Evaluators worried about Bowers after Pro Day

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

NFL evaluators reportedly left Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers' Pro Day concerned about whether he'll be ready to play in year one.

One evaluator guessed that Bowers' surgically repaired right knee is "70 percent, at best." Added another, "He’s not ready. He was hobbling around out there. The shuttles were bad. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. He cost himself millions of dollars." The biggest concern is that Bowers' April 8 Combine medical recheck could reveal he needs microfracture surgery. That sort of procedure would knock him out for the entire 2011 season.

 

Source: Pro Football Weekly

Edited April 1, 2011 by BLUEKAKKE

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Oh man. Epic fail. This begs to question... How far does he fall? If he's gonna be out an entire year, which round do you feel comfortable taking this guy?

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How far does he fall indeed. The talent and skill is there still...I dunno how I would feel if Mark Dominik took a shot and grabbed him at 20.

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Sergio Kindle.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

shuttle drill is one of the biggest indicator's of a pass rusher's rushing ability... This isn't exactly surprising...

 

But when you mix the question marks of whether or not his just a 'one year wander', with injury concerns, with playing concerns... There's a chance he falls past the top 15... But I highly doubt he makes it past 20.

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"The knee is fine, I'm 100 percent," Bowers said. "I still have a lot of work to do. Still strengthening and getting it back to where it needs to be. But it's not hurting. It's not giving me any problems."

 

Bowers is steadily building back his stamina and strength and believes whichever team drafts him will see the player who was close to unblockable for most of last season.

 

"I just want to reassure the teams that I could compete with the guys in the top 10," Bowers said. "That I was ready to play in the NFL with best athletes in the nation and the world."

 

espn

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Bowers just became the most intriguing top 10 prospect in this year's draft.

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Sergio Kindle.

 

Yeah Bowers could take a massive hit to his draft stock as well. At this point it looks like he could easily fall out of the top half of the first round at the very least.

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

The Bills' team doctor reportedly cleared Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers' surgically repaired knee last week.

This report allays concerns that the knee is in much worse condition than the Bowers camp has let on. Bowers reportedly had a "great meeting" with the Bills, and sources tell Yahoo's Doug Farrar that Denver and Buffalo are still interested. Though Farrar cautioned to take his report with a grain of salt, he also noted the Titans made it clear to Bowers that they would grab him at No. 8 if he's still on the board. The results of Bowers' medical recheck Friday in Indianapolis have not yet been released.

 

Source: TFY Draft Insider Apr 10, 3:31 PM

Edited April 10, 2011 by BLUE

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I figured this is where we would be headed. The kid had a bad Pro Day; it happens. If his knee checks out he should still be a lock to go in the first round. He might fall out of the top ten, but he won't fall out of the first entirely, as he has in some mock drafts.

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

A league source tells the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers' troublesome right knee "checked out good" during last week's Combine medical recheck in Indianapolis.

We'd be wary of the source being Bowers' agent, but whomever it is claimed last year's NCAA sacks leader "didn't even have to undergo another X-ray or MRI" because the knee is in such good shape. No swelling was apparent, and the "stability" of the knee is reportedly sound. Bowers will be in Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday. He remains in danger of slipping out of the top ten. Apr 11, 9:04 PM

 

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

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More from Rotoworld.com:

 

Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, NFL.com's Steve Wyche reports Da'Quan Bowers' medical recheck showed signs of "potential long-term arthritis and some weakness" in his surgically repaired right knee.

Perhaps another sign that the previous report of Bowers' knee "checking out good" came from his agent, who is now insisting that the pass rusher's draft stock will not be "radically affected." The agent is merely doing his job, but the recheck info will be enough to scare some teams off Bowers early in the draft. Others teams, though, are said to be "salivating" at the prospect of Bowers falling to them, ostensibly outside the top-10 picks. Apr 12, 4:47 PM

 

Source: NFL.com

 

Updating a previous item, three team doctors deemed Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers' January surgery as a microfracture procedure, according to Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki.

