Looking like a late-round catch

Sporting News, The, April 22, 2005 by Dennis Dillon

War Room scouts project Larry Brackins, the wide receiver who was the only junior college player invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, to be drafted early in the sixth round. "Realistically, that could happen," says Rick Thompson, the Saints' college scouting director. Thompson has heard some scouts call Brackins the best juco player in the draft since Joe Horn in 1995.

The Saints were one of four NFL teams who had representatives at Brackins' workout, March 24 at Pearl River CC in Poplarville, Miss. The 6-4 1/4, 208-pound Brackins--whose experience at the Combine was recounted in the March 11 SPORTING NEws--was clocked in the high 4.5s in the 40-yard dash, which he ran on grass. That was an improvement on his electronic times of 4.65 and 4.72 on artificial turf at the Combine in February.

Although Brackins was a junior college standout, one NFL scouting director noticed a tendency while studying tape. Brackins often lined up on the side closest to the Pearl River sideline, possibly indicating he needed special instructions. But Pearl River coach Tim Hatten disputes that suspicion.

"I did it simply because it allowed me to communicate with my best receiver, to find out what he was seeing and what he thought would work," says Hatten. "Whoever that scouting director is better get off his ass and try to get him."