NFL Combine 2017 live updates: News and highlights from Indianapolis
Deshaun Watson, Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette highlight the prospect class in Indy.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Rich Eisen ran a 6.02 in the 40-yard dash, which wasn’t his best time ever but is still quite good for a 47-year-old wearing a suit:
Marshon Lattimore was having a great combine, but the cornerback, who has a history of hamstring problems, suffered an injury. He said it was his hip flexor, not his hamstring, and that he’ll be ready to go during Ohio State’s pro day.
Indeed, this is impressive!
Jalen Myrick ran a 4.29 in the 40-yard dash, which is now the fastest time today. He beat out Marshon Lattimore’s 4.36 in the 40-yard dash
UConn’s Obi Melifonwu can fly!
Melifonwu recorded the second-best broad jump in the NFL Combine since 2003. Fellow UConn alum Byron Jones approved:
Myles Garrett was a no-doubter as a high school recruit. He and John Ross joined the All-Time All-NFL Combine Team.
Colorado’s Chidobe Awuzie is one of the top defensive backs in this year’s draft class and is expected to perform well at the combine. At the combine, the 21-year-old defensive back met Brian Dawkins, a former NFL safety and Awuize’s idol.
Reuben Foster issued an apology after being sent home from NFL Combine.
Sunday’s highlights
Bench press: 33
40 time: 4.64
Vert: 41”
Broad jump: 10’8
Tanoh Kpassagnon’s 40 time was 4.83, which is good, but not all that special ... until you consider that he’s 6’7, 289 pounds.
Defensive linemen are first up. And the big story so far is Myles Garrett, the potential overall No. 1 pick. The Texas A&M pass rusher ran a 4.64, unofficial, 40.
You can see that explosion, pretty much what you want to see from a pass rusher.
Jonathan Allen, another top defensive line prospect, said doctors told him the arthritis in his shoulder should not impact his career.
Malik McDowell weighed in at 295 pounds, but he joked that he could play safety in the NFL.
Ejuan Price wore cutoff pants throughout college, but he’s going to have to give that up in the NFL.
Saturday’s highlights
Oh wow, it happened. John Ross clocked in an official 4.22 time in the 40-yard dash, breaking Chris Johnson’s 40-yard dash record:
Alas, he’s not winning an island, but he can’t swim anyway. He may have hurt himself while doing it, but he certainly didn’t hurt his draft stock.
Here’s what else you should know about Ross.
Myles Garrett, the favorite to get drafted with the No. 1 pick, will meet with the Browns later in the day. But first, he recorded an impressive 33 reps on the bench press, which pleased the Browns’ official Twitter account.
He also has no desire to dip pizza in milk:
Garrett is a Peyton Manning fan and he’s comin’ for you, Tom Brady:
Tight ends are putting on a show during their workouts:
With a distance of 11’2, Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges set the all-time broad jump record for tight ends at the combine.
Reuben Foster was sent home from the combine Friday after a heated argument with a hospital worker. His Alabama teammate Davlin Tomlinson said he was “pretty shocked” it happened.
Another Bama product, Ryan Anderson, got everyone hungry:
Notre Dame went 4-8. DeShone Kizer ran a 4.8.
Casually disproving the laws of gravity.
Chad Hansen of California suffered some tightness in his quad during his 40-yard dash and now he’s done for the day.
Washington’s John Ross is one of the most explosive receivers in the draft and showed it Saturday with an 11’1” broad jump.
Speedy Noil jumped through the roof with a 43.5-inch vertical. It was the best mark since Chris Conway’s 45-inch jump in 2003.
One of the most notable comments made during the media sessions Friday was West Virginia wide receiver Shelton Gibson saying he could beat Chris Johnson’s 40-yard dash and win an island.
He came up well short:
One of the top defensive ends won’t be available on Saturday.
Friday’s highlights
West Virginia’s Shelton Gibson thinks he can beat Chris Johnson’s 40-yard dash time — and win an island. He’ll have some competition from fellow WR John Ross III:
Wide receiver Jerome Lane is his own man, even if his name might sound familiar. His dad, a former basketball player, is responsible for one of the most iconic dunks in college basketball history.
Adam Shaheen was one of the leaders among tight ends for the bench press — all thanks to Chipotle.
Christian McCaffrey put on a show, in workouts and in position drills:
Adjust your mock drafts accordingly:
Deshaun Watson met with the Chiefs, but he’s also meeting with practically every team.
Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer believes he is a Day 1 starter.
Due to an ankle injury, Western Michigan WR Corey Davis will not run the 40-yard dash at his pro day:
Clemson’s Mike Williams says he will be the best Mike Williams in NFL history.
