2015 NFL Combine: Day 5 News and Notes

By Scott Anderson 

One day after Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Kevin White, and others stole the show it was the defensive linemen and linebackers turn to show the scouts their skills. There were some tremendous showings by both groups led by Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Kentucky’s Bud Dupree. Here are some news and notes from Day 4 of the NFL Combine:

• Clemson’s Vic Beasley continued to impress at the combine after answering questions about his weight, coming in at 246 pounds. Beasley showed he still had his elite athleticism by running 40s of 4.66 and 4.53, with splits of 1.72 and 1.59. He was also the leading bencher among all defensive linemen with 36 reps of 225 pounds, and a 41 inch vertical. Beasley also had the second fastest 3-cone time with 4.15 seconds and the fastest shuttle time, recording a 6.91.

• Florida’s Dante Fowler recored times of 4.61 and 4.65, with 1.59 and 1.63 to continue to solidify his top 10 status.

• Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, put up 24 reps in the bench press at 235 pounds and then showcased his athleticism with times of 4.64 and 4.57 in the 40. Gregory will be a little bit of a project but he flashes all the tools to be one of the games best pass rushers.

• Virginia’s Eli Harold surprised some by weighing in at 6’3 and 247 pounds, and like Beasley showcased his “good” weight gain by running at 4.61 and 4.53 40s. Harold was right behind Beasley in the 3-Cone drill with a time of 4.16 seconds. His shuttle time of 7.07 tied him for second fastest. Teams picking in the mid-20s that are looking for a pass rusher should be taking a lot of notes on Harold.

• Southern California’s Leonard Williams may be the best overall player in this class and he continued to make his case today. At 6’5 and 302 pounds, Williams ran a 5.01 40 with a split of 1.74. His first split was just .02 seconds slower than Vic Beasley’s first attempt.

• Missouri’s Shane Ray was unable to compete due to a foot injury suffered during the Tigers bowl game. His teammate Markus Golden measured in at 6’2 and 260 pounds but only posted times of 4.90 and 4.81. His athleticism may raise some question marks but he has a great motor and feel for the game.
• Washington’s 339 pound Danny Shelton had an unimpressive 4.66 40 but his 10 yard split showcased the power his tree trunk like legs produce with a 1.88 time. Shelton will be an intriguing option for Washington at 5 or Chicago at 7.
• UCLA’s Owamagbe Odighizuwa showcased his elite burst with a 10 yard splits of 1.63 and 1.62 on his 4.64 and 4.66 40 yard dashes. Odighizuwa also put up a 10 foot 5 inch broad jump and a 39 inch vertical.
• Kentucky’s Bud Dupree destroy the athletic portion of the combine, posing a 42 inch vertical with 11’6 broad jump at 269 pounds. His broad jump is the third best by any player since 2006. Oh, and his 40 yard dash time was 4.57 seconds with a 1.60 split. If anybody improved their stock as much as Beasley it was Dupree. However, he did not participate in any off the on field drills.

• TCU’s Paul Dawson came in to the combine with a lot of expectation but failed to capitalize, running a 4.95 40 in his first attempt and a 4.96. Fortunately for Dawson his tape looked a lot better than his 40 and he still has his pro day to improve.

• Louisville’s Lorenzo Mauldin had good 10 yard splits of 1.81 and 1.69, but couldn’t keep it up over the full 40 yards recording a 4.9 and 4.88. However, his tape shows his burst and he has the versatility to move around a defensive formation. In a class full of touted pass rushing prospects he could be one that falls through the cracks.

• Miami’s Denzel Perryman recorded the second most bench press reps off all the linebackers with 27. His 40 time of 4.81 won’t wow anybody but his instincts and physicality really stand out on his film.

• Washington’s Shaq Thompson is a natural athlete that could succeed at linebacker, running back, or safety in the NFL. However, linebacker seems to be the best fit for him and his 40 times of 4.72 and 4.69 won’t hurt him. Thompson is one of the really intriguing prospects in this entire class. His versatility could cause a team to trade up into the top 10 to select him.
• Michigan’s Frank Clark had some of the best agility times for the defensive linemen in recent years. However, he has a nasty domestic violence charge on his record and many teams won’t consider drafting him.

Today was also the weigh ins for the defensive backs. Here are some notables measurements:

• LSU’s Jalen Collins measured in at 6’1 and 203 pounds.

• Alabama’s Landon Collins came in at 6’0 and 228 pounds. The same size as Shaq Thompson.

• Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu had 192 pounds on his 5’9 frame. However he tore his ACL late in the season and won’t be able to run or do the drills.

• Louisville’s Gerod Holliman came in at 6’0 and 218 pounds. It’ll be unlikely that he can improve his stock much as the tape shows a player who is a great ballhawk but won’t tackle.

• Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson gets overlooked because of how bad the Demon Decons were this season but the 6’0 188 pounds corner is a tremendous player that could hear his name called early in the 2nd round.

• Washington’s Marcus Peters weighed in at 6’0 and 197 pounds. He also owned up to getting kicked off the team halfway through the season. He’s talented enough to go in the top 15, but it’s unknown if the character concerns will scare some teams off.

• Miami (OH) CB Quinten Rollins only played one season of college football after spending his time playing basketball for the Redhawks. Rollins impressed this season with his aggressive style and ability to attack the ball at its highest point. His size at 5’11 and 195 pounds won’t hurt his cause.

• Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt is right behind Landon Collins as the best strong safety in this class. The 6’1 221 pounder is incredibly physical by the line of scrimmage and just makes plays.

• Michigan State’s Trae Waynes is neck and neck with Marcus Peters for best cornerback in this class. Coming in at 6’0 and 186 pounds won’t hurt and it could come down to 40 time to separate these two.

• Florida State’s PJ Williams came in at a solid 6’0 and 194 pounds. He leads the second tiers of cornerbacks behind Waynes and Peters. He has all the tools but his plays runs hot and cold.

Tomorrow is the final day of the combine, as the defensive backs take center stage with their 40s and on-field workouts.