2012 NFL Scouting Combine: 40 Times Are Today, And Already RG3 And Michael Floyd Have Impressed

Notre Dame revieiver Michael Floyd probably had the biggest boost of anyone from Indiana at the NFL combine when he laid down a 4.42 40 yard dash time. Floyd's draft stock rose a ton during the combine, and NFL.com gave him an 89.5 rating to show for it, the third highest among WR's and the highest of any Notre Dame player. Safety Harrison Smith also impressed, earning an 84.5.

Past the Fighting Irish, no schools were represented at the combine minus Kicker Carson Wiggs from Purdue, who graded decidedly average with a 44.7 from NFL.com.

At this point, it would probably be redundant to say that Andrew Luck was a winner at the Combine, since he's been carved into every NFL Draft at first overall to the Indianapolis Colts for well over a month now.

For more on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, check out One Foot Down. For more on the combine and NFL draft, head to the SB Nation 2012 NFL Draft hub.

The man who was the toast of the NFL media on Friday, Robert Griffin III, has wowed everyone once again. When he arrived in Indianapolis for the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, his height was measured a 6'2 and 3/8 when he arrived, making him tall enough for most scouts concerned he was too short to play quarterback.

Today, Griffin ran the 40 yard dash, and his first timed speed was very impressive.

RG3 just posted a 4.41. Foles ran a 5.15.

— Stew Blake (@stewblake22) February 26, 2012

Amazingly, the timing of the run could have been better, as Dan Kadar and Stampede Blue's Matt Grecco point out:

As @mgrex03 points out, RG3 didn't run straight. He started to the right. Not that it matters much, he can get below 4.4.

— Dan Kadar (@MockingTheDraft) February 26, 2012

When Griffin ran the 40 the second time, it was even better.

And now RG3 just hit a 4.38.

— Stew Blake (@stewblake22) February 26, 2012

The questions now are what will Griffin look like when he throws at his Pro Day in March. There are also concerns about his tendency to "freelance" when he played at Baylor. Running around and "making plays" can work in college. In the NFL, unless your name is Ben Roethlisberger and you weigh 260 pounds, "freelancing" is a quick ticket to "early retirement."

Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd took to the 40-yard dash following Griffin, and he immediately improved his draft stock with his first run:

Michael Floyd puts down a 4.42. Oh yes.

— Matt Grecco (@mgrex03) February 26, 2012

The concerns surrounding Floyd were his speed. Well, he answered those concerns today.

For more information on the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, visit Mocking the Draft.

At the Combine this weekend, former-Ravens head coach Brian Billick, currently working for NFL Network and FOX as an analyst, spoke on a variety of topics, but his opinions on the Peyton Manning situation in Indianapolis were by far the most detailed and interesting.

SB Nation Indiana's Matt Grecco and Colts blogger Stew Blake were on hand for the chat.

Billick was asked a question pertaining to the upside of Manning and how he would fit within the Miami Dolphins, whose fanbase is already lobbying hard for management to pursue Manning if and when he is cut:

"If he's physically okay, that's great. You've got a great upside. But it would be hard for me to imagine for Coach Philbin, who has a very specific idea of what he wants to being with and how he wants to progress his offense, to kind of put that on the back burner. I can't say that it won't happen and you obviously do what your player's do best."

Generally speaking, Billick then considered the importance of Manning's control within a team and how that will come into play as a free agent.

"Who makes more? At the end of the day, that's who's in charge. And when you bring in Peyton Manning, why would you bring him in and not do what he does best? And that's what a good coach will do. But that has to be an organizational decision. That's not just Miami, all of the teams considering him."

Regarding Andrew Luck, Billik called him "the most dynamic quarterback talent to come out since John Elway, as a prospect." He placed emphasis on "prospect" and followed that up with this funny nugget: "It goes back to the old, 'Son, your potential is going to get me fired.'"

You can read the rest of the Billick chat at Stampede Blue, SB Nation's Colts blog.

For more on the NFL Draft check out Mocking The Draft with reports live from the NFL scouting combine.

The 2012 NFL scouting combine breaks a sweat starting Saturday morning with tight ends, offensive lineman and kickers taking their turn under the microscope to see where they measure up.

The NFL Network is televising the workouts, so if you want to see how fast the mammoth lineman can run the 40-yard dash then be sure to tune in. It is always remarkable to see how athletic some of those elite big guys actually are when they shed the pads show what they can do.

Mocking the Draft is a great resource to see which now-obscure names could become stars in a few years. Here is a brief run down of the top prospects at the key positions working out today along with a link to the positional rankings.

