Sporting News staff reports
Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran told the New York Daily News that his surgically repaired knee is improving, but added that the real test will come when he begins baseball-related activity.
Beltran won’t start running until April and won’t do full-time baseball activities until mid-April; therefore, the newspaper speculated, the center fielder won’t return to the Mets’ lineup until at least early May.
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported manager Jerry Manuel asked right fielder Jeff Francoeur to steal more bases last season when he was acquired from the Braves. Francoeur, however, said he didn’t know how because stealing wasn’t a big part of Atlanta’s offensive strategy. In five seasons, he has 15 steals. Manuel wants Francoeur to do more running this season.
Sporting News staff reports
Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran told the New York Daily News that his surgically repaired knee is improving, but added that the real test will come when he begins baseball-related activity.
Beltran won’t start running until April and won’t do full-time baseball activities until mid-April; therefore, the newspaper speculated, the center fielder won’t return to the Mets’ lineup until at least early May.
Meanwhile, the New York Post reported manager Jerry Manuel asked right fielder Jeff Francoeur to steal more bases last season when he was acquired from the Braves. Francoeur, however, said he didn’t know how because stealing wasn’t a big part of Atlanta’s offensive strategy. In five seasons, he has 15 steals. Manuel wants Francoeur to do more running this season.
News surfaced Wednesday that Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington had tested positive for cocaine during the 2009 season. Team president Nolan Ryan joined ESPN Radio Dallas to talk about Washington’s situation and how the team has handled it.
To listen to Nolan Ryan on ESPN Radio in Dallas, go to Sports Radio Interviews.
Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan says the organization treated manager Ron Washington’s positive cocaine test as they would any other employee’s.
Why didn’t the Rangers fire Washington immediately upon learning of the news of his cocaine use?
Ryan: We had a lot of discussions about what the appropriate thing to do was, and in the end we decided to treat Ron the way we do the rest of our employees, that if they have a problem we try to give them the benefit of treatment, get them diagnosed. Major League Baseball has a very strong program on that, so we chose to pursue that and have him go through MLB’s program.
We felt like the way that the club was playing and was responding to Ron, and the way he was growing as a manager, we felt like we wanted to give him an opportunity to continue to manage, and he assured us it was a one-time situation.
Was his initial reaction to fire Washington?
Ryan: I obviously was in total shock by it. Thoughts of that nature had never crossed my mind. Then I was angry that the organization was put in that position. Then I was concerned about what type of problem he had.
He was forthright with us. He came forward. He seemed to be very emotional about it, about the mistake he made, the impact it had, and how he had let everyone down. So I felt like that was sincere, and I felt like we, the organization, should give him an opportunity to try to right himself and try to build off of this, and to grow as a team off it.
How did Ryan hear the news?
Ryan: When [Washington] found out he was scheduled for a drug test, he called Major League Baseball and told them that he was going to test positive, explained to them how he had gotten himself into this situation. Then, after a game one night, he told [Rangers GM] Jon Daniels, he called me on the phone. I wasn’t in the clubhouse. He called me on the phone and broke down, was very emotional about it, how he let us down, how disappointed he was that he did what he did and the impact it would have on our organization. Then he offered to resign. So we took all those things into consideration.
Does Ryan still trust Washington?
Ryan: Yeah, I trust him. I’m a trusting person. I take people at their word. He has done everything Major League Baseball has asked him to do in terms of the testing program, and is willing to continue to be tested. And I think he’s been very up front about that.
He knows he made a mistake, and if he can help other people not make those mistakes, he’d be willing to do that. I think our team is supportive of him. They certainly appear that way to me and so I’d like to think as a team and an organization we can grow from this experience.
Is it likely that a man Washington’s age could have just decided to try cocaine once?
Ryan: That’s a question that’s been presented. I don’t know the answer to that. Drugs were never an issue in my life. I never tried them, I didn’t want anything to do with them. I had teammates that dealt in that and had problems with it — and continue to have problems in their lives with it.
So we know what it can do, what it’s done, and we know where it is in our society and the problems that come with it. A lot of those people wish they’d never tried it, the hold it has on their life now. But I can’t answer that because I really don’t know. It seems unusual.
