After finishing the 2013-2014 season with an impressive record of (11-2) and (7-1) in the Mountain West Conference the Fresno State Bulldogs were represented by four athletes at the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine. Derek Carr, one of the most intriguing players in the draft, hopes to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, David, and become the second Carr to have his name called on Day 1 of the draft.
Joining Derek at the Combine were three of his favorite receiving targets in college, who were all key contributors to the Bulldog’s success and the numbers Carr was able to post this past season. Below are the combine results from the four Fresno State recruits who will be eager to hear their names called on draft day come May 8th.
Derek Carr: QB –Senior– (6’2”, 214 pounds / Arm Length: 31 ½”)
40-Yard Dash: 4.69
Bench Press: DNP
Vertical Jump: 34.5 inches (2nd among QBs)
Broad Jump: 110 inches
3 Cone Drill: DNP
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.20 sec.
60-Yard Shuttle: DNP
Player Bio:
Younger brother of former number 1 pick in the 2002 NFL draft (Houston Texans), David Carr.
2013: MWC Offensive Player of the Year and set many school and conference passing records.
2012: MWC Offensive Player of the Year (4,104 passing yards, 37 TD, 7 INT)
2011: Second-team All-WAC (3,544 passing yards, 26 TD, 9 INT)
2013 Statistics:
Passing: 453 Completions, 659 Attempts, 68.7 PCT, 5082 Yards (MWC Record), 50 TD, 8 INT
Rushing: 40 Attempts, 117 Yards, 2.9 AVG, 2 TD
Combine Notes (Strengths and Weaknesses):
Displays excellent arm strength and accuracy fitting the ball into tight windows.
Underrated athleticism with the ability to take off and gain yards on the ground as well as make pass rushers miss while in the pocket. Lacks big game consistency and success (2013 Las Vegas Bowl vs. USC). Experience only in shotgun sets at Fresno State and will need to adapt to taking snaps under center. Fresno State’s tendency to pass the ball (averaged 50+ attempts per game) significantly benefited Carr’s numbers but the statistics are still very impressive.
2014 NFL Draft Projection:
1st Round; Carr has all the potential there is to become a solid starting quarterback for an NFL team. Many NFL scouts and general managers may be skeptical of drafting him too early, just as his brother was in 2002, but they must realize that Derek is an entirely different quarterback and athlete than his brother was. An NFL team looking to draft a potential franchise quarterback or an immediate starter such as the Raiders or Vikings could certainly depend on Carr to come in and fill that role.
Marcel Jensen: TE –Senior– (6’6”, 259 pounds / Arm Length: 34 7/8”)
40-Yard Dash: 4.89
Bench Press: 24 Reps
Vertical Jump: 35 inches (2nd among TEs)
Broad Jump: 115 inches
3 Cone Drill: 7.38 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.60 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: DNP
Player Bio:
Two-sport athlete as Jensen was a star basketball player at Rodriguez High School in Fairfield, CA; named Defensive Player of the Year.
Already 24 years old and is married with a one year old son.
2013: Second-team All-MWC
2012: Honorable mention All-MWC
Four career blocked kicks on special teams.
2013 Statistics: 26 Receptions, 353 Yards, 13.6 Yds/Rec, 3 TD
Combine Notes (Strengths and Weaknesses):
Prototypical size and height to play the tight end position in the NFL. Does not posses excellent speed but for his size he shows quickness and mobility that teams will take notice of. Has long arms and presents a very big target to throw to. Ability to affect games on special teams with his long arms and quickness to the ball.
2014 NFL Draft Projection:
5th-6th Round; Jensen can certainly become a dependable tight end in the NFL if he is integrated into a system with a good supporting cast. His main strengths are shown with blocking as he has the potential to become an absolute force doing so once he works on footwork techniques and builds more strength. Jensen also suffered a groin injury during Senior Bowl week and although there was no severity of the injury NFL teams should definitely take notice of it.
Davante Adams: WR –Sophomore– (6’1”, 212 pounds / Arm Length: 32 5/8”)
40-Yard Dash: 4.56
Bench Press: 14 Reps
Vertical Jump: 39.5 inches
Broad Jump: 123 inches
3 Cone Drill: 6.82 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.30 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: DNP
Player Bio:
2013: Second-team All-American and first-team All-MWC; Biletnikoff Award semifinalist.
2012: Mountain West Freshman of the Year and first-team All-MWC (102 Receptions, 1,312 Yards, 14 TD).
Two sport athlete in high school as he was a two-star recruit playing basketball.
2013 Statistics: 131 Receptions, 1,718 Yards, 13.1 Yds/Rec, 24 TD (Led MWC in all three categories).
Combine Notes (Strengths and Weaknesses):
There is nothing special about his speed but he still has the ability to create space and make defenders miss. Good size but definitely has the frame to add some more bulk in order to compete against bigger defensive backs at the next level. Did not serve a diverse role at Fresno State as his routes were often fairly basic. Very intelligent individual who should have no problem learning an NFL playbook and further polishing his receiving attributes at the next level.
2014 NFL Draft Projection:
2nd Round; Adams is a very intriguing prospect that put up record breaking numbers during his two years at Fresno State. Although he was receiving passes from Derek Carr in college Adams displayed his own individual talents of being able to elevate himself over defenders and making highlight catches at times. Adams still has a lot of room to grow and needs to develop before excelling in the NFL but he can definitely add to a teams receiving core in a positive way as a rookie.
Isaiah Burse: WR –Senior– (5’10”, 188 pounds / Arm Length: 30 ¼”)
40-Yard Dash: 4.58
Bench Press: 16 Reps
Vertical Jump: 31 inches
Broad Jump: 115 inches
3 Cone Drill: 6.74 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 3.94 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: 11.53 seconds
Player Bio:
2013: Second-team All-MWC.
2012: Honorable mention All-MWC (57 Receptions, 851 Yards, 6 TD).
2011: Set NCAA record with 1,606 total kickoff return yards (21.4 AVG).
2013 Statistics:
Receiving: 99 Receptions, 1,026 Yards, 10.4 Yds/Rec, 6 TD
Rushing: 9 Attempts, 81 Yards, 2 TD
Combine Notes (Strengths and Weaknesses):
Has great speed and is very shifty all over the football field. Shows elusiveness and can make defenders overplay his routes and miss tackles. Needs to improve his ability to adjust to the ball in the air.
2014 NFL Draft Projection:
7th Round; Burse was another target in Derek Carr’s passing arsenal at Fresno State and he hopes to add his talents to an established passing attack in the NFL as well. Due to Burse’s lack of size he will most likely convert to a slot type receiver in the NFL but also potentially serving as a difference maker on special teams as a return man. He is a fierce competitor that will strive to benefit an NFL team and will not give up until he is given that chance.