NFL Scouting Combine Starts This Saturday....Stephen Paea will be airing on Monday NFL Network

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Players began arriving in Indianapolis, Ind., Wednesday for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. Among the invitees are eight locals.

The prospects will undergo the usual battery of physical examinations, X-rays, orientation, interviews, measurements, media sessions, psychological tests, more interviews more psychological tests and then finally – physical workouts.

Below is the workout schedule for each position along with a list of the familiar faces hoping to raise their stock in preparation for the NFL Draft April 28-30. 

Workouts will be televised by NFL Network and repeated throughout the day starting at 6 a.m. for each session.

02/22/2011 - Stephen Paea originally hoped to use the NFL Scouting Combine as a launching pad into the draft day elite. NFL personnel wanted to see what the former Oregon State defensive tackle would do on the bench press, since he's known for his strength. He wanted to show that for a 311-pound big man he is agile. Instead, Paea will be limited in the workout portion of the combine due to a recent knee injury. He tore his meniscus early in the first workout at the Senior Bowl last month. "I was worried about it when it happened, but the MRI showed me it wasn't serious," Paea said. "I was blessed." The surgery to clean out the loose cartilage was done by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Alabama on Jan. 27. Top athletes in various sports use him. Paea started jogging and mixed in some squats last week. He won't run during the combine, which begins Thursday and runs through March 1 in Indianapolis. He will lift, interview with the scouts, meet with the medical personnel and take the IQ test. "The most important thing is the interviews with the teams," Paea said. "They'll get to check out my knee. I feel comfortable talking with them and showing the MRIs. It's just a matter of time getting back to full strength. It won't be long." - Cliff Kirkpatrick, Corvallis Gazette Times

Full Stephen Paea News Wire

Overview

Wide as a Coke machine and just as difficult to move, Paea (pronounced pie-uh) has developed into one of the nation's best run-stuffers. His development is staggering in the sense that he signed with Oregon State having only played three years of organized football. A highly touted rugby player, Paea moved to the United States at age 16 and began playing football and learning the English language at that time. With only one season at Timpview High School, Paea signed with Snow Junior College, where he helped the Badgers finish the 2007 regular season undefeated and eventually ranked No. 3 in the country. With Oregon State in 2008, Paea earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors with 41 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks. Despite being the object of every opponent's blocking scheme, Paea was similarly effective in 2009, registering 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and tying the school record with four forced fumbles. Pac-10 offensive linemen voted him the Morris Trophy as the conference's most dominant defensive lineman. Even more impressively, Paea repeated as the Morris Trophy winner in 2010, registering similar tackle numbers (45) and roughly doubling his efforts behind the line of scrimmage (10 TFLs, six sacks). He again posted four forced fumbles, giving him the school record of nine over his career. Paea is a bit of a one-trick pony. He isn't agile enough to put consistent pressure on the quarterback at the NFL level. His ability to tie up blocks in the middle will lead teams to look at him closely over the first 50 picks of the 2011 draft no matter what scheme they utilize.

Analysis

Pass rush: Doesn't provide much in terms of a pass rush. Is able to split gaps due to his burst off the snap, but doesn't have quick feet or agility to chase down the quarterback. Relies on his bull rush to knock interior linemen into the pocket and flush the passer into the arms of teammates. Lacks the height and arm length required in consistently altering passing lanes. Run defense: Is quick enough to surprise his opponent with a burst through the gap, but will make his NFL millions due to the fact that he is a natural run plugger due to his short, squatty build and rare upper- and lower-body strength. Can be knocked off the ball when double-teamed, but flashes the ability to split them and is rarely pushed far before he's able to plant his legs in the ground and create a pile. Doesn't have the lateral agility and balance to beat runners to the sideline, but hustles in pursuit. Explosion: Fires off the snap low and hard, flashing a sudden burst that surprises opponents. Burst is short-lived and only extends to his ability to go straight upfield. With his strength and bowling ball-like frame, Paea can explode into the ballcarrier if he gets a running start. Strength: Ranks as one of the country's strongest players, reportedly boasting a 600-pound squat, 500-pound bench press and the ability to churn out 44 repetitions of 225 pounds. Is even stronger than his weight-room numbers indicate due to his natural leverage. Doesn't disengage from blockers as well as his strength would indicate due to the need to refine his hand technique and average lateral agility. Tackling: Stays squared and low to knock down the ballcarrier near the line of scrimmage. Flashes explosive hitting ability, with a proven ability to knock the ball free. Tied the OSU record with four forced fumbles in 2009. Good upper-body strength to drag down ballcarriers as they attempt to go past him. Doesn't have the speed or change of direction to offer much in pursuit. Intangibles: High-effort player was voted a team co-captain in 2009, in his second year in the program as a junior. Proved his toughness in 2008 by playing the final month of the regular season despite a painful bursa sac injury in his knee. Born in New Zealand, grew up in Tonga and dreamt of becoming a professional rugby player. Learned the English language after moving to the United States at age 16.