SB Nation Kansas City - Aldon Smith Faces Injury Questions At 2011 NFL Combinehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2011-03-01T09:04:45-06:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17699172011-03-01T09:04:45-06:002011-03-01T09:04:45-06:002011 NFL Combine Results: Nebraska's Prince Amukamara Shows His Speed
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<p>This is the final day of the 2011 NFL Combine which will feature defensive backs. One of the top cornerbacks in the 2011 NFL draft is Nebraska Cornhuskers' Prince Amukamara who is expected to be the second cornerback selected in next April's draft. LSU's Patrick Peterson is expected to be the first cornerback taken. </p>
<p>Amukamara had some questions about his speed but he silenced many of those on Tuesday morning when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 and 4.34 seconds (both unofficial times for now). That's one of the better times we'll see in Indy this week.</p>
<p>How high can Amukamara go? I think he can (and will) push himself into the top 10 of the draft. In a day when passing the football becomes even more important every year, Amukamara's status as a top cornerback will be very valuable. Some are suggesting he could be a good fit with the Dallas Cowboys at the ninth pick.</p>
<p>Peterson will likely go before Amukamara, perhaps as high as the top five, or maybe even top three. Amukamara, though, won't be far behind. He's fast and is coming from one of the best defenses in college football. That's a nice recipe for success.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/3/1/2022499/2011-nfl-combine-results-nebraska-prince-amukamaraJoel Thorman2011-03-01T07:38:18-06:002011-03-01T07:38:18-06:00Aldon Smith's Injury Reports On His Leg Look Fine At 2011 NFL Combine
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<p>Believe it or not, the most important thing NFL teams are looking for at the NFL Combine usually isn't a 40-time, bench press reps or even the interviews.</p>
<p>It's the medical reports.</p>
<p>Indeed, each player goes through medical exams and team doctors can take a look at the results. This is what teams don't know about a player -- they can see his game tape, they can see him speak to the press and they can learn from his college teammates what kind of person he is -- but they can't get inside his body and figure out what's right or wrong medically.</p>
<p>For Aldon Smith, that's particularly important. He's coming off of a year in which he broke his fibula and, even though he returned to the field later that season, teams wanted to take a closer look at him, <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/article_6c15ef71-85f3-58f2-941a-67aec6d74fa8.html">according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>.</p>
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<p>Smith got a lot of questions from teams - and team medical officials - about the injury. "Yeah, they all thought it was an ankle, because I guess they thought it was lower, and that's what was X-rayed at first," Smith said. "But other than that, it wasn't a big deal."</p>
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<p>Smith said he got some x-rays and the leg was "fine". We'll see what NFL teams have to say about it because Smith is expected to be drafted in the top half of the first round meaning he'll be paid some big bucks. Teams want to know they're getting a high quality product in return.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/3/1/2022367/aldon-smith-injury-nfl-combine-2011Joel Thorman2011-02-28T06:46:19-06:002011-02-28T06:46:19-06:00Did Blaine Gabbert Help Or Hurt Himself At 2011 NFL Combine?
