more by next week.
9. Buffalo Bills -- Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo: The local kid who wanted to stay home for college gets to stay home for pro football. The Bills could move Mario Williams over to the left side on passing downs and plug Mack in on the right side. Now they should be able to get after Tom Brady.
10. Detroit Lions -- Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State: The battle for the top cornerback is between Dennard and Justin Gilbert. After talking with Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, I was impressed with all the intangibles and leadership qualities Dennard has to offer besides being a top athlete.
11. Tennessee Titans -- Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State: The Titans need to replace the talent of Alterran Verner, who left in free agency.
12. New York Giants -- Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh: Linval Joseph is gone and so is Justin Tuck. The Giants need a starting defensive tackle and they need more pass rush. Donald can cover both issues. He had 26 sacks from the inside in the past three seasons.
13. St. Louis Rams -- Hasean Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama: The Rams picked up WR Sammy Watkins earlier and they now get the deep middle safety to complement an already good defense. This safety has the range to cover a lot of the field in the passing game.
14. Chicago Bears -- Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State: The Bears lost Henry Melton in free agency and are lacking for a disruptive force inside. His production in college didn't show up in sacks, but he was disruptive. I wonder about his ability to play 60 minutes.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Ra'shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota: Prototypical size for a 3-4 defense like the Steelers. It's so hard to find 6-6 athletes that can play across the front. He will have to learn to play hard all the time if he wants to stay on the field for Pittsburgh.
16. Dallas Cowboys -- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA: DeMarcus Ware is gone and Mincey isn't enough of a replacement. Some see Barr as an outside linebacker but he will be big enough to play with his hand on the ground. He had 22 sacks and nine forced fumbles in the past two years.
17. Baltimore Ravens -- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M: A big target with a 37-inch vertical is just what Joe Flacco needs, even though Jacoby Jones has returned the team.
18. New York Jets -- Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina: Ebron is the top tight end in the draft and has all the skills to be a matchup problem for teams. Geno Smith will be better as soon as Ebron is on the field.
19. Miami Dolphins -- Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame: The Dolphins did sign Brandon Albert to play left tackle but Martin can play anywhere on the line. The Dolphins need versatile linemen to repair all the damage from last year.
20. Arizona Cardinals -- Calvin Pryor, FS, Louisville: The Cardinals need a hard-hitting safety, especially with the way San Francisco and Seattle run the ball.
21. Green Bay Packers -- Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State: Some think Shazier is undersized but he plays bigger than his weight, and he is a sideline-to-sideline type. He can also play the MLB position in nickel and dime defenses. He has pass-rush skills; Dom Capers will look at his 10 sacks and 10 pressures Shazier racked up in the past two years and know how to scheme him into the defense.
22. Philadelphia Eagles -- Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame: Tuitt is a versatile big man who can play any of the three spots on the Eagles defensive line. He fits better in a 3-4 than a 4-3 but he still had 17 sacks in his last two years in South Bend.
23. Kansas City Chiefs -- Marqise Lee, WR, Southern California: Lee fell a bit in this mock draft but he's too good to pass up for the Chiefs. Lee is not only a big-play receiver but he is a feisty blocker, which will help Jamal Charles.
24. Cincinnati Bengals -- Dee Ford, DE, Auburn: The Bengals lost Michael Johnson in free agency, and Ford brings pass-rush skills. Go watch the Senior Bowl game when Ford put on a clinic in getting to the quarterback.
25. San Diego Chargers -- Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame: Many believe Nix will go before his teammate Stephon Tuitt, but Nix is a 3-4 nose tackle and has less range. Nix can be a space eater but needs to play the double-teams better. The Chargers let Cam Thomas go in free agency.
26. Cleveland Browns -- Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State: The 6-5 wide receiver can team up with Josh Gordon and give a young QB like Manziel a few big targets.
27. New Orleans -- Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri: Rob Ryan can fit most schemes and the Saints still need more people up front. Ealy had nine sacks last year despite being the man teams sent their protections to week in and week out.
28. Carolina Panthers -- Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU: Beckham is a high-character person with speed and the Panthers are desperate for quality young receivers.
29. New England Patriots -- Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State: The Patriots need help up front. When I watched Crichton's tapes, I noticed he plays with great effort all the time. He can do some of the things Rob Ninkovich does for the Patriots.
