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Udeze at 24?


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Found this at profootballtalk.com:

UDEZE POISED TO PLUMMET?

There are growing whispers in league circles that USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze could do the draft day free fall, due to reports that he has a torn labrum that could render him unavailable for the entire 2004 season.

Udeze, a 275-pounder whose 4.7 in the 40 vaulted him upward on many draft boards.  We'll be chatting with our sources on Tuesday regarding the effect that the shoulder injury might have on his standing, but it's possible that Udeze will fall through round one.

Word is that the Texans were thinking seriously about taking Udeze at the No. 10 spot.  As it currently stands, Houston -- and possibly many other teams -- will take a pass instead.

Stay tuned.

If he's there at 24, even if he won't be available until next year, do we grab him? Given all the other picks we have, it's arguable we could afford to...

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Very interesting. I thought I read somewhere that ML wasnt in the mood to take chances with guys the way he did with DW and KW. If he is still there in round two, might be worth it assuming he can heal to 100%

I heard the same thing. I can't see Marvin doing that. He knows he needs a player now to make an impact and can't afford to redshirt another 1st round pick...Maybe, I mean maybe if he's there at our second pick in round 2 then yeah pull the trigger...but too many holes to fill to have a player that won't play for a year, and not even be able to push someone ahead of him on the depth chart.

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I dunno. If ML really was after an impact guy, why trade down in the first place? But anyhow...the real question for me would be how serious the injury (assuming for argument's sake the story is true) is. I did some poking around on the net and torn labrums don't seem to be that serious an injury. Hasselbeck had one in his non-throwing shoulder, and it seems a fairly common baseball injury. And it's a long time to the start of the season. Something bad enough to knock him out from now to 2005 seems like it would have to be more serious.

For my part, it's just tough to pass up Udeze at 24 unless he has something career-threatening.

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I say draft him.... I'm home from work now 7 months after Torn Rotator cuff surgery, and in my research, a Torn Labrum takes less time to heal from than a Rotator injury.

Plus It's not like he's throwing a football for us, His labrum will heal just fine. The surgery is pretty simple, all they do is go in under the arm and reattach it , using organic screws that hold it back into place until it heals.

Then it's 6 months or less of rehab/physical therapy, and he's good as new..

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more from the profootballgossip guys...

UDEZE'S AGENT DISPUTES INJURY RUMORS

The Florida Times-Union reports that agent Thomas Barnes disputes rumors that USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze has a torn labrum in his shoulder.

"If you can do 25 reps of 225 [pounds], then I don't think you have a torn rotator cuff,'' Barnes said.

Still, Barnes acknowledged that Udeze injured his shoulder in a late-season game against Oregon State.  He was sufficiently healthy in the Rose Bowl to record three sacks.

The Times-Union suggests that the Jaguars might be interested in Udeze but for the rumors.  The Jags, for now, are keeping their lips zipped.  "We're aware of some questions about his shoulder, but we're not going to reveal our medical opinion here,'' Jaguars V.P. of personnel James Harris said. "Doing so might affect our position in the draft.''

Coach Jack Del Rio speculates that the rumors were started by a team hoping that Udeze will fall in round one.  Still, the Jags are in the dark regarding Udeze's health, since they didn't perform a full medical evaluation of Udeze when he visited Jacksonville this month.

Still, Barnes thinks the Jags have enough information to address any concerns.  "Kenechi did . . . have a full [magnetic resonance imaging] exam done at the scouting combine [in late February], and the good thing is that the Jaguars have those records,'' Barnes said.

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UDEZE DIDN'T SHOW FOR RE-CHECK

A league source tells us that USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze failed to show for the medical re-check that follows the annual scouting combine, and that his no-show has fueled concerns regarding the severity of a pre-existing shoulder injury.

Every year, a select group of prospects are flown back to Indy after the combine for another look-see of any problem areas.  Udeze's shoulder triggered an invite to the re-check, but he didn't make the trek to Indiana.

We're hearing that some teams think Udeze will need surgery right away, and others think he could play in 2004 with a brace and get surgery after the season.  Several teams, however, have now taken him off of their boards given the injury and the re-check no-show.

We're hearing that the Jags had been very interested in Udeze at the nine spot, especially after he ran a faster-than-expected 40 in his pro day workout. 

With Udeze's stock falling, look for Ohio State defensive end Will Smith to crack into the top ten, possibly going to either the Jags or the Texans.

Sounds like there might be some kind of shoulder injury, but doesn't seem all that serious. I just can't see him dropping all the way to 24...

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According to USA Today : " Kenechi Udeze' last workout for an "unspecified" team was quite succesful.

Udeze reportedly showed up weighing 287 lbs. and still ran in the high '40s. The added weight was in response to the weight he lost last months' USC pro - day, as many teams were concerned about his ability to hold weight.

- There were no sources or rumors about injuries etc. Udeze's workout took place last weekend.

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more gossip...

UDEZE FLUNKED JAGS' PHYSICAL?

Contrary to published reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't examine defensive end Kenechi Udeze when he visited the team on April 12 -- and therefore they necessarily are in the dark regarding the condition of his shoulder -- a league source tells us that the Jags did in fact examine Udeze, and that he flunked the physical.

So why wouldn't the Jags say so?  Because there's still a chance that other teams will think the Jaguars want to draft Udeze, which could prompt a lower-positioned team to jump above Jacksonville to take Udeze, which would push another guy whom the Jags might take farther down the board. 

I love the draft...

profootballtalk's latest mock (v8.0) has Udeze going to the 'fins @ 30 in the first.

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