Results are starting to come in from the NFL Combine and only DBs remain.  I’m a relatively cheap individual and don’t like overpaying for anything.  On a limited budget, here are the guys I like based on where they might be available:

Lydon Murtha, OT, Nebraska – If you haven’t been paying attention, this guy is putting up one of the top 10 all time performances for an OL in Combine history.  Nebraska had one of the better OLs in the country last year and they’re proving it in Indy.  I don’t think he’s a 1st round guy, but if I need a left tackle, he’s a steal in the 3rd and I would imagine this performance could bump him up to a 2nd round grade.  I don’t recall much about him bad when I saw him play, which is a good thing, and he held Brandon Williams sackless.  He’s a much better athlete than the more highly regarded Michael Oher.  An athlete of this nature is the kind of guy who attends multiple Pro Bowls after some good coaching.

Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State -  Some team will fall in love with Freeman and I don’t see him making it out of the 2nd round.  This is a league that once drafted Alex Smith #1 overall.  I wouldn’t want to take him in the first, but he’s a safer pick in the 2nd than what Sanchez or Stafford will cost, who have both already been exposed to good coaching and a good supporting cast.  And, Freeman has been similarly productive.  He could be the best QB in this draft, which sounds crazy as shit, but I’m not rolling the dice with the other two in the 1st. 

Marko Mitchell, WR, Nevada - I saw Mitchell play a couple of times and color me impressed.   He’s a physical specimen and his 4.46 speed would indicate it wasn’t luck.  Mitchell is more than likely raw in his route-running, but he was productive and can truly stretch the field.  He’s got Roddy White potential and he might be around in the 5th. 

Jarrett Dillard, WR, Rice - Dillard has nothing left to prove to me and a 4.53 makes me rub my hands together.  Not because it’s fast, but because it’s not quite fast enough for him to move up and someone will be getting a steal here.  He could be a Marvin Harrison or Isaac Bruce for at most a 4th rounder.  Dillard gets open, catches everything, and just defied gravity at the Combine.  He went to Rice, so his Wunderlick should not be an issue or an NFL passing tree.  You tell him where to be one time and I bet he’s there for the rest of his career.

Roy Miller, DT, Texas - I’ve seen and read about Peria Jerry and Ziggy Hood.  I’ve seen Miller kick the shit out of everyone in front of him for a year and read nothing about him.  If I’m a Cover 2 team, this is my guy and I wouldn’t be willing to wait past the 3rd on him.  He’s a better football player than the other 2 prospects and his 4.97 proves it wasn’t a fluke.

Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South Carolina -   I’ve seen Brinkley play a few times over the course of his career and South Carolina is a different team when he’s on the field.  He’s had some injury issues, but he’s a much better football player than more highly touted players James Laurinitis and Rey Maualuga.  Brinkley is prototypical and a 4.7 at his size would be considered near freakish were Aaron Curry not in this draft.   He can shed blockers better than any ILB I saw play and provides good diagnostic skills with lateral real estate security.  Brinkley’s an outstanding value in the 3rd round.

Jason Phillips, ILB, TCU -  I’m not as big on Phillips as Brinkley, but he flies around the football field and cracked the 4.7 mark.  He’s not as physical between the tackles, but if he’s around in the 5th or 6th and I need a LB, Phillips has more upside than Laurinitis or Maualuga. 

With regards to the DBs, here are the guys I’m watching closely to see what kind of 40 they post:

Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest - A physical player, who’s not scared to challenge receivers and tackles well.

Captain Munnerlyn, CB, South Carolina - Both these guys are a little on the small side, but enjoy the game of football.

Darcel McBath, FS, Texas Tech - A smart player, who doesn’t bust many coverages.  He may end up being a SS before it’s all said and done, but he proved he can make plays when provided a decent supporting cast.

Lendy Holmes, FS, Oklahoma - Ideal size, don’t remember seeing him associated with a lot of bad plays, and being a former WR, I’m curious to see how fast he is.

Freeman and Alphonso Smith seem to be moving into 1st round territory according to ESPN.  They may not be such good deals after all.  Marko Mitchell is starting to impress as well.