2012 NFL Draft: Vontaze Burfict Falling Fast After Poor Combine Performance

It wasn't all that long ago that Vontaze Burfict was widely considered a top-tier talent at linebacker in the 2012 NFL draft. It wasn't all that long ago that Burfict, despite his perceived attitude problems and penchant for particularly rough play on the field during his Arizona State days, was thought to be the next Ray Lewis.

How long ago? Just a few days.

You know, before that whole combine thing in Indianapolis, the one at which Burfict seemed to do everything humanly possible to excise himself from the first two days of the draft.

How's that, you ask? Where do I start?

There were the interviews, in which Burfict defiantly deflected blame for the Sun Devils' struggles and his inability to avoid picking up personal fouls, rather than taking ownership of his own past transgressions.

There was the 40-yard dash, which Burfict ran in 5.09 seconds—significantly slower than the average inside linebacker.

There was also the broad jump, wherein Burfict registered a distance of eight feet, seven inches—also below average for a player at his position.

All of which adds up to one undeniable conclusion, the very conclusion that ESPN draft guru Todd McShay came to upon evaluating Burfict in Indy: "Burfict's 2011 film says he's a third-rounder, and when you add in those results along with character baggage and poor interviews his stock is beginning to plummet."

In other words, so much for the Ray Lewis comparisons.

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