Would the Titans still have drafted Chris Johnson?

Yes.

 

Nope. No chance.

He made his name at the combine, and probably still could have been had in the 2nd round.

We took a chance, just like we did with Chris Henry, but this one actually worked.

 

of course the NFL is about to move away from power backs and focus more on the fast guys who can break 60 yards at any given time. but i think speed backs should be able to catch also. they can run a 4.2 but if they cant catch then it drops their value way down imo. but i think CJ is special he has great vision and feet and seems to avoid big hits, fumbles very little and can catch. is their a guy like that in the draft this year?

 

If he did Heyward Bey took it all away.

 

wasn't CJ on the radar before the combine ?

 

Yes he was. Now if CJ ran only a 4.40 maybe he doesn't get picked in the 1st round. But if he runs a 4.34 instead of a 4.24 I think he still might have been our pick.

 

Not really. Maybe as a 5th round pick.

 

I think he was on the radar long before the combine. But the combine sealed the deal. How could it not impact you. That is what the combine is for.

I'm a big proponent of the combine because it levels the playing field. and I have often believed that altheletes in general are more valuable than football players. My whole life I have seen the better athlete dominate the playing field in almost every sport. I do agree that football players exist, just pure football players, with little athletic talent, but for the most part, the physical speciments rule the athletic world in my opinion. My opinion is that teams should look to the combine first, determine who the best athletes are, and the use the body of football work to move the players up and down the draft board. This is how the NCAA works for the most part. And it's a proven system. The bigger, faster, stronger athletes tend to rule college football. I believe that can translate to the NFL inspite of the fact that the altheltic gap shrinks. I think players like Kearse and CJ are the rule rather than the exception. And I know that most NFL teams do it the exact opposite, but while it sounds good to hear them say it that way, I think practically it is the wrong approach to take. From gradeschool to College, most coaches pick and choose the best atheletes to gain wins. In your neighborhood it is the same way.

 

He was projected to 2nd or 3rd round by several.

E.g
http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/profile_display.cfm?prospect_id=1326

January 2008 2nd rounder
http://profootball.scout.com/2/723244.html

February 2008, now 1st rounder. (Edit: my bad, this was after the Combine)
http://profootball.scout.com/2/732408.html