Prospect Workouts Abound

Toby Gerhart #7 of the Stanford Cardinal breaks through the line on his way to scoring his first touchdown against the California Bears at Stanford Stadium on November 21, 2009 in Palo Alto, California.

News has been coming out today of private workouts being held for Broncos coaches and scouts along with a slew of other teams.  Chris Steuber of Scout.com has reported that Denver will be working out Boston College center Matt Tennant and Stanford running back Toby Gerhart.  In the case of Tennant, it’s interesting that the Broncos are looking to fill the huge hole at center with the player ranked 3rd at the position on most team’s boards behind Maurkice Pouncey and J.D. Walton.  Perhaps they see something no one else does to make a deeper selection?  The Broncs may have to fight it out with the Falcons who will visit BC later this month to workout the Rimington Trophy finalist.

The more interesting case is that of Toby Gerhart.  A day after packaging Peyton Hillis with picks for Brady Quinn, news breaks that Denver will be scouting what is essentially Hillis 2.0.  Gerhart truly excites me as a Bronco possibility.  Not just that he comes from Stanford where he wore #7, that’s just a completely excellent side note.  Gerhart was a 2009 Heisman trophy finalist who put up 1,871 yards and 27 touchdowns.  The combine, he came out with stellar numbers for a player of his size thus keeping him as a halfback consideration rather than being pegged as a fullback.  Wonderlic?  Top score for runningbacks.  Accolades and combine stats have never done it for me when it comes to prospective players, what matters is play on the field.  Anyone who watched Stanford in their Sun Bowl loss to Oklahoma can tell you early on it became a one man show.  Gerhart pounded the rock against a stout defense giving his team the lead early, but getting away from the run and allowing Oklahoma to score quickly turned the tide for a Sooners win.  Toby seemed to be the star carrying a less than stellar team to a high bowl appearance against a much better overall opponent. More importantly, it was the play of Gerhart that almost won the game for the Cardinals.

If Denver wants the bruiser that could be a changeup to the lighting quick Moreno?  It’s going to be difficult, with his overachieving combine and new found buzz, Gerhart is being projected as a late 1st round selection.  Also scouting Toby is the Jets who seem a much less likely candidate with yesterday’s signing of LaDainian Tomlinson and those pesky San Diego Chargers.  Ah yes, those Chargers who now have an immediate need at runningback.  Any casual NFL observer can tell you that Sproles is an electric player, but definitely not a load carrying back.  We’ll mark this selection as doubtful for now, but speculating about another Stanford #7 in Denver sure makes for great pre-draft hype. We can only hope that other suitors fall in love for Ingram or Spiller.

UMass offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse.

Not to be overlooked was the workout of Vladimir Ducasse from UMass.  Ducasse is a 6′-4″, 322lb guard originally from Haiti.  A new friend for Elvis Dumervil perhaps?  Vlad is being projected as a second round pick, he is considered very raw and did not look good lining up at tackle in the Senior Bowl.  Any team selecting Ducasse, Denver included, would do so with the intention of playing him in either guard position.