30. San Francisco 49ers -- Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State: Cooks can fly and he knows how to find the end zone (16 touchdowns in 2013). Put on any tape you want and watch any of his 128 receptions last year.
31. Denver Broncos -- C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama: Wesly Woodyard is gone and Mosley can stay on the field in all down-and-distance situations.
32. Seattle Seahawks -- Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama: The Seahawks lost their right tackle in free agency, and even though they have signed a few veteran guards, a big tackle is needed. Coach Tom Cable will develop this underclassman into a solid player who might someday move to the left side where he played in college.
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The Dallas Cowboys defense is in transition. Pro Bowler DeMarucs Ware is now in Denver to play with Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher to the Washington Redskins. Anthony Spencer remains a free agent. The Cowboys signed defensive tackles Terrell McClain, Henry Melton and defensive end Jeremy Mincey.
Arizona State defensive tackle Davon Coleman is scheduled for a private workout. "My first scheduled workout is with the (Dallas) Cowboys on April 15th," said Coleman. "After that I go to the (Chicago) Bears." Coleman is a very athletic defensive tackle with the ability to be very stout against the run and also get to the quarterback. He led the Sun Devils with 8.5 sacks, in 2013.
Arizona State defensive tackle Davon Coleman is scheduled for a private workout. "My first scheduled workout is with the (Dallas) Cowboys on April 15th," said Coleman. "After that I go to the (Chicago) Bears." Coleman is a very athletic defensive tackle with the ability to be very stout against the run and also get to the quarterback. He led the Sun Devils with 8.5 sacks, in 2013.
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Jerry said were taking a DL at some point . I'm cool with the non retarded attempt at a smokescreen
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I think I'm Team manziel :\
Bob Sacamano
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Seantrel Henderson quit his Pro Day workout.
cmd34(work)
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whattt??
Bob Sacamano
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Yeah, he claimed dehydration.
Bob Sacamano
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If not Shazier, then we have to find a way to land this guy:
[video=youtube;9UIXIWmZi5E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UIXIWmZi5E[/video]
[video=youtube;9UIXIWmZi5E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UIXIWmZi5E[/video]
Angrymesscan
Practice Squad
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That's not bad, now get Caraun Reid in the 4th...
boozeman
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Love Smith, white overload on the rest.
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Def a guy I'd like to see end up in Dallas.
Zach Mettenberger sharp at pro day
Updated: April 9, 2014, 8:18 PM ET
By Mike Triplett | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Just 13 weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL, LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger impressed a packed house full of NFL coaches, general managers and scouts by going through a full pro day workout on Wednesday.
By most accounts, Mettenberger helped to boost his draft stock with a display that would have been considered solid even if had never been injured. He's projected as a possible second- or third-round draft choice.
"It says a lot about him. And his doctor," said New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, who was one of five NFL coaches in attendance for LSU's talent-rich pro day. "It's pretty impressive. You know, 10 years ago you couldn't do that. I thought he did a real good job."
Mettenberger, who had surgery on Jan. 2 to repair his left knee, threw nearly 125 passes and made every throw while wearing a helmet and shoulder pads -- the new trend started by fellow prospect Johnny Manziel last month.
The 6-foot-5, 224-pounder moved in the pocket and threw on the run at times. And he consistently showed off a big arm that many analysts consider to be among the strongest of this year's draft prospects.
Naturally, Mettenberger showed some signs of fatigue with a few mistimed throws. But observers said he threw even more balls than quarterbacks usually do. And his arm strength remained intact through the workout.
"I thought he did outstanding. Almost miraculous," said LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the longtime former NFL coach who directed the workout. "Thirteen weeks after surgery, to come out here and throw more than a hundred balls and complete 90-plus percent of them. ...
"He was grinding today. We could have come out, made it a nice, easy workout, 50 balls. I've been to a couple of these, guys threw 40 balls and called it a day. But I think arm strength matters, and I think arm endurance matters."
Mettenberger was a little harder on himself, saying, "I wasn't too pleased with myself on some of those throws today. But sometimes I hold myself to an almost unrealistic standard. ... All things considered, I thought I did OK, but I still have a lot of room to improve on."
Mettenberger said he thinks Wednesday's workout will also encourage more NFL teams to invite him in for private workouts, since he had been told teams were hesitant to work him out because of the uncertainty over his health.
Mettenberger said his first visit is lined up for Thursday with the Jacksonville Jaguars, followed by a Saturday trip to visit the Detroit Lions.
