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Dorsey status will affect draft Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008 By Harry King LITTLE ROCK - LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey just might be the Alan Branch of the 2008 NFL draft. If Dorsey does a free fall, a la Branch in 2007, the trickle down could affect Arkansas running back Darren McFadden and others. McFadden reminded the people doing the picking that he is really, really fast when he turned in a 4.33 40-yard dash Sunday at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. He's supposed to be among the first five players selected and the No. 1 running back, but I was surprised to learn that Ray Rice of Rutgers and Kevin Smith of Central Florida were among the half-dozen or so junior running backs who ran under 4.5. Rice, who is only a few inches taller than Reggie Fish, has a reputation as a 190-pound power runner. Smith, who led the nation with 2,567 yards, is not known for his speed and I figured his competition in Conference USA contributed to his flashy numbers. The heart of LSU's national championship team, Dorsey considered the NFL draft a year ago, but said he had a few injuries that would have hindered him. He was quoted as saying he wanted to return to LSU to have a chance to win a national championship. A few days after the 38-24 victory over Ohio State, about 25,000 fans turned out in chilly weather to celebrate the national title and Dorsey was the last player introduced. All along, he has been penciled in as a top five pick, maybe No. 2 by St. Louis. He chose not to work out at the combine, saying he stopped his preparations because of the death of his grandmother. But, he underwent a physical during the weekend and was sent to the hospital for more tests. The NFL team doctor told NFLDraftscout.com that there are still issues with his tibia, which was injured in 2006 when he bumped against something in the weight room. Defensive tackles are harder to come by than running backs, but NFL teams risk a PR backlash when they pass up a McFadden to take a Dorsey, so their antennae are up for any negatives. A hard-to-heal injury is a red flag. A year ago, the 6-foot-6, 324-pound Branch, one of the anchors of Michigan's stout defense, was supposed to be a top-10 pick. But, he slipped some when he was not in top condition for postseason workouts. At first, that was explained away by a severe bout with the flu. Then, there was a report of injuries, first a shin, then a stress fracture. When it was all said and done, Branch was the 33rd player selected. ___ In transit on Saturday, I did not see a layup of Memphis vs. Tennessee, but Memphis had a three-point lead with 2:28 to play. At Lexington, Arkansas was in front by three with 3:45 to go. Both lost. Despite Tennessee's victory over Memphis, I suspect the Tigers will go deeper than the Vols in the NCAA Tournament. Losing in late February is not the worst thing that can happen to a team that is consistently mentioned among the contenders for a national championship. The experts can be fickle. Notice that Kansas, identified a month ago as the best team in the country by many, has slipped because of losses at Texas and Oklahoma State by a total of four points. Every team has a bump or two; it's the nature of college basketball, particularly when conference play rolls around. Kansas is still among the elite. So are UCLA and North Carolina. Tennessee's No. 1 ranking is in immediate jeopardy. Tonight, the Vols play at Vanderbilt, which has won 17 straight at home. The game should get the attention of Arkansas fans. The Razorbacks, who play Wednesday night at Alabama, are home Saturday against the Commodores - the Razorbacks' final regular-season opportunity for a signature win. If the Southeastern Conference season ended today, Vanderbilt would be the No. 3 seed from the East and Arkansas would be the No. 2 seed from the West. The Commodores would need only to beat LSU in the first round of the SEC tournament to play Arkansas in the second round. ---- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com. |