What would he say to angry season ticket holders who don’t want to take their children to watch a team managed by a drug user?
Ryan: Those are obviously thoughts that we’ve had, discussions we’ve had. And obviously, each individual will make their own determination about how they feel about this and what their thoughts are on it. I understand that.
We as an organization, we have a policy in place where when we have employees that have an issue, we try to be supportive of them, try to get them the proper professional help and try to be understanding of these things. So we chose to do that with Ron. And we hope as an organization we help Ron as a person, help him understand the issues that he has and the challenges that he has, and also hope that he’s able to take this experience and help other people, and that his players respond to him and support him. We feel like he’s growing as a manager and is doing a good job for us.
So I understand people are critical of the decision we made, but I felt like we made it for the right reasons. Everybody has issues in their life — how you deal with them and how you handle them has a lot to do with who you are and what you do. So we feel like this was the right decision for us.
How and why did this leak out now, so many months after the fact?
Ryan: How something like this leaks out, you’re not sure. It could be a disgruntled employee.
Because of the confidentiality of the Major League Baseball drug testing program, we did not share it with people. We kept it quiet. But when you deal with as many people as baseball deals with, you don’t know if something like this leaks, where it might leak out from.
We knew it was possible that this might leak out and we would have to deal with it on a later date. And that’s where we are today.
More from SRI
Julius Peppers talks about joining the Chicago Bears
Mike Krzyzewski discusses the NCAA Tournament
News surfaced Wednesday that Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington had tested positive for cocaine during the 2009 season. Team president Nolan Ryan joined ESPN Radio Dallas to talk about Washington’s situation and how the team has handled it.
To listen to Nolan Ryan on ESPN Radio in Dallas, go to Sports Radio Interviews.
Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan says the organization treated manager Ron Washington’s positive cocaine test as they would any other employee’s.
Why didn’t the Rangers fire Washington immediately upon learning of the news of his cocaine use?
Ryan: We had a lot of discussions about what the appropriate thing to do was, and in the end we decided to treat Ron the way we do the rest of our employees, that if they have a problem we try to give them the benefit of treatment, get them diagnosed. Major League Baseball has a very strong program on that, so we chose to pursue that and have him go through MLB’s program.
We felt like the way that the club was playing and was responding to Ron, and the way he was growing as a manager, we felt like we wanted to give him an opportunity to continue to manage, and he assured us it was a one-time situation.
Was his initial reaction to fire Washington?
Ryan: I obviously was in total shock by it. Thoughts of that nature had never crossed my mind. Then I was angry that the organization was put in that position. Then I was concerned about what type of problem he had.
He was forthright with us. He came forward. He seemed to be very emotional about it, about the mistake he made, the impact it had, and how he had let everyone down. So I felt like that was sincere, and I felt like we, the organization, should give him an opportunity to try to right himself and try to build off of this, and to grow as a team off it.
How did Ryan hear the news?
Ryan: When [Washington] found out he was scheduled for a drug test, he called Major League Baseball and told them that he was going to test positive, explained to them how he had gotten himself into this situation. Then, after a game one night, he told [Rangers GM] Jon Daniels, he called me on the phone. I wasn’t in the clubhouse. He called me on the phone and broke down, was very emotional about it, how he let us down, how disappointed he was that he did what he did and the impact it would have on our organization. Then he offered to resign. So we took all those things into consideration.
Does Ryan still trust Washington?
Ryan: Yeah, I trust him. I’m a trusting person. I take people at their word. He has done everything Major League Baseball has asked him to do in terms of the testing program, and is willing to continue to be tested. And I think he’s been very up front about that.
He knows he made a mistake, and if he can help other people not make those mistakes, he’d be willing to do that. I think our team is supportive of him. They certainly appear that way to me and so I’d like to think as a team and an organization we can grow from this experience.
Is it likely that a man Washington’s age could have just decided to try cocaine once?
Ryan: That’s a question that’s been presented. I don’t know the answer to that. Drugs were never an issue in my life. I never tried them, I didn’t want anything to do with them. I had teammates that dealt in that and had problems with it — and continue to have problems in their lives with it.
