Barnes and the NFL Combine.....

[Falconboy]

Seriously now, how does he not get invited?? If I remember correctly even Briggs last year got one. My non-Mac football watching buddies of course said something to the effect that it had to do with his last posted 40 time that supposedly terrible, like a 4.7 or something. Is that really all whats necessary to get an combine invite , just post a great 40 time? This seems absurd but maybe not. You'd think his record setting performance this year would warrant one in of itself. All Freddie's got to prove something is his ProDay at BG which can't help his stock all that much compared to a long drawn out draft combine.

[hammb]

First of all, you remember wrong, Briggs was not a combine invitee.

Secondly, the combine invite list is not finalized yet, and Barnes may still get an invitation (although unlikely at this point).

Thirdly, it has nothing to do with his last posted 40 yard dash time. NFL teams don't give a crap about a rumored 40 time from a practice session or whatever. The point of going to the combine is so they can get prospects on record with a 40 time.

There is only one reason why a player like Barnes does not get an invite to the combine: NFL teams don't have him rated highly enough to waste their time watching him run. That's pretty much the bottom line. Right now he's graded out as a late round pick possibility or an UDFA. The reason for THAT is that he is slow (on film, not a rumored 40 time). Clearly teams don't think highly enough of him to want to see him run at the combine.

It really doesn't matter that much. Not getting an invite is an indication that his draft stock right now is very low, but if he posts a great 40 time at his pro day then his stock will go up. OU's Mike Mitchell was a very good safety last year. He didn't get a combine invite, but opened a ton of eyes with a stellar 40 time at his pro day...MUCH faster than anybody anticipated. He ended up getting taken in the 2nd round by the Raiders.

The bottom line on Freddie is that despite stellar production he is NOT a big time NFL prospect. He just doesn't have the athleticism to be an elite prospect. He's a guy I could see contributing as a 3rd WR someday, but he's not the type of athlete that NFL teams look for in a WR.

[Falconboy]

First of all, you remember wrong, Briggs was not a combine invitee.

Secondly, the combine invite list is not finalized yet, and Barnes may still get an invitation (although unlikely at this point).

Thirdly, it has nothing to do with his last posted 40 yard dash time. NFL teams don't give a crap about a rumored 40 time from a practice session or whatever. The point of going to the combine is so they can get prospects on record with a 40 time.

There is only one reason why a player like Barnes does not get an invite to the combine: NFL teams don't have him rated highly enough to waste their time watching him run. That's pretty much the bottom line. Right now he's graded out as a late round pick possibility or an UDFA. The reason for THAT is that he is slow (on film, not a rumored 40 time). Clearly teams don't think highly enough of him to want to see him run at the combine.

It really doesn't matter that much. Not getting an invite is an indication that his draft stock right now is very low, but if he posts a great 40 time at his pro day then his stock will go up. OU's Mike Mitchell was a very good safety last year. He didn't get a combine invite, but opened a ton of eyes with a stellar 40 time at his pro day...MUCH faster than anybody anticipated. He ended up getting taken in the 2nd round by the Raiders.

The bottom line on Freddie is that despite stellar production he is NOT a big time NFL prospect. He just doesn't have the athleticism to be an elite prospect. He's a guy I could see contributing as a 3rd WR someday, but he's not the type of athlete that NFL teams look for in a WR.

Can't say I disagree wit anything you've said. Yeah, Barnes isn't the prototypical NFL receiver and it's sad that we've never been able to recruit a NFL caliber wr talent to BG despite our pass happy offenses over the years. That still baffles me.

[Flipper]

Maybe it's because you're so easy to baffle...

Jeff Groth...WR drafted by the Fins in 1979. Had a 152 catches in 94 games...

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/c ... linggreen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Falconboy]

Maybe it's because you're so easy to baffle...

Jeff Groth...WR drafted by the Fins in 1979. Had a 152 catches in 94 games...

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/c ... linggreen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok, talking about most recent memory , like the last 10 years or so since Urban turned the program around.

[h2oville rocket]

Don't know the man but I got a feeling Barnes will not let this deter him- he certainly made believers of the folks in the college game, he'll probably do it in the pros as well. Has he been working with one of the combine prep groups?

