Jonathan Stewart. Just ask him.

“I would describe it as pretty rare,” Steward said when asked about his running style. “You don’t really see a player my size at this position being able to do the things I can do. I’m explosive. I have good lateral movement as well. I have great speed as well. Put those things together and it can be something great.”

There’s nothing wrong with a little confidence but according to Stewart he’s the second coming of Jim Brown. Ease up on the ”you don’t see a player my size at this position being able to do the things I do.” There’s a guy down in Jacksonville named Fred Taylor that’s had a decent NFL career, a guy in Cleveland named Jamal Lewis who is pretty good and someone named Dillon that had a few good years in this league, just to name a few. Don’t go putting yourself in the Hall of Fame just yet big guy.

I just got off the horn with Andy Hart and he told me that he was surprised by how small most of the running backs are in this class. Andy pointed out that my boy, Ray Rice, in particular was small in stature. One of the best things about attending the Combine is that you get to see these players up close.  I said that Rice reminds me of Emmitt Smith in both stature and running style. And while Rice is listed as the same size Emmitt was early in his career, it doesn’t necessarily mean the two have the same build. For instance, Fred Kirsch and I are close to the same size but I’m brick wall, while Fred looks like a weeble-wobble. I still think Rice is a good player but I found it interesting that Andy singled him out as being small, because that’s the knock against him.

On the flip side, Andy told me that Darren McFadden and Rashard Mendenhall definitely past the eye test physically. I really like Mendenhall. I think, and I know my co-workers at PFW agree, that Mendenhall could be one of the best players to come out of this draft. 

The NFL Network finally started showing Combine stuff and Jake Long put up 37 reps of 225-pounds, tops among offensive linemen. I’m not a big fan of Long because I don’t think he’s quick enough to play LT but this performance cements his spot in the top five of the draft.

By the way, three teams that will be interested in Long had a coin toss today to decide how the top part of the draft will shake out. The Falcons won the toss, which means Atlanta will pick third, the Raiders fourth and the Chiefs fifth. It’s almost a certainty that Long will go to one of those three teams because they all need help along the offensive line.

Browns head coach and former Pats defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel just addressed the media. While at the podium, he made no mention of the Patriots.

However, as he left the stage, he was pursued by several New England media members, who asked him about Spygate and Asante Samuel’s impending free agent status.

““I never saw anything like that,” he said of the latest round of Spygate allegations.

“All we did was coach football and win football games. And the commissioner, he’s taken care of it. The league’s investigating it, and if he’s found anything, he would have taken action. He hasn’t taken any action, so that implies that there’s nothing wrong. So, we just coach football.”

And on Samuel, a player he once coached here in New England, Crennel indicated that if the cornerback doesn’t return to the Pats, the Browns may be interested in making a move to get him.

“We’d have to look at the cost and see how that would impact our team,” he said as he walked away.  

While I’d be scared to draft him, I really like the way Mike Hart handles himself. He did a great job at the podium answering all the questions that surround him heading into the draft. He knows that the biggest key for him will come this Sunday when he runs the 40 at the Combine. He smartly avoided predicting what time he’ll run as he knows that’s a dangerous game to play. (Ask Johnnie Lee Higgins from a year ago.)

Hart also downplayed the questions about the amount of wear he’s gone through with his endless carries during his Michigan career. He says he’s never taken many big hits and that’s limited the impact of all those carries. He also pointed to the fact that he’s never had major injuries as most of his issues have been ankle or hamstring type issues.

As I said, I’d be fearful to draft him too early, but I think Hart is the kind of great leader, hard worker and team-first guy who can help a football team. Wherever he ends up, I’ll be rooting for my brother from another mother.

One mid-round WR who could turn out to be a real steal in this draft is Earl Bennett from Vanderbilt. Bennett put up big numbers the last two years (157 reception, 1,976 yards and 11 touchdowns) despite playing on a team without a great quarterback. Bennett doesn’t have blazing speed but he’s a great route-runner with soft hands who I think will be a good fit in the Patriots system because he eats up defenses over the middle of the field. Bennett is the SEC’s all-time leader in receptions, even though he left school early following his junior season. He probably won’t blow people away at the Combine with computer numbers but he has all the intangibles the Patriots look for in a receiver. As Bill Belichick would say, “He gets open and catches the ball.” Perhaps one of the guys can talk to Bennett today and give us their thoughts on him.

When Combine patriarch Gil Brandt anounced speedy West Virgia running back Steve Slatton at the podium to address the media, the following humorous exchange took place when the two men passed at the podium.

 Brandt: “Why don’t you give him a box to stand on?”

The 5-9, 197-pound Slatton replied with a smile: “I’m not that short.”

I just spent a few minutes with West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt and he’s clearly on my list of favorite prospects to date. The guy looks like a fullback, acts like a fullback and is a little crazy like a fullback. He’s got a mohawk. He bends face masks on a regular basis (”Cheap steel,” he says). He’s a true fullback, which means he’s part of a dying breed and won’t be drafted very high. He knows that, understands that and embraces it. He thinks blocking is fun and the heart of football. (”I’ll leave the running to the fast guys,” he said.”)

I’m on the record. I want the Patriots to draft Schmitt, the former Div. III player and walk-on at West Virginia. He would make Laurence Maroney better. He would be a killer special teams player. And he’s bring an attitude that would fit in well on New England’s offense. Everyone would love him from Day one. Patriots Pro Shop manager Ken Flanders better order the Owen Schmitt jerseys if he becomes a Patriot on draft weekend. And I might order one.

One of the great parts of the Combine is we get a first look at new coaches and GMs from around the league. As such we can get gut reactions to the new guys.  I just listened to new Redskins Head Coach Jim Zorn talk for a few minutes. My guess is that at this time next spring I’ll be listening to another new Redskins head coach speak.

Zorn may be a nice man. He was a very good QB for the Seahawks and has probably done a good job as Seattle’s QB coach. But I just don’t see him being successful as a head coach, especialy in a place where no head coach has been successful.  Last year I saw Lane Kiffen for the first time and said, “No chance.” I’m saying the same thing about Zorn. I mean he’s already given the QB job to Jason Campbell and basically said there is no chance at a competition. I don’t think Bill Belichick even says on the record that Tom Brady owns his job and there is no chance at a competition. Just because it’s true, you don’t have to say it in a press conference in front of the national media. Zorn won’t fail because of that, but I’m sorry to say he will fail in the end.   

On the busiest day at the Combine (WRs, QBs, and RBs), we’ve seen exactly one running back make an appearance in the media work room. WRs galore, QBs aplenty, every coach you can imagine … but no RBs. Wish we could give you some nuggets about them, but at this point, it’s we’re still waiting …