Tight end rankings - Top rated tight end is Dwayne Allen | 6'4, 255 pounds | Tight end | Clemson

Offensive Tackle rankings - Top rated Tackle is Matt Kalil | 6'6, 295 pounds | Offensive tackle | Southern California

Offensive Guard rankings - Top rated Guard is David DeCastro | 6'5, 312 pounds | Guard | Stanford

Offensive Center rankings - Top rated Center is Peter Konz | 6'5, 313 pounds | Center | Wisconsin

For more on the NFL Draft check out Mocking The Draft with reports live from the NFL scouting combine.

We've heard the Indianapolis Colts talk about Peyton Manning, and we've heard said Super Bowl-winning quarterback talk about the Colts. Manning has spoken a bit about Andrew Luck and it's now pretty obvious that the Colts are going to make Luck the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. This was speculated on in the early weeks of the season, and has been considered fact since the Colts locked up the first overall pick by being the worst team in the NFL in 2011.

What we haven't heard much of is Luck himself, talking about the Colts more specifically, Manning. SB Nation posted some quotes from Luck in regards to Manning, from NFL.com's Jeff Darlington on Twitter.:

"Peyton was my football hero. That's who I modeled myself after. You never replace a guy like that," Luck said. "Who knows what happens?"

He added, "If I have the opportunity to learn from a guy like that, of course, you're going to take advantage of it."

The second bit is significant, because it somewhat paints the picture of Luck sitting and learning. He didn't expressly say that he'd be fine sitting on the bench and learning for a portion of time, but that could be one interpretation. Luck has said in the past that he wants to play and is that kind of player who wants to just go in and do his thing, but he's also the guy who stayed in college an extra year to finish up his academics.

Manning would certainly have an awful lot to offer Luck, regardless of how NFL-ready the Stanford product appears to be. It's good that Luck is a fan of Manning, it should help if the two somehow end up on the roster together - working together is an awful lot better than animosity between your quarterbacks.

For more on the Indianapolis Colts, go to Stampede Blue. You can also head over to SB Nation's main NFL hub at SBNation.com/NFL.

The 2012 NFL Draft order is now set after a 7:30 AM coin flip somewhere in the bowels of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. The coin flip was to settle who would draft at the No. 8, No. 9, No. 10, and No. 11 overall spots.

After the flip, Carolina will draft eight and Miami nine while Kansas City takes the eleventh spot and Seattle falls to twelve.

The order for 2012 is as such:

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. St. Louis Rams
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Cleveland Browns
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6. Washington Redskins
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Miami Dolphins
10. Buffalo Bills
11. Kansas City Chiefs
12. Seattle Seahawks
13. Arizona Cardinals
14. Dallas Cowboys
15. Philadelphia Eagles
16. New York Jets
17. Cincinnati Bengals (via Oakland Raiders)
18. San Diego Chargers
19. Chicago Bears
20. Tennessee Titans
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Cleveland Browns (via Atlanta Falcons)
23. Detroit Lions
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Denver Broncos
26. Houston Texans
27. New England Patriots (via New Orleans Saints)
28. Green Bay Packers
29. Baltimore Ravens
30. San Francisco 49ers
31. New England Patriots
32. New York Giants

Arrivals for Day Two of the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis include the quarterbacks. This means Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are, indeed, in the building.

The early buzz this morning centered around the height measurements of both QBs. Luck was measured at 6'4, and Griffin, who folks had questions regarding how tall or short he was, was notched at 6'2 and 3/8. This is a big deal for Griffin because many thought his listing at 6'2 was a load of bunk. Ideally, you want your quarterbacks tall.

Team general managers like John Elway of the Broncos and Ted Thompson of the Packers are scheduled to speak this morning, addressing team needs in the draft and free agency.

The following SB Nation writers are at the Combine covering events today:

• Matt Grecco - @mgrex03
• Stew Blake - @stewblake22
• Dan Kadar - Mocking the Draft - @mockingthedraft
• Kevin Ewoldt - Hogs Haven - @HogsHaven

Be sure to follow them for up-to-the-minute info on teams and players.

The NFL Combine is now in full swing, heading into the third day of the proceedings. The offensive players from the first and second day are starting to get into the real meat of their working at the Combine, and on Day 3 the defensive line and linebacker prospects from groups seven through nine are set to arrive. The new arrivals will, as the others have, do their medical exams, orientation and interviews on their first day, not leaving until Monday after all of their workouts have been completed.

The recent news that the Indianapolis Colts are planning to keep both Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney around for 2012 might stifle any ideas about the Colts picking up players from Day 3. They're certainly not going to pick anyone from them on the first day of the draft, but we already knew that because Andrew Luck is pretty much sharpeed into most draft boards at number one.

