I’m reacting more to all the hype and stress put on the event… Seriously, when they talk about a guy’s draft stock dropping because he tweaked a hammy or sprained an ankle or fill in the injury of your choice, I laugh and have to wonder if teams are just blowing smoke up everyone’s bum.

Hmmm…maybe a source told SI he was going down a long set of stairs…or maybe sliding down a ramp???

I know don’t put too much stock in the combine, but a 40 for a LB that comes in at 4.87 or so…yikes.

I never put too much in numbers, but the combine does provide some value, just not as much as years of game tape. A football player is a football player. The fact the man did not prepare for the biggest job assessment of his career does not bother you at all? The difference of him getting drafted at 12 by the Broncos or higher, vs the end of the first round is tens of millions of dollars.

I agree he plays faster than that, but I also think he over pursues, is too aggressive, and misses a lot of assignments. Now these flaws are much smaller than his overall ability, I just don’t think he is the mortal lock at 12 that many people seem to have convinced themselves it is him or bust.

and he has the hips and feet to physically manage coverage responsibilities. He is also dedicated to his game, and has great instincts, so ‘feeling; the edges of his zone and reading his depth should be traits he picks up quickly. I don’t think the three downs is really much of a worry. Plus, his 2007 tape shows good coverage.

Undisciplined and football smart….much harder to disect, with evidence that if you give him the leeway to roll around like a cannonball on the deck of a ship, well, he’s gonna roll. Jury is out here, I believe.

Regarding the shape he is in, I understand that the criticism is that he doesn’t look as fit as he was expected too, but not from a ‘time off’ perspective. Scouts are generally surprised that he gets the power and agility out of his body when they see his build, which has been described as ‘soft.’ He’s not flabby or anything, not by any stretch of the imagination, they just see his build and are surprised that he is so powerful. My experience is that this is more a function of his polynesian genetics, and not a major concern, but I am afraid only time will tell. I don’t downgrade him for this element.

Mayock and Davis have ‘motormouth disease’ in which they frequently speak without engaging their brains. It’s not that the coverage question isn’t pertinent to some teams, specifically 4-3 teams, but that’s exactly why it should have been qualified in that way — 4-3 teams should … “ask themselves whether he’s a 3 down LB.” Maualuga’s weakness in coverage is only a weakness when considered from the perspective of a team that plays the type of defensive scheme that Rey is ill suited for. And, of course, his relatively poor man coverage skills were hardly an issue at USC because his strength at rushing the passer was considerable.

It’s all a question of what you want — Laurinaitis is highly skilled in pass coverage but his blitzing ability pales in comparison to Maualuga’s.

In this new post-Shanahan Bronco era, I’m quite happy whenever I hear that a player has the ability to rush the passer and disrupt the offense. It’s a very different mindset now.