NFL Combine
20th Feb 2008
Four Notre Dame players will be taking part in the NFL Scouting Combine coming up. They are John Carlson, Trevor Laws, John Sullivan, and Tom Zbikowski. The NFL Combine is a fair in which the nation’s top players are invited to participate in events which will be evaluated by NFL Scouts. This years Combine will have 13 parts which are the 40-yard dash, Bench press, Three cone drill, Broad jump, Vertical leap, 20-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle, Position specific drills, Physical measurements, NFL team interviews, The Wonderlic Test, The Cybex Test, and Injury evaluation. It gives these players the opportunity to prove to NFL teams that they are a worthy draft pick.
John Carlson was considered one of the top Tight Ends in the nation after his impressive 2006 season. He was predicted to be a first round pick if he had decided to enter the 2007 NFL Draft. Instead he chose to return to Notre Dame for a fifth season as a Captain and leader of a very young Irish team. Obviously, that didn’t go so well due to the constant change of quarterbacks and struggle on offense as a whole. But John’s 2006 season is certainly enough to keep him among the top tight ends, if not the best, in this year’s draft. However, John missed an important event recently, the Senior Bowl, due to food poisoning which led to major weight loss. He lost at least 17 pounds but thankfully, has now gained that weight back and is ready to take part in the more important, NFL Scouting Combine. Mel Kiper Jr. listed the 6′5″, 255 pound Carlson as the number two tight end in this years draft behind Fred Davis of USC. John could sneak into the first round if he impresses the Scouts, but either way he should go on the first day.
Trevor Laws had the most impressive season for any Notre Dame player in 2007. He was also a fifth year senior, but instead of decreasing his draft stock like Carlson, he increased it tremendously. Trevor recorded 112 tackles as a defensive end, and was named the 2007 Team MVP in his final season in South Bend. I was absolutely furious when he wasn’t named to any major All-American teams after having that number of tackles as a defensive lineman. Trevor must have taken this as an insult because he has worked harder than anyone else, preparing for the Combine. In the past two months he has lost body fat and added thirty pounds of solid muscle to his build. According to the Chicago Tribune Laws works out up to three times a day and always eats five meals. Mel Kiper Jr. has noticed him and thinks that he will go in the third round, which seems pretty reasonable. Trevor should go early on the second day of the draft, but you never know, it could be the first if he does well in the Combine.
John Sullivan returned for a fifth year and became a Captain just prior to the start of the 2007 season. He started 43 of the 47 games he played in his career at Notre Dame and his most recent season wasn’t his best. John, an offensive center, led the nation’s worst offensive line in 2007. The inexperience along the O-Line had a great effect on his play and forced him to change his style, which greatly decreased his draft stock. However, he blocked well in the past and has good size to be taken at some point in the draft. Mel Kiper Jr. said that Sullivan’s stock dropped, but due to the weak year at center, he could be taken on the second day. I think that if John can prove himself at the combine and impress the Scouts, he could be taken as early as the fourth round.
Tom Zbikowski has always been one of the fans-favorite’s and chose to return for a fifth year at Notre Dame. He is a two-time Captain for the Irish but did not make the right career decision. He struggled in his final season in South Bend after three very impressive years in which he displayed his toughness and will. He could have been taken on the first day of the draft if he left a year, possibly even two years earlier. But it’s too late for that now and Tom is going to have to really prove to the Scouts that he is worth their pick after his rough 2007 season. Mel Kiper Jr. believes that he may have dropped to a fifth, maybe even sixth round draft pick. I belive that Zibi could get taken in the fourth round if people recognize his toughness and special teams ability. If the NFL doesn’t work out for him, he can always go with boxing, but I don’t think that should be a problem.
Keep updated on the NFL Scouting Combine by checking out the NFL Network and other major sport networks. I will have the results of each Irish player when the Combine is finished. As always, Go Irish!
