Dixon, Easley, Witten and Williams Looking To Turn Heads at NFL Combine 2010

As this year's NFL combine gets underway, several young men are in Indianapolis hoping to impress scouts and coaches. Four players who hope to use the combine to showcase their skills and improve their draft position are Andre Dixon, Marcus Easley, Lindsey Witten and Jeremy Williams.

As a Connecticut resident, I was able to see first hand the talent of the three University of Connecticut players.

Andre Dixon is a senior running back from the University of Connecticut. A tough, physical runner, Dixon also possesses some quickness, which he showcased at the East West Shrine game. Dixon would finish as the leading rusher for the East side. While he's had some good moments on the field, he's had off the field issues. In 2008 he was arrested for a DUI and was suspended from the team for violating team rules

Dixon should be picked around the 5^th -6^th round, but if he runs well at the combine and shows some quickness, he could sneak into the end of the 4^th round. Above his physical performance, Dixon will also have to convince teams he's learned from his mistakes and has matured and is ready to become a responsible, professional football player.

Dixon would be a great fit for teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, NY Giants, Detroit Lions, and Washington Redskins, teams that like to play physical, run-first offense, or those that need to establish the run to help their passing game.

Marcus Easley is a former walk-on wide receiver from the University of Connecticut. The 6'2, 216 lb senior had a relatively quiet career before his breakout final year. During his senior season there was a five-game stretch where Easley caught 24 balls for 533 yards and five touchdowns.

Easley needs to show more consistency catching and holding on to the ball. He comes off the line well and creates separation, making himself a good target for the quarterback. Easley is projected as a 5^th round pick. At the combine he needs to catch the ball cleanly and needs to concentrate completely during all drills. If he performs well at the combine he could sneak into the 4^th round. The Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buc's, Ravens, Bills, Seahawks could all be interested in the receiver.

Lindsey Witten is another senior from the University of Connecticut. The defensive end had a good East West shrine game and has shown the ability to pressure the quarterback. He had 11 1/2 sacks during his senior year, which is a great number, but he didn't face top level competition . Also like Easley, didn't start early on in his college career and didn't really come on until his senior season. Witten will need more work against the run at the next level, but he is very active and will be looked on by many teams in need of a pass rusher. Though Witten may need a year to really come into his own, the Patriots, Panthers, Raiders, 49ers may target Witten.

In a Senior Bowl that featured stars such as Tim Tebow, it was Jeremy Williams, wide receiver from Tulane that stole the show. Though he had a great season, 1,763 all purpose yards, 1,113 receiving yards on 84 receptions with, seven touchdowns, there was little talk of Williams. If he played at a school with a better record, or with more exposure, he would've been more well known, but his performance at the Senior Bowl hopefully rectified the problem. Williams ended the Senior Bowl as both the leading rusher, 27 yards, and receiver, 83 yards, for his squad.

For Williams, he needs a strong combine to show he can catch the ball cleanly without fumbling it. He'll also have to prove he's' recovered from his two knee injuries. If he has a good combine, Williams can crack into the early 3^rd round, providing his knees pass the scrutiny of team doctors.

Teams like Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Cleveland will target Williams in the draft.

I hope these gentleman are ready because like it or not, the combine is the biggest test of their careers.

Sources:

　http://bleacherreport.com/articles/336443-2010-senior-bowl-jeremy-williams-deserves-breakout-performance-award
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=72844&draftyear=2010&genpos=WR
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1277509
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/287296-scouts-notebook-offensive-review
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=74295&draftyear=2010&genpos=RB