House Of Sparky

NFL Combine: Omar Bolden Is Strong, Tops All DBs In Bench Press

2012-02-28T03:15:10Z

It's been a tough few days for the Arizona State Sun Devils at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Brock Osweiler, whose draft stock is rising quickly, elected not to participate in any drills, opting to wait for March 30th

Center Garth Gerhart had a middling performance, that didn't help his chances of being drafted. On Sunday, wide receiver Gerell Robinson had an uneven performance, in which his 4.62 official 40-yard dash time did nothing to address his biggest concern.

Monday saw the defensive players go to work. Defensive end Jamaar Jarrett, like Gerhart, was a fringe prospect whose underwhelming performance did him no favors. But the biggest and saddest story was the terrible showing of linebacker Vontaze Burfict, whose 40-yard time (5.09 seconds) and broad jump (105 inches) were dead last among all linebackers, and his vertical leap (30 inches) was next-to-last.

But the day ended on a great note, as cornerback Omar Bolden, coming back from a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season, led all of the 46 participating defensive backs with 25 repetitions of 225 pounds in the bench press.

Congrats, Omar. Keep making ASU proud.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest ASU updates

2012 NFL Combine: ASU LB Vontaze Burfict Results & Analysis

2012-02-27T23:29:13Z

There may be no player in the nation under more pre-draft scrutiny than Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict.

His fall from the consensus preseason Defensive Player of the Year to a young man draped in red flags was the most symbolic representation of the ASU football program under Dennis Erickson, and a tremendous waste of his immense natural talent.

Needless to say, his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine was critical, as the once surefire first round pick was now staring at a third or fourth round grade on many boards. On Sunday, he gave an interview to the media that bordered on delusional, showing that mentally, he still has a long way to go.

On Monday, the linebacker group took to the turf for the Combine events. Here's how Burfict made out in Indianapolis.

Size: After playing last season noticeably out of shape at 260 pounds, Burfict weighed in at a slimmer 248 and measured 6'1". That is a great size for a middle linebacker, but his commitment to conditioning to maintain those numbers will remain a serious question.

40-Yard Dash: This was a complete disaster. Burfict ran a plodding 5.09 official time, which made him the slowest linebacker by over one-tenth of a second. Even trimmed down at 248 pounds, the explosiveness that highlighted his first two seasons was no where to be found.

Bench Press: There had been rumors that Burfict's strength had also fallen off dramatically, and after he elected to skip the bench press at the Combine, those rumors only gained strength. He will need a very impressive showing over the next two months to silence his mounting critics.

Vertical Leap: Burfict did very poorly, posting just a 30-inch leap, which was tied for the second lowest height among linebackers, besting only USC's Chris Galippo.

Broad Jump: In a test of lower body explosiveness, Burfict failed again. His jump of 104 inches ranked 30th among the 30 participating linebackers.

20-Yard Shuttle: After his disastrous start, he did not run in the 20-yard shuttle...

60-Yard Shuttle: ...nor the 60-yard shuttle...

3-Cone Drill: ...nor the 3-cone drill.

Overall Analysis: Burfict's Combine workouts could best be summed up in one word: "ugh". From his awful and delusional interview with the media, to his workouts in which his name appeared at or near the bottom of the linebacker list, Burfict dug his already deep hole even deeper. From consensus All-American to utter trainwreck in six months, the next several weeks should be full-on damage control for Burfict and his representation. He needs to wow teams at ASU's March 16th Pro Day and continue gaining momentum if he wants any chance to be taken before Round 5 in the draft.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Poll

How will Vontaze do in the NFL?

2012 NFL Combine: ASU DE Jamaar Jarrett Results & Analysis

2012-02-27T22:45:57Z

Perhaps the least talked about of the six Sun Devils particpating in this year's NFL Scouting Combine, defensive end Jamaar Jarrett took to the field on Monday for the combine events.