So we know what it can do, what it’s done, and we know where it is in our society and the problems that come with it. A lot of those people wish they’d never tried it, the hold it has on their life now. But I can’t answer that because I really don’t know. It seems unusual.
What would he say to angry season ticket holders who don’t want to take their children to watch a team managed by a drug user?
Ryan: Those are obviously thoughts that we’ve had, discussions we’ve had. And obviously, each individual will make their own determination about how they feel about this and what their thoughts are on it. I understand that.
We as an organization, we have a policy in place where when we have employees that have an issue, we try to be supportive of them, try to get them the proper professional help and try to be understanding of these things. So we chose to do that with Ron. And we hope as an organization we help Ron as a person, help him understand the issues that he has and the challenges that he has, and also hope that he’s able to take this experience and help other people, and that his players respond to him and support him. We feel like he’s growing as a manager and is doing a good job for us.
So I understand people are critical of the decision we made, but I felt like we made it for the right reasons. Everybody has issues in their life — how you deal with them and how you handle them has a lot to do with who you are and what you do. So we feel like this was the right decision for us.
How and why did this leak out now, so many months after the fact?
Ryan: How something like this leaks out, you’re not sure. It could be a disgruntled employee.
Because of the confidentiality of the Major League Baseball drug testing program, we did not share it with people. We kept it quiet. But when you deal with as many people as baseball deals with, you don’t know if something like this leaks, where it might leak out from.
We knew it was possible that this might leak out and we would have to deal with it on a later date. And that’s where we are today.
More from SRI
Julius Peppers talks about joining the Chicago Bears
Mike Krzyzewski discusses the NCAA Tournament
Signed as a free agent this offseason, new Mariners third baseman/second baseman Chone Figgins recently spoke with Sporting News’ Stan McNeal about his new team:
I’m a routine-type person, so being able to stay on the same side of the country and stay in the same division was a big consideration. So was the direction the Mariners are going. The Angels still have a tough team, but the plan is for us to finish on top.
Having me hit second behind Ichiro will be a perfect fit. When you have a guy capable of hitting .400 every year, he should get up a guaranteed five times a game. I’m more of a taker, so I’ll be able to watch some pitches and let him run.
If the pitcher throws me strikes, next thing you know we’ll have guys on first and third with the big guys coming up. There’s not a lot of room for error with Ichiro leading off and then someone like me — who’s capable of doing so much stuff — going the other way, dropping a bunt, hitting through the hole — in the 2 hole.
I won’t put pressure on myself because of the contract because I put pressure on myself anyway. I’ve never worried about the money side or tried to impress people. I’m a career .291 hitter, but if I hit .280, walk 80 to 90 times, score 100 runs and we win the division, that’s a great season.
This story first appeared in Sporting News magazine. If you are not receiving the magazine, subscribe today, or pick up a copy, available at most Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets.
Signed as a free agent this offseason, new Mariners third baseman/second baseman Chone Figgins recently spoke with Sporting News’ Stan McNeal about his new team:
I’m a routine-type person, so being able to stay on the same side of the country and stay in the same division was a big consideration. So was the direction the Mariners are going. The Angels still have a tough team, but the plan is for us to finish on top.
Having me hit second behind Ichiro will be a perfect fit. When you have a guy capable of hitting .400 every year, he should get up a guaranteed five times a game. I’m more of a taker, so I’ll be able to watch some pitches and let him run.
If the pitcher throws me strikes, next thing you know we’ll have guys on first and third with the big guys coming up. There’s not a lot of room for error with Ichiro leading off and then someone like me — who’s capable of doing so much stuff — going the other way, dropping a bunt, hitting through the hole — in the 2 hole.
I won’t put pressure on myself because of the contract because I put pressure on myself anyway. I’ve never worried about the money side or tried to impress people. I’m a career .291 hitter, but if I hit .280, walk 80 to 90 times, score 100 runs and we win the division, that’s a great season.
This story first appeared in Sporting News magazine. If you are not receiving the magazine, subscribe today, or pick up a copy, available at most Barnes & Noble, Borders and Hudson Retail outlets.
