By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Apr. 21 2008
Seventh in a series of NFL Draft notebooks by Jim Thomas, exclusively on
STLtoday.com. Today’s topic: linebackers.
Despite a highly productive career at the University of Illinois, questions
about speed and athleticism cast uncertainty about J Leman’s draft status.
Complicating matters was the ankle injury -- and subsequent surgery -- the
middle linebacker suffered in the Rose Bowl against Southern California.
A few weeks after the surgery, Leman sported a walking boot at the NFL Scouting
Combine in Indianapolis.
"The long and short of it is I got my ankle hit," Leman said. "It was bruised.
They had to go in there and take the bruised part of the bone out and scope my
ankle. . . . I’ve been telling teams, ‘Don’t hold it against me, because I can’
t run for you. I’ll give you everything. Just give me one chance.’ "
With the draft rapidly approaching, the injury and subsequent rehab have
prevented Leman from running for pro scouts all offseason.
"He’ll be cleared by May 1, in time for minicamps," Leman’s agent, Rick Smith,
said Monday. "The injury will be fine. Everybody knows that."
A 2007 first-team all-American for the Illini, Leman piled up 284 tackles over
his final two college seasons, earning first-team all-Big Ten honors as a
junior and senior. He had 20 stops in the ’07 season opener against Missouri.
Even without the ankle problems, Leman was at best projected as a late- to
mid-round pick. The injury undoubtedly will push him down many teams’ draft
boards.
"I think he’ll still be drafted," Smith said.
If football doesn’t work, Leman appears well prepared for the "real" world. He
received his bachelor’s degree (in speech communications) in August 2006, and
earned his master’s degree in December 2007 (in human resource education).
"I got the most out of my scholarship," said Leman, a four-time selection to
the all- Academic Big Ten squad.
Could a Ph.D be far behind?
"Actually, I got the Draddy Award to help give me some extra money for
post-graduate stuff," Leman said. "But not anytime soon."
Leman didn’t win the Draddy Award, which is known as the "academic Heisman." He was a finalist, which brought with it an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Even with all his academic accolades, Leman says football remains his first
love.
"Academics are important, but I think it would be false of me to say they were
most important," he said. "I always tried to be the best I could be at
football. That was most important to me."
JEROD MAGUIRE?
Like Leman, Jerod Mayo also leaves college with more than just NFL draft hopes.
Even though he turned pro early, Mayo stayed long enough at Tennessee to earn a
degree in sports management, with a minor in business.
"That was my ultimate goal going to the University of Tennessee," Mayo said.
"If I didn’t have my degree, I would still be at the University of Tennessee."
Given his course of study at Tennessee, Mayo could have a career as a sports
agent -- the next Jerry Maguire? -- once his playing days have ended.
"That’s definitely one of my options," he said. "But I love the game of
football, and I want to coach after I am done playing."
Mayo, who projects as a late first- or early second-rounder, paid a pre-draft
visit to Rams Park. At 6-1, 242 pounds he has enough size to play inside and
the speed (4.54 in the 40) to play outside.
"I’m pretty flexible," Mayo said. "My first two years at the University of
Tennessee, I played outside linebacker. This year, due to team needs, I moved
into the middle."
He took well to the switch inside, recording a career-high 140 tackles. That’s
the most the for a Tennessee player since 1990.
DRAFT ADVISORY BOARD
Oklahoma’s Curtis Lofton consulted with several ex-Sooners in deciding whether
or not to turn pro.
"I talked to Tommie Harris, Teddy Lehman, Brodney Pool, Rufus Alexander,"
Lofton said. "I definitely asked them what they thought about it, their
thoughts on the NFL, and how they portrayed it."
Of the group, only Lehman suggested that Lofton stay in school.
"He just said the NFL’s always going to be there, and you only get to have the
atmosphere you have now in college one time," Lofton said. "You came in wanting
to win the national championship, and we have a great chance of doing that next
year; why not come back one more year?"
But after thinking it over, and talking with family members and members of the
OU coaching staff, Lofton decided to turn pro.