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<p>Former Missouri Tigers QB Blaine Gabbert took in the <a href="http://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/21/2005876/2011-nfl-combine-invite-list-includes-qb-blaine-gabbert-de-aldon-smith">2011 NFL Combine</a> in Indianapolis this week and took a route no other quarterback took -- he decided not to throw. All the other top quarterbacks, like former Auburn QB Cam Newton and former Washington QB Jake Locker, did throw for scouts at the Combine.</p>
<p>Because he didn't throw, it's hard to say he helped himself. The reason people will say he did hurt himself, or potentially hurt himself, is because somehow not working out says something about him. 'All the other quarterbacks weren't afraid to throw, why was Gabbert?' they'll say. NFL teams like players that want to compete and are willing to compete -- anywhere. For his part, Gabbert says he won't shy away from any throw at his March 17th pro day. In my opinion, he's making a smart business decision to throw in a more comfortable, controlled environment. Anyone who says this somehow says something about him or his character, or that this isn't him simply listening to his (highly successful and experienced) agent, is looking for a reason to knock him down. </p>
<p>Could he have helped himself last weekend? Very possible. He and Newton are neck and neck to become the top quarterback taken and Newton had a so-so day throwing the ball. Perhaps it was so-so enough to knock his stock down a little bit. Indirectly, that would be helping Gabbert. </p>
<p>My take is that his stock stayed the same. Sure, you can say it was a mistake not to throw at the Combine but it didn't affect his stock. Any team interested in him isn't going to base a multi-million dollar decision based on one day of throwing in shorts (and if they do, they're probably not a very good team...or they're the Bengals).</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/28/2020023/blaine-gabbert-hurt-help-nfl-combine-2011Joel Thorman2011-02-26T08:39:27-06:002011-02-26T08:39:27-06:00Blaine Gabbert Talks Quarterbacks At 2011 NFL Combine
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<p>Former Missouri Tigers QB Blaine Gabbert spoke to the media on Friday in Indianapolis at the <a href="http://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/21/2005876/2011-nfl-combine-invite-list-includes-qb-blaine-gabbert-de-aldon-smith">2011 NFL Combine</a>. Gabbert came off as confident throughout the media session saying he wouldn't be out-worked, he would strive to immediately become a starting quarterback and hopes to be drafted high.</p>
<p>He also touched briefly on the other quarterbacks at the Combine. The most attention goes to Gabbert and QB Cam Newton because they're the top two quarterbacks and Gabbert noted that it <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20110226/SPORTS01/102260369/An-entertaining-QB-competition-NFL-combine">feels like people are making it to be a two-man race</a>.</p>
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<p>"I think that's what you guys are making it out to be, me vs. Cam," Gabbert said. "It's just an opportunity for us to get drafted as high as possible. I know Cam, Ryan (Mallett) and Jake (Locker) are all working to be the No. 1 guy, and it's going to be a fun next two months."</p>
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<p>One of the best things about the NFL draft is that your top five in February usually doesn't look like your top five in April. In fact, it can be dramatically different. To this point, though, there doesn't seem to be any momentum moving away from Gabbert or Newton.</p>
<p>Though it's not a true race, it looks like those two are the two dogs in the fight to become the first quarterback off the board.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/26/2016584/blaine-gabbert-quarterbacks-2011-nfl-combineJoel Thorman2011-02-25T14:14:31-06:002011-02-25T14:14:31-06:00Blaine Gabbert: 'I'm Going To Outwork Everybody'
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<p>You gotta give it to Blaine Gabbert. He knows the right things to say.</p>
<p>The former Mizzou QB spoke to the media at the 2011 NFL Combine on Friday and, as expected, addressed his decision not to throw at the Combine. He said he took the advice of his agent, Tom Condon, and added that he's not going to shy away from any pass at Mizzou's pro day on March 17.</p>
<p>He also said he's going in with the mindset that <a href="http://blogs.nfl.com/category/combine/?module=HP_cp2">he's going to be a starting quarterback from day one</a>.</p>
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<p id="yui_3_3_0_1_1298664501420639">"I'm going to outwork everybody," he said. "That's how I was raised, that nothing's ever going to be given to you in life, you've got to earn everything you get. That's kind of the mindset I've taken with football. I'm never going to be outworked by anybody else."</p>
