Ameer Abdullah: 2015 NFL Combine Results, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

In one of the deepest running back classes in recent memory, it can be hard to stand out. Nebraska star Ameer Abdullah made a name for himself in college, carrying the offense in 2014, and is now looking to make his mark in the NFL. 

The senior running back was one of the 36 players at the position to take part in workouts at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday. Abdullah was one of the Big Three Big Ten running backs (Melvin Gordon, Tevin Coleman) last year. He had the numbers to warrant an early selection, but what did his workout say?

40-Yard Dash (seconds)	Bench Press Reps (225 lbs)	Vertical Jump (inches)
4.61 (unofficial)	24	42.5

Even though Abdullah's full workout happened on Saturday, he got things started with a bang during the bench press on Friday. Despite being a smaller running back at 5'9" and 205 pounds, the Nebraska star flew by his competition when lifting 225 pounds, via Mike Loyko of USA Today:

According to the NFL.com player tracker, Abdullah's 24 reps ranked seventh among all running backs in Indianapolis. 

As for what happened on Abdullah's actual day of work, his unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.61 seconds (h/t College Football 24/7) was average. 

For a comparison of how that ranked among other notable running backs, Rich Kaipust of the Omaha World-Herald had this breakdown:

To illustrate why Abdullah's time is lacking, Melvin Gordon measured in four inches taller (6'1") and 10 pounds heavier (215) yet ran nearly one-tenth of one second faster. Jeremy Langford is three pounds heavier than Abdullah, yet ran an unofficial 4.43. 

Here's what Abdullah's 40-yard dash looked like, via NFL.com:

However, despite the slower time, Abdullah excelled in other speed tests, via Josh Norris of Rotoworld:

Abdullah does understand that he has questions to answer coming into the NFL. He told Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald that his desire and drive are two things that separate him from the pack of running backs in this draft:

“It’s all about having the will,” Abdullah said. “It’s not always about being the most athletic or the most dynamic or being the physical-specimen-type guys. I have the will. I have confidence. I’ve always had that confidence.”

While there's no denying Abdullah's immense character and dedication, he's got to overcome the stigma that comes with having small hands. The 21-year-old's mitts were measured at 8 5/8 inches.

Abdullah's hands were a problem at Nebraska, as Mike Mayock mentioned on the NFL Network telecast and Omar Kelly of The Tampa Bay Times echoed on Twitter:

The optimistic view of Abdullah, like the one offered by Sigmund Bloom of Football Guys, will point out that he moves so well with the ball and has a nasty streak in him that teams are going to love:

That burst was evident in Abdullah's vertical jump. Leg strength and power are essential ingredients to having success as a running back, so seeing this number from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is encouraging:

Even though the 40 time doesn't jump out, Evan Silva of Rotoworld noted that Abdullah's other skills indicate there's more in the package that comes out in different ways:

When you combine the compact power Abdullah showed in the vertical jump with the upper-body strength in the bench press, he's got the raw physical ingredients to play in the NFL. It might not be as an every-down back, at least right away, but there's certainly something to work with. 

The 40-yard speed isn't a negative game-changer, as Abdullah displayed excellent vision and lateral movement at Nebraska. He isn't the biggest running back in the class, nor will he crack the first-round mix, but the explosive leaping ability and chest strength could push him into the second round. 

One thing dating back to his college days that could be a bigger knock than anything on Saturday is his usage. Nebraska ran him hard, totaling 771 carries over the last three years, and NFL teams are monitoring how many hits a player takes. 

Abdullah's been climbing hills since he arrived at Nebraska in 2011, constantly exceeding the expectations. He was one of the best running backs in college football last year and will get the chance to be an NFL running back very soon.