"I thought about (staying), but it wasn’t guaranteed," Lofton said. "The
national championship’s not guaranteed. And the Butkus (Award) is not
guaranteed. The only thing guaranteed was I’m healthy now. I felt good, I had a
great year."
Lofton spent most of his college career playing outside linebacker, but moved
to middle ‘backer late in the ’07 season. He recorded 157 tackles in ’07, a
total that ranked third in the nation and was the most for a Sooners defender
in nearly 30 years. He forced four fumbles, returning one for a touchdown.
"I don’t think I could have had a better year (at Oklahoma) next year," Lofton
said. "My numbers right now, I feel like that’s pretty tops. . . ."
Lofton, who projects as a late first- or second-rounder, paid a pre-draft visit
to Rams Park last week.
THE SINGING LINEBACKER
Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Goff insists he’s not much of a singer. But while at St.
John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., he traveled to Europe to sing with his choir.
"We went to Austria -- Vienna," Goff said. "We traveled around to a few
different churches and some marketplaces, and we sang there. We got to see a
little bit of the city, and just kind of experience the culture a little bit."
Goff’s mother was the first African-American law clerk on the Georgia Supreme
Court. In high school, Goff was a member of the National Honor Society, and has
earned academic all-Southeastern Conference honors at Vandy. He’s a mechanical engineering major, who uses his intelligence on the gridiron.
"It’s a crucial part of the game just to know your opponents, just to know what
to expect out of certain sets and formations," Goff said. "That’s only going to
help you get an edge."
Goff, who projects as a mid-round pick at middle linebacker, registered a
career-high 113 tackles last season for the Commodores. He has pretty good size
for the position (6-2, 245), and tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine.
WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE
Georgia Tech middle linebacker Philip Wheeler was coached by the San Francisco
staff at the Senior Bowl, specifically 49ers LB coach Mike Singletary. What did
he learn from Singletary, the Hall of Fame linebacker?
"How to get yelled at, I guess," Wheeler said. "He was a nice guy though,
pretty cool. I was honored to be coached for a week by him."
Why was Singletary yelling at Wheeler?
"(It was) him just trying to see who I was and push a few buttons," Wheeler
said. "Nothing personal. I think he’s a great coach."
Wheeler began his college career as a defensive end, then switched to outside
LB, and then the middle. He excelled as a blitzing linebacker for Georgia Tech,
recording 15 sacks over the past two seasons.
LAST YEAR’S TOP 5
Player / College / NFL Team / Rd. (Overall)
Patrick Willis, Mississippi ... San Francisco, 1 (11)
NFL’s defensive rookie of year; made Pro Bowl; league-high 226 stops.
Lawrence Timmons, Florida St. ... Pittsburgh 1 (15)
Only 2 tackles on defense; tied for second in special team stops (12).
Jon Beason, Miami (Fla.) ... Carolina 1 (25)
Started all 16 games at weakside or middle LB; team-high 153 tackles.
Paul Posluszny, Penn State ... Buffalo 2 (34)
Started first 3 games at MLB, then placed on IR with forearm injury.
David Harris, Michigan ... NY Jets 2 (47)
Started last 9 games; led team in tackles (117) and tied for 1st in sacks (5).
LOCAL LINE
Player / College / Ht., Wt.
J Leman, Illinois ... 6-2, 245
Smart, high-effort player; draft status clouded by offseason ankle surgery.
DRAFT POTPOURRI/LB
* Prior to attending Boston College, where he was switched to middle
linebacker, Jo-Lonn Dunbar rushed for 5,136 yards at Thomas J. Corcoran High in
Syracuse, N.Y. He gained 2,182 yards as a senior. At BC, he switched from RB to
LB as a freshman. But he put those running skills to use at linebacker,
returning two fumbles for touchdowns in a 2006 game against Maryland.
* Maryland’s Erin Henderson is the younger brother of former Terrapin and
current Minnesota Viking E.J. Henderson. Both were all-Atlantic Coast
Conference LBs at Maryland.