Sporting News staff reports
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine in July of 2009. In his first public admission, Washington apologized Wednesday for his behavior, eight months after he told
Washington was subjected to increased drug testing after his positive test. He has passed all of the subsequent tests.
"I made a huge mistake and it almost caused me to lose everything I have worked for all of my life," Washington said at a news conference Wednesday. "I am not here to make excuses. There are none."
Washington said he used cocaine only once and called it "stupid" and "shameful."
Washington reportedly called the commissioner’s office before the test results were revealed and warned MLB officials that the results might come back positive.
Washington’s statement: Read it here | Addition details from Washington’s news conference
MLB managers, coaches and other clubhouse personnel have been subject to drug testing since 2008, when baseball adopted the measure as one of George Mitchell’s recommendations in his report on peformance-enhancing drug use in the sport, according to the SI.com report.
"Any attempt to try to explain it is going to sound like excuses," Washington told the website. "There is no right way to explain something wrong, and I did wrong. Was it tension? Maybe. Anxiety?"
The Rangers accepted his apology when Washington explained that it was a one-time transgression.
"He came forward and said he would resign," Ryan said. "He understood the consequences. We had a lot of discussions and a lot of soul searching on it.
"He stood up to it. We felt like he was sincere and forthright," he said. "We are very disappointed by this. We are upset we were put in this position."
In three seasons as Rangers’ manager, Washington is 241-245. He had his first winning season (87-75) in 2009.
Sporting News staff reports
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine in July of 2009. In his first public admission, Washington apologized Wednesday for his behavior, eight months after he told
Washington was subjected to increased drug testing after his positive test. He has passed all of the subsequent tests.
"I made a huge mistake and it almost caused me to lose everything I have worked for all of my life," Washington said at a news conference Wednesday. "I am not here to make excuses. There are none."
Washington said he used cocaine only once and called it "stupid" and "shameful."
Washington reportedly called the commissioner’s office before the test results were revealed and warned MLB officials that the results might come back positive.
Washington’s statement: Read it here | Addition details from Washington’s news conference
MLB managers, coaches and other clubhouse personnel have been subject to drug testing since 2008, when baseball adopted the measure as one of George Mitchell’s recommendations in his report on peformance-enhancing drug use in the sport, according to the SI.com report.
"Any attempt to try to explain it is going to sound like excuses," Washington told the website. "There is no right way to explain something wrong, and I did wrong. Was it tension? Maybe. Anxiety?"
The Rangers accepted his apology when Washington explained that it was a one-time transgression.
"He came forward and said he would resign," Ryan said. "He understood the consequences. We had a lot of discussions and a lot of soul searching on it.
"He stood up to it. We felt like he was sincere and forthright," he said. "We are very disappointed by this. We are upset we were put in this position."
In three seasons as Rangers’ manager, Washington is 241-245. He had his first winning season (87-75) in 2009.
Sporting News staff reports
Scouts from the Marlins and other teams watched Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell make his spring training debut Monday, The Miami Herald reports.
Lowell played first base Monday and went 1-for-2 at the plate against the Orioles.
The Herald reports the Marlins may be in the market for a corner infielder, given their uncertainty at first and third base. Rookies Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez are competing at first, but if neither one seizes the opportunity, Florida might shift third baseman Jorge Cantu to first. That would leave a hole at third, which the 36-year-old Lowell could fill.
Any trade would have to include Boston paying most of Lowell’s $12 million salary for 2010. Boston reportedly was prepared to give the Rangers $9 million as part of a Lowell deal.
Lowell, whom the Marlins traded to the Red Sox in 2005 as part of the Josh Beckett deal, star underwent offseason surgery on his thumb and has been hobbled in recent years with a hip ailment. The thumb injury scuttled an offseason trade to the Rangers.
Sporting News staff reports
Scouts from the Marlins and other teams watched Red Sox infielder Mike Lowell make his spring training debut Monday, The Miami Herald reports.
Lowell played first base Monday and went 1-for-2 at the plate against the Orioles.
