Day three featured some freak athletes. Clowney lived up to his hype running a 4.53 forty, solidifying his role as the best prospect in this class. Day three had a few nice surprises along with its fair share of disappointments, but at the end of the day it was Matt Millen’s awkward interview with Michael Sam that stole the show.
Here is the schedule and more info:
- Saturday – Special Teams/OL/TE
- Sunday – QB/RB/WR
- Monday – DL/LB
- Tuesday – CB/S
Each day of the Combine can be streamed on NFL.com with multiple camera angles for each group.
Here’s today’s prospects that improved and bruised their stock:
Defensive Line
Risers:
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh – Can Aaron Donald finally get some mock draft love? A 4.68 forty, 35 reps on the bench, and solid numbers in the vertical and long jump prove that he can do it all. Get over that he’s 6’1” with shorter arms (32 5/8”). I’m on the Aaron Donald bandwagon.
Credit to www.chapelhillmagazine.com
Kareem Martin, DE, UNC – Martin has a long build and added good numbers on day three. He posted a nice forty of 4.72, a good vertical at 35.5”, and an fantastic 129” long jump. The best part of his day was how fluid he looked during the on field drills. Don’t be shocked if he sneaks in to the back end of round one or day two.
Reassurance:
Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – Clowney is as advertised. His forty of 4.53 is mind-blowing for a player his size. The more important part of the Combine for Clowney was how he interviewed. We don’t know how that went, but if that went well it’s hard to see him escape the top three picks.
Falling:
Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State – Sutton was a stud his junior season, but added weight for his senior year and fell off. He is in the same boat as Aaron Donald about the height concerns, but didn’t run nearly as well as Donald (5.36). Sutton needs to have a better pro day to work his way back up boards. His stock is early day three of the draft at this point.
Michael Sam, DL/LB, Missouri – I really feel bad for Sam because he has faced so much since he came out, but even before he did he was at best a day two pick. He had a disappointing Combine overall, especially with a 4.91 forty and only 17 reps on the bench. Hopefully he has a better pro day to boost his stock.
Linebacker
Riser:
Kevin Pierre-Lewis, LB, Boston College – Pierre-Lewis wins Monday’s workout warrior. He was a star in almost every drill he participated in. The fastest linebacker forty (4.51), 28 reps on the bench, 39” vertical, 128” long jump, and 4.02 in the 20 yard shuttle. He reminds me of Jelani Jenkins and could become a good 4-3 weak side backer due to his coverage skills and speed.
Reassurance:
Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo – Mack is my highest-rated linebacker, and was before the Combine. He ran the time scouts wanted to see (4.65) and was extremely smooth during the on field drills. He put great numbers up to match his explosiveness. He’s a top five pick in my book.
Credit to http://www.wrn.com/
Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin – Borland didn’t do anything special at Combine besides put up 27 reps on the bench, but he his slowly generating buzz. He is one of those guys who will interview well and teams will love his 400 plus tackle career at Wisconsin.
Falling:
The linebackers didn’t really have any falling stars besides Kyle Van Noy not showing his athleticism well. They all looked good in the field drills and tested well. Anthony Barr didn’t put up a great effort on the bench (15 reps), but he reminds me of Dion Jordan.
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