No player was under more scrutiny during yesterday’s pro day workout schedule that Wisconsin RB Brian Calhoun who was a major disappointment at last month’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis when he ran some slow 40-yard dashes, stopping the clock only in the 4.6 range. Calhoun was back on track yesterday at the Badgers’ pro day when he was reportedly timed in 4.38 seconds for the 40. After the workout, Calhoun said he was relieved, but attributed the slow times at the combine largely to a tender Achilles' tendon. Meanwhile, Badger FB Matt Bernstein, who missed Wisconsin’s final nine games last season because of an inoperable sports hernia, recorded 25 repetitions in the bench-press 225 pounds and was timed at 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That was about a tenth of a second better than what he posted at the combine, but still may not be quite fast enough to get the 259-pound Bernstein a draft call next month. It was also a pretty good day for veteran WR Brandon Williams who posted 40 times in the 4.4 range, while fellow WR Jonathan Orr was timed at 4.25 seconds and CB Levonne Rowan was timed in 4.28 seconds. Elsewhere, Notre Dame WR Maurice Stovall and junior TE Anthony Fasano posted some solid 40 times of their at the Irish pro day in South Bend. The 216-pound Stovall clocked in at around 4.55 seconds in his dashes, while Fasano was timed in the low 4.7s. And at Oklahoma CB Eric Bassey reportedly stopped the clock in the mid-4.3s running on a fast track at the Sooners’ pro day. DT Dusty Dvoracek also took advantage of the fast surface, running a couple of 40s in around 4.8 seconds; that’s down a full two-tenths of a second from his combine time of just over 5.00 flat.

Several reports have confirmed our earlier report that Ohio State LB A.J. Hawk, one of the top 3-4 defensive prospects for the 2006 draft, did indeed post some very good times at the Buckeyes' on-campus workout yesterday. Running on what is being described as a very fast track, Hawk posted times in the mid-to-low 4.4s for the 40 - at least one team reportedly had him under 4.4 - in the process besting a somewhat disappointing effort at the Combine where Hawk was clocked in at closer to 4.6 seconds. It wasn't quite as good a day for Hawk's OSU fellow LB Bobby Carpenter, who is reportedly still not 100% from a late-season leg injury. Carpenter reportedly ran his 40s today in times just under 4.7 seconds. Meanwhile, OSU junior WR Santonio Holmes did nothing to hurt his chances of being the first receiver selected this year when he blitzed his 40s in the low 4.3 range. CB Ashton Youboty reportedly timed in the mid 4.40 to 4.45 range. In another workout today, Nebraska OT Seppo Evwaraye emerged as someting of a sleeper at the position when the 320-pounder former Cornhusker ran a very impressive 5.05 40-yard sprint.

The NFL Network, citing Vikings team sources, reported Thursday night that the Vikings had reached a basic agreement to trade Culpepper to a potential group of suitors, which includes the Dolphins. However, it isn't known with which team the Vikings have agreed."
According to ESPN, sources said Tagliabue is expected to exercise a clause in his contract with NFL owners in which he becomes a "senior executive" consultant with a significant compensation package.

There has been recent speculation that Tagliabue's reign was in its final year or two, but the sources pinpointed the commissioner's decision as possible during the next 60 days. Tagliabue's current contract has two years remaining on it and it is believed to pay him between $8 million and $10 million through May 2008. Tagliabue was unavailable for comment and a league spokesman said he was unaware of the development.