The Herald reports the Marlins may be in the market for a corner infielder, given their uncertainty at first and third base. Rookies Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez are competing at first, but if neither one seizes the opportunity, Florida might shift third baseman Jorge Cantu to first. That would leave a hole at third, which the 36-year-old Lowell could fill.
Any trade would have to include Boston paying most of Lowell’s $12 million salary for 2010. Boston reportedly was prepared to give the Rangers $9 million as part of a Lowell deal.
Lowell, whom the Marlins traded to the Red Sox in 2005 as part of the Josh Beckett deal, star underwent offseason surgery on his thumb and has been hobbled in recent years with a hip ailment. The thumb injury scuttled an offseason trade to the Rangers.
Sporting News staff reports
Twins closer Joe Nathan told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune he plans to play catch on Saturday to test the torn ligament in his right elbow—and determine whether he will need season-ending surgery.
"When I feel loose—if I do get loose—I definitely want to test this thing as much as I can for Day 1 and see how it feels," Nathan told the newspaper. "This is going to be something where there shouldn’t be a gray area. It’s going to be, ‘I feel great,’ or, ‘This just isn’t me, this doesn’t feel right.’"
Sporting News staff reports
Twins closer Joe Nathan told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune he plans to play catch on Saturday to test the torn ligament in his right elbow—and determine whether he will need season-ending surgery.
"When I feel loose—if I do get loose—I definitely want to test this thing as much as I can for Day 1 and see how it feels," Nathan told the newspaper. "This is going to be something where there shouldn’t be a gray area. It’s going to be, ‘I feel great,’ or, ‘This just isn’t me, this doesn’t feel right.’"
Sporting News staff reports
New Orioles closer Mike Gonzalez told the Baltimore Sun that questions about his health and pitch velocity are unwarranted and his arm feels just fine. Gonzalez, who has pitched only twice so far this spring, left Saturday’s "B" game against the Marlins because of soreness in his lower back, not his arm.
"My arm feels great and everything else," Gonzalez told the newspaper. "I just had a little tightness in my lower back. It’s just one of those couple-of-day things. I just have to stay on top of it. It’s not a big deal at all. I’ve felt it before. It’s just one of those things where you take a couple of days and you’re fine."
And his velocity, which has been in the mid-80s instead the low-to-mid-90s that scouts are accustomed to seeing? "I really don’t look at velocity. I never have," Gonzalez said. "It was the same thing last year at spring training. They were questioning my velocity. I was anywhere from 86 to 89. Then I come out opening day and I’m 93 to 95. That’s just how it is, man."
Sporting News staff reports
New Orioles closer Mike Gonzalez told the Baltimore Sun that questions about his health and pitch velocity are unwarranted and his arm feels just fine. Gonzalez, who has pitched only twice so far this spring, left Saturday’s "B" game against the Marlins because of soreness in his lower back, not his arm.
"My arm feels great and everything else," Gonzalez told the newspaper. "I just had a little tightness in my lower back. It’s just one of those couple-of-day things. I just have to stay on top of it. It’s not a big deal at all. I’ve felt it before. It’s just one of those things where you take a couple of days and you’re fine."
And his velocity, which has been in the mid-80s instead the low-to-mid-90s that scouts are accustomed to seeing? "I really don’t look at velocity. I never have," Gonzalez said. "It was the same thing last year at spring training. They were questioning my velocity. I was anywhere from 86 to 89. Then I come out opening day and I’m 93 to 95. That’s just how it is, man."
Sporting News staff reports
A source told the Boston Herald on Monday that Red Sox infielder Jed Lowrie checked out fine after undergoing tests for a rapid heartbeat and exhaustion and should be back on the field soon.
When asked Sunday why Lowrie had been missing from camp the previous three days, manager Terry Francona said, "He had a thing the other day when we were over in Port St. Lucie. He wasn’t feeling really good, so we had him checked out with the doctor."
The quick reaction to Lowrie’s discomfort probably was prompted by the recent news that Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland has a rare brain condition that will require surgery.
