Pac-12 Stars to Watch for at the 2016 NFL Combine
The offseason can be a long, tough stretch for football fans after the national title game, but there are brief moments of respite where one can find a connection to the game. One such time is a week in February when the NFL Scouting Combine gets underway in Indianapolis and the stars of college football start to transition into stars in the NFL.
While the combine was once a simple medical check and a handful of drills, it has grown into much more over the years. Now, it’s one of the premier offseason events in football and helps bridge the gap between college fans who have seen players for three or four years and their NFL-loving counterparts who are just getting introduced to the next wave of talent entering the league.
Just as importantly, it’s also a time for the players to impress NFL front offices and scouting departments and convince clubs that they’re the missing piece on the roster. Whether it’s tearing things up with a quick 40-yard dash or jumping out of the gym, leaving a lasting impression at Lucas Oil Stadium can go a long way.
More than 300 players were invited to this year’s NFL combine, and 49 of them hail from the Pac-12. With everybody from potential first-round draft picks to a handful of players who might go undrafted, it’s an interesting mix of former stars.
Who should you keep an eye on when drills kick off later this week in Indianapolis? Here are a few options out of the Pac-12.
Vernon Adams, Oregon
1 of 9
Adams will look to battle the perception he’s too short to play quarterback. If Adams checks in under 5'10", it will be a considerable uphill battle for him to win over teams, even despite the recent Super Bowl wins by shorter signal-callers such as Drew Brees (6'0") and Russell Wilson (5'11").
Just as important will be the quarterback drills. Adams was among the most accurate and efficient players in the pocket last season at Oregon when healthy, and this week could go a long way in reminding scouts of that fact. Adams may be small, but he can certainly play and often made opposing defenses look silly whenever they tried to challenge him. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to show he can deliver a catchable ball with timing and accuracy.
Finally, Adams will also get the opportunity to show he has what it takes to get drafted during interviews with teams. There was a lot made of the Ducks offense last year when Marcus Mariota came through Indy, and it’s likely that his successor will have to battle some of the same skeptical perceptions that many in the NFL have of the spread offense.
DeForest Buckner, Oregon
2 of 9
The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year from last season has a good shot at being the first defender taken in the NFL draft later this spring. There were long stretches of the 2015 season where DeForest Buckner simply dominated on the field, and the mock drafts prior to the combine are starting to reflect that.
Buckner could solidify his high draft status this week in Indianapolis. Teams are probably going to like what they hear when they talk to him about schemes and leadership traits during interviews. They’ll also enjoy learning about him fighting off double-teams as much as they are going to enjoy watching the 6'7" defensive lineman go through drills. He’s a physical specimen who should test well and has a chance to put up some big numbers not normally associated with a defensive end.
Buckner didn’t have the stats in college you would typically associate with a top-three or top-five pick, but that’s because he wasn’t asked to continually live in the backfield. He can do a variety of different things after lining up, but convincing teams that he can be a dominant pass-rusher likely tops the to-do list for the future first-rounder.
Su'a Cravens, USC
3 of 9
Cravens might turn into a combine all-star by the time all is said and done at Lucas Oil Stadium. He arrived at USC as a safety who could have played wide receiver because he was so athletic and wound up leaving school early as a first team All-Pac-12 linebacker. His quick feet and impressive strength give him a chance to turn heads during drills.
The biggest question that Cravens has to answer is his position. If he runs fast enough, he could make sense as a factor in nickel packages or even at strong safety. However, most clubs are likely to view him as a weak-side linebacker, so he’ll head to Indy hoping to show that he can not only hold up to the grind of an NFL but be an impact player in pass coverage as well.
While he isn’t likely to be a top-20 pick, Cravens could turn a quality combine into a surge of momentum and shoot up draft boards. He’s probably a second-round pick, but an impressive set of testing numbers combined with a good showing in the drills could help him jump into late first-round consideration if everything breaks right.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Kenny Clark, UCLA
4 of 9
Ask any Pac-12 fan can tell you just how good the once unheralded Clark was for the Bruins defense this past season. While injured stars Myles Jack and Eddie Vanderdoes received the most media attention during the preseason, it was the big defensive tackle who left the pair in the dust when it came to leaving a lasting impact during his time in Westwood.
Clark heads to the combine as one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. He’s only 20 years old after leaving school early, and it will probably be discussed quite a bit how his high school wrestling background gives him an edge over other prospects in this year’s draft class. He has tape at all the defensive line positions, so showing off the versatility during drills will no doubt help his stock as well this week.
What is working against Clark is that this year the defensive tackle position is absolutely loaded and one of the deepest groups in recent memory. The former Bruin is a terrific run-stopper but will have to prove that he can supplement that with some budding pass-rush skills. If he can put everything together despite the crowded field at his position, Clark could wind up being a steal in the draft.