The odds of Jarrett being drafted were shaky coming in, so the importance of a very good performance in Indianapolis was paramount.

Here's the breakdown of how Jarrett fared at the Combine.

Size: Jarrett officially measured 6'5" and 265 pounds. Jarrett has a nice frame, but with many experts saying his best fit is in a 3-4 defense, he will need to bulk up.

40-Yard Dash: Initially, Jarrett clocked a 4.94 unofficial time, but once the machines had their say, the official time increased to 5.02, which was 34th in the group and a good ways behind the elite defensive end prospects.

Bench Press: Jarrett only managed 21 reps of the 225-pound bench press, a low figure for the position. That number was tied for the third fewest among all defensive linemen, and creates serious questions about his upper body strength, which given his projection as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, could be damning.

Vertical Leap: Not one of the better showings of his day, Jarrett's 30" vertical leap was among the lower figures posted by a defensive lineman on the day, ranking 35th.

Broad Jump: This was one of the positives for Jarrett. His leap of 114" (9'6") was a good number, placing 13th among the 59 defensive linemen. This event is an measurement of lower-body explosiveness, a key trait for a defensive lineman.

20-Yard Shuttle: Jarrett did fairly well in this event, designed to test lateral quickness. He posted a 4.34 mark, which again ranked 13th among the defensive linemen.

3-Cone Drill: Jarrett did not participate in this quickness and agility drill.

Overall Analysis: Jarrett's performance was unremarkable, and he did nothing to standout among the defensive linemen. Conversely, he did not do anything too poorly, making for an all-around average time in Indianapolis. His quickness drills suggest he may have success in a pass rushing role, but his production at ASU says otherwise. In addition, his smaller size and strength numbers indicate he will struggle against the run at the NFL level. Jarrett will need to really impress over the next two months if he is to have a chance at being drafted. In all likelihood, the undrafted free agent route looks like his best route to Sundays.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Poll

Will Jamaar Jarrett be drafted?

Vontaze Burfict Passes Up Chance To Show He Gets It

2012-02-27T15:30:18Z

If you are a talented athlete in America and you screw up, just say you're sorry and take a few make-good actions, and forgiveness and second and third chances will come pouring in. That's all. Just tell the world "I made a mistake, I'll do better next time" and you're golden.

Conversely, you can pass the responsibility buck, play the victim and dig that hole of yours a little deeper.

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict chose Option B during an interview at the NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday.

Coming into this weekend's event with enough red flags to make the Chinese happy, Burfict had an opportunity to start the image rehabilitation he so sorely needs after a junior season that--given the expectations going in--was nothing short of a disaster. With the linebacker group set to do their workouts on Monday, he still may show off those tantalizing physical skills that garnered so much hype not long ago.

Yet, based on his words to the media on Sunday, he's got a long, long way to go to undo the perception that he, to paraphrase Robert Wuhl in Bull Durham, has "million dollar talent but a five-cent head".

The general tone of Burfict's interview at the combine was the old fallback for those under scrutiny--he was not wrong, just simply "misunderstood". There may be a small degree of truth to that, but the fact of the matter is that at no time since he stepped foot onto ASU's campus has he displayed the kind of maturity that is needed.

And with some of his comments Sunday, it is easy to understand this is still a player with a deeply flawed mentality.

In a season in which the expectations for the team and himself were sky high, Burfict--listed by ASU at 250 pounds--played out of shape at 260. As anyone who watched the Sun Devils in 2011 saw, the sideline-to-sideline quickness that had been the key to so much of his earlier success was no where to be found. NFL general managers surely notice when a guy who is faced with a chance to make his mark on his school and the entire college football world instead gets fat and lazy.

As if that dereliction of duty was not bad enough, Burfict took no responsibility for his actions, placing the blame on the former coaching staff.

"The coaches kind of messed me up. I didn't know if I would start a game or be benched. It hurt me, but I tried to fight through it."