[Rollo83]

How much can you really improve your 40 time by working with a speed coach? Maybe 0.2 of a second at most? So Freddie goes from a 4.9 to a 4.75?

[Globetrotter]

First of all, you remember wrong, Briggs was not a combine invitee.

Secondly, the combine invite list is not finalized yet, and Barnes may still get an invitation (although unlikely at this point).

Thirdly, it has nothing to do with his last posted 40 yard dash time. NFL teams don't give a crap about a rumored 40 time from a practice session or whatever. The point of going to the combine is so they can get prospects on record with a 40 time.

There is only one reason why a player like Barnes does not get an invite to the combine: NFL teams don't have him rated highly enough to waste their time watching him run. That's pretty much the bottom line. Right now he's graded out as a late round pick possibility or an UDFA. The reason for THAT is that he is slow (on film, not a rumored 40 time). Clearly teams don't think highly enough of him to want to see him run at the combine.

It really doesn't matter that much. Not getting an invite is an indication that his draft stock right now is very low, but if he posts a great 40 time at his pro day then his stock will go up. OU's Mike Mitchell was a very good safety last year. He didn't get a combine invite, but opened a ton of eyes with a stellar 40 time at his pro day...MUCH faster than anybody anticipated. He ended up getting taken in the 2nd round by the Raiders.

The bottom line on Freddie is that despite stellar production he is NOT a big time NFL prospect. He just doesn't have the athleticism to be an elite prospect. He's a guy I could see contributing as a 3rd WR someday, but he's not the type of athlete that NFL teams look for in a WR.

I am willing to bet he catches on to a practice squad atleast next year. He is the all time leader in catches in a season, was a former QB who can help in the wildcat and has decent size. He is pretty tough too. I could defintitely see him catching on as an eventual 4th wideout, gunner on teams and wildcat guy and then possibly developing into something more.

I think you are right and his 40 time will determine if he is drafted or not but you really never know because if someone loves him they will take him in the 6th or 7th round just to guarantee they get him. I know it seems ridiculous that a guy who puts up such great numbers wont get drafted but I think someone from Nevada with absurd numbers went undrafted a few years ago.

PS Mitchell is a bad example because the raiders draft ridiculously bad. He was a late round pick on most experts boards.

[cowboyjoe]

Can't say I disagree wit anything you've said. Yeah, Barnes isn't the prototypical NFL receiver and it's sad that we've never been able to recruit a NFL caliber wr talent to BG despite our pass happy offenses over the years. That still baffles me.


Yeah...isn't it weird that we have had no NFL caliber wr talent but still put up a ton of yards and points...nice job Mr. Brandon!

[footballguy51]

Maybe it's just me, but I thought Sharon and Sanders had all of the physical attributes you would look for in an NFL receiver.

[Flipper]

How much can you really improve your 40 time by working with a speed coach? Maybe 0.2 of a second at most? So Freddie goes from a 4.9 to a 4.75?

4.9 to 4.7 wouldn't help...4.7 to 4.5 = $$$$

[ktrain]

yeah we have certainly recruited and developed nfl like receivers. Sharon and Sanders are two. Barnes is gonna get drafted...late probably... but who knows. Sharon got busted with a DEA marked hand-gun and was never talked about with Jacksonville. Sanders bounced around for a while and eventually was cut by the Clueless Browns. Its a crap shoot. Not as much as quarterback which is basically you get drafted early and a team wastes their pick on you...so they let you play half the season OR you are the 3rd stringer from a MAC school that eventually gets a chance to play because every ass-hole before you got hurt or threw 4 interception in 6 mins.

[ktrain]

Not to mention... The shrine game basically took every chance they could to showcase Barnes... even when he was not on the field. He could be a Hines Ward like receiver... He tough has great hands and can block well and run a great route...not that fast and was at one point a qb.

[MarkL]

I thought it was interesting that even the announcers of the Shrine game were criticizing the combine for not inviting Freddie. I know there's still a few invites left ... hopefully those folks got the message.

[Redwingtom]

And why don't they time the players at the combine in full playing gear? Also, WR's don't line up at the line in a four point stance before the ball is snapped.

Just a couple of reasons why 40-time is just one small part of the whole package.