"You know, I've been saying for a couple weeks now that I was healthy and good enough to go, and I don't think y'all believed me," Mettenberger said. "I think the biggest thing I wanted to do was show that I could go out there and take an explosive drop like everyone knows I can."
Mettenberger estimated that he is about 85 or 90 percent healthy and that he expects to be 100 percent in time for rookie camps in mid-May. LSU trainer Jack Marucci backed up that optimistic timetable by saying that Mettenberger's knee is already showing 95 to 97 percent strength on the Cybex machine that's used to test such injuries.
Mettenberger's surgery was performed by LSU team orthopedist Dr. Brent Bankston, who prefers to use a hamstring tendon instead of a patellar tendon. And Marucci said many LSU players in recent years have returned under similar timetables. Both procedures are common, with different surgeons having different preferences.
ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell (who did not attend Wednesday's workout) said the type of work Mettenberger did Wednesday should certainly be considered a good sign. However, she cautioned that the knee is still going through the healing process and no one should consider his workout as a sign that he is now fully healed.
The bigger tests will come down the road when he is under duress -- either taking hits or escaping pressure, etc. It is possible that Mettenberger could be playing for a team in the preseason, though.
"I think I showed that I'm not gonna start the season on a PUP list," Mettenberger said. "I think I showed that I'm gonna be healthy enough to practice and compete for a job. And by the time the season rolls around, I'm gonna be fully healed, no question."
Mettenberger's injury came in the final regular-season game of his breakout senior year with the Tigers, in which he threw for 3,082 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Mettenberger's career got off to a bumpy start. First, there was an off-field arrest for misdemeanor sexual battery that led to his dismissal from the Georgia football team.
Then it took him a while to shine consistently at LSU. But he started to bloom under Cameron's tutelage in a pro-style offense last year. It's possible Mettenberger could rise up high into the second round of the draft, though opinions on the "second tier" of quarterbacks seem to be all over the map.
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, for one, said recently he thinks Mettenberger is the second-best quarterback prospect in this year's class behind only Central Florida's Blake Bortles.
Payton and other NFL talent evaluators consistently mentioned how much they enjoyed the workout that was put together by Cameron, who said he modeled it after a typical LSU practice session.
Receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry also appeared to strengthen their draft prospects. Beckham, a dynamic athlete who could crack the top 20 overall picks, shined during the passing drills. He didn't need to run the 40-yard dash since he had already posted a time of 4.43 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.
Landry, meanwhile, posted a badly-needed 40-yard dash time of 4.58 seconds, according to the school. Landry, a possible second-round pick, had run a surprisingly-slow time of 4.77 seconds at the combine.
Beckham said he has individual visits lined up with the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills among other teams. He also had dinner with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday night and was planning to have dinner Wednesday night with members of the Saints' contingent, which always comes to LSU's pro day in full force since it's an hour away from New Orleans.
Other NFL coaches in attendance Wednesday were the New York Jets' Rex Ryan, Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the Philadelphia Eagles' Chip Kelly and the Minnesota Vikings' Mike Zimmer.
Zach Mettenberger sharp at pro day
Updated: April 9, 2014, 8:18 PM ET
By Mike Triplett | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Just 13 weeks removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL, LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger impressed a packed house full of NFL coaches, general managers and scouts by going through a full pro day workout on Wednesday.
By most accounts, Mettenberger helped to boost his draft stock with a display that would have been considered solid even if had never been injured. He's projected as a possible second- or third-round draft choice.
"It says a lot about him. And his doctor," said New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, who was one of five NFL coaches in attendance for LSU's talent-rich pro day. "It's pretty impressive. You know, 10 years ago you couldn't do that. I thought he did a real good job."
Mettenberger, who had surgery on Jan. 2 to repair his left knee, threw nearly 125 passes and made every throw while wearing a helmet and shoulder pads -- the new trend started by fellow prospect Johnny Manziel last month.
The 6-foot-5, 224-pounder moved in the pocket and threw on the run at times. And he consistently showed off a big arm that many analysts consider to be among the strongest of this year's draft prospects.
Naturally, Mettenberger showed some signs of fatigue with a few mistimed throws. But observers said he threw even more balls than quarterbacks usually do. And his arm strength remained intact through the workout.
