NFL Draft 2011 Matthews’ bag of tricks is seemingly unending. He uses speed rushes, power rushes, twists, stunts and his hands to fend off defenders on the way to the passer. Even falling to the ground doesn’t stop Matthews, who pops back up and plays to the whistle. Reed says he watches film of the Packers outside linebacker and the biggest thing that sticks out to him, however, is Matthews’ ability to pass rush from the first quarter to the fourth quarter. “I just like how relentless he is,” said Reed. “He’s a dependable player to get there even at the end of the game, to get to the quarterback when he’s dead dog tired. That’s what I like about his game.” In order to become the next Clay Matthews, though, the 6-3, 263 pound Wildcat will need to go through a significant period of adjustment. Reed has played exclusively from a three-point stance with the exception of the final two games of his college career: for the Territorial Cup against in-state rival Arizona State and the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State, both losses. “He’s a great athlete, and he played in a system where he was a standup linebacker,” Reed said of Matthews, “whereas I’m trying to make that transition right now. “I think it’s going to take me maybe a little bit more time to understand that position, but I think I have the athletic ability to do that.”
Regardless of the learning curve he faces, interest in Reed indicates he’s likely to be drafted by a 3-4 team. Reed estimated an 80% to 20% breakdown in the number of 3-4 teams that interviewed him at the NFL Combine compared to 4-3 teams. “Athletically, moving your hips and whatnot, I think I could do that,” said Reed of the transition. “I mean, just basic things about the position, new responsibilities that I’m not used to as a defensive end, I’ll have to pick up pretty quick.” It’s been thought for some time that Reed would be a second day draft choice (rounds two or three), but after an impressive performance at the Combine, some are wondering whether he could sneak into the back end of the first round, of which the Packers own the 32nd pick.
his split was also faster than some of the more highly touted athletes of the Combine, including Nevada OLB Dontay Moch, Tennessee-Chattanooga CB Buster Skine, Kentucky WR Randall Cobb, Georgia WR AJ Green, Troy WR Jerrel Jernigan, and Texas A&M OLB Von Miller.” Ricky Elmore Ricky Elmore made the exact same 80%/20% estimation of the number of 3-4 teams that interviewed him at the NFL Combine compared to 4-3 teams. But he’s not concerned about the system he’ll be asked to play in the pros.
Reed had the third fastest 40-yard dash time among defensive linemen in Indianapolis with a time of 4.68 seconds, but even more astounding was how quickly he covered the first ten yards. “Perhaps his most impressive total came in the most important test for defensive linemen (and, some would say, linebackers) in the ten-yard split,” writes Rob Rang at NFLDraftScout.com. “Reed was timed at 1.54 seconds over the first ten yards, demonstrating a degree of explosiveness typically reserved for much smaller men. Reed’s 1.54 seconds not only was the fastest of all defensive ends (North Carolina’s Robert Quinn was second at 1.61),
7 | Cheesehead TV 2011 Draft Preview | www.CheeseheadTV.com
Ricky Elmore - Arizona
“Fortunately with my athletic ability and my size, I think I’m in a position to play both positions,” said the 6-5, 225 pound Elmore.