Not so hot

BEAUMONT, Texas – With representatives from 13 NFL teams in attendance, it was hard to tell if former junior college standout linebacker David Dixon felt more heat from the 90-plus-degree temperature or the scouts' watchful eyes.

Dixon, who spent time at both Blinn Junior College in Texas and Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, began his workout for the NFL supplemental draft Monday by answering an array of questions, including an explanation of his odyssey from J.C. All-America in 2003 and 2004 to spending more than a year in his hometown of Beaumont. (To make a long story short, the reason was academics.)

Dixon measured just under 6 feet and weighed 243 pounds. He showed good strength (24 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press) and explosiveness (34-inch vertical and 10-foot-4 broad jumps). His jumps were performed indoors, which, according to some teams, added one to two inches to his vertical, but the outdoor conditions – and possibly the fact that Dixon decided to train on his own instead of with a specialized trainer – proved much more difficult for the 21-year-old.

Dixon ran between 4.75 and 4.88 seconds during three 40-yard dashes, both with and against a wind that varied between 5 and 10 mph, but it was the shuttle, agility and conditioning portion of the drills that seemed to easily exhaust a prospect that has not been on the field in over a year.

"He needs to show us more," one talent evaluator said. "… It's not just about skills and game tape. … You can see some plays and athleticism on his tapes, but you have to come out and compete on a day like this. … Today was just OK and OK does not equal the NFL, not in my book."

Agent Frank Murtha remained steadfast in his belief in Dixon's ability. Murtha expects teams to look past some of his client's workout results because Dixon has showed raw talent and a knack for blocking kicks on special teams (10 blocks in two years).

"His tapes are out to all the teams. We got both highlights and full game films on DVD," said Murtha, who organized the event at West Brook High School. "Since I met him in March, there has been a lot of progress, so today was just the next part of the process."

Dixon came off as a respectable young man during a five-minute Q&A. Fatigue, both physically and mentally, seemed to set in after he did not hit his marks in some of the workout categories. He had expected to run in the 4.5-second range, but his workout results mirrored his sub-par training.

Although he scored better than expected on the Wonderlic test, Dixon will likely have to go the free-agent route, but his work ethic and competitiveness must improve before stepping into an NFL camp. Still, he should look no further than Houston Texans wide receiver Donovan Morgan, a former Mississippi J.C. prospect, for inspiration.

Morgan went through a similar supplemental draft workout a few years ago under similar weather and training conditions. Morgan nearly passed out after running two 40-yard dashes and a few routes, upsetting all of the scouts who drove to see him perform, but he took that experience to heart, changed all of his off-field habits and last year made the Texans' active roster.