"I thought he did outstanding. Almost miraculous," said LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, the longtime former NFL coach who directed the workout. "Thirteen weeks after surgery, to come out here and throw more than a hundred balls and complete 90-plus percent of them. ...
"He was grinding today. We could have come out, made it a nice, easy workout, 50 balls. I've been to a couple of these, guys threw 40 balls and called it a day. But I think arm strength matters, and I think arm endurance matters."
Mettenberger was a little harder on himself, saying, "I wasn't too pleased with myself on some of those throws today. But sometimes I hold myself to an almost unrealistic standard. ... All things considered, I thought I did OK, but I still have a lot of room to improve on."
Mettenberger said he thinks Wednesday's workout will also encourage more NFL teams to invite him in for private workouts, since he had been told teams were hesitant to work him out because of the uncertainty over his health.
Mettenberger said his first visit is lined up for Thursday with the Jacksonville Jaguars, followed by a Saturday trip to visit the Detroit Lions.
"You know, I've been saying for a couple weeks now that I was healthy and good enough to go, and I don't think y'all believed me," Mettenberger said. "I think the biggest thing I wanted to do was show that I could go out there and take an explosive drop like everyone knows I can."
Mettenberger estimated that he is about 85 or 90 percent healthy and that he expects to be 100 percent in time for rookie camps in mid-May. LSU trainer Jack Marucci backed up that optimistic timetable by saying that Mettenberger's knee is already showing 95 to 97 percent strength on the Cybex machine that's used to test such injuries.
Mettenberger's surgery was performed by LSU team orthopedist Dr. Brent Bankston, who prefers to use a hamstring tendon instead of a patellar tendon. And Marucci said many LSU players in recent years have returned under similar timetables. Both procedures are common, with different surgeons having different preferences.
ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell (who did not attend Wednesday's workout) said the type of work Mettenberger did Wednesday should certainly be considered a good sign. However, she cautioned that the knee is still going through the healing process and no one should consider his workout as a sign that he is now fully healed.
The bigger tests will come down the road when he is under duress -- either taking hits or escaping pressure, etc. It is possible that Mettenberger could be playing for a team in the preseason, though.
"I think I showed that I'm not gonna start the season on a PUP list," Mettenberger said. "I think I showed that I'm gonna be healthy enough to practice and compete for a job. And by the time the season rolls around, I'm gonna be fully healed, no question."
Mettenberger's injury came in the final regular-season game of his breakout senior year with the Tigers, in which he threw for 3,082 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Mettenberger's career got off to a bumpy start. First, there was an off-field arrest for misdemeanor sexual battery that led to his dismissal from the Georgia football team.
Then it took him a while to shine consistently at LSU. But he started to bloom under Cameron's tutelage in a pro-style offense last year. It's possible Mettenberger could rise up high into the second round of the draft, though opinions on the "second tier" of quarterbacks seem to be all over the map.
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski, for one, said recently he thinks Mettenberger is the second-best quarterback prospect in this year's class behind only Central Florida's Blake Bortles.
Payton and other NFL talent evaluators consistently mentioned how much they enjoyed the workout that was put together by Cameron, who said he modeled it after a typical LSU practice session.
Receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry also appeared to strengthen their draft prospects. Beckham, a dynamic athlete who could crack the top 20 overall picks, shined during the passing drills. He didn't need to run the 40-yard dash since he had already posted a time of 4.43 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.
Landry, meanwhile, posted a badly-needed 40-yard dash time of 4.58 seconds, according to the school. Landry, a possible second-round pick, had run a surprisingly-slow time of 4.77 seconds at the combine.
Beckham said he has individual visits lined up with the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills among other teams. He also had dinner with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday night and was planning to have dinner Wednesday night with members of the Saints' contingent, which always comes to LSU's pro day in full force since it's an hour away from New Orleans.
Other NFL coaches in attendance Wednesday were the New York Jets' Rex Ryan, Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the Philadelphia Eagles' Chip Kelly and the Minnesota Vikings' Mike Zimmer.
cmd34(work)
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No thanks. Booz likes him.
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Via CBS Sportsline and Pat Kirwin:
Phil Simms is not impressed with the 2014 NFL Draft QB class
April 9, 2014 3:20 pm ET
For 10 years, one highlight leading up to the NFL Draft is talking with Phil Simms about the quarterbacks. We prepare by watching as much game tape as possible before discussing the candidates.
