[wolfboy]

Originally Posted by Todd Gack

And yet some how, Maurice Clarett was drafted in the 3rd round and no one sniffed Vontaze.

There were character concerns about Burfict in his recruiting coming out of HS as well as the draft. His combine performance simply cemented him from a late round pick to a 'this guy's not worth it.'

Uh huh. And what about Janoris Jenkins, who ended up being drafted in the second round? Jenkins nailed it at the combine:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...rds/index.html

• In All Honesty award -- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: Rarely have I seen a combine prospect enter the media work room and open a vein for reporters quite like Jenkins did Sunday afternoon in his 10-minute interview session. I'll say this, Jenkins is no Ryan Mallett, the Arkansas quarterback who took the stage in the 2011 combine and defiantly refused to shed any light on the rumors of collegiate drug use in his background. Jenkins turned the spotlight on his own behavior and filled in all the blanks. In detail. If the first step toward overcoming mistakes is acknowledging them, Jenkins is well on his way.

Jenkins, the ex-Gators star, talked about his three arrests, two of them for marijuana possession. He talked about his bar fight arrest. His failed drug test at Florida. Being kicked off the team by new Gators head coach Will Muschamp last spring and winding up at Division II North Alabama. And his four children, all age 3 and under. It was a remarkably revealing Q&A, and he struck just the right tone of remorse and responsibility throughout. No Vontaze Burfict, he.

On Tuesday, Jenkins went out and dazzled the scouts on the field, running a blazing 4.46 in the 40, broad-jumping 10-1 and looking smooth and athletic in all the defensive back drills. He's a first-round talent, and he may have earned himself a fresh look from a handful of wary teams with his stellar combine performance.

Counter that with what people thought of Burfict's combine performance:

• Career Self-Destruction award -- Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State: Burfict had a nice week. He proclaimed himself the "best linebacker in this draft,'' blamed everyone else but himself for his shaky 2011 season, defended his decision to "swing on'' a teammate in a locker-room fight last year, and then ran a disappointing 5.09 and broad-jumped just 8 feet, 7 inches. This is a guy who came across to the league as having blind spots the size of, well, the Grand Canyon, which coincidentally is in Arizona.

Burfict thinks he's a misunderstood first-round talent. The league is more likely to give him an underachiever's third-round grade. And factoring in his winning personality and personal baggage, don't be surprised if you don't hear his name called on draft weekend until the third and final day.

If Burfict would have nailed the combine interviews and drills like Jenkins did, he would have still been a first or second round talent. Bottom line is he had the worst combine anyone could possibly have and that's the reason he wasn't drafted.