Five B1G players that will improve their draft stocks at the NFL Scouting Combine
The goal is simple. Go to Indianapolis, test well and make some money. That’ll be the focus at the NFL Scouting Combine, though not everyone will accomplish that goal.
These five B1G players have the best chance to improve their draft stocks next week:
-Corey Clement, Wisconsin RB
Even after Melvin Gordon’s breakout year, there’s still a stigma about Wisconsin running backs. They dominate in college behind massive offensive lines and struggle in the NFL. Based on his Day-3 grade, Clement has already been a victim of some of those stereotypes, along with many that come with being a senior tailback.
He might not turn heads with his 40, but Clement registered the highest max speed among running backs at the Senior Bowl. He’s also more agile than he gets credit for, which should help him test well in the three-cone drill.
This is an awfully nice run from Corey Clement. pic.twitter.com/rvFg9U2jMl
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) February 9, 2017
Clement matured a lot both on and off the field in his senior season in Madison. He needed to. He’s much more NFL-ready after a healthy senior season that saw him finish fourth in the country in carries.
Right now, Clement is projected by most to go somewhere around round 4-5. But the combine should make scouts realize that Clement has plenty going for him — size, downhill speed, agility, maturity — and that he’s worth taking a look at in the front half of the draft.
-Cethan Carter, Nebraska TE
With all due respect to Tommy Armstrong, Jr., questions about Carter’s lack of production should be attributed to this:
Studying #Nebraska TE Cethan Carter. He's going to be blown away catching passes in the NFL. He doesn't know what an accurate QB looks like.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 18, 2017
Carter was underused at Nebraska, at least from a receiving standpoint. Chalk that up to Nebraska having a loaded crop of receivers, a run-first mentality and an inaccurate quarterback.
But Carter’s skill set was always a topic of conversation in the offseason because of how athletic he was for his size. Nebraska actually ran a few jet sweeps for him in 2016. It’s a shame the Huskers didn’t draw up more designed plays for Carter.
At the combine, he’ll get to showcase his quickness and pass-catching ability. He consistently handled B1G edge-rushers, which might not show up at the combine, but it’ll complement the physical abilities scouts we’ll see from him.
He might look like a seventh-round guy now, but Carter’s combine performance should move him more firmly into the Day-3 mix.
-Jaleel Johnson, Iowa DT
Johnson tore up the Senior Bowl. He was the fastest defensive tackle in Mobile and according to many, he made himself some money.
But this was my favorite piece of Johnson’s film in Alabama:
These @HawkeyeFootball guys Jaleel Johnson & Desmond King got @seniorbowl week started the right way at our Welcome Reception Monday night. pic.twitter.com/vFWMQt9bbn
— Patrick Woo (@P_Woo) January 25, 2017
No, Johnson won’t be dancing in Indianapolis. Frankly, NFL teams probably hope he keeps that to a minimum. But that clip didn’t look anything like a defensive tackle. Johnson has flexibility (did you see how high his foot got??) and balance that few people have at 6-3, 310 pounds.
Black Heart Gold Pants’ Rob Donaldson did an excellent breakdown of the on-the-field abilities that make Johnson an undervalued prospect. His pass rushing skills, coupled with a first-team All-B1G senior season, make him an intriguing prospect. He has flaws — taking on double teams and some of his technique — but those shouldn’t really come out in Indianapolis.
Johnson should test well in all of the explosion drills and separate himself from the defensive tackles, especially in a draft that lacks a lot of first-round talent at the position. By the end of the weekend, Johnson could easily end up as a solid second-round projection.
-Curtis Samuel, Ohio State WR
There were few better all-around offensive players in college football than Samuel. His speed and ability to make people miss made him the perfect fit at H-back. The question is where Samuel will get the most use in the NFL.
For one weekend, Samuel will just get to focus on showing off his physical abilities instead of worrying about how he fits into an NFL offense.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the All-American run a sub-4.4 40 while finishing among the leaders in the shuttle and cone drills. While Samuel won’t match the size or strength of the rest of the combine receivers, he’ll still have plenty of time to impress.
Samuel is another prospect that might project as a Round-3 guy heading into Indianapolis, but his speed could push him into the second round.
-Jabrill Peppers, Michigan SS
Peppers is in a similar position as Samuel. He doesn’t lack highlight reel plays on film, he does a variety of things well and he’s one of the most electric prospects in the draft. Like Samuel, Peppers might not play a typical position in the NFL.
After Peppers performs at the combine, the talk should shift back to how special of an athlete he is. The guy was Michigan’s fastest player — as a linebacker — and he was must-see TV in the return game. Peppers is expected to run in the 4.3s and finish among the defensive back leaders in seemingly every combine metric.
The storylines surrounding Peppers the last few months have all been negative.
- He didn’t make enough plays on defense against Ohio State
- He shouldn’t have reacted the way that he did to the OSU fan that rushed the field
- He didn’t deserve to win B1G Defensive Player of the Year
- He shouldn’t have been invited to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist
- He sat the Orange Bowl because he didn’t want to hurt himself before the draft
- He doesn’t cover well enough to play as an every-down defensive back in the NFL
Those storylines clouded the reality that Peppers was one of the most explosive, dangerous weapons we’ve seen in college football in recent memory. Debate the hype all you want, but he’s still a physical freak. Scouts should get a good reminder of that in Indy.