This is part one of a two-part analysis of the Badgers' Draft Day chances in 2005.
It's been about three weeks since the Badger football team completed their three game skid, and the disappointment surrounding the conclusion of their year. After evaluating the season as a whole, 9-3 wasn't a bad finish for this squad, and Barry Alvarez said it best after the January 1 loss-that this year's team may have over achieved.
I'll have to agree with Barry on this point. Wisconsin is annually spotted their first five games a year in the form of non-conference games, and wins over Penn State, Ohio State, and Purdue appeared relevant at the time, but soon proved to be of little value as they each tumbled into Big Ten mediocrity.
Losses to Michigan State and Iowa were not expected, but in retrospect, areas of Badger weakness were ipe for the picking,"" to use a line from Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt. In addition, the offensive playbook that was designed around running back Anthony Davis failed to include any plays that had him contribute from the sideline, where he resided for various portions of the season.
With all that said, the group that recently played their final game for Wisconsin could turn out to be one of the most memorable in recent history. What previous Badger Rose Bowl teams shared with this group was their strong senior leadership on both sides of the ball. Even though this class fell short of their goal, this graduating class figures to make quite an impact as the draft is right around the corner.
Before college players from around the nation learn their fate on April 23 to the 24th, they must first go through the NFL combine that takes place on February 23 to March 1 in Indianapolis. Here, players go through a workout that includes the 40-yard dash: bench press, agility drills and interviews with NFL representatives. This, coupled with various other senior bowl games, gives players an opportunity to both strengthen and weaken their draft status.
Avoiding certain areas of the combine has become more popular each year, as players may withhold from running a 40 time live in front of scouts, when they already have a quality existing time. However, the combine has been extremely important. Since 1988, only three players have been drafted in the first round that have neglected the event.
Much can be learned about the personality and make-up of each athlete during this whole process, with possibly the most information coming in the form of the Wonderlic intelligence test that is given to all players involved in the combine. The test is comprised of 50 common knowledge questions that must be completed in twelve minutes. Most NFL players average around 21 points, but the test can raise some major questions going into the draft.
A prime example was former Badger Alex Lewis, who was drafted in the third round by the Detroit Lions. The linebacker, who was an academic All-Big Ten member in 2003-'04, proved just how much his communication degree from this university meant, as he amassed a total score of five while failing to answer fifteen of the questions on the test. Coming from most scouts, any score below a ten is barely literate.
On the flip side, getting invited to the combine is not a prerequisite for the NFL. Former Badger quarterback Jim Sorgi didn't get the invite last year, but used a strong showing at the Badger Pro-Day to entice the Indianapolis Colts to select him with the 193rd pick in the draft, and is currently backing up MVP Peyton Manning.
Moving on to this year, the 2005 class brings to the table two hit-or-miss players in running back Anthony Davis and defensive end Erasmus James. However, both have glaring question marks hanging over their heads in the form of prevalent injuries.
Jon is a junior majoring in journalism and English. For his draft predictions of Davis, James and the rest of the Badgers, tune in tomorrow. He can be reached for comment at jrmcnamara@wisc.edu
