There was a lot o chew on at yesterday’s on-field workout for the defensive backs at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. We are also always reluctant to read too much into the combine results as for the most part we suspect that NFL teams already know most of what we see on the field in Indy. That said, it would be hard not to at least try and make the case that Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez made the case to be the #1 pick at the position s he clearly and emphatically checked all the boxes. He certainly looked the part at 6-1.5, 197 and even more so played the part running a 4.38 40 and posting very athletic 41.5-inch vertical and an 11″ long jumps. Penn State’s Joey Porter also very much looked the part at 6-2.5, 193 with huge 34″ arms, but just wasn’t as quick or explosive with a 4.46 40 and 35-inch vertical; plus he wasn’t as smooth in the drills. Meanwhile, Illinois’ Devon Weatherspoon wasn’t able to work out because of a tweaked hammy, but at just 5-11, 180 with 31″ just wasn’t quite as big or potentially physical as expected.
Pro scouts also had to be a little disappointed with what they saw from some the leading second-tier corners. Mississippi State’s Emanuel Forbes, for example, did run a quick 4.35 40 and posted a solid 37.5″ vertical, but he weighed in at a skinny 166 pounds (on a 6 foot plus frame) and just didn’t look at all smooth in the positional drills. At the same, Clark Phillips wasn’t very big (5-9, 184 with 29″ arms) or athletic running a pedestrian (for a CB) 4.51 40 with a less than impressive 33″ vertical. On the other hand, TCU’s Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, who showed off arguably the quickest feet of any CB on the field yesterday, was more than athletic enough with a 4.41 40 clocking, a 39″ vertical and an 11″ LJ, but those 29″ arms may scare off some teams.
On the other hand, both the Maryland corners – Deonte Banks and Jakorian Bennett – really helped themselves. banks, in particular may have put himself squarely in the top 4-5 at the position discussion as he ran a 4.35 with a 42″ vertical, while Bennett really opened some eyes with a 4.30 40 and a 40.5 vertical. It was also an interesting day for Kansas State’s JuJu Brents, who more than passed the eyeball test at 6-2.5 with 34″ arms; he also impressed with a 41.5″ vertical, but his 40 time of 4.53 – with a slow split – was pretty pedestrian, but a lot of teams will figure that he’ll make up for that with his length.
It was also interesting to see Alabama’s Brian Branch, who has been getting some top 10-15 props as a safety, worked out with the corners where he did play at times with the Tide. However, it didn’t necessarily go all that well. For starters, Branch isn’t really all that big at under 6-0 and 190 pounds with less than 31″ arms; plus his 40 time of 4.58 and vertical (34.5″) weren’t at all good for a CB prospect. Worse, put Branch with the safeties working out yesterday and his 40 time would have been bottom third even in that group. It was also something of a disappointing day for another rising SEC safety as like Branch, Georgia’s Chris Smith was somewhat smallish (5-10.5, 192, with 31″ arms) at the weigh-in and neither fast nor explosive in the field tests as he posted a 40 time over 4.6 and a meh! vertical of just 33″.
