Updated on Mar. 6, 2007
Draft boards for all 32 teams started to take better shape with the official numbers from the Scouting Combine workouts. Those who helped and hurt themselves the most in Indianapolis in this week's Risers & Fallers.
| Risers & Fallers |
1.  Leon Hall, CB, Michigan: Hall entered his senior season perched atop the cornerback rankings, but he ended it being torched by Ted Ginn, Jr. and Dwayne Jarrett. A fine technician, Hall's perceived weakness was pure speed. However, a 4.39-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis solidified his ranking as the top senior cornerback in the draft -- and Hall may have leapfrogged Pittsburgh junior Darrelle Revis to be the top cornerback overall. |
| 2. Mike Walker, WR, Central Florida: Entering the Combine as a late-round prospect known more for his steady, unspectacular production than his athleticism, Walker turned in perhaps the most stunning 40 time with a 4.35. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound receiver doesn't play to this speed on film, but after making the transition to wide receiver from cornerback only two years ago, Walker's eye-popping time speaks to his upside. |
| 3. Tim Shaw, OLB, Penn State: Shaw, 6-2, 236, unselfishly moved from his outside linebacker position to defensive end as a senior. Switching positions wasn't something new for Shaw. During his time with the Nittany Lions, Shaw played running back, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and defensive end, as well as various roles on special teams. Overshadowed by Paul Posluszny throughout his career, Shaw was more impressive at the Combine than his former teammate, running a 4.51, jumping 36 1/2 inches and lifting the 225-pound bar 26 times -- all among the top results for the position. |
| 4. Antwan Barnes, OLB, Florida International: Speaking of top results at the outside linebacker position, Barnes raised quite a few eyebrows with his dominating performance at the Combine. After weighing in at 6-1, 240 pounds, Barnes ran a 4.43 (second fastest among linebackers), had a 10'2" broad jump (third best) and led all linebackers with 31 reps of 225 pounds. Barnes, who played outside linebacker as a sophomore before moving to defensive end the past two seasons, may have emerged as legitimate Day One candidate with his performance. |
| 5. Chris Davis, WR, Florida State: With all of Florida State's problems on offense last season, it was easy to overlook Davis. However, the 5-10, 181-pound Davis showcased the burst, good route-running and fearlessness at the Senior Bowl to emerge as one of the better slot receivers in the draft. Davis, while not a classic speed threat, ran a solid 4.50 at the Combine, and demonstrated his rare quickness and agility, finishing second among all receivers in the shuttle (4.14) and third in the three cone drill (6.66). |
1.  Daymeion Hughes, CB, California: No player hurt his stock more at the Combine. The Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year and arguably the most impressive defender in the early days of the Senior Bowl practices, the only question about Hughes was his pure speed. Estimated as a mid-4.5 guy, it was thought that anything faster than this time might solidify Hughes as a first-round pick. A slightly slower time would likely push him into the second. After times ranging from 4.60-4.72, it remains to be seen how far Hughes' stock will drop. |
| 2. Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC: Jarrett also entered the Combine needing only to answer only the speed question. While Hughes' stock is plummeting with his poor showing, Jarrett didn't even attempt to run, instead electing to wait until his March 28 Pro Day. With all of the healthy top ranked receivers turning in impressive workouts in Indianapolis, Jarrett's lack of participation drew plenty of grumbles from NFL scouts. |
| 3. Jon Abbate, ILB, Wake Forest: Anyone who saw Wake Forest play last season knows Abbate can play football. However, the junior had to answer questions about his speed at the Combine, and the answer he provided was a horribly disappointing 5.0 in the 40. Abbate did well in other drills, at times ranking among the elite at the position, but his 40 time -- more than a tenth of a second slower than any other linebacker tested -- is a huge red flag for teams debating if Abbate has the speed to cover sideline to sideline. |
| 4. Chansi Stuckey, WR, Clemson: At 5-11, 197 pounds, Stuckey isn't the big wideout most teams prefer in today's NFL. Billed as one of the elite senior receivers in the country entering the season, Stuckey was limited to only 359 receiving yards and three touchdowns due to a broken foot. After a non-descript week of practice at the Senior Bowl, Stuckey, considered by most to be among the top all-around athletes at the position, produced surprisingly pedestrian results at the Combine; running a 4.56 40-yard dash, 6.91 in the three cone drill and only topping out at 35" inches in the vertical. |
| 5. Prescott Burgess, OLB, Michigan: The perception among scouts was that Burgess could emerge as one of the nation's top outside linebackers last season. A former safety, Burgess was expected to run well, and his development as a front seven defender led to speculation that he had also grown quite strong. Instead, Burgess looked slow and weak alongside his outside linebacker counterparts in Indianapolis, running the 40 in 4.82 (second slowest at the position) and lifting the bar only 19 times (third fewest). |
Rob Rang is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
