Former Tigers struggle at combine, but no worries

By Marc Hudgens  |   Tuesday, February 26, 2008  |  Comments( 3 )

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Granted, the NFL Scouting Combine isn't an exact science, especially as some drills don't apply to certain positions. However, to not perform well as a whole isn't good news.

Such was the case for four ex-Clemson players who attended this year's combine: All-ACC offensive linemen Barry Richardson and Chris McDuffie, linebacker Nick Watkins, who led the Tigers in tackles last season with 100, and star defensive end Phillip Merling, who was third in the conference with 16 tackles for loss.

Sifting through the "Top Performers" of each drill, only one time was a former Tiger listed. That was McDuffie, who was 10th in the bench-press competition, putting up 225 pounds 29 times.

Not much was actually broadcast on the NFL Network's live telecast regarding the ex-Tigers, but Richardson and Watkins got some decent exposure. Richardson looked good in the mirror drill and Watkins was showcased in the 40-yard dash. Although his running style and form were superb, he ran a poor 4.85-second average, which put him far from the top 10 in that category.

What definitely didn't help was the absence of Merling from competition. Although he did in fact attend the combine, he did not compete because of a groin injury. Had the Memphis native been healthy and joined the ruckus, it likely would have been a shot in the arm the small Clemson envoy needed.

Still, it's not the end of the world if a player doesn't perform well. While we as naive spectators look at it one way, head coaches, scouts and other suits look for completely different things like technique, medical evaluations and good character, of which Clemson players are known for having solid quantities. As many NFL honchos have clearly stated, the combine doesn't tell the true story.

"You can't weigh too much on a beauty pageant," said Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards.

Clemson fans can take the Combine for what it's worth: A mix of general athletic skill evaluations and a little glamour. As Vinny Cerrato, Washington Redskins vice president of football operations, stated, "I know the drills on the field; I mean you get a chance to see them athletically and stuff, but you don't play football in shorts and T-shirts."

Indeed.
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About Marc Hudgens

Marc Hudgens has been with RealFootball365 since 2007, covering college football, specifically Clemson and Oregon. He also writes for SouthernPigskin.com covering the ACC. He enjoys the acidic wit of Hunter S. Thompson, is a freelance graphic designer and has written several screenplays. He ...
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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
stefan		12:43 PM
02/27/2008
I hope Nick Watkins have a good combine. I played with him at karr high school, he is a great man with a good attitude towards ...
No.2
Chili		02:52 PM
02/27/2008
Really surprised to see Marullo wasn't the first to comment. I guess there wasn't a mention of Bowden in the article for him to ...
No.3
jerry a marullo		07:15 AM
02/28/2008
There is a lot of truth in your post chili;not to mention,I could care less about how anyone does in the NFL beauty pageant.The ...
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