Raper and NFL Combine Redux

OR

My dream nearly came true.  After signing a recruiting class which left two open scholarships, Michigan left the door open for signing some late unsigned prospects after National Letter of Intent Day.  In comes former Clemson commit, South Carolina ATH Larry Raper, who stood out not because of his reported 4.24 40 yard dash time, but because of his last name that reeks of awesomeness.  This is like the Anti Rudy Gay.  "Raper really hits the hole hard," or "Raper showed great explosion" are just some of the gems that some team can look forward to for the next 3-5 years.  I only dream about some of the gems that Brent Musberger could have came up with for this young man.  He would have went through his time at Michigan with something like the nickname "The Creeper."  The fantasy of a Raper suiting up in the Maize and Blue almost came true, but now it seems that Michigan has dropped Raper and will save the 'ships for the 2010 class.  No word yet on whether he is actually the first or second picture above.  

The NFL Combine has come and gone, and the annual rise and fall of the draft prospects has begun. 

Aaron Curry seems to have been the beneficiary of a monster workout, as now there is some talk of him going as high as #1 to Detroit.  This is bad news for Browns fans, many of whom wanted Curry with the #5 pick.  Curry posted an eye-popping 4.56 forty time, followed that up with 25 reps in the bench press, and then followed that up by standing out in position drills.  He is a high character kid who has the look and feel of a "10 year building block" at OLB.  While the talk is there for Curry to rise, if he falls past Kansas City at 3 than I think the Browns will still have a shot at him.  

Alabama OT Andre Smith has taken the type of fall that has not been seen since Hans Gruber in Die Hard.  Smith showed up at the combine out of shape and unready for the biggest job interview of his life, then left in the middle of it all, saying he needed to go see his trainer.  Really?  It did not occur to you that you might need to see him before the combine?!  I think what really happened was that he saw USC PK David Buehler pumping out 25 (Twenty Five!!) reps on the bench press.  He then went to the 40 field where he busted out a reported 4.62!!  Smith probably thought he was ready for the combine, but when he sees kickers pushing iron like this, he may have just freaked out.  Buehler bested 22 offensive linemen, whose job is solely to push things, and ran faster than nearly the whole field in the 40.  By comparison, former worthless Michigan DE Tim Jamison ran a 5.03 forty time.  5.03?!  No wonder Michigan went 3-9 last year, their players weren't as fast as about 15 members of the 2002-2003 Oak Harbor Football Rockets.  

Some other players that have risen up draft boards: Baylor OT Jason Smith, South Carolina TE Jason Cook, and apparently Michigan CB Morgan Trent (according to SI.com) who they said looked fundamentally sound during DB drills.  I tend to believe that if he has risen, it is because he came to the interview portion of the combine looking straight out of GQ.  Morgan Trent, best dressed man in the 2009 NFL Draft.  

In other sports news

• The Giants have signed RB Brandon Jacobs to a 4 year deal, ensuring that that they will have the two most impressive physical  specimens (along with DE Justin Tuck) in the NFL.  In other news, Laron Landry may have just asked for a trade.
• Look out for the Chicago Bulls in the stretch run.  Their acquisition of Brad Miller and John Salmons gives them some verrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting pieces to put into their rotation down the stretch.  With a rotation of Rose, Heinrich, Gordon, Deng, Salmons, Noah, Thomas, and Miller, they have about as good of an 8 as there is in the NBA.  They are only missing a bruiser down low.  In the LEast, they could definitely make a run into the second round of the playoffs, making either the Cavs, Pistons, Celtics, or Magic very nervous.  

That is all for today, NRTTS.

Coach Deuce