Jackson Free Press

Day three of the NFL Combine was all about big men running fast. It is the first day that the term “tweener” (a player who falls between two positions) was used a good bit.

The defensive linemen were split into two groups. Group one featured what could be the top pick in the draft in Myles Garrett out of Texas A&M University.

Garrett ran a great 4.64 second 40-yard dash, and the rest of his measurables were outstanding. He breezed through most of the on-the-field drills and took part in linebacker drills.

There is no way he wouldn’t last past the top five picks in the draft. A team at the top could overreach on a quarterback, but Garrett is going to be special.

Jonathan Allen out of the University of Alabama ran a 5.00-second 40-yard dash. Allen is going to go in the first round at some point, and he showed his skills in measurables and on-the-field drills.

Two former University of Mississippi players were in group one, Fadol Brown and D.J. Jones. Brown ended up with a solid day that wasn’t special, but he didn’t hurt himself with his 4.94-second 40-yard dash.

On the other hand, Jones was impressive for a 320-pound player who will play nose guard and defensive tackle. He ran a 5.04 second in the 40-yard dash. A team that needs some help stopping the run is going to have to go back and watch Jones’ tape. The former Rebel helped himself at the Combine.

Other players in group one who helped themselves were Daeshon Hall out of Texas A&M, Trey Hendrickson out of Florida Atlantic University, Taco Charlton out of the University of Michigan and Carl Lawson out of Auburn University.

Group two featured Haason Reddick out of Temple University. If you don’t know who Reddick is, get to know him because he is a first-round pick with his 4.52-second 40-yard dash.

He worked with the defensive linemen, but at 237 pounds, he will be a linebacker at the next level. He ran well all day, and his measurables were solid as made himself a top pick.

Tim Williams out of Alabama is another player who will be linebacker at the next level with a 4.68-second 40-yard dash. He will be in the mix for a first- or early-second-round pick.

Other players who helped themselves were Stevie Tu’ikolovatu out of the University of Southern California, Soloman Thomas out of Stanford University, Pita Taumoepenu out of the University of Utah, and Derek Rivers and Avery Moss out of Youngstown State University.

Defensive line is going to another position that is deep in this year’s draft.

During the last group of day three, linebackers worked out, but a notable name was missing. Reuben Foster out of Alabama was sent home after getting into an argument with medical staff at the Combine.

That is going to raise questions about the young man, as …

Day two of the NFL Combine was the longest, as the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends hit the field. The quarterbacks and wide receivers broke into two groups, so I’ll give my thoughts on group one and then group two.

Group one showed why this is a weak quarterback class. None of the quarterbacks were terrible, but they all had flaws. This group might be good if it gets a chance to develop and not start right away. It was surprising to see Trevor Knight out of the Texas A&M University was the fastest quarterback in group one with a 4.5-second 40-yard dash.

Many wide receivers in group one, on the other hand, ran fast times. There were several 4.42-second 40-yard dashes.

In that first group was former University of Mississippi wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo, who ran it in 4.2 seconds. The former Rebel did nothing to hurt his draft stock, making good catches and running with great speed. If anything, Adeboyejo should have helped himself with his work at the Combine. All he has to do is replicate his performance at the Rebels’ Pro Day.

Group two featured what many believe are the top two quarterbacks in this draft, Deshaun Watson out of Clemson University and Mitchell Trubisky out of the University of North Carolina. Watson and Trubisky couldn’t beat the time that Knight ran in group one.

During the on-the-field drills, Watson, Trubisky and Texas Tech University’s Patrick Mahomes looked like the top three quarterback in this draft. None seemed to be first-round picks, but all three could end up being drafted quickly regardless. If teams draft them too high, it will be interesting to see how those players’ careers turn out.

The wide receivers in group two might have been faster overall than the receivers in group one. Two surprises in group two is that Speedy Noil out of Texas A&M and Mike Williams out of Clemson didn’t run the 40-yard dash.

Social media was abuzz when University of Washington wide receiver John Ross ran a 4.22-second 40-yard dash, though he got cramps and didn’t run his second dash or take part in the on-the-field drills. If Al Davis was still alive, the Raiders would likely have taken a chance on Ross.

Fred Ross out of Mississippi State University didn’t do anything to hurt himself, but he didn’t move up either. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, which wasn’t bad but was middle of the pack.

Overall, this looks like a deep class for wide receivers. There are going to be plenty of good receivers on all three days of the draft. There are plenty of positions in this draft with no clear top three to four players, but the position groups as a whole are deep.

The final group of the day was the tight ends. Most thought this would be a deep class for tight ends, and it didn’t disappoint. Most of the tight ends …

Day one of the NFL Combine is in the books. The opening day saw the offensive linemen and running backs take center stage in Indianapolis.

