Michael Huff Draft Diary - Feb 22

[Nick]

Draft Diary: The Combine, the Wonderlic and IHOP
February 22, 2006

Michael Huff
For Sporting News

Texas' Michael Huff is the top safety prospect in the 2006 NFL draft. He writes a weekly draft diary for SportingNews.com.

After several weeks of working out in Arizona in preparation for the draft, my strength and conditioning regimen doesn't seem to be changing much. I've been working really hard, though. The trainers here at Athletes' Performance in Phoenix have been focusing on my strength and fast-twitch muscles.

This week I did get the chance to work on some hydraulic air weights. They were like nothing I had ever seen, like something out of this world. They basically look like a normal bench press, but without the plates on each side. I do know they give the exact same burn as the normal bench.

The whole process of training and getting ready for the Combine isn't anything new to me since I'm used to working this hard. We certainly didn't take it easy at the University of Texas. So the transition to draft preparation hasn't been that drastic.

I did get the chance recently to take the Wonderlic test, and man, was that interesting. It's a 12-minute exam consisting of 50 questions that are supposed to test your problem-solving skills and aptitude for learning. I don't know what a lot of those questions had to do with my job playing safety on Sundays, but if NFL teams want to know what kind of animal I want to be, a cat or a dog, then I guess I'm all for taking the test.

Since the draft is quickly approaching, I've been thinking about what I'll buy with my first professional paycheck. A lot of people are probably expecting me to say that I'd buy a big house, and that's partly true. But it's not what you think. The first house I buy will be the one with the blue roof on it that says "IHOP." It has been a dream of mine to own my own International House of Pancakes, and someday I will. Just last week I ate there five or six times, and about every time I got the same thing, pancakes and shrimp. It's a cool feeling to know that someday I'll get to eat at my IHOP whenever I want.

[r8rh8rmike]

I was impressed until the IHOP thing. What's that all about? LOL

Seriously though, I would love to see us get this guy, although it looks more and more like he might not be around.

[r8rh8rmike]

After seeing the whiner draft situation, maybe I spoke too soon!

[RamsFan16]

I was impressed until the IHOP thing. What's that all about? LOL

Seriously though, I would love to see us get this guy, although it looks more and more like he might not be around.

Thats a good thing.

[r8rh8rmike]

Thats a good thing.

You don't like Huff?

[RamsFan16]

No I dont like Huff if you haven't noticed ...

[r8rh8rmike]

No I dont like Huff if you haven't noticed ...

Any specific reason?

[RamsFan16]

Any specific reason?

I have to go but I'll tell you later.

[r8rh8rmike]

I have to go but I'll tell you later.

Um, OK dude.

[Nick]

Athleticism to play either cornerback or safety, good at jamming guys at the line and playing receivers man to man, potential sub-4.4 speed, ballhawk who can take turnovers to the endzone, great instincts and football smarts, excellent tackling ability, great closing speed, can play in the box for run support, consistently makes open field plays on the ball carrier, Defensive MVP of the NCAA National Championship game, won the Thorpe Award as the best DB in college football...

Who wants any of that?

[r8rh8rmike]

Who wants any of that?

Yes, it's too bad there's no upside to Huff.

[Rip32]

Athleticism to play either cornerback or safety, good at jamming guys at the line and playing receivers man to man, potential sub-4.4 speed, ballhawk who can take turnovers to the endzone, great instincts and football smarts, excellent tackling ability, great closing speed, can play in the box for run support, consistently makes open field plays on the ball carrier, Defensive MVP of the NCAA National Championship game, won the Thorpe Award as the best DB in college football...

Who wants any of that?

Hey man I think Ramsfan16 is a nice guy and all that but i just cant understand what he has against Huff,if you dont appreciate that kind of skill and adaptation to multiple positions and speed and intelligence your just a close minded person who wants just one guy(V.Davis)

Davis is good but he just does not fit our need of a first rounder the first 3 rounds should be Defence,our offence has been great without a stud TE and linehan is good at using less talented TE's(Wiggins and Kliensasser)what says Manu and Williams cant be good fits into this offense

:clanram:

[Rampage39]

hey rf16, i thought you really wanted to draft your boy chad greenway. now you are all over davis. whats up with that?

[RamsFan16]

I don't want to draft Huff because we don't need him. It woudl be stupid too draft a guy at a position not concerning our needs. S is the last of things we need on D. LB then DL, CB and then S. Plenty of good safeties in the free agency and less of any average TEs. And yes I still want Greenway I'm just representing VD right now.

[Nick]

I don't want to draft Huff because we don't need him.

Disagree. Huff is the best player at his position, and like it or not, it's a position of need.

S is the last of things we need on D. LB then DL, CB and then S.

Disagree. And to quote Randy K: "I do know the Rams feel like they need to rebuild the middle of the offensive line, get a tight end, a defensive end, two linebackers, and two safeties in FA and the draft."

No mention of CB or DT, but they think they need not only one, but two safeties. Definitely not the last of our defensive needs.

Plenty of good safeties in the free agency

Disagree. I think there are three maybe four safeties that would be worth bringing in, but they'd all bring big price tags and some of which are getting up there in age. Plenty? Hardly.