The NFL Draft Combine (also known as the annual opportunity for GM's to let 40-yd dash times and bench press amounts overrule evidence from, you know, real football games) was held over the weekend, and D-Mac fans will be pleased (but not surprised) to know that he did very, very well.
Here's an excerpt from what ESPN's Todd McShay had to say:
"Arkansas RB Darren McFadden made a statement with his sensational combine workout on Sunday. McFadden officially ran his first 40-yard dash -- the faster of his two attempts -- in 4.33 seconds. In addition, he jumped 10 feet, 8 inches in the broad jump and 33 inches in the vertical leap. Comparatively speaking, McFadden's overall workout was stronger than Adrian Peterson's a year ago, which included 40 time of 4.41, a 10-7 broad jump and a 38.5-inch vertical."
And here's a report from SI.com's Don Banks:
"Arkansas running back Darren McFadden had a superb Sunday and did nothing but strengthen his case for being the premier prospect in the 2008 draft. He did far more than just run well, although his 4.33 time in the 40-yard dash was eye-opening enough (early reports had him as quick as 4.27, but those proved too inaccurate).
McFadden competed superbly in all facets of his workout, and showed himself to be a complete package. He wasn't just a sprinter showing off his great straight line speed on the playing surface of the RCA Dome. He caught the ball well, showed great explosiveness in everything he did, and impressed scouts with his enthusiasm and approach to his work.
While McFadden still may not go in the draft's top three due to the needs of the team picking up high, he showed himself to be an elite athlete who like Peterson last year may linger on the board longer than he deserves to."
But, as the San Francisco Chronicle's Nancy Gay reminds us, there are some "character questions" surrounding #5:
"The two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up was asked about his off-field activities, among them a broken toe following a fight outside a piano bar in downtown Little Rock, Ark., in July 2006. McFadden was handcuffed briefly following that incident.'I know I put myself in a bad situation I shouldn't have been in," said McFadden, another player in whom the Raiders have shown interest with their No. 4 overall pick, "and I take full responsibility for it.'"
Overall, though, it was a great (and money-making) weekend for D-Mac. Seems like, contrary to some earlier reports, he just might be able to cut it in the NFL after all.