Many sports analysts considered offensive-line class weak going into the Combine, and the athletes didn’t do much to change that perception. There are some good players, but overall, it is not very deep. However, a bulk of players will still hear their names on day three of the draft.

Three players who will go early in the draft are Cam Robinson out of the University of Alabama, Garett Bolles out of the University of Utah and Forest Lamp out of Western Kentucky University. On the field, they did nothing to hurt their chances of getting drafted quickly.

Teams are also going to take a long look at Texas Christian University’s Aviante Collins, who ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash. It was the best time for the offensive linemen, with Bolles in second place at 4.95 seconds. Lamp was fourth with a 5-second 40-yard dash, and Robinson tied with several players for eighth place.

Collins’ time will likely attract a few teams take a look at his tape and could move him up the draft. He’ll really move up if he can repeat that time at his Pro Day.

Jessamen Dunker out of Tennessee State University finished third in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.98 seconds. He had a tendency to pick his feet up too high, but there is plenty of potential for a team who likes his speed.

Ethan Cooper from Indiana University of Pennsylvania ended up being a small-school participant that caught my eye. He might not go early, but like Dunker, he looked like he had plenty to work with on the field.

Justin Senior out of Mississippi State University ran a 5.55-second 40-yard dash, which wasn’t blazing but was nowhere near the slowest time of the offensive linemen. He had a solid day but tended to not bend his knees or bend at his hips as he got tired. Senior should hear his name called on day three of the draft.

While the offensive-line class in this draft is somewhat shallow this year, the opposite could be said of the running backs. This is one of the deepest positions in this draft, with some potential superstars.

One surprise happened to be that this group only had eight players run a sub-4.50-second 40-yard dash. Most of the running backs didn’t showcase blazing speeding.

Early in the day, a lot the talk focused on Louisiana State University running back Leonard Fournette, who weighs 240 pounds, had a poor vertical jump and didn’t do the broad jump. Those questions started to go away after Fournette ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash. That is an outstanding time for a running back as big as he is.

Fournette did struggle in the passing drills, as he double-caught balls or dropped them. He struggled catching the …

The future direction of the New Orleans Saints might take shape over the next five days at the NFL Combine. New Orleans and the other 31 teams will be in Indianapolis to watch the players but also to discuss trades on their rosters or in the coming draft.

Potential trade talks could be important for the Saints with reports that they may soon trade wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Many media sources expect that both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tennessee Titans could be potential suitors for a trade.

The Titans own the fifth and 18th pick of the first round, and could move up and down in the draft if they want to make a deal. New Orleans has the 11th pick of the first round but adding a second first round pick could get the Saints to make a deal.

If the Titans gave the Saints their 18th pick with some other picks thrown in, it could allow New Orleans to rebuild its defense with some instant starters and playmakers.

The Saints need a pass-rusher, cornerback and linebacker help, and could get one of those in the first round if they make a deal. This is a good draft year for defense, and there will be plenty of talent available deep in the first round.

It would be intriguing if the Titans wanted to swap the fifth pick and the 11th pick for Cooks. That fifth pick could mean New Orleans might be looking for a quarterback, but this is a weak draft for that position.

New Orleans could try to get a quarterback to replace Drew Brees, who is 38 and heading into the final year of his contract. That leaves the Saints with two options. First, they could rebuild the defense quickly with this trade and free agency, and second, they could get ready for life without Brees behind center.

Cooks’ speed makes him a great offensive weapon, but he did lash out in the media after getting zero targets in the Saints’ blowout win over the Los Angeles Rams. He made 78 catches for 1,123 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016.

New Orleans found a nice surprise in second-round pick wide receiver Michael Thomas. That doesn’t mean Cooks is expendable, but it does mean New Orleans could find a cheaper player in the draft this year if they make a trade.

The Saints can rebuild their defense through free agency but will do it without 2014 free-agent pick Jairus Byrd. Reports suggest that the Saints plan on cutting the disappointing and often-injured safety, as he was never the same player for the Saints that he had been for the Buffalo Bills.

Currently, the Saints have $21 million to $30 million in cap space, and depending on how they release Byrd, they could add nearly $10 million more to that number. That should give New Orleans the funds to fix its porous …

The top draft prospects will be at the NFL Combine, which runs from Friday, March 3, to Monday, March 6. Players are broken up by position, with running backs on one day and quarterback on another day and so forth.

If you want to watch the Combine but never have, you will need to know a few things. Even if you don’t have a firm hold of everything, it doesn’t hurt to watch and figure it out over the next few days.

The main attraction of each day of the Combine is the 40-yard dash. It can get redundant at times because, let's face it, once you have seen one 40-yard dash, you have seen them all. That is, until someone runs a blazing time for their position. Seeing a 250-pound player running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash is something to behold.