There is validity to the notion that former head coach Dennis Erickson's lackadaisical culture factored into to Burfict's failures, but ultimately it is the responsibility of each player to be in the best shape and best mindset he can possibly achieve. It is the player's duty to do everything he can, both on and off the field, to be the best player for his team, regardless if he is a starter or scout teamer. Perhaps the most telling portion of the above statement is the seemingly conditional nature of Burfict's effort; it's as if he only tried when assured of a starting role.

In that all-important aspect, Burfict failed both himself and the team. Badly. In the NFL, that attitude typically results in looking for a career outside of football after three seasons.

He also feels that "people were putting words in my mouth and putting me as a bad guy."

There's a simple reason for that: his actions were perceived as that of a bad guy, and he said not a single word to contradict them.

As the on-field production dropped and the mistakes mounted, Burfict had chances to discuss the situation, make any explanations that were needed, but through his entire collegiate career, he refused to do interviews with the media. He hid in the shadows as his infamy grew to parody-like proportions.

Even in the overblown locker room fight with Kevin Ozier, Burfict painted himself as the victim by saying, "everyone thinks I'm the bad guy because my first instinct was to swing on the guy."

It's common for tempers to flare in a football locker room, but few "good guys" have first instincts that take a swing at a teammate.

Through the poor 2011 season, the scathing reviews from top evaluators and his mounting obstacles, Burfict's self-view hasn't dimmed at all.

"I just know I'm the best linebacker in this draft."

When asked why, he said, "My instincts, my nose for the ball, my study habits in the film room. I am a leader on and off the field, and my aggression to win and my passion for the game."

He may be the only person who holds that notion now, but the reality is that if he can put on a good show in the next two months, he only needs to convince one other person of that to regain his once lofty draft status.

Taking as a whole, Burfict's words arguably border on delusion. His fall from grace over the last six months has cost him the respect of his teammates, status as a sure-fire NFL first round pick and the support of many ASU fans. He's a talented yet troubled young man who desperately needs to overcome his significant issues in order to make good on the unbelievable talent he has been given.

Sun Devil Nation is willing to forgive him and hop back on his bandwagon. He just needs to say "my bad" and work to regain that radiance of future success that he so recently had.

But sadly, with each action and now each statement, those chances dim even more.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Poll

Where will Vontaze Burfict be drafted?

2012 NFL Combine: Gerell Robinson Results & Analysis

2012-02-26T21:20:29Z

When it comes to Arizona State wide receivers in the NFL, there is plenty of bad history over the last 25 years. Gerell Robinson, coming off one of the best seasons in school history, is looking to use his outstanding 2011 as a springboard to buck that trend.

The first step in that process came this weekend at the annual NFL Scouting Combine. Robinson was one of six Devils who are in Indianapolis. Here is how Robinson performed.

Size: Robinson officially measured 6'3 1/8" and 227 pounds. That makes him a little shorter than the 6'4" he was listed at ASU, but in cleats, it's not too much of a difference. He was the sixth tallest wide receiver prospect and the second-heaviest.

Hands: Robinson's hands measured 10 1/8", giving him some of the biggest mitts among the group. Those massive hands helped Robinson catch the ball well as a senior, especially in traffic.

40-Yard Dash: This was the most critical event for Robinson in Indianapolis. No one expected him to be a blazing deep threat, but with Robinson's size and hands were known to be good, but it was key that he run a good time in the 40 to show he he can be a complete threat. He turned in an unofficial time of 4.53 seconds, which would have been a great time, but officially he is credited with a 4.62, which was not the kind of time that would have helped Robinson lift his stock.

Vertical Jump: Robinson turned in a vertical leap of 35.5", which was 20th out of the 34 receivers. It's an decent but not great number. Given his size, a better vertical number could have solidified his spot as a big target who can "go get it" in traffic.

