Pete Prisco
April 14, 2006
The scouts all talk about his size. They wonder if Florida State running back Leon Washington big enough.
At 5-8, 204 pounds, Washington has heard that type of talk for much of his college career and even before that, and he expected it as he readies to enter the NFL.
So what's he say to the doubters?
"My answer to that is to look at all the great backs there have been in the National Football League," Washington said. "A lot of those guys weren't much bigger than 5-9. Look at Emmitt Smith. Look at Barry Sanders. Look at Thurman Thomas. They all did a good job of hiding themselves when they ran. I can do that, too."
Washington also has the speed. He ran 4.42 in the 40 at the scouting combine, but he has run under 4.3 when he was younger and lighter. That's the kind of speed that makes defensive coordinators hold their breath every time he touches the ball.
It's that speed, plus his ability to make people miss, that makes him the headliner of this year's CBS SportsLine.com Better-Than Team. The team consists of players that I think are being undervalued by the league scouts, thus the Better-Than name.
Washington is being told by many teams that he'll likely be a fourth-round pick. A wise team in need of an elusive back and return man would be smart to take him earlier than that.
He will be a playmaker.
"Most teams are telling me I will be a third-down back and return man," Washington said. "That's fine. I just need to get into the league. But I know I could handle 20 carries a game. I just need the chance."
The carries didn't come as much as he would have liked last year at FSU. Washington entered the season as one of the top-ranked backs by the scouting services. But a so-so senior year in which he missed two games with an ankle injury caused his stock to plummet. He also split time with Lorenzo Booker, plus the FSU running game wasn't too good for much of the season.
As a result, Washington isn't even listed among the top 10 backs in this draft on most lists.
"It was tough being the competitor that I am not getting the ball as much as I would have liked," Washington said. "It didn't work out, but that's okay. None of us carried it as much as we would have liked."
Anyone who doubts his ability should pop in his tape from the Seminoles' Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia after the 2004 season. Washington carried 12 times for 195 yards, his 16.3 average a single-game high for an FSU back. That game showed the type of big-play speed he possesses.
Washington is also the only player in FSU history -- which is saying something -- to score touchdowns five different ways. He ran for one, caught one, scored on a kick return and a punt return and recovered a fumble for another.
"That's the kind of player I am," Washington said. "You tell all the teams out there that I can help on special teams, too. That fumble recovery came when I was covering a punt."
But that's not the real value of this player. It's his home-run speed, speed that should make his size irrelevant.
Now for the rest of the 2006 Better-Than Team:
Darnell Bing, S, USC -- Bing is one of those guys who showed up when you watched USC play. He has good size and his speed is better on the field than on the clock. He's a big hitter who will be a sure tackler. He did have some injury problems, but when he's on the field he has Troy Polamalu ability.
Charlie Whitehurst, QB, Clemson --- Many consider this a three-quarterback draft with Young, Leinart and Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt. But this kid has all the tools to be a quality starter in this league -- and maybe more. At 6-4, 216 he has prototype size and he has a strong arm. He understands the passing game, too. But he must adjust to taking snaps under center. His father, David, played in the NFL so he knows what it takes.
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA -- He is only 5-6, but he's solid. And he has blazing speed. This kid is going to be a much better back than people are expecting. The late word is that his stock is rising, too. Don't get caught up in his height. This is compact little player.
Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma -- He played both guard and tackle at Oklahoma, but he appears better suited to playing inside in the NFL. He has great feet, which will help him pull. He also plays with a mean streak that teams love. The team that gets him will be getting a starter for years to come.
Mike Hass, WR, Oregon State -- He caught a ton of balls for the Beavers, even though he was often doubled. He knows how to get open, knows how to find the soft spots in the zones and runs great routes to beat man coverage. He lacks great speed, but you can't discount his ability to get open. That's an art form.
Kyle Williams, DT, LSU -- Most pro scouts like the other LSU tackle, Claude Wroten, a lot better. Wroten looks the part more than Williams, but Williams seemed to show up more in games when you watched the Tigers play. He is smallish at 6-1, 300 pounds, but he can play. He's tough and plays hard all the time. He won't be taken in the first two rounds, but he will help a team that does take him.
Dale Robinson., LB, Arizona State -- At 6-feet, 231 pounds, Robinson has size issues and he didn't run well for scouts this spring. But he makes plays. The kid was a tackling machine at Arizona State. Sometimes that's good enough. He plays a lot quicker than his 40 times would indicate.