Come for the 40-yard dash, but stay for the on-the-field drills. The football-related drills are a great way to see the differences in players.

Those drills also bring a ton of lingo to the broadcast. One thing you will hear a lot about is hips. Players will have “stiff hips,” “loose hips,” “tight hips,” “good hip movement” and a few more hip-related phrases. Don’t be surprised to hear about ankles, “bubble butts,” legs, thighs and more.

Stiff or tight hips are normally considered a bad thing because football is about a quick change of direction. Loose hips are normally a good thing, as it means that a player is good at moving on the field.

Another phrase that you will hear a good bit is “red flags.” Those can be for medical reasons, run-ins with the law, suspensions from the team or anything that could make a team weary about drafting a player.

One thing that scouts and teams have to worry about are workout warriors, or guys who kill it at the Combine but didn’t necessarily stand out during the past season. These players might drive up their draft stock because of the numbers they put at the Combine, but it might not translate to success in the NFL.

Remember, every player has practiced taking the wonderlic (an IQ test for NFL players), and worked on running the 40-yard dash, the broad jump and the on-the-field drills. The Combine is a job interview that can earn or cost players millions of dollars.

So it is not the player’s fault if a team falls in love with a workout warrior or player that explodes at the Combine. It is up the teams to do their homework on every player they are going to draft. That brings up another point. The Combine should confirm what scouts and coaches have seen on tape. If a player runs a faster time than what is expected, teams should go back and look at the tape to see if they were wrong about the player or if that player has worked on his 40-yard dash …

Ward 7 Jackson Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon has announced that she will not seek re-election this spring for her council seat, which she's held for 32 years. Barrett-Simon released the statement below, regarding her decision:

"Fellow Jacksonians,

It has been my deepest honor and blessing to serve Ward 7 as your elected representative on the Jackson City Council for the last 32 years. After much consideration and discussion with Al and the rest of our family, I have decided that the time has come to seek new challenges. I will not seek re-election this spring.

Ward 7 is perhaps the most diverse part of our city. One of the true blessings that I have had in this job is the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from such varied backgrounds. I have come to love these friends so much, and this is what I will miss the most. I would also like to thank all of my colleagues on the City Council and in city government with whom I have been privileged to serve.

I intend to remain engaged in our local affairs as we move forward together, and I look forward to joining with all of you as we all strive to build a better and more prosperous city for all of our residents. I also encourage each of you to take an active role in making Jackson and Ward 7 the best that they can be. The future of Jackson is bright because of you.

Dr. Albert Simon and I would like to offer our most sincere thanks to each and every one of you for your support and friendship over these many years. We won't be far away."

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has announced the finalists for this year’s Howell and Gillom Trophies. Seven players received votes for the Gillom Trophy, which is awarded to the best women’s college-basketball player in Mississippi, and nine players received votes for the Howell Trophy, given to the state’s best men’s college-basketball player. The vote recipients were then narrowed to three finalists for each award.

Brittany Dinkins of the University of Southern Mississippi, Victoria Vivians of Mississippi State University and Morgan William of Mississippi State University are the finalists for the Gillom Trophy. Sebastian Saiz of the University of Mississippi, Devin Schmidt of Delta State University and Quinndary Weatherspoon of Mississippi State University are the three finalists for the Howell Trophy.

Vivians is trying to become the first player to win the Gillom Trophy three straight times. She passed 1,600 points for her career this season and is averaging 17.2 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

Williams will try to dethrone her all-star teammate for the Gillom, as she is enjoying her best season at MSU. She is averaging 10.1 points, 5.4 assists, two rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and has one of the best assists-to-turnover ratios in the SEC.

No one in the history of USM women’s basketball has played more games than Dinkins, who has appeared on the court 128 times. She is averaging 18.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.8 assists per game. She is fifth in the nation in steals and tops in Conference USA in that category.

Saiz will try to make it five Howell Trophy wins in a row for the Rebels. The native of Madrid, Spain, is the first player in school history to achieve 1,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 blocks during a career. He is averaging 15.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, and has upped his free-throw shooting from 65 percent as a junior to 75 percent as a senior.

Schmidt is one of the best players in the history of Delta State and is 65 points away from becoming the all-time leading scoring in the Gulf South Conference. He is averaging 22.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Despite only being a sophomore, Weatherspoon is a finalist for a second consecutive year following his explosive freshman season in 2016. He was named SEC Player of the Week back in January as he is averaging 16.5 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Fans can vote for their choice for best men’s and women’s player in our state by visiting csopavoting.com and can place votes until 5 p.m., Saturday, March 4. The fan vote will make up 10 percent of the final count, with the media making up the other 90-percent. All the finalists will attend a banquet on Monday, March 6, at 11:30 a.m. at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (1152 …