The Philadelphia Eagles are one of those franchises that learned the ultimate lesson of the NFL Scouting Combine. About this time every year, we are reminded of Mike Mamula, the pass-rusher/workout warrior out of Boston College who elevated his stock to such a point that the Birds made him the seventh overall pick of the draft in 1995.
Today, Mamula is an inside joke of sorts around the City of Brotherly Love. Simply put, he never should've been taken that early in the first place.
None of which is to say no value should be placed on the combine—quite the contrary. Teams discover hidden gems all the time when they get a chance to measure groups of athletes against one another in a controlled environment. That doesn't mean the Eagles should use a first-round pick on a guy because he ran well or can lift a lot of weights, but it certainly doesn't hurt the evaluation.
For what it's worth, Mamula's six-year professional career wasn't as bad as it's often remembered. The defensive end recorded 31.5 sacks over the five campaigns he was actually healthy for, which averages out to a little better than six per season. Obviously, that's not first-round good, nor is it emblematic of complete ineffectiveness.
Remember, don't fall in love with a player simply because of the measurables. Then again, don't completely ignore the importance of physical attributes, either. If selected at the right point in the draft and not overwhelmed by outrageous expectations, the following prospects could develop their hard work and God-given abilities into much more than potential.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1BkJVud
via IFTTT February 23, 2015 at 11:21PM
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