by Steven Gomez

Created on: January 01, 2011

The NFL is the only major US sports league to hold a centralized, nationally publicized workout session for draft prospects.  The NFL Combine is a strange audition venue for NFL prospects to raise or tank their stock through a series of physical workout tests.  Many an unheralded draft prospect has elevated his stock to prominence through efforts in these workouts.  Below is a list of top prospects from the 2008 NFL Draft Combine, a rundown of their efforts at the Combine and how their NFL careers ultimately turned out

Top quarterback:  Kevin O'Connell of San Diego State posted a strong 4.61s time in the 40, a 31.0" vertical and the 2nd best efforts in the cone run (7.01s) and broad jump (9'5").

Results:  O'Connell was picked in the 3rd round by the New England Patriots, a high selection for a QB by the Patriots given the presence of all-pro star QB Tom Brady.  O'Connell worked mop up relief for Brady during 2008 and was released during the 2009 preseason after some awful in-game efforts.  O'Connell landed briefly with the Detroit Lions in 2009 before being traded for a late draft pick to the New York Jets, where he rode the bench before a serious labrum (shoulder) injury ended his year during the 2010 preseason.  He is currently rehabbing.

Top running backs:  Several backs showed promising efforts in this runner-rich draft.  Chris Johnson of East Carolina posted the best 40 yard dash among RBs at 4.24s.  Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois ran the best shuttle run at 4.18s.  Houston's Anthony Alridge posted the top broad jump at 11'2" while his 40-yard time of 4.36s was 3rd best overall among RBs.  Oregon's Jonathan Stewart made the most 225lb bench press reps at 28, posted the top vertical leap at 36.5" and had one of the top broad jumps at 10'8".

Result:  Most of these players went on to become household names.  Chris Johnson of course became the Tennessee Titans' 1st round pick in the 2008 draft and went on to become one of the top NFL rushers.  Mendenhall, picked in the 1st round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, has gone on to a solid career as the Steelers' featured rusher.  Jonathan Stewart, picked in the 1st round by the Carolina Panthers, is now one half of an effective rushing tandem with DeAngelo Williams.

The black sheep in this group was Anthony Alridge: Undrafted, Alridge bounced between four NFL teams and never got into a regular season game, before landing in 2010 with the

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>