* LSU All-American linebacker Ali Highsmith is the cousin of former NFL running
back Alonzo Highsmith.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Apr. 21 2008
Seventh in a series of NFL Draft notebooks by Jim Thomas, exclusively on
STLtoday.com. Today’s topic: linebackers.
Despite a highly productive career at the University of Illinois, questions
about speed and athleticism cast uncertainty about J Leman’s draft status.
Complicating matters was the ankle injury -- and subsequent surgery -- the
middle linebacker suffered in the Rose Bowl against Southern California.
A few weeks after the surgery, Leman sported a walking boot at the NFL Scouting
Combine in Indianapolis.
"The long and short of it is I got my ankle hit," Leman said. "It was bruised.
They had to go in there and take the bruised part of the bone out and scope my
ankle. . . . I’ve been telling teams, ‘Don’t hold it against me, because I can’
t run for you. I’ll give you everything. Just give me one chance.’ "
With the draft rapidly approaching, the injury and subsequent rehab have
prevented Leman from running for pro scouts all offseason.
"He’ll be cleared by May 1, in time for minicamps," Leman’s agent, Rick Smith,
said Monday. "The injury will be fine. Everybody knows that."
A 2007 first-team all-American for the Illini, Leman piled up 284 tackles over
his final two college seasons, earning first-team all-Big Ten honors as a
junior and senior. He had 20 stops in the ’07 season opener against Missouri.
Even without the ankle problems, Leman was at best projected as a late- to
mid-round pick. The injury undoubtedly will push him down many teams’ draft
boards.
"I think he’ll still be drafted," Smith said.
If football doesn’t work, Leman appears well prepared for the "real" world. He
received his bachelor’s degree (in speech communications) in August 2006, and
earned his master’s degree in December 2007 (in human resource education).
"I got the most out of my scholarship," said Leman, a four-time selection to
the all- Academic Big Ten squad.
Could a Ph.D be far behind?
"Actually, I got the Draddy Award to help give me some extra money for
post-graduate stuff," Leman said. "But not anytime soon."
Leman didn’t win the Draddy Award, which is known as the "academic Heisman." He was a finalist, which brought with it an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Even with all his academic accolades, Leman says football remains his first
love.
"Academics are important, but I think it would be false of me to say they were
most important," he said. "I always tried to be the best I could be at
football. That was most important to me."
JEROD MAGUIRE?
Like Leman, Jerod Mayo also leaves college with more than just NFL draft hopes.
Even though he turned pro early, Mayo stayed long enough at Tennessee to earn a
degree in sports management, with a minor in business.
"That was my ultimate goal going to the University of Tennessee," Mayo said.
"If I didn’t have my degree, I would still be at the University of Tennessee."
Given his course of study at Tennessee, Mayo could have a career as a sports
agent -- the next Jerry Maguire? -- once his playing days have ended.
"That’s definitely one of my options," he said. "But I love the game of
football, and I want to coach after I am done playing."
Mayo, who projects as a late first- or early second-rounder, paid a pre-draft
visit to Rams Park. At 6-1, 242 pounds he has enough size to play inside and
the speed (4.54 in the 40) to play outside.
"I’m pretty flexible," Mayo said. "My first two years at the University of
Tennessee, I played outside linebacker. This year, due to team needs, I moved
into the middle."
He took well to the switch inside, recording a career-high 140 tackles. That’s
the most the for a Tennessee player since 1990.
DRAFT ADVISORY BOARD
Oklahoma’s Curtis Lofton consulted with several ex-Sooners in deciding whether
or not to turn pro.
"I talked to Tommie Harris, Teddy Lehman, Brodney Pool, Rufus Alexander,"
Lofton said. "I definitely asked them what they thought about it, their
thoughts on the NFL, and how they portrayed it."
Of the group, only Lehman suggested that Lofton stay in school.
"He just said the NFL’s always going to be there, and you only get to have the
atmosphere you have now in college one time," Lofton said. "You came in wanting
to win the national championship, and we have a great chance of doing that next
year; why not come back one more year?"
But after thinking it over, and talking with family members and members of the
OU coaching staff, Lofton decided to turn pro.
