Build for 2010 anyone?

[derekshank]

I think Orakpo will be alright but he isn't special and I honestly think he will be the second DE taken in this years draft. Michael Johnson is the type of DE that will shoot up everybodies board because he has freakish ability but hasn't put it all together on the field. He is the type that blows up at the combine.

Agree about Michael Johnson being a physical freak... but I doubt he'll go ahead of Orakpo. Johnson is the physical specimen you want rushing the QB, but he'll need a lot of coaching. Isn't that exactly what was said about Vernon Gholston last year? He was drafted #6, didn't start a game the entire year, had 13 tackles and 0 sacks. I'd be pissed if that is the production the Bengals take away from the draft this year.

Anyway... Johnson is a project, and guys like that don't usually go ahead of an already polished player like Orakpo. I guess we'll see though.

[kentjett]

Combine production outweighs college production in a lot of cases. It shouldn't be that way but it is what it is. Orakpo doesn't possess elite speed or size and he over pursues a lot. He is good but no better than the DE that the Chiefs drafted a couple years ago. Somebody that projects as a top ten talent has to prove it at the combine and I don't see Orakpo doing that. He might be top; ten in a lot of categories but that won't cut it. I don't see a DE going in the top 8 picks in this years draft.

[Clackwoods]

Combine production outweighs college production in a lot of cases. It shouldn't be that way but it is what it is. Orakpo doesn't possess elite speed or size and he over pursues a lot. He is good but no better than the DE that the Chiefs drafted a couple years ago. Somebody that projects as a top ten talent has to prove it at the combine and I don't see Orakpo doing that. He might be top; ten in a lot of categories but that won't cut it. I don't see a DE going in the top 8 picks in this years draft.

The guy benches 515 pounds. He will put up 225 over 40 times. That will be enough to get him in the top 10 for sure.

[Kazkal]

He is strong but that doesn't = 20 sacks a year.

[kentjett]

They don't emphasize on the weight lifting as much as the 40 time and agility drills. Look at the top lifters in previous drafts, they r no where near the top of the NFL draft.

[HairOnFire]

The guy benches 515 pounds.

Yup, and he squat lifts over 600 lbs....a little nugget that makes me wonder about sources who claim he lacks lower body strength. As for pure speed, I'm guessing he'll run somewhere in the low 4.7's....a respectable timing, but admittedly one that won't make Vernon Gholsten style headlines.

All things considered, I guess we can all ask ourselves if that matters very much.

[Pidge]

Christ I hate the combine. It has f**k all to do with football. You could get a rugby player to do those same drills and he could perform top 5 in most drills. Slap a helmet on him and ask him to play MLB and he'd be lost.

Game film should be the only indicator, maybe combine results come into effect if two players are close. It's staggering the half dozen or so players who get drafted early because they can jump quite high whilst wearing socks. All those years in the game, evaluating talent and some suckers still fall in love with number crunching. We'll see 6 yr old children being drafted all over the shop soon enough based on jumping in socks.

This is unfair of course, most top picks have the technique and then get shuffled depending on their nylon athletics but still, all this talk about a DT running 4.6 or something. Who gives a s**t, can he stuff the run or is his quick, fat ass on his face a tenth of a second after each snap?