Several Iowa football players are taking part in this week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis.  Seven former Hawkeyes, which is the highest number of of players from one team in the league, are displaying their physical abilities, going through the interview process and trying to put their best foot forward in the most important job interview of their lives.

Here is a link to the NFL’s website that lists some of the top performers, by position, from the combine.

A.J. Edds turned in a 4.71 40-yard dash time, the 10th best time of any linebacker at the combine.  Tony Moeaki turned in a 4.69 40, the fourth best time for tight ends.  He also ranked high in the broad jump, the vertical jump and the 60-yard shuttle for his position.  Pat Angerer put up 27 reps of 225-pounds, the 8th best total for all linebackers.  Cornerback results were incomplete as of 7:45pm on Monday night.

If you are selected in the first four rounds of the draft, you stand a pretty darn salty chance of making an NFL opening day roster.  In the Ferentz era, the most players Iowa has had selected in the first four rounds of any draft is three, and that occurred in 2003, 2004 & 2005.

I think the Hawkeyes will top that mark this year.

Bryan Bulaga is going to be a first round selection.  He may become the second Top Ten pick of the Ferentz era, the other being Robert Gallery at #2 to the Oakland Raiders in the 2004 draft.  Given that Kansas City owns the 5th selection in the draft, and Kirk Ferentz’s relationship with Chiefs GM Scott Pioli plus Kansas City’s need for an offensive tackle, there is a chance Bulaga could get his named called there.  Anthony Davis of Rutgers has not had a great combine, and he was whom Mel Kiper had going at #5 to Kansas City pre-combine.  Russell Okung of Oklahoma State has been impressive, and it may come down to him or Bulaga with regards to which tackle goes first in the draft.

Moeaki has certainly helped his draft status with his combine numbers, and some people are starting to whisper ‘second round pick’ when discussing Moeaki.  That might be a reach, given the large number of quality tight ends in this draft, something working against Moeaki and everyone else at this position.  But I cannot imagine Tony falling beyond the 4th round; it’s just not going to happen.  I also believe that Angerer and Edds will get selected in one of the first four rounds, and barring a disastrous combine and pro day, Amari Spievey should be a third round pick at the latest.  That would be five players in the first four rounds for Iowa, something that has not happened since the NFL/AFL merger.

Think about that for a second..I have written before that I think this could be an historic draft for Iowa, but this was a piece of history I had overlooked until tonight.

I have also said, following the 2008 season, that I felt more players on the 2009 Outback Bowl roster would get drafted than any other Iowa team from the modern era of college football.  I still think that will wind up being the case.

The only bit of bad news from the combine is that Dace Richardson did not show too well, according to The Sporting News.  They talked about his running a 5.80 40 and looking sluggish in some other drills as being a disappointment.

I have never looked at Dace and thought ‘that guy is polished’.  I remember him playing early in his career and thinking that he had a long way to go.  It took him until this year, his fifth, and after he had battled serious knee injuries, to turn a corner.  I don’t blame him for coming out, as you only get a finite number of games to play on fresh legs, and Richardson’s sticks had some wear on them to begin with.  He may not get drafted and will then be able to find a right fit for him going the free agent route.  I know that he performed at a high level this year, and I hope that can pan out for him somewhere next September.

PS:  Shonn Greene is about to get the opportunity to be the Jets starting running back next year

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