The top college players in the nation will descend on the Indiana Convention Center this afternoon for the opening day of the 2005 NFL Scouting Combine. While the event will feature the usual collection of standouts from NFL breeding grounds like Florida and Southern California, this season’s combine will see an unusually large Wisconsin contingent.
Of the 24 seniors who recently concluded their Badger careers, 10 may hear their names called in this year’s NFL Draft. Suffice to say, the league will be paying a bit more attention than normal when UW Pro Day rolls around this year.
Every member of the 2004 UW defensive line has a legitimate shot at the NFL, with Erasmus James and Anttaj Hawthorne projected as first-round picks. A pair of Badger offensive linemen, Dan Buenning and Jonathan Clinkscale, can also count on making the jump to the pro ranks.
Despite questions about his durability, someone will take a chance on tailback Anthony Davis, and wide-out Darrin Charles may sneak onto the draft board despite sub-par numbers (he is 6-foot-7). In the secondary, Scott Starks and Jim Leonhard have strong credentials, but size casts doubt on both players’ draft statuses.
They won’t all be making the trip to Indianapolis for a week of drills, lifts and interviews, but 10 Badgers may find themselves on NFL rosters come April 24. While the scouts are busy sifting through the first round of Wonderlic scores and shuttle times, let’s take an early look at the ’04 Badgers’ draft-day possibilities.
Erasmus James: Midway through the season, ‘Raz was projected as a top-10 pick. Late-season injury problems and a corresponding decline in production have affected his draft status, but James remains a first-round prospect. In his latest projection, NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. put James at No. 19 overall.
‘Raz will have to answer questions about his durability and convince scouts he is really the player who was basically unstoppable for three-quarters of the season, not the guy who seemed to disappear down the stretch.
Still, James heads the list of Wisconsin players primed to make the jump to the pro ranks. For the majority of the season, ‘Raz was simply unblockable. Even when he was double-teamed, most would-be blockers resorted to holding when matched up against the Badger standout.
With an irresistible mix of speed and power, ‘Raz has all the tools to make an impact at the next level. At one point in the season, head coach Barry Alvarez said that to compare him to Simeon Rice is an injustice to James. The Penn State offensive line would probably agree.
In the end, his late-season struggles will only hurt him so much. If ‘Raz can prove his injury problems are behind him, he should be a lock to go in the first round.
Anttaj Hawthorne: Another guy with the physical tools that scouts dream of, ‘Taj has slipped to the bottom of the first round in the latest projections. With just six sacks and 42 tackles in ’04, Hawthorne didn’t put up the numbers most analysts expected after heading into the season as the Badgers’ most heralded pro prospect.
However, the UW tackle remains a first-round projection heading into the combine. With his unique ability to change direction, Hawthorne is a force in the pass rush and against the run. His showing in Indianapolis will be telling, but ‘Taj won’t fall farther than the second round.
Dan Buenning: While not the most physically gifted of the Badger prospects, Buenning is as durable and consistent as they come. The veteran leader of a UW offensive line that allowed just 22 sacks last season, Buenning has not missed a start in more than two full seasons.
Coaches and teammates have nothing but praise for Buenning’s work ethic and leadership abilities. With no question marks on his record, Buenning should be a safe choice in the middle rounds.
Anthony Davis: AD has potential first-round talent, but size and major durability questions will push him well down the draft board. His blocking deficiencies, which call into question his ability to be an every-down back in the NFL, will also hurt him on draft day.
Davis enters the draft as something of a wild card. If he can prove his injury problems are a thing of the past (which will take plenty of convincing), he may be able to sneak into the first four rounds. However, Davis has not shown he can play a full season, making him a risky proposition for NFL GMs.
That said, Davis could be a steal in the later rounds. The diminutive tailback has the speed, elusiveness and vision to make some noise in the NFL as a situational, change-of-pace back. Don’t forget, he did lead the nation in rushing over his first two seasons.
Scott Starks: The fastest man to don the cardinal and white last season, Sparky emerged as a shutdown corner and a nearly unstoppable gunner on the special-teams unit. However, his Achilles’ heel became evident each time he matched up against a receiver who was, say, seven inches taller than he. In the NFL, this will become a much bigger problem.
As talented as Starks is, a 5-foot-10 (officially) corner will struggle in the overgrown NFL. Starks may turn some heads on Pro Day, but he’ll have to wait until day two to find out which team is willing to take a chance on a very capable, yet undersized, cover man.
Jim Leonhard: He’s too small to play safety and too slow to play corner back, but Jimmy Leonhard will find a way to make an NFL roster. After all, he never should have been able to make a Big Ten roster, but that seemed to turn out pretty well.
It’s hard to imagine a 5-foot-8 safety making it in the pro ranks, but it’s not that much more ridiculous than a 5-foot-8 walk-on safety becoming the heart and soul of a Big Ten defense that ranked second in the conference against the pass. Leonhard has always found a way to overcome his small stature, and he will find a way to do so at the next level if someone gives him the opportunity.
When it comes to the NFL draft, physical attributes are as important as ability. For that reason, Leonhard will be relegated to the later rounds. But whoever rolls the dice on him may be in for a pleasant surprise.
Darrin Charles: Simply reverse everything you just read about Starks and Leonhard. While the representatives from the UW secondary will be drafted in spite of their size, Charles may be drafted because of his. The lanky wide-out was the third option in a mediocre passing game, but his 6-foot-7 frame is irresistible to NFL scouts.
Charles managed just 333 yards receiving last season, but he ran just enough fade routes to the end zone to limp onto the draft board. He won’t top anyone’s wish list, but Charles may hear his name called in the sixth or seventh round.
