Bill Williamson

The big names dominated the hallway talk at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this weekend.

Big names are supposed to control college football conversations, you say? Sure, but only on Saturday afternoons in October. Usually, the chatter in February at the combine, where players show NFL teams their goods, is reserved for the sleepers: Guys who toiled unnoticed during the season but emerged at the combine as viable draft picks.

There were some of those types of performances this year, but the theme of the combine in 2007 was the performances by the big boys. The players who were considered first-round talents going into Indianapolis departed with most of the headlines.

Some good, some bad, but most of all, the names were familiar.

The following is a look at the best and worst from the weekend.

Stock rising
Calvin Johnson, receiver, Georgia Tech: Really, there was little room for Johnson to rise. The guy was already considered a top-four pick before he stepped foot in Indianapolis. But now, Johnson’s value is off the chart.

Johnson ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, the third best performance of all of the receivers at the combine. Consider that Johnson is 6-foot-6 and 239 pounds and he is a freakish-like talent. A player that big running that fast? It will be unfair to even good cornerbacks who may have the speed of Johnson but not the size.

The only way Johnson’s stock could have risen is by having him bypass the draft and have him go directly to unrestricted free agency. He’d be the prize of the lot. Johnson’s performance may prompt Oakland to consider trading the No. 1 pick. Plenty of teams would give up a load to get this unique talent.

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Adrian Peterson, running back, Oklahoma: Peterson had a similar weekend as Johnson. He was already a hot commodity. Now, Peterson’s stock is smoking. He is clearly the top choice at running back, and Cleveland will have a difficult time bypassing him with the No. 3 overall pick.

Peterson ran a blazing 4.38 in the 40-yard dash. There were questions of Peterson’s speed. Not anymore. This is a tough kid who is a tough runner on the field. Add the speed he showed at Indianapolis and Peterson is a sure top-five pick.

Gaines Adams, defensive end, Clemson: The highly productive pass rusher may have leapfrogged Arkansas’ Jamaal Anderson as the top defensive end on the board after his performance at Indianapolis.

Adams ran a 4.64 40 and showed great strength in the bench press. There’s little this talent doesn’t possess. He’ll be a top-six pick.

Amobi Okoye, defensive tackle, Louisville: This Nigerian import will be one of the most interesting stories to follow as the draft approaches. He will be just 19 when he is drafted and will be the youngest player ever drafted. Okoye, who was 15 when he graduated from high school, should be a top-15 pick. Whatever team that takes him will get a pro athlete who still may be growing. He is extremely mature and intelligent.

Plus, he is a tremendous athlete who works hard and makes plays. A name to remember.

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