"We wanted to run him through some tests before we get him back on the field," Francona told the newspaper. "We’ve been doing that the last couple of days but with the weekend it kind of slowed things down a bit. They’re all precautionary.
"He just came in and said, ‘I kind of feel like I got hit by a car.’ He just got run down and he said he has had this feeling during the winter, so we just want to get him kind of back on his feet and eliminate anything it could ever be. So the safest way to go about it is to run a bunch of tests. We’re probably being overly cautious, but I’m not sure you can be."
Sporting News staff reports
A source told the Boston Herald on Monday that Red Sox infielder Jed Lowrie checked out fine after undergoing tests for a rapid heartbeat and exhaustion and should be back on the field soon.
When asked Sunday why Lowrie had been missing from camp the previous three days, manager Terry Francona said, "He had a thing the other day when we were over in Port St. Lucie. He wasn’t feeling really good, so we had him checked out with the doctor."
The quick reaction to Lowrie’s discomfort probably was prompted by the recent news that Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland has a rare brain condition that will require surgery.
"We wanted to run him through some tests before we get him back on the field," Francona told the newspaper. "We’ve been doing that the last couple of days but with the weekend it kind of slowed things down a bit. They’re all precautionary.
"He just came in and said, ‘I kind of feel like I got hit by a car.’ He just got run down and he said he has had this feeling during the winter, so we just want to get him kind of back on his feet and eliminate anything it could ever be. So the safest way to go about it is to run a bunch of tests. We’re probably being overly cautious, but I’m not sure you can be."
Sporting News staff reports
The idea of offering Ryan Howard to the Cardinals for Albert Pujols has been discussed within the Phillies organization, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports.
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro denied that such talks have occurred, and it is unclear whether the team has spoken to anyone with the Cardinals, according to the report, which cites anonymous sources.
"Lies," Amaro told Olney in response to the rumor. "That’s a lie. I don’t know who you’re talking to, but that’s a lie."
That said, there would be logic behind the trade proposal.
Widely considered the best player in baseball, Pujols is set to become a free agent after the 2011 season, and he is expected to ask for a contract that approaches Alex Rodriguez’s record-setting 10-year, $275 million deal with the Yankees, according to the report.
Early extension talks between the Cardinals and Pujols have not led to a deal, ESPN.com reports. If the team decided it could not afford the slugger, then it might seek to unload Pujols through a blockbuster trade.
Acquiring Howard might soften the PR hit sure to come if the Cardinals traded their superstar, not only because of Howard’s talents, but also because he grew up in the St. Louis area.
While not at Pujols’ level offensively or in the field, Howard would not be a bad replacement. The 30-year-old lefty is only a couple of months older than Pujols, and in the last four seasons, Howard has hit 198 homers, driven in 572 runs and finished in the top five of the NL MVP race every year. He also becomes a free agent after the 2011 season but could probably be signed for significantly less than Pujols.
Sporting News staff reports
The idea of offering Ryan Howard to the Cardinals for Albert Pujols has been discussed within the Phillies organization, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports.
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro denied that such talks have occurred, and it is unclear whether the team has spoken to anyone with the Cardinals, according to the report, which cites anonymous sources.
"Lies," Amaro told Olney in response to the rumor. "That’s a lie. I don’t know who you’re talking to, but that’s a lie."
That said, there would be logic behind the trade proposal.
Widely considered the best player in baseball, Pujols is set to become a free agent after the 2011 season, and he is expected to ask for a contract that approaches Alex Rodriguez’s record-setting 10-year, $275 million deal with the Yankees, according to the report.
Early extension talks between the Cardinals and Pujols have not led to a deal, ESPN.com reports. If the team decided it could not afford the slugger, then it might seek to unload Pujols through a blockbuster trade.
Acquiring Howard might soften the PR hit sure to come if the Cardinals traded their superstar, not only because of Howard’s talents, but also because he grew up in the St. Louis area.
While not at Pujols’ level offensively or in the field, Howard would not be a bad replacement. The 30-year-old lefty is only a couple of months older than Pujols, and in the last four seasons, Howard has hit 198 homers, driven in 572 runs and finished in the top five of the NL MVP race every year. He also becomes a free agent after the 2011 season but could probably be signed for significantly less than Pujols.
