With the wide receivers disappointing in overall speed at this year’s NFL Combine, it was up to the cornerbacks to lay down the law and Monday they absolutely lit it up.
At the final tally 23 defensive backs put down times of 4.50 or better with Auburn’s Jonathan Jones leading the pack with a 4.33 40 so fast he nearly went back in time to kill Hitler.
4.28u!!!
That's what @FootballAU CB Jonathan Jones ran in his first 40 attempt! #NFLCombine https://t.co/CBTEte29jH
— NFL (@NFL) February 29, 2016
But that’s not all. Jones was one of six corners that ran 4.39 or faster, with Ohio State’s Eli Apple just barely missing the cut at 4.40. Apple has soared up draft boards over the last month, finding himself in the first round of multiple mock drafts. What he did Monday will do nothing to stop that ascension.
Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey didn’t help his draft stock any, but that’s just because his stock entering the combine was already at an all-time high. The narrative for many highly-touted players after their combine workouts has been reserved approval or mild disappointment, but not for Ramsey. He destroyed his drills at the combine, running a 4.41 40-yard dash and was a top performer in the vertical jump at 41.5 inches and in the broad jump at 135.0 inches. At 6-foot-1, 209 pounds Ramsey is the Richard Sherman of this draft and probably secured a Top Five spot after Monday’s show.
.@TheJalenRamsey (@MikeMayock's #1 CB) from @FSU_Football got goin'!
4.46u in his first 40 attempt. #NFLCombine https://t.co/ZY2RR2YdzU
— NFL (@NFL) February 29, 2016
Before you feel too bad for Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves, who along with Clemson’s Mackenzie Alexander were the next two pre-combine cornerback favorites, he did pretty well too. Hargreaves ran a 4.50 40, was a top performer in the vertical jump at 39 inches and pulled off a 130.0 inch broad jump himself. Hargreaves is still firmly in the first round conversation and will probably be a Top 15 pick, but Ramsey performed at another level.
Which really turned out bad for Alexander. The Clemson star is dealing with a hamstring issue and didn’t participate in any drills at all. The self-proclaimed “best cornerback in the draft” will have to wait and show off his moves at Clemson’s pro day on March 10.
Speaking of Pro Days…
With the NFL Combine wrapping up, the focus now shifts to college pro days and regional combines. Three regional combines have already happened, the first at Houston on Feb. 13, then Arizona on Feb. 20 and just over the weekend on Feb. 27 in Baltimore. There are three more coming up, beginning March 5 in Minnesota then March 12 and 13 in New Orleans.
Pro Days begin March 3. The complete schedule is below. March 4 will be interesting as Eastern Kentucky and former Ohio State defensive end Noah Spence gets another shot at the 40-yard dash. Quarterback Dak Prescott gets another chance to raise his stock on Mississippi State’s pro day on March 10. All eyes will be on Ole Miss’ pro day on March 28 when Laquon Treadwell runs his first 40-yard dash. At Valdosta State on March 23, you’ll probably see the cream of the crop of southeastern NCAA Division II players, not just from Valdosta State, but also Carson-Newman, West Georgia, North Alabama, Delta State and others.
March 3: Northern Arizona, Vanderbilt
March 4: Alabama State, Arizona State, Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, Nebraska, Troy
March 7: Auburn, Minnesota, Prairie View A&M
March 8: Connecticut, Jacksonville (Ala.) State, Kansas State, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, West Georgia
March 9: Alabama, Buffalo, Central Oklahoma, Marshall, Monmouth (N.J.), Oklahoma, Rutgers, Wisconsin
March 10: Clemson, Fordham, Furman, Harvard, Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, Tulsa
March 11: Georgia State, Ohio State, Oregon State, West Alabama
March 14: Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Sacramento State, Southern, Toledo, Wake Forest
March 15: Charlotte, Grand Valley State, Northwestern State (La.), Ouachita Baptist, Richmond, UCLA, Virginia, Youngstown State
March 16: Arkansas, Boston College, Fresno State, Georgia, Louisiana-Lafayette, Michigan State, Old Dominion, Pittsburgh, Temple
March 17: Central Arkansas, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kennesaw State, San Diego State, Southeastern Louisiana, Stanford, William & Mary
March 18: Akron, California, Georgia Tech, Kent State, Navy
March 21: Louisiana-Monroe, North Carolina State, South Florida
March 22: Angelo State, Azusa Pacific, Florida, Grambling State, Iowa State, Montana State, Pittsburg State, Texas State
March 23: Alcorn State, Liberty, North Carolina Central, Ohio, Purdue, Syracuse, Texas, USC, Valdosta State, Weber State
March 24: Arizona, Ball State, Cal Poly, Houston, Lamar, Massachusetts, Missouri Western State, North Dakota State, Rice, Southern Miss, Utah
March 28: California-Davis, Ole Miss, South Alabama
March 29: Western Kentucky
March 30: Indiana, Maryland, Miami (Fla.), SMU, Southern Utah, Tennessee
March 31: Appalachian State, Boise State, Florida Atlantic, Florida Tech, Middle Tennessee, Notre Dame, The Citadel, Yale
April 1: Coastal Carolina, Eastern Washington, Jacksonville (Fla.), Villanova
April 2: Dartmouth
April 4: Arkansas State, West Virginia
April 6: Georgia Southern
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