Broad Jump: Another underwhelming number came in the broad jump. Robinson posted a standing jump of 9'5", which was another middle-of-the-road number. The event measures lower body explosive ability, and Robinson has never been noted as particularly explosive, so this number fits.

Bench Press: Robinson did not participate in the bench press event.

20-Yard Shuttle: Robinson did better in the 20-yard shuttle drill, which, helps helps measure lateral speed. He had a time of 4.15 seconds, which ranked 12th among the prospects.

60-Yard Shuttle: Robinson did not participate in the 60-yard shuttle event.

3-Cone Drill: Robinson did not participate in the 3-cone drill event.

Overall Analysis: Overall, the results for Robinson were average and as of now, it is hard to think his stock has changed much. His primary strengths--size, hands--remain, and the questions of his speed remain. Robinson is the type of player whose game film may be better than his measurable, and his demonstrated ability to catch the ball in traffic is a very valuable asset. In addition, his blocking ability is excellent, so he could draw parallels as a taller Hines-Ward type.

Robinson still projects to be a late-round pick, but with nearly two months left to go and his ASU Pro Day upcoming on March 16th, he still has time to elevate his stock.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Brock Osweiler NFL Combine: Draft Stock, Career Projections

2012-02-26T15:31:01Z

Our buddy Brock Osweiler is headed to the NFL Draft, and we're here every step of the way to fill you in on what he brings to the table at the next level.

Brad and I are going to break down where we think he's headed and what we think he will do once he gets there.

Brad Denny on Osweiler's draft stock:

Back in August, people were speculating exactly where in the first round Vontaze Burfict would be drafted, and just how well Brock Osweiler would do over the next two years as ASU's starting quarterback.

How times have changed.

With Burfict's implosion and Osweiler's early entry, it is now Osweiler who could become the first Sun Devil to be taken in the first round since Terrell Suggs in 2003.

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are the consensus top quarterbacks and rightfully so. But after they're off the board-probably no later than the fourth pick-there's a large debate among draftniks on who the third quarterback will be.

Many like Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill, others like Oklahoma State's elder statesman Brandon Weeden. Arizona's Nick Foles has the prototypical build for the position, while Michigan State's Kirk Cousins is a guy flying under the radar that I really like.

And then there's Osweiler. Some people (such as ESPN's Todd McShay) are in love with his pro-ready build, powerful arm and leadership. Others are more leery, seeing only a single good, not great, season as a starter.

With two months to go until the NFL Draft, a lot can and will change. Big boards will be done and re-done, as Combine numbers, team workouts and private interviews fluctuate draft stock daily.

In the end, Osweiler's excellent size (6'6 7/8", 242 pounds), powerful arm, very good mobility and intelligence and leadership abilities will have more than one team falling in love with him. At this point, I don't think he ends ASU's nine-year first round drought, but it'll be close.

Brad Denny's Official Prediction (as of now): Washington Redskins, 2nd Round, 39th Overall

Cory:

Okay, so Brad thinks the Washington Redskins will draft Brock Osweiler. We're going to go with this hypothetical and talk about the next five years of his NFL career.

The 'Skins will go into 2012 with three quarterbacks: Rex Grossman, John Beck and Osweiler. Grossman and Beck are loathed by the Washington fanbase and many of them are pining for Peyton Manning to play at FedEx Field next season.

We can presume that Manning will not go to Washington, as Miami and Arizona will be aggressively pursuing his wares should Indianapolis release him.

With Osweiler in the mix against a few unpopular D.C. quarterbacks, it may be tempting to ask for the rookie to play immediately. This, of course, would be a disaster.

No matter who is playing in front of Osweiler, he needs to hold a clipboard next year, get to know the level of competition, and work on taking snaps under center and his five-step drop.

In 2013, Osweiler should be ready to take over the quarterback position for Washington, and April 2013 should bring him some WR talent with the Redskins' inevitable high draft pick.