Mitch(ell) Trubisky says he will meet with Cleveland tonight and has already met with the Jets, among others.
Leonard Fournette is not having a great NFL Combine. Fournette had a poor showing on his vertical jump, leaping just 28.5”. He would later pull out of the broad jump. However, he finished the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, which is impressive for a 240-pound back:
Some bad news for D’Onta Foreman:
The Colts and Vikings flipped a coin at 12:30 p.m. ET to decide who would pick 14th and 15th in the first round of the draft: the Eagles or the Colts. The Vikings won, so the Eagles will pick 14th, and the Colts will get the 15th pick. It was all quite silly.
Bill Belichick is working through lunch. No days off!
It’s measurement day for defensive linemen and linebackers, and Myles Garrett reminds us of someone ...
But is Garrett worth the No. 1 pick in the draft?
The big men are up first in the 40-yard dash. Clocking in at 4.81 seconds, TCU OT Aviante Collins put up the third-best offensive lineman time since 2003. Florida State OT Roderick Johnson has been sick and throwing up, so he won’t participate in any drills.
Cam Robinson out of Alabama didn’t do the bench press on Thursday, but he ran a solid 5.15-second 40:
Damien Mama out of USC had one of the slowest times at 5.84, but it’s still faster than Rich Eisen:
Meanwhile in the broad jump, Utah’s Garett Bolles tied for the fifth-best among offensive linemen since 2006 with a distance of 9’7.
Thursday’s highlights
Running backs D’Onta Foreman, Dalvin Cook, and Leonard Fournette all said that Ezekiel Elliott’s impressive rookie season helped pave the way for them.
“I feel like if I can put in the right system I can do the same things that Zeke did,” Cook said.
Then the running backs all magically transported to a video from the late 90s:
The running backs and offensive linemen were the first groups up in the bench press. Samaje Perine blew away the rest of the RB group — and even a majority of the OL.
It’s important to hydrate:
You didn’t forget about the kickers, did you?
The Browns are “strongly considering” drafting UNC QB Mitch Trubisky with the No. 1 pick. Don’t rule out a trade for Jimmy Garoppolo just yet, either.
The Browns are likely to add a young quarterback and a veteran, and concede their highest-rated targets aren’t likely to stick around until their No. 12 pick — but they’ll definitely all be there at No. 1.
Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen will look to prove his shoulders are 100 percent -- and that he’s a legitimate No. 1 overall pick -- during the bench press exercise at the Combine.
The San Francisco 49ers have no quarterbacks on their roster for 2017. General manager John Lynch thinks that’s “liberating.”
No, 49ers GM John Lynch doesn’t know what position Jabrill Peppers will play in the NFL either.
Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush’s hands grew a quarter of an inch between the Shrine Game and the Combine.
The big news so far is that North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky is 6’2 — 6’2 1⁄4 to be exact — and that passes the eyeball test for the Browns.
The 49ers, who will have zero quarterbacks under contract come March 9, have been impressed by Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer:
Rams GM Les Snead said the team is moving to a 3-4 defense under Wade Phillips. That’ll be something to watch for sure. It also means potential roster changes.
Dalvin Cook loves the Buccaneers, but do they love him?
A fan showed up in spandex to run the 40 at the NFL Combine.
Before the combine
The best part about the NFL offseason is that there is no NFL offseason. Not anymore. After the Super Bowl ends and the all confetti has been cleaned up, teams get right back to work preparing for Week 1. And for the college kids looking to make their mark on the league, the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is as big as that game in Houston a few weeks ago.
The combine started on Feb. 28 and will go through Monday, March 6. Early indications are that this year’s draft class isn’t as loaded as in years past; however, that kind of analysis always seems premature before players get their chance to work out and interview for their prospective teams. That’s how someone like Dak Prescott — an example that’ll get beaten into a cliche by draft day — goes from a fifth round steal to a franchise quarterback.
Comparisons to Prescott are already being made for Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, who skipped the Senior Bowl but will go through a full workout at the combine.
Joining Watson in Indianapolis are projected top picks Myles Garrett (DE), Christian McCaffrey (RB) Mitch Trubisky (QB), Jonathan Allen (DE), Dalvin Cook (RB), Jabrill Peppers (LB), and Leonard Fournette (RB).
All were standouts in college and are expected to make an instant impact once they get to the league. Not to mention, the majority of the teams atop the draft board are in desperate need for skill players.
Aside from the interviews, it’s the 40-yard dash, bench press and vertical jump tests that excite teams and fans alike. At 12:30 p.m. ET on Friday, there will also be a coin flip to determine the draft order between the Eagles (via the Vikings) and Colts.
The Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears hold the top three picks and figure to be extremely active in Indianapolis.
Pre-combine reading
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