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Houston QB Kolb and RB Battle PRO-DAY review. Dolphins interviewed QB Kolb!!
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March 24, 2007, 10:00AM
Battle, Kolb impress NFL scouts at UH workout
Running back's stock improves with good showing
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
NFL scouts went to the Yeoman Field House for the University of Houston's pro day on Friday to see highly touted quarterback Kevin Kolb, but they left talking about underrated running back Jackie Battle.
Kolb, who's expected to be a second-round pick in next month's draft, put on a good show, but Battle brought down the house.
"That was one of the greatest workouts I've ever seen," said Tennessee's coordinator of college scouting C.O. Brocato.
Battle is 6-2, 238. Brocato timed him in the 40-yard dash in 4.44 and 4.43.
"Some had him in the 4.3s," Brocato said. "He put on a fantastic show. He made himself a lot of money. He went from a player going to be drafted in the fifth through seventh rounds to a first-day pick. It was just a fabulous workout." Battle showed outstanding size and incredible speed. He excelled in every drill. He caught the ball extremely well. "I mean, that kid's stock shot way up," Brocato said. "If he'd been able to do that at the combine where every coach and general manager was, he'd be a first-round pick. He showed us everything we wanted to see today."
Kolb was the only Cougar invited to attend the Indianapolis scouting combine. Battle and receiver Vincent Marshall, who also had a terrific performance Friday, weren't invited. "I wish I would have been invited to the combine," Battle said, "but I wasn't, so I focused all my energy on our pro day. I knew what I'm capable of doing. I've just been waiting for a chance to show it. "I'm very happy with what I did. I don't know where I'll be drafted or how much it'll be worth, but I'm real excited about today. I was very confident coming in, and I'm very confident going out. Now we'll have to wait and see what happens."
Kolb, who participated in the Senior Bowl and worked out at the combine, had his workout Friday orchestrated by Jerry Rhome. Rhome has been tutoring Kolb and preparing him for the draft. "On a scale of one to 10, I'd give Kevin a nine," Rhome said. "When he missed a throw, he came back even stronger. "I really like this kid. He's worked very hard to get to this point. I'm excited to see where he's going to be drafted."
Kolb and his teammates worked out in front of representatives of every team as well as family members, friends, media and a lot of fans. "It was just like a game in that I came out a little juiced up, I was a little off with some of my throws early, but then I got into a rhythm and made the throws I needed to," Kolb said. "I'm very happy with what I did today. I wanted to show my arm strength. I wanted to take something off my throws. I was happy with my touch. I wasn't perfect, of course, but overall, I'm really happy. "And I'm really happy with what my guys did, too. This was an opportunity for us to showcase what we could do  why we were conference champions. I want to thank coach (Art) Briles and my teammates for helping me get to this point. I'm very grateful. I couldn't have done it without them."
The scouts weren't happy that Kolb missed the weigh-in because he was having breakfast with a Dolphins coach. New England and Cleveland also have shown interest in Kolb, who has visits the first week of April lined up with Baltimore and Philadelphia.
"I haven't changed my opinion of him; I think he's going in the second round," Brocato said. "He threw the ball well today, but I thought he was up and down on his accuracy when he rolled out. He really threw the deep ball well."
john.mcclain@chron.com
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Jessica Kourkounis: For the Chronicle
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March 24, 2007, 10:00AM
Battle, Kolb impress NFL scouts at UH workout
Running back's stock improves with good showing
By JOHN McCLAIN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
NFL scouts went to the Yeoman Field House for the University of Houston's pro day on Friday to see highly touted quarterback Kevin Kolb, but they left talking about underrated running back Jackie Battle.
Kolb, who's expected to be a second-round pick in next month's draft, put on a good show, but Battle brought down the house.
"That was one of the greatest workouts I've ever seen," said Tennessee's coordinator of college scouting C.O. Brocato.
Battle is 6-2, 238. Brocato timed him in the 40-yard dash in 4.44 and 4.43.
"Some had him in the 4.3s," Brocato said. "He put on a fantastic show. He made himself a lot of money. He went from a player going to be drafted in the fifth through seventh rounds to a first-day pick. It was just a fabulous workout." Battle showed outstanding size and incredible speed. He excelled in every drill. He caught the ball extremely well. "I mean, that kid's stock shot way up," Brocato said. "If he'd been able to do that at the combine where every coach and general manager was, he'd be a first-round pick. He showed us everything we wanted to see today."
Kolb was the only Cougar invited to attend the Indianapolis scouting combine. Battle and receiver Vincent Marshall, who also had a terrific performance Friday, weren't invited. "I wish I would have been invited to the combine," Battle said, "but I wasn't, so I focused all my energy on our pro day. I knew what I'm capable of doing. I've just been waiting for a chance to show it. "I'm very happy with what I did. I don't know where I'll be drafted or how much it'll be worth, but I'm real excited about today. I was very confident coming in, and I'm very confident going out. Now we'll have to wait and see what happens."
Kolb, who participated in the Senior Bowl and worked out at the combine, had his workout Friday orchestrated by Jerry Rhome. Rhome has been tutoring Kolb and preparing him for the draft. "On a scale of one to 10, I'd give Kevin a nine," Rhome said. "When he missed a throw, he came back even stronger. "I really like this kid. He's worked very hard to get to this point. I'm excited to see where he's going to be drafted."
Kolb and his teammates worked out in front of representatives of every team as well as family members, friends, media and a lot of fans. "It was just like a game in that I came out a little juiced up, I was a little off with some of my throws early, but then I got into a rhythm and made the throws I needed to," Kolb said. "I'm very happy with what I did today. I wanted to show my arm strength. I wanted to take something off my throws. I was happy with my touch. I wasn't perfect, of course, but overall, I'm really happy. "And I'm really happy with what my guys did, too. This was an opportunity for us to showcase what we could do  why we were conference champions. I want to thank coach (Art) Briles and my teammates for helping me get to this point. I'm very grateful. I couldn't have done it without them."
The scouts weren't happy that Kolb missed the weigh-in because he was having breakfast with a Dolphins coach. New England and Cleveland also have shown interest in Kolb, who has visits the first week of April lined up with Baltimore and Philadelphia.
"I haven't changed my opinion of him; I think he's going in the second round," Brocato said. "He threw the ball well today, but I thought he was up and down on his accuracy when he rolled out. He really threw the deep ball well."
john.mcclain@chron.com