Every player at the combine can be found on the official Invite List here.

For more information and updates on the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, check SB Nation's NFL draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFL in general, you can head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.

Carson Wiggs is the only player from the Purdue boilermakers that was invited to the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, but his presence might mean a draft place. A placekicker, Wiggs is one of the few specialists to draw some eyes at the combine. His Purdue was showcased his big leg, as he kicked the five longest field goals in Purdue history. He topped out at 59-yards in the 2009 season opener against Toledo.

In the 2011 spring game Wiggs shattered even that record, as he split the uprights from 67 yards and still had room for the ball to reach the net behind the Ross-Ade Stadium goalposts. SB Nation Indiana's Matt Grecco was at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday as the played began to roll into town for the various trials and tests. he was able to talk to Wiggs, who is excited to get a chance to show what he can do.

Wiggs audio

New Colts head coach Chuck Pagano took to the podium today at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, and if he has his way, both Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will lead his new defense in 2012:

Pagano: Freeney and Mathis are 'game-wreckers'. Plan to have those guys here.

— Matt Grecco (@mgrex03) February 23, 2012

Robert Mathis is as free agent this offseason, and Dwight Freeney is due a potentially cap-killing payday in 2012.

From Pagano at the Combine:

• He called Freeney and Mathis "game-wreckers"
• The Colts will transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme
• The Colts system of smaller players has worked in the past, but the team will get bigger at specific need positions
• The transition to a 3-4 defense will be hard, but not impossible
• Colts system will work well with players the Colts will bring to camp
• Pagano has spoken to Jeff Saturday, who is seriously pondering retirement. Pagano wants him to stay
• Pagano had high praise for Andrew Luck
• When asked about Peyton Manning, Pagano said Manning will do everything to play again

SB Nation Indiana's Matt Grecco is at the Combine today. Follow his tweets at @mgrex03

You can hear the entire Pagano interview here.

New Colts general manager Ryan Grigson took to the podium today at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, and right off the bat questions were posed regarding the current stats of the tea and Peyton Manning:

Grigson: Everything is a process. Manning situation will be resolved by March 8. Do what's best for org and team.

— Matt Grecco (@mgrex03) February 23, 2012

Grigson also denied a report from Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz that the Colts told Andrew Luck not to throw at the Combine.

Also from Grigson at the Combine:

• He side-stepped questions regarding the Colts using the franchise tag
• He said there were some challenges financially to the salary cap, but the Colts should be in better position next year (2013)
  
• Grigson seemed annoyed with all the questions pertaining to Peyton Manning's health
• He stated emphatically that he has not seen Peyton Manning throw

SB Nation Indiana's Matt Grecco is at the Combine all week. Follow his tweets at @mgrex03

Last week, Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz broke this news on Twitter:

Andrew Luck was willing to throw for teams (Colts) at the combine, but was told by teams (Colts) just to throw at pro day March 22.

— BobKravitz (@bkravitz) February 18, 2012

Recently, Andrew Luck's trainer has refuted this, somewhat, indicating that the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft will indeed throw for scouts at the Combine. Luck is training in California with quarterback guru George Whitfield, the guy who got Cam Newton ready last year. Whitfield spoke to ESPN's Joe Schad recently:

"There are things he wants to work on, but this is refinement not an installation or a surgery," Whitfield said. "It's about getting reps and he's really a marvel to watch. Very sound. Very consistent. Physically impressive. A power guy. A strong guy which people underestimate. One thing we've been doing is working the throws out on the perimeter -- those throws outside the hash marks."

Whether Luck will throw at the combine is uncertain, but Whitfield said Luck is prepared to throw in Indianapolis and would perform well if he did throw.

For more on the NFL Scouting Combine, visit Mocking The Draft, SB Nation's NFL draft blog.

The opening day of the NFL Scouting Combine is usually more looked forward to just so that we can say that the combine has begun more than for the players who participate in it.

Day one of the combine will feature the first three groups of players arriving at Indianapolis, but no actual drills will be done until day four as the first gang of players go through orientations, medical exams, interviews and the like for the first few days. The first three groups will consist of the special teams players, offensive lineman and tight ends. There's not too many huge names in the group, though there's some very high first round projected talent showing up like Matt Kalil and Reily Reiff with the tackles.

There's a tinge more excitement for the Indiana based of course because it's yet another event going on at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts. Day two will provide the intriguing offensive skill players when the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers arrive.

Every player at the combine can be found on the official Invite List here.

For more information and updates on the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, check us out at SB Nation Indiana or at SB Nation's NFL draft blog, Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFL in general, you can head to the SB Nation NFL hub at sbnation.com/NFL.