NFL Scouting Combine 2011: Top 10 Performances from First-Round Prospects
With the NFL combine wrapping up in Indianapolis yesterday, eyes are turning to the April 28 draft. Though combine performance alone is no guarantee of NFL performance (see Mamula, Mike), players still have a chance to move themselves into higher draft position with strong showings.
Which prospects made themselves some money in Indy? Read on for a list of the ten likely first-rounders whose combine showings helped them the most on NFL draft boards.
10. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
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For Blaine Gabbert, the combine was addition by subtraction.
Though he didn’t throw, Gabbert also didn’t hurt his stock with shaky throwing sessions like those of Cam Newton or Tyrod Taylor. His interview performance was solid, and he isn’t dogged by the character issues that highlighted (or lowlighted) Newton’s and Ryan Mallett’s combines.
He’s not known for his mobility, but he put in solid numbers on the athleticism drills, including a 4.62 40. Going into his March 17 pro day, Gabbert has consolidated his position as the consensus No. 1 QB.
9. Tyron Smith, OT, USC
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Even after missing much of the combine with an apparently minor knee problem, Tyron Smith helped himself this week.
He assuaged concerns about his size by weighing in at 307 pounds, 22 pounds heavier than his playing weight. He also turned in a solid 29 reps in the bench press.
Unless the fluid drained from his knee keeps him from making his March 31 pro day, Smith could be the first OT off the board in April.
8. Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia
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The prototypical combine success story, Justin Houston showed that he has all the physical tools, even if there are still questions about applying them on the field.
Though Houston’s position drills (he worked out with the linebackers) weren’t dazzling, he turned in an impressive collection of measurables, starting with his 6’3”, 270-pound frame. From his 4.68 40 time to his 34.5-inch arms, Houston showed that he has a great foundation to build on, whatever his NFL position turns out to be.
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7. Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
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After a shaky start to his combine thanks to a pedestrian 21 reps on the bench press, Solder recovered well. He led all offensive tackles with a 5.05 40 time, and all offensive linemen with a ten-yard split of 1.62.
Solder’s burst, and his 6’8”, 319-pound build, helped him stay near the top of the OT rankings heading into the draft.
6. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
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Former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram didn’t wow scouts with speed, putting up an unremarkable 4.63 in the 40. However, after being used only sparingly in the passing game at Alabama, Ingram looked sharp in pass-catching drills in Indy.
Ingram was, and still is, the top RB in the draft. His combine showing leaves him in a good position to crack the Top 15.
5. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
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Patrick Peterson, the top corner on everybody’s board, didn’t have much to prove coming into the combine. He proved it anyway, running a superior 4.32 in the 40.
Showing elite speed after measuring up at 6’0”, 219 pounds, Peterson solidified his Top 10, maybe even Top Five status for April.
4. J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
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In a crowded field at DE, few helped themselves this week as much as J.J. Watt.
His 40 time of 4.78 was nothing that special, but he finished in the top five among D-linemen in all the other quickness drills, and still put up 34 reps on the bench press. With that kind of athleticism on a 6’5”, 290-pound frame, Watt should be moving up draft boards.
3. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
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Already a solid Top 10 prospect in most eyes, Dareus did nothing but help himself with his impressive combine showing. At 319 pounds (a remarkable 28 pounds heavier than Nick Fairley), Dareus still looked mobile and athletic.
His 4.94 40 time (including a 1.69 ten-yard split) helped put him in position to earn a Top Five selection in April.
2. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
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Already established as the top LB prospect in the draft, Von Miller looked the part at the combine.
His 4.46 40 time wouldn’t have looked bad among the wide receivers, and he boasts a 37-inch vertical leap. With a solid performance in position drills, Miller may have locked up a spot in what could be a defense-heavy Top Five in April.
1. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
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On Sunday, Julio Jones posted the combine’s third-fastest 40 time for a wideout at 4.39. On Monday, it was discovered that he had done so with a broken foot.
Jones’ toughness in finishing his workouts despite the injury (which will require surgery) is impressive enough. That he still ranked among the top WRs is staggering, and could even push him all the way into the Top 10.
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