Probably the only number that truly surprised me at the combine was Motta's bench. Other than that, their numbers align pretty well with what we saw on the field. Manti's greatest assets are his ability to diagnose plays and beat them before they happen. He was never one to run down backs from behind.
Motta was a hard hitter but often did not have the closing speed to make his tackles in space. He clearly improved in pass coverage but was nowhere near as disruptive and well-positioned as H. Smith was in the passing game last year. I think it was unfair to compare them but perhaps a testament to the improvements he made.
Wood's and Riddick's numbers are exactly what I would have expected.
I just don't get the gnashing of teeth here. Nothing at the combine takes away from the fact that these are good football players.