Simms has strong opinions about the signal callers and, as always, came up with some "wild card" candidates who aren't projected particularly high. In a few weeks, Simms will rank his top 10 and assign a round for each.
Simms says he doesn't see any of the QBs as sure-fire locks worthy of going in the first round nor does he see an elite NFL arm. When it comes to pro days, Simms said, "I expect a quarterback to really show off, his workout should look really good. ... It should kind of look like Tiger Woods would on a driving range or Kobe Bryant alone in a gym shooting 3s." When it doesn't look like that, Simms has a problem with the passer. He added that the private workout is the only way to go and applauded Cleveland for working out QBs that way.
Simms told me when he came out he had 20 private workouts, sometimes four a week with a minimum of 120 throws per workout and he ran a 40 for every staff that came in to his school. No loud music, no orchestrated workout, just tons of throws.
Here are a some of Simms' thoughts on this draft class at QB:
1. Blake Bortles: Simms is impressed with with Central Florida QB's size and the great physical shape he's in, and also what he demonstrated on tape. He believes Bortles could use another year of college experience to sharpen his craft but likes his leadership.
The key point: "Bortles has to work hard to throw the ball well, it doesn't come easy for him. I don't see great rotation on the ball."
Simms feels Bortles is not a top-level NFL passer. I told Simms two different NFL QB evaluators described him in different ways to me. One compared Bortles to Blaine Gabbert and the other suggested Ben Roethlisberger. Simms didn't buy either comparison, saying Bortles has more going for him than Gabbert but does not have Roethlisberger's natural throwing skills.
2. Johnny Manziel: When I mentioned Manziel, the first thing Simms said was: "Get ready, because the circus is coming to town," and that the team drafting Manziel has to be all in with who Johnny Football is as a quarterback.Simms is "bothered by his size and that speed is such a big part of his game," pointing out that all QBs slow down as their pro careers advance, but NFL defenses never slow down.
Simms' main question about Manziel: "How will he be when he loses speed?"
As for Manziel's throwing, Simms said, "He throws fairly well, but not by NFL standards," adding a concern that Manziel's arm was less crisp later in the season. When I noted how good his arm looked in the bowl game, Simms was quick to point out getting a month off to rest for a bowl game is no measuring stick because NFL quarterbacks never get a month off.
I asked Simms about Manziel's relatively small body of work in college -- only 26 regular-season games -- as a foundation for NFL readiness. Simms said Manziel should come out now because he may not get any better at Texas A&M, where he's already taken a lot of hits.
3. Teddy Bridgewater: Simms was quick to say Bridgewater's spotty pro day performance was a "red flag." The Louisville QB should have looked a lot better than he did and some of his bad throw tendencies that show up in games were present at the pro day.
We focused on the glove Bridgewater wore during the season and what it meant. Simms said, "The glove is important to him because it hides a deficiency in his motion. Bridgewater is not a classic thrower, he dips under his ball and the elbow drops, the glove saves his throws." Simms also felt Bridgewater's arm faded late in the season, which is a concern.
4. Derek Carr: Simms was surprised I asked about Carr in the same context of the other three because he hadn't heard anyone talk about the Fresno State QB along with the others.
Simms said some would hold his brother (onetime No. 1 overall pick David Carr) against him, but wasn't sold on Derek Carr as a first-round talent anyway. Simms did say Carr can spin the ball and has some God-given talent, but there are just too many screens and lob balls to get excited. As for Carr's mechanics, Simms thought he was a bit tight and too much like he's been lifting a lot of weights.
5. Zach Mettenberger: Simms says the LSU QB is an interesting guy but has some concerns, wondering if his feet were just a half-step slow and he might have to work on quickness to drop. He also termed Zettenberger's arm a bit loose, causes occasional throws that makes you ask, "Where did that come from"
Wild cards: Simms found two QBs he would take a chance on later in the draft: Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas Pitt's Tom Savage.
Simms recognizes Thomas is raw, saying, "He might have the best 20 throws you will see from any of these quarterbacks, but he might also have the 20 worst throws."
As for Savage, Simms likes the way he can get a good throw off from any physical position, and make accurate throws across the field, and throws off his back foot are solid.
