Blackmon not running the 40?

[sosa39rams]

" According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, "it doesn't look like" Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon will run at the Combine.Blackmon told NFL Network in early February that he would perform all drills at the Combine, but he's apparently reconsidering. Schefter suggests that Blackmon might have too much to lose by running on a historically "slow track" in Indy, and will wait for the Cowboys' Pro Day. The forty time could be crucial for Blackmon's chances of being a top-six pick, but it would be a disappointment if he skipped out on the speed test in Indianapolis. "


Talk about a turn off...whats there to hide? Just run the damn 40!

[RAMarkable]

"

Talk about a turn off...whats there to hide? Just run the damn 40![/COLOR][/COLOR]

What's to hide? Just his less than stellar speed. This is one of the reasons I am not high on taking this guy in the top of the draft. Yeah, it's possible he could run decent at his pro day but the fact he is not running now after saying he would do all of the drills is a red flag for me.

Here is what I am projecting that the Rams do in April:

1.) If we stay at #2 take Matt Kalil

2.) If we trade down to #4 and Kalil is still there take him. If not, we select Morris Claiborne.

3.) If we trade down to #6 and Claiborne if gone take either Riley Reiff or Blackmon (provided that he didn't stink it up at his pro day)

4.) If we trade down to #9 take BPA

Well, that's what I think we should do here pre-combine. It will be interesting to see what transpires over the next several days.

WHAT SAY YE?

[Nick]

For years now, the top QB prospects have declined to throw at the Combine because throwing to unfamiliar receivers in an unfamiliar setting is too risky. This is a similar situation; prospects want to minimize risk by being the ones in control of their workouts. It's disappointing, and if I was a team I'd ask him about it in interviews, but I don't think there's much to get worked up about here.

[sosa39rams]

For years now, the top QB prospects have declined to throw at the Combine because throwing to unfamiliar receivers in an unfamiliar setting is too risky. This is a similar situation; prospects want to minimize risk by being the ones in control of their workouts. It's disappointing, and if I was a team I'd ask him about it in interviews, but I don't think there's much to get worked up about here.

Exactly. Its a smart business move my Blackmon but dissapointing to say the least.

[DE_Ramfan]

Throwing to receivers you aren't familiar with is one thing. Running is running. You should be able to run on any surface they ask you to. If people know it's "historically slow" then what's the big deal? If you're fast you can't wait to get out there and show it.

[THOLTFAN81]

1.) If we stay at #2 take Matt Kalil

If we stay at 2, why not trade the pick for Mike Wallace...

[Jd_UK]

Throwing to receivers you aren't familiar with is one thing. Running is running. You should be able to run on any surface they ask you to. If people know it's "historically slow" then what's the big deal? If you're fast you can't wait to get out there and show it.

I agree. There shouldn't be any familiarity issues with running, it's worrying that he needs the fastest track possible under his feet to get a respectable time under his belt.

[ZiaRam]

Meh.. I'm not concerned with his 40 time. He has all the skills of a WR you want and just because he doesn't run the 40 doesnt mean squat. I still take him in a heartbeat and pair him with someone else on the team as a dual threat!

[Goldenfleece]

I agree. There shouldn't be any familiarity issues with running, it's worrying that he needs the fastest track possible under his feet to get a respectable time under his belt.

Yeah, a refusal to run on the same "slow" track that everyone else is running on would raise more of a question in my mind than actually running a slow 40. This just communicates that he doesn't want to have a time that can be compared to others on an even playing field. It might protect his draft stock, but it also suggests that if he runs, it's not going to improve his stock and might hurt it. His camp might as well be saying, "I'm afraid you'll think less of me".

[RebelYell]

It might protect his draft stock, but it also suggests that if he runs, it's not going to improve his stock and might hurt it. His camp might as well be saying, "I'm afraid you'll think less of me".

I've never liked the idea of drafting a workout warrior who produces at the combine and shoots up the draft charts.
I equally hate the idea of drafting a guy who is trying to hide his tools to avoid dropping. If he thinks his 40x will impact his draft position and his choice is to NOT run, it should tell you all you need to know.

[AvengerRam]

In all likelihood, Blackmon's agent has instructed him not to run. From a pure business standpoint, it makes sense. He has more to lose than to gain from his 40 time, so he might as well run under ideal conditions. Whatever people might think now, if he runs in the right range (4.5s or better) on his Pro Day, nobody will care about his decision not to run at the Combine.

[DE_Ramfan]

I just saw on NFL Network that the reason he isn't running is due to a "hamstring issue". Sounds convenient but whatever, just catch the damn ball and you get the Rams MVP.

[richtree]

Blackmon has the #1 WR spot and top 5 pick locked up with Floyd measuring small ....

Blackmon HAS NOTHING TO GAIN....He needs to just stat practicing for training camp and forget the combine...he will be a top 7 pick and the top WR .....

why would he run ? can only lose ground...

[Nick]

I'm with richtree. Blackmon is already considered the top receiver and a Top Five pick by many. He has everything to lose by running, because when you're a top prospect, there's more room to go down than there is to go up. It'd be different if he was a prospect trying to move up draft boards or pass some other competitors by.

Av is right as well - Blackmon's likely following the advice of his agent, who is looking to make his client the most money possible. Even a few hundredths of a second could cost him millions of dollars. It's why you've seen guys sit out of the Senior Bowl as well as the Combine so they can wait for their pro day, under more comfortable and ideal circumstances.

LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers is apparently sitting out some drills as well. Quoting Brockers, "It's just my choice. I feel I need some more reps under my belt. I feel like at this point in time I want it to be perfect. So I might as well get some more technique under my belt and just wait to my pro day and do it perfectly."

Matt Miller, founder of New Era Scouting, said this on Twitter today:

It doesn't bother me if a guy does/doesn't run. Players are young kids listening to their agents. No harm there.

Ultimately it doesn't matter to me if a kid works out at the #NFLCombine or not. Disappointing from a hype of the event view, nothing more.

And I think he made a great point. The disappointment comes because of the hype surrounding the Combine and those who put so much emphasis in it.

[md8]

CBS 2012 NFL Combine Day 2: Winners and losers
Justin Blackmon: This isn't to knock Blackmon, because we like the kid a lot. He's a talented, physical receiver who's managed to remain humble throughout his rise to stardom. But sometimes good qualities in people look bad in draft prospects: Blackmon isn't running the 40 (the primary concern about him is speed) because of a hamstring injury he said he suffered last week. He measured in shorter than the 6'1" and he admitted route-running is a problem for him. He's too talented to slip too far, but we wonder whether the Rams will definitely make him a top-five pick.

Blackmon doesn't have the kind of frame teams have sought when drafting receivers among the top 3. Since 1985, there have been only two receivers under 6-3 who were a top-5 draft pick. That knowledge, combined with offensive tackle Ryan Kalil's performance at the combine, makes it hard to imagine that Blackmon is a legitimate candidate for the Vikings to draft at No. 3 -- or for another team to trade picks with in order to select him.

He's might be the best WR in this draft, but I don't think he's close to worth a top 5 pick. With the #2 pick, we should be drafting someone with the potential to be one of the best at their position.

I'm not going to say he can't turn out to be a good WR, but odds are against a slow 6ft WR with route running problems becoming elite.