Roger McIntosh, LB, Miami -- Miami has produced a ton of linebackers, but this kid isn't as highly ranked as some of those from the past. He's 6-2, 237 pounds and he has decent speed at 4.63 in the 40. He's one of those linebackers who excels in the run-and-chase style. He'll be a solid starter for the team that takes him.
Cedric Griffin, CB, Texas -- At just over 6-feet and 199 pounds, he has good size for a corner. He's also a good tackler and has played a lot of man in his college career. That will help him on the next level. He doesn't have blazing speed, which will drop him down, but he will be a good starting corner in the NFL.
Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn State -- Stopwatch speed has dropped him down a bunch. But he's a guy who plays much faster than his time. When you watched Penn State play, Zemaitis was a good corner that made plays. He didn't run well at all at his Pr Day workout, but he has the size to move to free safety. There's a place for him on a roster.
Abdul Hodge, LB, Iowa -- He won't go in the first round like his more-heralded teammate, Chad Greenway, but he's a good football player. He's short at 6-feet and he doesn't have great speed, but he finds his way to the football. Hodge will be a starting linebacker for a long time.
Frostee Rucker, DE, USC -- At 6-3, 267 pounds, he has decent size and Rucker is one of those players who always seemed to find a way to make plays at USC. There are some scouts who question whether he can be an every-down end, but he will be a factor for the team that takes him.
Jeff King, TE, Virginia Tech -- He played basketball for the Hokies, so you know he has good feet. At 6-5, 245, he has the size teams want form the position. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he's fast enough. In a deep tight end class, he could be worth a look early on the second day.
Mark Anderson, DE, Alabama -- It's tough to find guys with pass-rush potential, but Anderson has it. He really came on last season and in the past couple of weeks his stock is rising. He isn't big at 260 pounds, but he has the frame to add weight. His speed is what excites.
Guy Whimper, T, East Carolina -- He is a converted tight end, which says something about his athletic ability. He's now 6-6, 310 pounds and he has light feet. He is raw, but with the right team he has a chance to develop into a quality tackle.
April 14, 2006
The scouts all talk about his size. They wonder if Florida State running back Leon Washington big enough.
At 5-8, 204 pounds, Washington has heard that type of talk for much of his college career and even before that, and he expected it as he readies to enter the NFL.
So what's he say to the doubters?
"My answer to that is to look at all the great backs there have been in the National Football League," Washington said. "A lot of those guys weren't much bigger than 5-9. Look at Emmitt Smith. Look at Barry Sanders. Look at Thurman Thomas. They all did a good job of hiding themselves when they ran. I can do that, too."
Washington also has the speed. He ran 4.42 in the 40 at the scouting combine, but he has run under 4.3 when he was younger and lighter. That's the kind of speed that makes defensive coordinators hold their breath every time he touches the ball.
It's that speed, plus his ability to make people miss, that makes him the headliner of this year's CBS SportsLine.com Better-Than Team. The team consists of players that I think are being undervalued by the league scouts, thus the Better-Than name.
Washington is being told by many teams that he'll likely be a fourth-round pick. A wise team in need of an elusive back and return man would be smart to take him earlier than that.
He will be a playmaker.
"Most teams are telling me I will be a third-down back and return man," Washington said. "That's fine. I just need to get into the league. But I know I could handle 20 carries a game. I just need the chance."
The carries didn't come as much as he would have liked last year at FSU. Washington entered the season as one of the top-ranked backs by the scouting services. But a so-so senior year in which he missed two games with an ankle injury caused his stock to plummet. He also split time with Lorenzo Booker, plus the FSU running game wasn't too good for much of the season.
As a result, Washington isn't even listed among the top 10 backs in this draft on most lists.
"It was tough being the competitor that I am not getting the ball as much as I would have liked," Washington said. "It didn't work out, but that's okay. None of us carried it as much as we would have liked."
Anyone who doubts his ability should pop in his tape from the Seminoles' Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia after the 2004 season. Washington carried 12 times for 195 yards, his 16.3 average a single-game high for an FSU back. That game showed the type of big-play speed he possesses.
Washington is also the only player in FSU history -- which is saying something -- to score touchdowns five different ways. He ran for one, caught one, scored on a kick return and a punt return and recovered a fumble for another.