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<p>As to the scenario of him going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers, Gabbert said, "Anything's possible."</p>
<p>This is all hypothetical, but I could see him starting day one for a few teams picking early in the draft: Panthers, Bills, Cardinals, Bengals (without Carson Palmer), Titans...there are a lot of choices. </p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/25/2015440/blaine-gabbert-nfl-combine-2011Joel Thorman2011-02-25T10:47:34-06:002011-02-25T10:47:34-06:002011 NFL Combine: Blaine Gabbert Weighs In, 'Looks The Part'
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<p>Former Missouri TIgers QB Blaine Gabbert is viewed favorably by NFL teams in part because he has an NFL body. He's big, athletic and has a strong arm. Those are the types of things that scouts will like to see at the 2011 NFL Combine, particularly at weigh-in.</p>
<p>On Friday, Gabbert weighed in at the Combine in Indianapolis and the results: 6'4" and 3/8, 234 pounds. <a href="http://twitter.com/wesbunting">National Football Post's Wes Bunting </a>said Gabbert had "big hands" and "looked the part". Gabbert's in a class with some very big quarterbacks like QB Cam Newton and QB Ryan Mallett so he has some competition on the size.</p>
<p>Speaking of Newton and Mallett, they also weighed in on Friday. Newton came in at 6'5" and 248 pounds. Bunting said he was "impressive looking". Mallet came in at 6'6" and 6/8 and weighed 253 pounds. Bunting wrote he "had a bad body, looked soft".</p>
<p>Now that they've weighed in, they'll go through some medical tests, meet with the media and later meet with NFL teams interview-style. The quarterbacks won't be working out until Sunday. Gabbert will run but he won't throw. As of now, he's the only one of the top quarterbacks not expected to throw.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/25/2014918/2011-nfl-combine-blaine-gabbert-weigh-inJoel Thorman2011-02-25T07:46:58-06:002011-02-25T07:46:58-06:002011 NFL Combine: Mizzou DE Aldon Smith Arriving
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<p>The<a href="http://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/21/2005876/2011-nfl-combine-invite-list-includes-qb-blaine-gabbert-de-aldon-smith"> 2011 NFL Combine</a> continues on and we've yet to see a player actually work out. That will come today when the place kickers and special teamers workout. On Saturday, the offensive linemen and tight ends will work out and on Sunday it'll be the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs.</p>
<p>Today, though, defensive linemen and linebackers will be arriving at the Combine in Indianapolis and that includes former Missouri Tigers DE Aldon Smith. </p>
<p>His schedule today includes the travel to Indy and then registering upon arrival.</p>
<p>There will be some medical exams before he does anything. Some NFL people have told me that the medical tests are the reason the Combine exists. That's what teams are coming to get. For someone like Smith, who had a broken leg last season, it's very important he show that he's healthy, or on the track to getting healthy.</p>
<p>He will go through some sort of orientation or "Welcome to the Combine' before interviews. NFL teams bring with them 60 names they'll interview for 15 minutes at a time. If your name is on a team's list, you'll be meeting with them at some point. I imagine a versatile player like Smith has drawn a lot of interest.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/25/2014552/2011-nfl-combine-mizzou-de-aldon-smithJoel Thorman2011-02-25T07:42:16-06:002011-02-25T07:42:16-06:002011 NFL Combine Schedule: What's Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert Doing Today?
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<p>Former Missouri Tigers QB Blaine Gabbert arrived at the <a href="http://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/21/2005876/2011-nfl-combine-invite-list-includes-qb-blaine-gabbert-de-aldon-smith">2011 NFL Combine</a> in Indianapolis on Thursday. The drills don't come until the weekend so on Thursday he registered, took some pre-Combine medical exams (which are arguably the most important part of the entire week), went through orientation and met with some NFL teams.</p>
<p>On Friday, the schedule will be similar.</p>
<p>He'll be going through physical measurement -- is he really 6'4"? -- and other tests, like the Wonderlic Test. Then he'll have more interviews with NFL teams in the evening. He will though speak with the media. And with NFL Network's coverage of every minute of the Combine, we'll be seeing video of it.</p>
<p>Gabbert came in with the most popular group -- quarterbacks, receivers and running backs -- so there will be a lot of media excitement surrounding those players. </p>
<p>This group of players won't work out until Saturday. The first actual workouts will come today with place kickers and special teamers while offensive linemen and tight ends will go on Saturday.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/2/25/2014541/nfl-combine-2011-schedule-missouri-blaine-gabbertJoel Thorman