Boston College cornerback DeJuan Tribble, who measured in at 5-8, 189, talked a little bit about observing the Patriots during his time playing for the Eagles. While he doesn’t have a relationship with any players on New England and hasn’t spoken with the team much in the pre-draft process, the team still has had an effect on his development.

“I haven’t really talked to too many of them. They are a real classy group, a real respected team,” Tribble said Sunday at the Combine.  ”They get things done the right way. I feel like they prepare as well as any team can prepare. I feel like the players around the whole team there, they’re well connected. I think that’s team bonding, something we tried to follow after the Patriots. WE did that a lot at B.C. If your guys are clicking on the team then that’s just going to make the team that much better.”

 Tribble also listed Asante Samuel, Champ Bailey and Chris McAlister among cornerbacks he’s studied as he prepares to make the jump to the NFL.

My guy Dexter Jackson, the WR from Appalachian State, was just shown on NFL Network running the 40 in 4.27.

Miami’s Kenny Phillips just finished his podium interview with the media. He answered all my questions about his relationship with Pats DB and former Hurricane Brandon Meriweather, which I’ll explain further in my web story later on. Overall, though, he seemed like a nice, decent kid. A little soft-spoken, but very friendly.

Arizona cornerback (and Tom Casale idol) Antoine Cason just met with the media here at the Combine and I came away very impressed. He answered all his questions directly and is a very polished speaker. I asked him about the questions about his 40 time and he basically said that as long as there aren’t questions about his game film or playing abilities then he’s OK with it. He said he’s been working hard to prepare for the 40 that he will run on Tuesday here in Indy and that he has a time in his mind in terms of what he is going to run. He didn’t share that time with us.

Another interesting aspect with Cason is his off-field attitude and reputation. Everyone seems to love him and rave about him. He started a charity drive called “Cason Cares” in Arizona after his grandfather passed away from cancer. He hopes to carry the charitable endeavor to the NFL.

Cason also comes from a football family as his father, Wendell, played in the league as did a number of his cousins including Avion Cason and Ken-yon Rambo.

Tom’s boy Antoine Cason is at the podium now … Andy is amidst the scrum of reporters around him. A reporter from the Sacramento Bee, who’s sitting at our work table and is also a Cal fan, said he “hated” Cason because of the interception he had against the Golden Bears a few years ago that ruined their season.

Just had a talk with Alabama’s Simeon Castille, who had good things to say about New England and possibly playing for the Pats. I’ll go into detail in my patriots.com story later today. Castille, by the way, is the son of former Denver Bronco DB Jeremiah Castille.

TOP BENCH PRESS — WIDEOUTS AND RUNNING BACKS 
Player — School – Reps 

Wideouts              
ROYAL, WILLIAM– VIRGINIA POLYTECH INST — 24 
SAM, LORNE — UTEP — 23 
GARCON, PIERRE — MT UNION — 20 
REYNAUD, DARIUS — WEST VIRGINIA — 20 
SMITH, MARCUS — NEW MEXICO — 20 
WEST, JOE — UTEP — 20 
BRADFORD, MARK — STANFORD — 19 
SHIELDS, ARMAN — RICHMOND — 19 
HARDY, JAMES — INDIANA — 18 
GRICE-MULLEN, RYAN – HAWAII — 17 

Running Backs       
STEWART, CARL — AUBURN – 30 
FELTON, JEROME — FURMAN — 30 
STEWART, JONATHAN — OREGON — 28 
FORSETT, JUSTIN — CAL-BERKELEY — 26 
HILLIS, PEYTON  — ARKANSAS-FAYETTEVL — 26 
MENDENHALL, RASHARD — ILLINOIS — 26 
SCHMITT, OWEN — WEST VIRGINIA — 26 
BOYD, CORY — SOUTH CAROLINA — 25 
BROWN, THOMAS — GEORGIA — 25 
GREEN-ELLIS, BENJARVUS — MISSISSIPPI — 24

It’s bright and early and we’re back at the Indiana Convention Center for the final day of media availability at the Scouting Combine.

I’m going after safeties, while Andy has cornerback duty. Va Tech’s Brandon Flowers is the first DB at the podium right now. Penn State’s Justin King is at a nearby table as well.

We fly out late this afternoon, so I’m hoping the top safeties with possible New England connections (Miami’s Kenny Phillips, Texas’ Marcus Griffin, BC’s Jamie Silva, and Notre Dame’s Tom Zbikowski) will be brought in early enough for us to talk with them.

I know from interviewing Brandon Meriweather and the Hurricane’s Athletic Director last season that Meriweather took Phillips under his wing when Phillips came to Coral Gables.

Lions Coach Rod Marinellis is at the podium now, so we’ll see what he has to say …