Timing wasn't only thing off for Oklahoma's Kelly
Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly can run routes on the field, but the 40-yard straight-line route has him slipping in the draft.
It's another reminder how a simple 40-yard dash can alter the stock and perception of prospects, because of all the predraft "risers" and "fallers" over the last two months, few have had as much of a dip as Kelly.
Following his junior campaign in 2007, Kelly elected to enter the NFL draft and the reasons seemed obvious. Scouts liked his size (6 feet 3 3/4 inches, 224 pounds), sure hands, and how he drew double teams, opening opportunities for others. At times, Kelly's natural stride made his work look effortless.
Of the receivers in the draft, he was arguably the top option.
Yet as the predraft process has unfolded, Kelly has dipped mostly because of the disappointing time in the 40 (4.68 seconds) during his Pro Day workout earlier this month. Top receivers are usually in the 4.4 range or faster.
Kelly expressed frustration following the workout, essentially blaming his alma mater. He indicated he planned to run on firmer Astro Turf, only to have the session switched at the last moment to the school's indoor facility, a softer, synthetic grass surface.
"This is my life, you know what I'm saying? This ain't no school. This ain't no classroom," Kelly said. "This has to do with me, my family. This is what I do. I play football, and I'm supposed to come out here and run as fast as I can."
Kelly and his representatives quickly arranged another workout, but the results weren't much better.
So those assessing this year's receiver class will be watching Kelly closely to see how much his 40 time affects where he is selected. Once considered a first-round pick, he's now in the dreaded boom-or-bust category and could slip into the second round.
Scouts and personnel evaluators seem to like the depth of the receiver class, but generally believe there is no clear-cut top prospect.
Michigan State's Devin Thomas and Texas's Limas Sweed are first-round caliber prospects, and California's DeSean Jackson is explosive, although some teams have concern with his size (5-9 3/4, 169 pounds). Michigan's Mario Manningham might have slipped out of the first round because he did not truthfully answer questions at the NFL Scouting Combine regarding failed marijuana tests, according to Pro Football Weekly, which led to him to write letters to each club to explain his situation.
Like the receiver crop, the tight end group does not seem to have a clear-cut top choice, but there is depth. Some evaluators believe a tight end won't be selected in the first round, although a needy team like Seattle (picking 25th overall) might find it difficult to pass on Purdue's Dustin Keller, a speedy pass catcher who is more of an H-back type.
Teams looking for a combination tight end - equal parts receiver and blocker - will likely have Notre Dame's John Carlson and Southern Cal's Fred Davis atop the charts. They are expected to be taken no earlier than the second round. Texas A&M's Martellus Bennett and Texas's Jermichael Finley are less effective blockers, but perhaps a cut above Carlson and Davis as pass catchers.
In terms of New England-based prospects, receivers Paul Raymond (Brown) and Kevin Challenger (Boston College) are late-round to free agent types, as are tight ends Brad Listorti (UMass) and Jon Loyte (BC).
With Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Jabar Gaffney, Chad Jackson, Kelley Washington, and Sam Aiken atop the depth chart, it is difficult to envision the Patriots drafting a receiver in the first three rounds. Mid-to-late-round possibilities include Louisville's Harry Douglas, Appalachian State's Dexter Jackson, and Texas Tech's Danny Amendola. The Patriots are more likely to select a tight end early, with only Benjamin Watson, David Thomas, Marcus Pollard, and Stephen Spach currently on the roster. The team generally likes combination types who block and catch, so Carlson and Davis are possibilities in the second round if they're available. In the mid-to-later rounds, California's Craig Stevens is probably the best blocking tight end but is less of a receiving threat, and Virginia's Tom Santi could get a look late.
