Kendall Wright Combine: Poor Showing Can't Keep Baylor Star from First Round

While Kendall Wright will not be looking back on his performance at the Scouting Combine in a positive way, teams would be foolish to let that keep them from taking the Baylor receiver. 

The greatest test of Wright's value is what he did during the regular season, in pads, against opponents. Wright passed that particular test with flying colors in 2011, recording dazzling numbers for Baylor.

Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
108	1663	14

From the passing end of things, no one player contributed to Robert Griffin III's Heisman Trophy-winning season than Wright. 

While it's certainly true that you don't want to see a 4.61 40 from a 5'10", 196-pound receiver, the negative end of that particular drill gets far too much focus. Everything is so precise that even a slight problem makes the difference between a stellar time and a poor one. 

Sure, a nice 40 time is indicative of a strong burst, but the opposite is not true. The only thing you really want to see from a receiver at a combine is that they're not out of shape. Wright passed that test. 

In reality, Wright is either the second or third-best receiver in this draft, and where he goes must reflect that. Justin Blackmon is the undeniable No. 1., and No. 2 is either Wright or Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, depending on the needs of the team in question. 

That would have Wright going no later than the Bengals second pick in the first round, which is the No. 22 spot in the draft. Anything after that would be an absolute steal. 

The problem with using the combine too strongly is that it literally puts as much emphasis on 4.6 seconds as the entire college season, or even career. That logic doesn't hold up. 

Wright is not only a first-round pick, but should easily be in the discussion with the top receivers in the draft. In the right spot, he is a genuine Rookie of the Year candidate. 

A poor showing in one 40-yard dash should not even come close to superseding his entire stellar career at Baylor with RG3. 

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