The 2017 NFL Combine is in the books. It ended with a bang, the defensive backs looking good across the board and hammering home the point of how insanely good this class is, especially on the defensive side of the football.Let’s talk about it.
Cornerbacks
– Excited that Chidobe Awuzie ran a strong 40 time. Official 4.43 at 202 pounds. Vertical was just ok but he jumped an even 11 feet in the broad. He’s probably out of the third round now and if the Steelers want him, will have to be taken with the 62nd pick.
– Today’s under-the-radar prospect who opened eyes goes to UCF’s Shaquill Griffin. 6’01/ 194, he blazed a 4.38, jumped 38.5 inches and 11 feet in the broad. Size, length, and picked off four passes a year ago.
– SDSU’s Damontae Kazee had a pretty good day. 40 time wasn’t great (4.54) but as someone who profiles as a slot corner, it isn’t a deal breaker. Shows excellent ball skills and able to time his jumps to high point the football. His tape and performance at the Senior Bowl shows a physical corner who plays big.
– Similar story to Jourdan Lewis. Little worse hands, better feet and quick COD ability. Still one of my top slot corners.
– Brendan Langley out of Lamar is one of those height/weight/speed corners you get from a small school every year. 6’0/3 201 with 4.43 speed. Senior Bowl participant so he’s building up a nice resume to overcome the competition hurdle.
– Jaylen Myrick is right there with Griffin for the eye-opening performance. Insane 4.28 40, 37.5 inch vert, and 11’4″ in the broad. Production is relatively light but he’s one of the first guys I want to watch tape of coming off Indy.
– Florida’s Teez Tabor with a disappointing 4.62. In this class of hyper-athletes, that’s going to hurt more than it normally would.
– Tre White shows speed but his explosion numbers were disappointing. 4.47 40, 32 inch vert, 9’11” broad. So smooth in workouts. Feet, hips, and keeps his elbows tight. Looked really good.
– Kevin King at 6’3 ran a 4.43 and jumped 39.5 inches? That’s going to have teams, including the Steelers, drooling. He shows fluidity too. Isn’t a Stanley Jean-Baptiste type who was tall and long but had the turning radius of a Panzer Tank.
– Same can be said for Utah’s Brian Allen. Utes always seem to pump out big, long corners and Allen joins the likes of Sean Smith and Eric Rowe. 6’3 215 who ran 4.48 and showed fluidity flipping his hips each direction.
– The hype over Colorado’s James Witherspoon was well deserved. 6’3/6 198 who turned in a 4.45, 40.5 inch vert, and 10’7″ broad. Really impressive stuff.
– He won’t be there when it’s time for the Steelers to turn in the card but Ohio State’s Gareon Conley had one of the best workouts today. 4.44 in the 40, 37 inch vert, 10’9″ in the broad and the ability to keep his hips low when flipping in coverage. Explosive lower half out of his pedal and high points the ball. Likely one of the top two corners off the board.
– Oregon State’s Treston DeCoud is listed as a corner but may end up making the move to safety. Looked really tight trying to flip his hips. A 4.62 40 isn’t going to help matters either. Strong safety is probably his best position.
– Adoree Jackson out of USC is a great athlete who put up a 4.42. But you can tell he’s a raw guy. Arms flailing around as he tried to turn in drills, wasted motion that would slow him down.
– Disappointed Iowa’s Desmond King didn’t run his 40 but he looked good in drills. Nice turn. We’ll see what his long speed looks like at his Pro Day.
Safety
– Washington’s Budda Baker isn’t big and didn’t show much explosion but he’s got quick feet, moves like a corner, and ran well in a straight line (4.45 40).
– Bummed Josh Harvey-Clemons didn’t workout due to a hamstring injury. Only things he did was the bench, vert, and broad. Nothing impressive there but to be fair, he’s a big, long guy.
– On the other hand, UConn’s Obi Melifonwu had one of the best workouts ever for a guy his size. 6’4, 224. 4.4 flat, 1.51 split, 44 inch vertical, 11’9″ broad (second best ever). And his drills were solid too. Dude is a first round pick and very unlikely to be there at pick 30 for Pittsburgh. Too bad.
– Just a heads up as Eddie Jackson works his way back from his broken leg. Didn’t run or workout but jumped 36 inches and 10’2″ in the broad.
– Rayshawn Jenkins is a kid I can get on board with. Was interested in his tape when I watched Corn Elder. Big dude at 214 who can hit. Showed he can run today, turning in a 4.51 and a fluid zone turn in coverage. 37 inch vert, 10’8″ broad for good measure. Sleeper. As a kid from the U, you know the Steelers’ big wigs will be on hand for his Pro Day.
– Lorenzo Jerome showed his ball skills finding the football, something we’ve seen on his tape and the draft All-Star games. But man, that 40 time was super slow, officially a 4.7 and a hold-your-nose 7.63. That’s a hard sell.
