Purdue QB Painter Needs Strong Combine Effort

INDIANAPOLIS -- Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter didn't have the senior year he'd hoped for, but a strong showing at the NFL's annual scouting combine would make him feel better about his chances of making a team.

Painter entered his final season as a Heisman Trophy candidate who had thrown for nearly 4,000 yards each of his previous two seasons, but his senior year was marred by mistakes and a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

"Just the consistency - I wasn't as consistent as I should have been game in and game out," he said. "Unfortunately, I think I tried to do too much."

He'll try to avoid the same mistake at the combine.

"I don't think I need to add any pressure on myself," he said. "I think it's just going out here and showing what I can do."

Painter, Purdue teammates Kory Sheets and Greg Orton and Indiana receiver Andrew Means are other players with Indiana ties at the combine.

Painter knows how important the combine can be. He recalled talking to former Purdue tight end Dustin Keller after his performance at the 2008 event. The New York Jets picked Keller, and he had a strong rookie year.

"He did a great job and performed very well last year," Painter said. "I think that really boosted him up in a lot of ways. That just shows how important it is to come out and perform well."

Painter has the advantage of having played in Joe Tiller's spread offense, which sent Drew Brees and Kyle Orton into the NFL.

"I don't know that it will make it necessarily easier," Painter said. "I think their success will help. It's up to the coaches. Hopefully the transition can be seen from system to system."

Painter will leave Purdue ranked third in conference history with 11,511 total yards. He has good physical tools - he's 6-foot-4, weighs 225 pounds and has a strong arm and powerful upper body that allows him to shake off would-be tacklers. He rushed for 251 yards as a freshman, and occasionally ran the option out of the spread.

Unfortunately, he'll also be remembered for never beating a ranked team in 3 1/2 years as a starter and throwing nearly as many interceptions (11) as touchdown passes (13) his final year.

"Painter kind of had that up-and-down season," Mike Mayock of NFL Network said. "I know he throws the ball well, but he's one of I would say six or seven senior quarterbacks that didn't have good years or had inconsistent years, and you've got to figure out why."

For that reason, Painter knows the interviews with the teams will be more important than his physical attributes this week.

"They've got so much on film, so much of your performance," he said. "I think showing well physically is important as well, but I think it's very important to sit down and have great talks with the teams."

Painter entered his senior year without his top targets, Keller and Dorien Bryant. Painter made no excuses, instead saying the receivers he had were different, but no less talented.

Painter started 41 games at Purdue, including 40 consecutive contests.

"The good thing is that I've had a lot of experience," he said. "I've been fortunate enough to play in a lot of games, and that's probably helped me more than anything."

There shouldn't be too many questions about his shoulder. In his final regular-season game, Painter threw for 448 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-10 win over Indiana.

"It feels great right now," he said. "I was able to play the last two games, and I continue to feel better."

Orton caught 69 passes for 720 yards and five touchdowns last season as Painter's top target.

Sheets ran for 1,131 yards and was the key to the team's offense last season. He also caught 37 passes for 253 yards.

"I like Sheets a lot," Mayock said. "He brings a lot of versatility, especially the way he catches the football. Very, very consistent that way. Not afraid to pass protect, which some of those guys are."

Painter appreciated what Sheets did for the team last season.

"He had a great year," Painter said. "Week in and week out he continued to improve and show up. I think that's what helped him to be in the position he's in."

Means was drafted as an outfielder in the 11th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. He caught 82 passes for 1,009 yards his final two seasons at Indiana before declaring for the NFL draft after his junior season.