Nawrocki's sources back up NFL.com's Steve Wyche's report that the knee is considered to be degenerative. "He should get better with added strength," one executive said. "But he will have future problems because the damage is too bad." Another executive's doctors said Bowers would be "lucky to play out his rookie contract." We'd advise taking this report with a grain of salt. It's the first we've heard that Bowers' January surgery was microfracture, and we're right in the thick of disinformation season. Apr 12, 5:53 PM

 

Source: Pro Football Weekly

 

The agent for Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers is emphatically refuting reports that his client's knee shows potential for an arthritic or degenerative condition.

Bowers' scope involved a small chondroplasty that involved "scratching" instead of the "drilling" that would be associated with a microfracture procedure. The agent insists that every team he's spoken to has provided positive feedback on Bowers' knee with "absolutely no acute or remote ill-effects as a result of his April 1 workout." Multiple doctors at Bowers' medical recheck noted improvement in Bowers' grade since the Combine. The agent also states that he's received no reports of possible arthritis or a need for further surgery. The Bowers camp concedes that "comfort-levels will vary by team." It's impossible for an outside observer to distinguish smokescreens from genuine concern during the heart of disinformation season. Apr 12, 9:12 PM

 

Source: Pro Football Talk on NBCSports.com

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It's almost getting to the point where I'm thinking all these reports don't come out for no reason.

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Ya know... I hope he has a long and prosperous NFL career... but I wouldn't even touch him that high.

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

ESPN's Todd McShay said on SportsCenter Wednesday that he's convinced Da'Quan Bowers' knee problems will hurt his stock on April 28.

"Every single team I've talked to," said McShay, estimating he's spoken with 20 of them, "says it's an issue and is going to affect him." McShay has been all over the Bowers story, at one point even suggesting the injury shows up on tape. Bowers, meanwhile, is insisting he's "100 percent" and that all teams are aware that it's not a long-term concern. Time will tell. Apr 20, 3:53 PM

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

Appearing on PFT Live Wednesday, NFL Network's Mike Mayock suggested that Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers could be in store for "a long fall" on the first day of the draft.

"Bowers, man, he could have a long fall," said Mayock. Added ESPN's Todd McShay on SportsCenter Wednesday, "Everyone I've talked to recently thinks he's a one-contract player." The hint, of course, is that Bowers may need microfracture knee surgery in the future, and that procedure can be career-shortening. Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times tentatively believes the Bucs could end Bowers' free fall at No. 20 overall. Apr 27, 12:53 PM

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Yea a lot of mocks I see have us taking a chance on him at 20...FUCK THAT. If he free falls like that there has to be some serious concern for that knee as he was once considered the number one guy. PLEASE NO!

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Right now I'll say the Saints take a chance on him.

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Per Rotoworld.com:

 

ESPN's Adam Schefter predicts that Da'Quan Bowers will be drafted by the 37th overall pick Friday, at the latest.

Schefter already reported that Bowers' knee condition caused his day-one slide, but it sounds like the Browns are willing to take that risk. "I can't see him getting past Cleveland's turn (at 37)," Schefter said on SportsCenter. The Browns are dangerously short on pass rushers. They may roll the dice on Bowers, and hope he can be a contributor for 2-3 years before microfracture. Apr 29, 4:24 PM

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Alright, so maybe Bowers' knee isn't fucked up too bad. Should be interesting to see where he goes.

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Also, per Rotoworld.com:

 

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen both confirm that Da'Quan Bowers' slide out of round one was due to the fact that last year's NCAA sacks leader will likely need more knee surgery.

"He's still got looseness in his MCL, and his PCL," reported Schefter. "Teams think he'll need (more) surgery." On Thursday, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported that Bowers has a "bone-on-bone" condition in his already surgically repaired knee, which sounds to us like microfracture is a definite possibility in the near future. Don't be surprised if Bowers continues to plummet today. Apr 29, 3:33 PM

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So micro-fracture surgery usually take a year or more to recover. I absolutely wouldn't mind the Browns taking a chance on him here in the second round. His talent is worth the risk now.