Phil Simms is not impressed with the 2014 NFL Draft QB class
April 9, 2014 3:20 pm ET
For 10 years, one highlight leading up to the NFL Draft is talking with Phil Simms about the quarterbacks. We prepare by watching as much game tape as possible before discussing the candidates.
Simms has strong opinions about the signal callers and, as always, came up with some "wild card" candidates who aren't projected particularly high. In a few weeks, Simms will rank his top 10 and assign a round for each.
Simms says he doesn't see any of the QBs as sure-fire locks worthy of going in the first round nor does he see an elite NFL arm. When it comes to pro days, Simms said, "I expect a quarterback to really show off, his workout should look really good. ... It should kind of look like Tiger Woods would on a driving range or Kobe Bryant alone in a gym shooting 3s." When it doesn't look like that, Simms has a problem with the passer. He added that the private workout is the only way to go and applauded Cleveland for working out QBs that way.
Simms told me when he came out he had 20 private workouts, sometimes four a week with a minimum of 120 throws per workout and he ran a 40 for every staff that came in to his school. No loud music, no orchestrated workout, just tons of throws.
Here are a some of Simms' thoughts on this draft class at QB:
1. Blake Bortles: Simms is impressed with with Central Florida QB's size and the great physical shape he's in, and also what he demonstrated on tape. He believes Bortles could use another year of college experience to sharpen his craft but likes his leadership.
The key point: "Bortles has to work hard to throw the ball well, it doesn't come easy for him. I don't see great rotation on the ball."
Simms feels Bortles is not a top-level NFL passer. I told Simms two different NFL QB evaluators described him in different ways to me. One compared Bortles to Blaine Gabbert and the other suggested Ben Roethlisberger. Simms didn't buy either comparison, saying Bortles has more going for him than Gabbert but does not have Roethlisberger's natural throwing skills.
2. Johnny Manziel: When I mentioned Manziel, the first thing Simms said was: "Get ready, because the circus is coming to town," and that the team drafting Manziel has to be all in with who Johnny Football is as a quarterback.Simms is "bothered by his size and that speed is such a big part of his game," pointing out that all QBs slow down as their pro careers advance, but NFL defenses never slow down.
Simms' main question about Manziel: "How will he be when he loses speed?"
As for Manziel's throwing, Simms said, "He throws fairly well, but not by NFL standards," adding a concern that Manziel's arm was less crisp later in the season. When I noted how good his arm looked in the bowl game, Simms was quick to point out getting a month off to rest for a bowl game is no measuring stick because NFL quarterbacks never get a month off.
I asked Simms about Manziel's relatively small body of work in college -- only 26 regular-season games -- as a foundation for NFL readiness. Simms said Manziel should come out now because he may not get any better at Texas A&M, where he's already taken a lot of hits.
3. Teddy Bridgewater: Simms was quick to say Bridgewater's spotty pro day performance was a "red flag." The Louisville QB should have looked a lot better than he did and some of his bad throw tendencies that show up in games were present at the pro day.
We focused on the glove Bridgewater wore during the season and what it meant. Simms said, "The glove is important to him because it hides a deficiency in his motion. Bridgewater is not a classic thrower, he dips under his ball and the elbow drops, the glove saves his throws." Simms also felt Bridgewater's arm faded late in the season, which is a concern.
4. Derek Carr: Simms was surprised I asked about Carr in the same context of the other three because he hadn't heard anyone talk about the Fresno State QB along with the others.
Simms said some would hold his brother (onetime No. 1 overall pick David Carr) against him, but wasn't sold on Derek Carr as a first-round talent anyway. Simms did say Carr can spin the ball and has some God-given talent, but there are just too many screens and lob balls to get excited. As for Carr's mechanics, Simms thought he was a bit tight and too much like he's been lifting a lot of weights.
5. Zach Mettenberger: Simms says the LSU QB is an interesting guy but has some concerns, wondering if his feet were just a half-step slow and he might have to work on quickness to drop. He also termed Zettenberger's arm a bit loose, causes occasional throws that makes you ask, "Where did that come from"
Wild cards: Simms found two QBs he would take a chance on later in the draft: Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas Pitt's Tom Savage.
Simms recognizes Thomas is raw, saying, "He might have the best 20 throws you will see from any of these quarterbacks, but he might also have the 20 worst throws."
As for Savage, Simms likes the way he can get a good throw off from any physical position, and make accurate throws across the field, and throws off his back foot are solid.