There are plenty of questions about the relevancy of the NFL Scouting Combine. But one consensus opinion seems to be that its most useful tool is to separate groupings.
Suh’s NFL Combine performance sets him apart from McCoy
In this year’s draft, there seems to be no more prominent grouping than the one at the top of defensive tackle boards.
That would be Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh and Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy.
Suh clearly outmatched McCoy in the bench press, putting up 32 repetitions of 225 pounds to McCoy’s 23. Suh also jumped five inches higher than McCoy. The vertical is used to show explosion and Suh’s 35.5-inch leap is impressive.
Suh also timed as well as McCoy in the 40-yard dash. The former Cornhusker ran unofficial times of 4.98 and 5.07 seconds while McCoy ran a 4.96 and 5.14.
“When you start comparing numbers, which is what this combine is all about, in the weight room yesterday Suh did 32 and McCoy did 23,” Mike Mayock said on NFL Network. “I was stunned that McCoy only did 23 reps. That tells me he hasn’t been in the weight room the way he should have been over the last three years.”
That may not be a totally correct statement. It's not as if McCoy sailed through Norman, Oklahoma on his natural gifts. But Ross Tucker of Sports Illustrated had some questions about McCoy on his Twitter page.
I’m all for enjoying the experience but I don’t think (Gerald) McCoy’s loosey-goosey attitude excited many D-Line coaches today,” Tucker wrote. “There’s a time to have fun and a time to be serious and take care of business. Plus, 23 reps is pretty weak for a stud DT. I think (Brady) Quinn got more.”
The combine may be an overblown affair, but Suh’s better showing in Indianapolis may have assured himself of not only being the top defensive tackle, but the best player overall.
See More:
