Junior Hemmingway runs a 4.50 40 yard dash

Submitted by big10football on

Pretty good time.  I was fearing worse for him. 

Michigan4Life

February 26th, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^

QBs to throw deep ball.  Coaches rather have QB to overthrow and let the WRs run under the ball.  If it's underthrown, it's more likely that DBs will make the play on the ball whether if it's CB turning his head around for a INT or PD or S coming over the top to make the play.  It's more of Denard's fault for not throwing with enough distance.  Fortunately, he is lucky that DBs didn't bother to turn their head around.

lilpenny1316

February 26th, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^

with any consistency.  I'm torn about him and the underthrowing though.  While I can see it making sense and possibly being part of the strategy with Hemingway, he also did that with our shorter receivers like Gallon.  So I wonder if it's strategy, timidness, a combination of both  or something else I'm missing.

Either way, Hemingway needs to show that he has some speed and 4.5 is good.  He has to be able to show that he can do more than outjumping crappy ND or Big Ten DBs.

jmblue

February 26th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^

If Hemingway cannot get separation, then on an overthrow, he's not going to be the only guy who can catch the ball.  The DB is going to have a chance regardless of whether it's over or underthrown.  The advantage of the underthrow is simply that the pass is less likely to be incomplete.  Someone will probably come down with it and you expect it to be Hemingway.

Now if you have a guy like Braylon or Manningham, who has the ability to get separation then yes, you definitely want to overthrow it.

tenerson

February 26th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^

You're wrong. If you have a guy you are throwing a jump ball to(not a back shoulder throw, that is completely different) you want to throw it in a spot so that he can use his advantages. For Hemingway, that was his large body, hands, and body control. If you overthrow it, you take 2 of those out of the equation. Besdies that, technically, if you "overthrow" the ball you have thrown it past him. 99% of the time, if you throw it beyond the receiever they won't catch it. What you are saying is a perfectly thrown ball is best, which, like, duh. 

Double Nickel BG

February 26th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^

also put up 41 reps on the bench. I thought I saw it somewhere yesterday, but its official. He bested the 2nd guy by 9 reps.

 

Good to see JR, Molk, and Martin killing it at the combine.

jmblue

February 26th, 2012 at 1:26 PM ^

That stuff cracks me up.  Yes, bench-pressing 225 pounds as many times as possible in a couple minutes, while you're flat on your back is clearly relevant to a sport in which he'll have to come up from a three-point stance and move a 290-pound DT once per play.   

The Combine is so archaic in its evaluative measures, it's hilarious.  

Michigasling

February 26th, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^

That's the title on the NFL.com front-age link to the video, though they never mention his mind.  Headline writer gone wild.  Direct link to video:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-combine/09000d5d82730092/Molk-leads-O-lineman-in-bench-press?module=HP11_hot_topics

It starts with several other linemen, even though they've given away the ending. 

EDIT.  I swear it didn't take me 8 minutes to write this!  Just so it's not redundant, I'll add the commentators' astute statement that it's easier for Molk because he's so small. 

gopoohgo

February 26th, 2012 at 10:13 AM ^

Junior will make great 3rd down, red zone receiver.  That 4.5 is HUGE for him, given the concerns about his speed.

All the best to him, he gave us a hell of a season!

mGrowOld

February 26th, 2012 at 11:12 AM ^

Thanks guys.  Then he is definitely the #2 pick in the draft and the Browns will need to move up to get him.  But knowing how fond we are of 5th and 6th round draft picks i fully expect us to trade our #4 pick in the draft for the #18 pick in the draft and two additional fourth rounders.

Talk about a perfect fit (Browns and RGII) that will never happen because he Cleveland braintrust is SO sure their 'system" is foolproof they don't need impact players.

 

swan flu

February 26th, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^

I think Junior Hemingway went from sleeper pick, potential steal-of-the-draft to a 2nd round pick.

 

His biggest knock was his speed, and he ran slightly slower than Michael Floyd, a mid-1st round pick.

 

 

Cbadge13

February 26th, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^

40-yard dash times are great for measuring pure speed but coaches and GM's pay more attention to game tape. A lot of guys are speed demons during drills but don't play as fast in pads. This is probably the reason we are all somewhat surprised by Junior's time. I think he might be a really good pure runner but a touch slower in uniform.

DonAZ

February 26th, 2012 at 11:24 AM ^

but coaches and GM's pay more attention to game tape

I've long wondered just what value there is in the NFL combine truly is.  I read of there being more downside risk than upside -- come in out of shape and slow and it costs, do well and it's expected.  I read (such as your post, which I tend to agree with) that coaches and GMs put more stock in game film.  Is there an example of someone who went higher in the draft based solely on NFL combine results?  Sincere question ... because I myself honestly don't know.

DonAZ

February 26th, 2012 at 3:39 PM ^

6'3" and 266lbs

40 in 4.58

41" vertical ... wow!

10'5" broad

37 reps at bench

Sadly, his NY Jets career didn't pan out.  According to this ESPN article, he "will be remembered as one of the biggest draft busts in history."

Ouch.

OT Side Note -- I went to high school with the Texas Ranger's #1 pick in 1977 -- Dave Hibner.  Complete bust, apparently.  I was Googling around the other day and came across posters on some Ranger's board who still remember and cite Hibner as a wasted draft pick.  That's gotta hurt ... can't imagine what it must be like living with that.

UMgradMSUdad

February 26th, 2012 at 5:12 PM ^

Tony Mandarich comes to mind.  Some of you might be too young to remember him, but coming out of college (MSU) he was all the rage (turns out it was roid rage) due to a great extent to his eye popping numbers at the combine.He weighed over 300 pounds a ran a 4.65 40, had a 30" vertical, and benched 225 39 times (and in those days, 39 times was off the charts).  He was taken 2nd overall in the 1989 draft ahead of players like Barry Sanders and Deion Sanders.  I don't think he ever even cracked the starting lineup at GB.

The combine results are just another tool, and like any tool, they can be misused.  Their value comes in that they provide a numerical way of comparing athletes and that they are objective (he ran a 4.5 40) rather than subjective (he looks kind of slow to me).  But as others have pointed out, they don't exactly measure what goes on during play in a game, so they can never replace the subjective analysis of skilled observers of game tape. they can only augment those judgments and help verify or in some cases lead to re-evaluation of players' strengths and weaknesses.