Sporting News Pro Football War Room
Russ Lande and his team of former pro scouts evaluate NFL Draft prospects for Sporting News’ Pro Football War Room. Here is their evaluation of
Jeff Owens, who SN’s
NFL Mock Draft sees as a first-round pick, at No. 31 to the Indianapolis Colts.
Height: 6-1 1/4
Weight: 304
40 time: 5.05
Strengths: Is thick and well-built, with the strength to be a force at the point of attack. He showed his strength at the Combine, putting up 44 reps in the 225-pound bench press — the most among defensive linemen. Is consistently quick out of his stance and off the ball, which helps him take on run blocks quickly and be strong at the point of attack. Stacks blockers at the point, flashes quick shed ability and makes tackles on inside runs at him. Can jolt and drive opponents backward into the quarterback’s lap. Shows the ability to free himself and pressure the quarterback. Can drive through reach blocks to get into the backfield and blow up plays. Flashes the hands, quickness and agility to beat one-on-one pass blocks with quick moves. Looks bigger and plays stronger than his listed height and weight.
Weaknesses: Is shorter than ideal and looks somewhat soft-bodied, which is not a good combination. Does not consistently shed and get free from blocks as quickly as he is capable of, which allows running backs to run by him on inside runs that he should stop. Does not have the speed to chase down plays outside of the offensive tackles and lacks the closing burst to consistently finish sacks after he beats pass blockers. Lacks explosiveness to shoot gaps and blow up plays in the backfield consistently against straight-up blocking schemes.
Bottom line: Owens was on his way to being one of the first defensive tackles drafted in 2009 before blowing out a knee in Georgia’s 2008 opener. He had surgery and missed the rest of the 2008 season before returning in 2009. Though he was not as consistent last season, he flashed the ability to produce at the same level and still showed the athleticism and competitiveness that made him productive before the injury. Owens is a true two-gap defensive tackle who does not fit every scheme. But if he gets all the way back to his pre-injury form, which he should by 2010, he will be a productive NFL starter.
Sporting News Pro Football War Room
Russ Lande and his team of former pro scouts evaluate NFL Draft prospects for Sporting News’ Pro Football War Room. Here is their evaluation of
Jeff Owens, who SN’s
NFL Mock Draft sees as a first-round pick, at No. 31 to the Indianapolis Colts.
Height: 6-1 1/4
Weight: 304
40 time: 5.05
Strengths: Is thick and well-built, with the strength to be a force at the point of attack. He showed his strength at the Combine, putting up 44 reps in the 225-pound bench press — the most among defensive linemen. Is consistently quick out of his stance and off the ball, which helps him take on run blocks quickly and be strong at the point of attack. Stacks blockers at the point, flashes quick shed ability and makes tackles on inside runs at him. Can jolt and drive opponents backward into the quarterback’s lap. Shows the ability to free himself and pressure the quarterback. Can drive through reach blocks to get into the backfield and blow up plays. Flashes the hands, quickness and agility to beat one-on-one pass blocks with quick moves. Looks bigger and plays stronger than his listed height and weight.
Weaknesses: Is shorter than ideal and looks somewhat soft-bodied, which is not a good combination. Does not consistently shed and get free from blocks as quickly as he is capable of, which allows running backs to run by him on inside runs that he should stop. Does not have the speed to chase down plays outside of the offensive tackles and lacks the closing burst to consistently finish sacks after he beats pass blockers. Lacks explosiveness to shoot gaps and blow up plays in the backfield consistently against straight-up blocking schemes.
Bottom line: Owens was on his way to being one of the first defensive tackles drafted in 2009 before blowing out a knee in Georgia’s 2008 opener. He had surgery and missed the rest of the 2008 season before returning in 2009. Though he was not as consistent last season, he flashed the ability to produce at the same level and still showed the athleticism and competitiveness that made him productive before the injury. Owens is a true two-gap defensive tackle who does not fit every scheme. But if he gets all the way back to his pre-injury form, which he should by 2010, he will be a productive NFL starter.