As long as Osweiler focuses on improving his NFL fundamentals and isn't rushed along like Blaine Gabbert was in Jacksonville this season, he has every opportunity to become a productive quarterback at the next level. Knowing Washington, they'll probably mess that up.

NFL Combine: Brock Osweiler Primer, QB Prospect

2012-02-26T14:00:16Z

Brock Osweiler has left a big mark on the Arizona St. Sun Devils, arriving in Tempe in January 2009 and playing for three seasons before declaring for the NFL Draft this spring.

We've been covering this young man since 2008, interviewing him before he even got to campus as a student. Ever since, we've been rooting for him to succeed on the football field, and nothing will ever change that.

To begin our NFL Combine coverage of Brock Osweiler, feel free to peruse a collection of House Of Sparky content that focuses on Osweiler's physical tools, leadership abilities and his NFL future. Check back later for predictions on where he'll go in the draft and what we imagine he is capable of at the next level.

House of Sparky Interviews QB Brock Osweiler
Brock Osweiler talks about the 2009 quarterback competition at Arizona State (December 29, 2008)

Recruiting Roundup: Brock Osweiler, QB
A look at QB prospect Brock Osweiler, ASU's lone 2009 QB recruit. (February 6, 2009)

Brock Osweiler is the future for ASU
The potential of ASU's young quarterback makes for an enjoyable football viewing experience. (November 8, 2009)

Brock Osweiler Excels After Steven Threet Injury: Will There Be Another Quarterback Controversy For ASU?
The quarterback situation for the Sun Devils just got a whole lot more interesting after Brock Osweiler decimated the UCLA Bruins in November 2010. (November 26, 2010)

Defending Brock Osweiler: The Tattoo Doesn't Make The Man
The internet caught onto Brock Osweiler's unfortunate tattoo snafu. His left arm is marked with the phrase 'Live Life To It's Fullest', showcasing an unnecessary apostrophe. We defended Brock's honor. (September 15, 2011)

ASU Football Win Over USC Has Sun Devils Poised For 'Brocktoberfest'
With a historic win over USC, the Sun Devils were 3-1 and in prime position for an epic October that would shape their season. (September 29, 2011)

ASU Legend Jeff Van Raaphorst On The Rose Bowl And Brock Osweiler's Future
Former Sun Devil quarterback Jeff Van Raaphorst talks about Brock Osweiler. (November 16, 2011)

ASU Vs. USC: Chris Colvin’s Late Bucket Gives Sun Devils 56-52 Win Over Trojans

2012-02-26T03:19:02Z

The Arizona St. Sun Devils snapped a four-game losing streak on Saturday with a 56-52 win over the USC Trojans. Jordan Bachynski led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Colvin converted a big basket-and-one play with under 20 seconds left to secure the win.

The Sun Devils were able to break their recent pattern of poor offensive first halves, scoring 31 points in the first 20 minutes to claim a 31-26 advantage. The Trojans, however, would not quit and kept things close throughout the second half. Guard Byron Wesley led the way for USC with 22 points and seven assists.

The Trojans took a 47-45 lead on a Wesley jumper with 11:16 left, but it was the Sun Devils who held on to a 53-52 lead with 5:41 left in the game. Neither team could buy a bucket for most of the rest of the way, and ASU still had its one-point lead intact with 28 seconds left.

With the shot clock running down, Colvin drove into the lane and connected on an improbable shot near the rim while absorbing contact from USC's James Blasczyk. The basket counted, and Colvin made the free throw as well to give ASU a 56-52 lead. The Trojans failed to score with the basketball with time running out, and ASU recorded its second win over the Trojans this year.

Along with Bachynski and Colvin (who had eight points), Lockett was the other big contributor on this night with 11 points. The trio accounted for all but 18 of ASU's points and ultimately deserve the most credit for this win. The Sun Devils now have five conference wins this season heading into the March 4th regular season finale against the Arizona Wildcats.