"I thought about (staying), but it wasn’t guaranteed," Lofton said. "The
national championship’s not guaranteed. And the Butkus (Award) is not
guaranteed. The only thing guaranteed was I’m healthy now. I felt good, I had a
great year."
Lofton spent most of his college career playing outside linebacker, but moved
to middle ‘backer late in the ’07 season. He recorded 157 tackles in ’07, a
total that ranked third in the nation and was the most for a Sooners defender
in nearly 30 years. He forced four fumbles, returning one for a touchdown.
"I don’t think I could have had a better year (at Oklahoma) next year," Lofton
said. "My numbers right now, I feel like that’s pretty tops. . . ."
Lofton, who projects as a late first- or second-rounder, paid a pre-draft visit
to Rams Park last week.
THE SINGING LINEBACKER
Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Goff insists he’s not much of a singer. But while at St.
John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., he traveled to Europe to sing with his choir.
"We went to Austria -- Vienna," Goff said. "We traveled around to a few
different churches and some marketplaces, and we sang there. We got to see a
little bit of the city, and just kind of experience the culture a little bit."
Goff’s mother was the first African-American law clerk on the Georgia Supreme
Court. In high school, Goff was a member of the National Honor Society, and has
earned academic all-Southeastern Conference honors at Vandy. He’s a mechanical engineering major, who uses his intelligence on the gridiron.
"It’s a crucial part of the game just to know your opponents, just to know what
to expect out of certain sets and formations," Goff said. "That’s only going to
help you get an edge."
Goff, who projects as a mid-round pick at middle linebacker, registered a
career-high 113 tackles last season for the Commodores. He has pretty good size
for the position (6-2, 245), and tested well at the NFL Scouting Combine.
WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE
Georgia Tech middle linebacker Philip Wheeler was coached by the San Francisco
staff at the Senior Bowl, specifically 49ers LB coach Mike Singletary. What did
he learn from Singletary, the Hall of Fame linebacker?
"How to get yelled at, I guess," Wheeler said. "He was a nice guy though,
pretty cool. I was honored to be coached for a week by him."
Why was Singletary yelling at Wheeler?
"(It was) him just trying to see who I was and push a few buttons," Wheeler
said. "Nothing personal. I think he’s a great coach."
Wheeler began his college career as a defensive end, then switched to outside
LB, and then the middle. He excelled as a blitzing linebacker for Georgia Tech,
recording 15 sacks over the past two seasons.
LAST YEAR’S TOP 5
Player / College / NFL Team / Rd. (Overall)
Patrick Willis, Mississippi ... San Francisco, 1 (11)
NFL’s defensive rookie of year; made Pro Bowl; league-high 226 stops.
Lawrence Timmons, Florida St. ... Pittsburgh 1 (15)
Only 2 tackles on defense; tied for second in special team stops (12).
Jon Beason, Miami (Fla.) ... Carolina 1 (25)
Started all 16 games at weakside or middle LB; team-high 153 tackles.
Paul Posluszny, Penn State ... Buffalo 2 (34)
Started first 3 games at MLB, then placed on IR with forearm injury.
David Harris, Michigan ... NY Jets 2 (47)
Started last 9 games; led team in tackles (117) and tied for 1st in sacks (5).
LOCAL LINE
Player / College / Ht., Wt.
J Leman, Illinois ... 6-2, 245
Smart, high-effort player; draft status clouded by offseason ankle surgery.
DRAFT POTPOURRI/LB
* Prior to attending Boston College, where he was switched to middle
linebacker, Jo-Lonn Dunbar rushed for 5,136 yards at Thomas J. Corcoran High in
Syracuse, N.Y. He gained 2,182 yards as a senior. At BC, he switched from RB to
LB as a freshman. But he put those running skills to use at linebacker,
returning two fumbles for touchdowns in a 2006 game against Maryland.
* Maryland’s Erin Henderson is the younger brother of former Terrapin and
current Minnesota Viking E.J. Henderson. Both were all-Atlantic Coast
Conference LBs at Maryland.
* LSU All-American linebacker Ali Highsmith is the cousin of former NFL running
back Alonzo Highsmith.