D.J. Foster, Arizona State
5 of 9
One of the more intriguing players to emerge from the Pac-12 and head to the combine in the coming days will be this former Arizona State star. Foster was a 1,000-yard running back as a junior but lived up to his billing as a multipurpose threat by moving to wide receiver exclusively for his senior year. Some experts felt he could have left school last year, but by returning to Tempe for another season, he was able show he’s more than a one-trick player.
The key question that many teams will ask is where Foster fits in at the next level. He’s a versatile player, and that could be rewarded in the NFL given the limited roster sizes that front offices and coaches have to deal with. For the right offense, Foster makes a lot of sense because of his ability to do everything—from run draws and sweeps to be a prolific, zone-busting slot receiver.
The combine will be a great chance for him to show he has what it takes to excel at any position. Foster won’t be mistaken for a bell-cow running back, but he could be a perfect third-down back, as well as the right option out of the slot. While the drills will no doubt be important in his convincing teams he’s the right pick, the behind-the-scenes meetings might be an even bigger part of the combine as he attempts to win over a club.
Tom Hackett, Utah
6 of 9
As NFL Network host Rich Eisen loves to say, punters are people too. Well, when it comes to punters, there are few better than Hackett on the field. The lovable Australian might be one of the funniest people to show up at Lucas Oil Stadium.
When it comes to actually putting toe to leather, Hackett shines. He was the Ray Guy Award winner as the nation’s best punter and was once again named a first-team All-American and All-Pac-12 performer. While punting distance is often that teams look for, what makes Hackett special is his ability to pin teams deep in their own ends with regularity.
Can Hackett convince a team to even use a valuable draft pick on him? We might find out this week. If nothing else, he’ll lighten the mood with some jokes and some fun when it comes time for the specialists to step up to the spotlight. Punters are, after all, people too.
Myles Jack, UCLA
7 of 9
Jack could be the most talked-about prospect in Indianapolis for a variety of reasons. To start with, this upcoming week is going to be huge when it comes to his draft stock because all 32 teams will want to see how medical tests on his injured knee turn out. If he’s given the all clear from doctors at the combine, then it could seal the deal on Jack being a top-10 pick. If there’s a red flag on his injury, then all bets are off.
Timing will no doubt be a storyline this week. Jack left UCLA not long after he was injured to focus solely on rehab and training for the combine, and that decision will likely get taken a number of different ways by teams when it comes time to get their precious few minutes with the prospect during meetings.
The final thing Jack will have to deal with might be determining which position he plays at the next level. During his college career, he played both linebacker and running back, and there are likely to be a few scouts and evaluators who believe his best position is the latter. Should he get the all clear on the medical front, he’s likely to wind up a top-10 or top-15 pick as an outside linebacker, but that probably won’t stop teams from asking about his skills as a ball-carrier.
Paul Perkins, UCLA
8 of 9
Perkins is one of the most underrated running backs in the country, but he could change that perception with a great showing on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium. His style should play great for NFL teams that are looking for a slashing tailback who can make one cut and take it to the house—something he can show during tests and drills in the coming days.
What will be interesting to see is just how big Perkins measures in. He played much bigger than he actually was at UCLA, so it’s possible he could surprise folks by being a tad undersized when getting measured at the combine. Still, he has all the right tools and could be among the handful of running backs who start to creep up into Day 2 consideration at the draft if he delivers a strong showing.
The bottom line is that Perkins is a good running back, and his ability to do it all will make him attractive to some teams. However, can he convince clubs that’s he’s more than a third-down back? He could use the combine to propel himself into the upper tier of runners in this draft class.
Scooby Wright III, Arizona
9 of 9
Wright’s 2014 season at Arizona will likely go down as one of the best ever for a Pac-12 linebacker, and there are only a handful of people who have the numbers or tape to make a challenge. All the Wildcats star did was lead the country in tackles for loss, crank out more than 100 tackles, rack up 14.5 sacks and win every major defensive award handed out. It was such a remarkable year that it even allowed the defender to garner some rare Heisman votes, as he helped Arizona to a surprising New Year’s Six bowl game after the team won the South Division.
But while 2014 was amazing, Wright’s 2015 season was anything but. He played in just three games after injuring his knee and then decided to leave school early after the bowl game. Still, he’s athletic for a linebacker and packs plenty of power in his small frame. He’s also one of the most instinctive defenders you’ll find anywhere on the field.
When he gets to the combine, Wright will have a battle on his hands on two fronts. The first is that he’s a tad too small for the position at 6'1", 246 pounds. The second is his knee and whether it's fully healed. While he did play in the New Mexico Bowl, getting fully cleared by NFL doctors might be an altogether different game for the prodigious talent from the desert.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
