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Speed guys intriguing

Join jaguars.com Senior Editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Kevin from Jacksonville:
Brandon Graham is 6-1 and weighs 268 pounds, which is the exact height and weight that Dwight Freeney currently plays at. Yet, all of the commentators, writers and analysts seem to be saying Graham would most likely play standing up in a 3-4 scheme. Perhaps I'm in the dark on some other variables, but from what I have heard and seen of this kid, I see no reason he couldn't play as an every-down end in a base 4-3 scheme. What's the deal, Vic?

Vic: You're taking the exception and making it the rule.

J.C. from Jacksonville:
Iupati looks like a beast. Are there any centers that looked good?

Vic: Maurkice Pouncey is the best of a weak group. Last year's was the draft for centers.

Sal from El Paso, TX:
Great coverage, Vic. How did my guy at the combine, John Skelton, do throwing the football and on the oral tests?

Vic: Results of interviews aren't revealed, but he must not have made much of an impression throwing the ball because I was told pretty much by everyone that none of the quarterbacks did anything in throwing drills to make you remember them.

Austin from Jacksonville:
Jason Pierre-Paul seems to be a perfect fit for Jacksonville's defensive line. He's great in the 4-3, has essential speed and doesn't appear to be injury prone. Would he be your first pick for the Jaguars?

Vic: Clearly, he's a candidate.

Vince from Indianapolis, IN:
Don't worry, the monster trucks will go to L.A., too.

Vic: Back again, Vince? Oh, well.

Glenn from Jacksonville:
Was Vince one of the "Airport 11?"

Vic: Yeah, he was the one wearing the knee pads.

Olly from Oxford, England:
Just wanted to say thanks to you and the website team for your fantastic coverage of the combine. You look like you had a lot of fun.

Vic: I enjoyed it. First of all, GM Gene makes it work for me. He's very respectful of the media and its role in informing the fans, which means he's respectful of the fans' need to know. Working with him is a delight, as long as you don't mind doing interviews at six in the morning. I also like the combine because it's one of those few times when everybody from around the league is in one place, which means I get to visit with a lot of friends. Thirdly, I like Indy. I wouldn't want the combine to be held anywhere else. Indy is a great town for something like this because it has a walkable and vibrant downtown.

Stephen from San Diego, CA:
I love your column. What is better, a player who is stronger at the point of attack, or more of an up-the-field type of guy who might be a better pass-rusher?

Vic: You need both, but the supply of pass-rush types isn't nearly as deep as the supply of players who are strong at the point of attack. A player who is skilled at both is special.

Brian from Santa Rosa Beach, FL:
Tebow ran a 4.7 in the 40 at the combine, on water.

Vic: His cone drill was impressive, and I love a good cone drill, but what's the deal with the 40 time? Why is everyone gaga about 4.7? That's ordinary. I think he was the fourth-fastest quarterback. The tight ends ran a lot faster.

Raymund from Nampa, ID:
I'm watching the combine on TV and the announcers keep mentioning three technique and five technique. What is that?

Vic: I hate when they talk like that. It's so smug. If I was a TV exec interviewing on-air talent and the guy started with the cover two and three technique crap, I'd immediately scratch him off the list. Three technique is simply a defensive tackle lined up in the gap between the guard and the tackle. Five technique is a defensive end lined up outside the tackle. It's all based on a numbering system that begins with the center being zero.

Liam from Cardiff, Wales:
Happy St. David's Day, Vic.

Vic: You learn something new every day. He's the patron saint of Wales and yesterday was St. David's Day. I never knew that.

James from Jacksonville:
Drafting a QB creates hope and excitement, which is much-needed these days. It's been a long time since I have seen the Jags draft a QB in any round. I hope I will see one this year. Will I get my wish in this draft, Vic?

Vic: I don't know, James. If the value is there, take him, but I wouldn't reach for a quarterback merely to create false hope and excitement.

Don from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL:
In your interview with Gene Smith you asked, "What about Tim Tebow?" It's pretty clear Gene does not think Tim can be an NFL quarterback. That's the impression I got. The Jaguars are in no position to take a chance on a guy who may or may not be good enough.

Vic: That's not what GM Gene was saying. He was acknowledging that there are mechanical flaws Tebow has to overcome and they are big issues. Anyone who doesn't think they're big issues is really deluding themselves. Hey, I've seen big-time college pass-rushers struggle in the NFL because they had to put their left hand on the ground instead of their right. That's how sophisticated the NFL game is. You must be technically sound. There is no room in today's game for guys who do it wrong and it's obvious that Tebow understands that because he is reconstructing his mechanics, from his footwork right up through his throwing motion and release. Did you know he has four private coaches who are guiding him through the makeover? Maybe that's why he's doing this autograph stuff, to pay them. If it takes four coaches to fix you, it's a big fix. I hope the Jaguars draft him and I hope he does for the Jaguars what he did at Florida. It would make my job a whole lot easier and more secure. Yes, Tim would be good for Vic, but I'm not going to lie and tell you the Jaguars should spend the 10th pick of the draft on a guy who bears all of the technical shortcomings that Byron Leftwich did, without Leftwich's skill for reading defenses. The same people who flooded talk shows to assail Leftwich about his poor mechanics, are now flooding the same talk shows to say Tebow's mechanical flaws should be overlooked.

Conor from Missoula, MT:
I know football is considered the most team-oriented sport of the big four – football, baseball, basketball, hockey – but after watching this year's Olympic hockey tournament, doesn't it seem like hockey is the most team-oriented in attitude? There is a lot less look-at-me talk and a lot more look-at-us than in today's football.

Vic: If you get into a fight in a hockey game, you never have to worry about your teammates covering your back.

Nick from Ottawa, Canada:
How about that gold medal game? What a finish, eh? If this doesn't solidify Crosby as the best player in the game, I don't know what does. Team captain of the Stanley Cup champions and now he scores the game-winner in overtime for an Olympic gold medal, and all before the age of 23. Pretty remarkable.

Vic: It sure is. He's a crunch-time player. He's Brady, Bradshaw, Aikman, Montana, etc. The other guy is you know who. Congratulations on your victory.

Ryan from Cincinnati, OH:
Other than Revis, are there any other notable players that we have targeted in the past couple of years and were unable to land?

Vic: Sure there are. There are lots of guys the Jaguars have wanted to draft but weren't available. The first guy who comes to mind is Larry Fitzgerald. The Jaguars were crazy about him. They tried to trade up for him but the price was too steep.

Dane from Gainesville, FL:
First off, thanks for the extra two days of "Ask Vic." Based off the combine workouts alone, which players were the most intriguing to you?

Vic: The speed guys are always the most intriguing, provided they back it up with production on the field. Dorin Dickerson, Jason Pierre-Paul, C.J. Spiller and Jahvid Best shot their stock up with blazing 40 times, and all four of them were productive college players. I'm hearing a lot of people running down the combine and saying it's unimportant, and that's not true. What did it say about Chris Johnson? Lighting it up athletically is not meaningless, especially when you've shown you can get it done in pads, too.

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