Compelling article about McGahee. May be taken before Oakland gets to him. If so, I hope the Texans get him.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/903907.asp
McGahee makes final push for scouts
Rehabbing RB passes workout tests ‘with flying colors’
Willis McGahee catches passes that the Texans scouts wanted thrown to him during during his workout Tuesday. McGahee tried to ensure he will become a first-round pick in Saturday's NFL draft by working out for a dozen scouts.
CORAL GABLES, Fla., April 22 — Willis McGahee put on a final show for NFL coaches and scouts Tuesday, lifting weights, catching passes and even running a few mild sprints in hopes of making himself a first-round draft pick. He got rave reviews.
FOUR DAYS BEFORE the NFL Draft and 15 weeks removed from reconstructive knee surgery, McGahee did everything asked of him in the weight room and on the practice field.
Eight NFL teams got another look at McGahee’s progress, and the former Miami Hurricanes running back got a chance to prove he will be able to play — and perform at a high level — this season.
“He passed with flying colors,” Houston Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. “He did a great job. All the directors of college scouting are sitting back and saying, ‘Where do you place this guy on your board?’ With the workout he just had, it will be high.”
McGahee tore three ligaments in his left knee in Miami’s championship game loss to Ohio State and underwent surgery Jan. 5, two days after the game. There was speculation he would never play again, and while the injury was less severe than first feared, it required full reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.
He briefly considered staying at Miami for another season to nurse the knee back to health. Instead, the 21-year-old sophomore stuck with his original plan to turn pro and embarked on a rugged rehabilitation program.
He gave nearly 100 coaches, scouts, media members, family, friends and former teammates a glimpse of his typical workout Tuesday.
“When they said to come down here and watch him, my first reaction was what could he do?” Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said. “He obviously did quite a bit.”
McGahee spent 10 minutes on a training table getting the knee massaged, rode a stationary bike for another few minutes to loosen it up and then weighed in at 226 pounds.
Oakland Raiders scout Calvin Branch, a defensive back last season who tore knee ligaments nine months ago, had a special request. He asked McGahee to tighten his leg muscles so he could see how close in size the injured one was to the other. Branch said there wasn’t much difference, a strong sign of recovery.
“He looks really good, like he’s been working hard,” Branch said. “He’s pretty far along. I certainly wouldn’t say it’s something that’s going to hinder him throughout his career.”
McGahee started his weight lifting session by squatting 185 pounds 10 times, then 205 pounds 10 times and finally 225 pounds 10 times.
Then, giving his knee a short break, he benched pressed 225 pounds 26 times — finishing the final three behind chants from former teammates and encouragement from his brother, Eugene Poole, who owns a gym and has been a catalyst behind his rehab.
McGahee moved outdoors for the rest of his workout. He did leg lifts, lunges and a step program. Then it was on to the light sprinting, which prompted agent Drew Rosenhaus to say, “This is where people will really be impressed.”
McGahee ran two 50-yard “striders” — more than jogging but not quite sprinting.
“I wanted to see if he could run straight ahead,” Heimerdinger said. “You could see he’s dragging a little bit, but he’s still running straight ahead pretty good.”
McGahee should keep getting better. And he says the team that drafts him will get a franchise player capable of putting up numbers similar to last season, when he rushed for 1,686 yards, scored 28 touchdowns and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Rosenhaus agrees.
“Today absolutely guarantees him as a first-round pick,” the agent said. “The things that he did today, he’s a definite first-rounder.”
In addition to the Texans, Titans and Raiders, representatives from the Jets, Saints, Eagles, Ravens and Steelers watched McGahee’s workout. The Raiders, Jets and Saints have two first-round picks — which draft experts say would make it easier to gamble on McGahee. The New England Patriots also have two first-round picks, and they held a private workout for McGahee.
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