"That's the kind of player I am," Washington said. "You tell all the teams out there that I can help on special teams, too. That fumble recovery came when I was covering a punt."
But that's not the real value of this player. It's his home-run speed, speed that should make his size irrelevant.
Now for the rest of the 2006 Better-Than Team:
Darnell Bing, S, USC -- Bing is one of those guys who showed up when you watched USC play. He has good size and his speed is better on the field than on the clock. He's a big hitter who will be a sure tackler. He did have some injury problems, but when he's on the field he has Troy Polamalu ability.
Charlie Whitehurst, QB, Clemson --- Many consider this a three-quarterback draft with Young, Leinart and Jay Cutler of Vanderbilt. But this kid has all the tools to be a quality starter in this league -- and maybe more. At 6-4, 216 he has prototype size and he has a strong arm. He understands the passing game, too. But he must adjust to taking snaps under center. His father, David, played in the NFL so he knows what it takes.
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA -- He is only 5-6, but he's solid. And he has blazing speed. This kid is going to be a much better back than people are expecting. The late word is that his stock is rising, too. Don't get caught up in his height. This is compact little player.
Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma -- He played both guard and tackle at Oklahoma, but he appears better suited to playing inside in the NFL. He has great feet, which will help him pull. He also plays with a mean streak that teams love. The team that gets him will be getting a starter for years to come.
Mike Hass, WR, Oregon State -- He caught a ton of balls for the Beavers, even though he was often doubled. He knows how to get open, knows how to find the soft spots in the zones and runs great routes to beat man coverage. He lacks great speed, but you can't discount his ability to get open. That's an art form.
Kyle Williams, DT, LSU -- Most pro scouts like the other LSU tackle, Claude Wroten, a lot better. Wroten looks the part more than Williams, but Williams seemed to show up more in games when you watched the Tigers play. He is smallish at 6-1, 300 pounds, but he can play. He's tough and plays hard all the time. He won't be taken in the first two rounds, but he will help a team that does take him.
Dale Robinson., LB, Arizona State -- At 6-feet, 231 pounds, Robinson has size issues and he didn't run well for scouts this spring. But he makes plays. The kid was a tackling machine at Arizona State. Sometimes that's good enough. He plays a lot quicker than his 40 times would indicate.
Roger McIntosh, LB, Miami -- Miami has produced a ton of linebackers, but this kid isn't as highly ranked as some of those from the past. He's 6-2, 237 pounds and he has decent speed at 4.63 in the 40. He's one of those linebackers who excels in the run-and-chase style. He'll be a solid starter for the team that takes him.
Cedric Griffin, CB, Texas -- At just over 6-feet and 199 pounds, he has good size for a corner. He's also a good tackler and has played a lot of man in his college career. That will help him on the next level. He doesn't have blazing speed, which will drop him down, but he will be a good starting corner in the NFL.
Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn State -- Stopwatch speed has dropped him down a bunch. But he's a guy who plays much faster than his time. When you watched Penn State play, Zemaitis was a good corner that made plays. He didn't run well at all at his Pr Day workout, but he has the size to move to free safety. There's a place for him on a roster.
Abdul Hodge, LB, Iowa -- He won't go in the first round like his more-heralded teammate, Chad Greenway, but he's a good football player. He's short at 6-feet and he doesn't have great speed, but he finds his way to the football. Hodge will be a starting linebacker for a long time.
Frostee Rucker, DE, USC -- At 6-3, 267 pounds, he has decent size and Rucker is one of those players who always seemed to find a way to make plays at USC. There are some scouts who question whether he can be an every-down end, but he will be a factor for the team that takes him.
Jeff King, TE, Virginia Tech -- He played basketball for the Hokies, so you know he has good feet. At 6-5, 245, he has the size teams want form the position. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he's fast enough. In a deep tight end class, he could be worth a look early on the second day.
Mark Anderson, DE, Alabama -- It's tough to find guys with pass-rush potential, but Anderson has it. He really came on last season and in the past couple of weeks his stock is rising. He isn't big at 260 pounds, but he has the frame to add weight. His speed is what excites.
Guy Whimper, T, East Carolina -- He is a converted tight end, which says something about his athletic ability. He's now 6-6, 310 pounds and he has light feet. He is raw, but with the right team he has a chance to develop into a quality tackle.