FOUR BITS: Haden’s 40, golf, Prestwood, Floyd

By Adam Silverstein
March 3, 2010

1 » Former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden, unanimously considered the best player at his position available for the 2010 NFL Draft before the Scouting Combine, is being criticized by draftniks and supposedly sliding down boards because of his “slow” 4.57-second 40-yard dash. Comments from some like ESPN’s Todd McShay have Haden falling out of the top 10 (never mind the fact that he has a chance to improve it at Florida’s Pro Day on March 17). The time has even spurned beat writers for teams like the Atlanta Falcons to speculate that Haden could fall as low as No. 19. Others, like Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, put Haden’s time in perspective. It’s a bigger deal to those talking about it on television than it is to the NFL scouts hired and fired based on their ability to discern successes from busts.

2 » Florida men’s and womens’ golf each competed at tournaments over the last few days; unfortunately, neither came out as victors. Though they jumped four spots in the final round, the men’s team finished the John Hayt Invitational with a seventh-place score of 899 (+35). The women tied for seventh in the Kinderlou Forest Challenge with a 913 (+37).

Two BITS of Florida Gators football recruiting news after the jump!

3 » Always keeping their eye out for top in-state talent, the Gators have officially sent a 2011 scholarship offer to top-ranked tight end/offensive lineman Jordan Prestwood (Plant City, FL). Florida ranks as Prestwood’s 14th offer, coming after schools like Alabama, Auburn and Notre Dame. A multi-talented prospect, Prestwood was happy to hear from the Orange and Blue even though he is not necessarily a fan. “It’s a big offer,” Prestwood told Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s exciting. They’re a big-time program. I grew up an FSU fan, but I’m wide-open in this process.”

4 » Speaking of Gators recruits, five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (Philadelphia, PA) will be honored as the Maxwell Football Club’s National High School Player of the Year this Friday at Harrah’s in Atlantic City, NJ. Floyd, who is hoping to break Florida’s string of underwhelming top-ranked DT recruits, committed to the University of Florida live during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

9 Comments

  1. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    I was suprised he didn’t run better…low 4.5’s would have been one thing…hopefully he can lay down a better time at pro day….Joe might be the type that in pads he’s better than on a track…anyone remember the Rams back in their ‘greatest show on turf’ years…they equated the speed to drafting based on clocking the guys in pads and something to the affect that putting on pads slows some much more than others

  2. Mark01 says:

    Todd McShay is an idiot. We will see how right he is come draft day

  3. Mr2Bits says:

    No shit, McShay took the chance to bash another Gator? When is he going to go after Spikes and Wright? Dude is really starting to get on my last nerve.

  4. brlgator says:

    This process is supposed to be about being critical. And 4.57 is an alarming slow time for a cornerback. In fact thats more like a safety’s time. I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt here but if he doesnt significantly improve his time he is going to slide big time. Honestly I ve always been way more impressed with Jenkins cover skills then Hadens. He s always looked like an athlete playing cornerback not an athletic cornerback. That being said he s only played the position for 3 years and quickly established himself as an elite SEC corner.

  5. brlgator says:

    ps darrelle revis ran a 4.39 and 4.40 at his pro day at pitt and refused to run at combine

  6. Aligator says:

    todd mcdouche is more lie it …

  7. Aligator says:

    maybe joe will end up with a better team then and make a little less? who wants to play for clevland anyways ….

  8. dustin smith says:

    nevermind the forty. look at this guys play on the field. some ppl arent good combine players. obviously haden is one. if teams are stupid enough to pass him up because of a slower forty time then owell. id rather see him on a better team than the browns anyways 😉

  9. Mel Kiper, Jr. says:

    “So while many of the folks who actually scout players for NFL teams and, as a result, have real accountability for their mistakes, believe that the made-for-TV draftniks are fools, the reality could be that they’re geniuses.”

    That’s right, Florio called us geniuses. We get to say and do whatever we want because we don’t have the accountability those foolish scouts do.

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