INDIANAPOLIS -- Leave it to Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp to deliver a colorful explanation of the criticism Auburn defensive end Dee Ford directed toward Jadeveon Clowney at the NFL Scouting Combine.
On the final day of mostly uncontroversial media interviews with combine participants, Ford came with the only 24-karat gold quote of the week-long event Sunday, saying the South Carolina defensive end plays "like a blind dog in a meat market," in referring to his own superior technique as a pass rusher. Asked about the comment on NFL Network, Sapp said he reviewed more tape of Clowney and found Ford's assessment to be right.
"A defensive lineman, when they say he's a blind dog in a meat house, it's like putting a blind dog inside a butcher shop, and he can smell the meat. He knows it's right by him, but he's just barking and woofing," Sapp said. "He can't bite anything, because he can't see it. (His) bark is worse than his bite, because he can't bite."
What does all that mean? Presumably, that Ford can bite better than Clowney, which, we'll further presume, means he has a better understanding of the craft of pass rushing. Entertainment like this can't be duplicated anywhere but the combine, folks.
Ford also told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Sunday that he is a better pass rusher than Clowney, who is widely regarded as the draft's top defensive prospect and potentially the first overall pick of the draft. A head-to-head combine matchup of Clowney and Ford never materialized, however, as the Auburn star was unable to participate after being advised to withdraw for medical reasons.
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