Notes from the NFL Scouting Combine: Griffin’s amazing story; local products dazzle with speed

The biggest human interest story of the combine was linebacker and safety combo Shaquem Griffin.

The 6-foot, 227 pounder out of Central Florida had his left hand amputated when he was four years old but it has not stopped him from having a stellar career in football to date. Griffin did the bench press with a prosthetic on his left hand and managed 20 reps. That means he was pressing his own weight 20 times, a remarkable feat.

Griffin also had not only the best 40 yard time for linebackers running a 4.38, but it is the best linebacker speed in the history of the combine.

Coming off a solid week at the Senior Bowl, Griffin is a good football player who may not get drafted until the third or fourth round. But he is a good edge pass rusher and special teams player as well. Griffin had 18.5 sacks in two seasons for UCF. He is simply a non-stop player, always around the football.

DJ Chark, the wide receiver from LSU, had a super combine in all categories. The Alexandria product ran the fastest wide receiver time (4.34) and bench pressed 16 reps with an impressive vertical jump of 40.0.

Top rated wideout Calvin Ridley Alabama ran 4.43 and did 15 on the bench but Chark was the wide receiver star of the combine.

Quarterback Josh Allen out of Wyoming threw the deep ball nearly 70 yards. Not to be outdone, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen took the challenge and threw near 70 yards a as well. Both have very strong arms and are top five overall picks in the draft.

Defensive lineman Maurice Hurst (Michigan) left the combine with a heart condition that will need to be checked out.

Top running back Saquon Barkley, the Penn State standout, is clearly a top five pick. The 233 pounder was impressive, running 4.40 and bench pressing 29 reps

The best speed for a running back was turned in by Nyheim Hines of NC State (4.38).

The tight end position is an area of articular interest for the Saints, had who to notice the impressive performance from Mike Gesicki. The Penn State product ran 4.54, fastest of the tight ends, and did 22 on the bench.

Another top rated tight end is Mark Andrews out of Oklahoma. He ran very well at 4.67 and put up 17 reps on the bench.

Dallas Goedert of South Dakota State is a prospect the Saints have looked into closely. He did not run the 40 in Indianapolis but had 23 reps on the bench.

Offensive tackle Desmond Harrison (West Georgia) ran an impressive 4.90 but he was beaten by Brian O’Neill, the tackle from Pittsburgh who posted a 4.80 while adding 22 on the bench.

The big disappointment of the offensive lineman was highly rated Orlando Brown, who ran a very slow 5.85 and did only 14 reps on the bench. The strength numbers should look better for a 360 pound man.

I was really impressed by defensive tackle Da’ron Payne (6-2, 320) the hulking interior defensive lineman out of Alabama. He had a big night in the SEC Championship Game that stands out. Payne enjoyed a solid combine, running 4.95 and doing 27 reps on the bench. He can rush the passer from the inside. The Saints may take a look at him if he makes it to the 27th pick even though they at in good shape at the defensive tackle spot.

The bench press winner at the combine was defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, the Stanford product who did 42 reps.

Josh Sweat of Florida State ran 4.53, fastest for the defensive lineman. An edge rusher like Sweat has the speed a team like the Saints may covet.

New Orleans may also take interest in is Harold Landry from Boston College, who ran 4.65. Landry is a 250-pound natural pass rusher with an explosive first step, a fluid athlete who can also defend the run. Landry can be a first rounder.

A Tulane prospect who impressed and helped himself at the combine was defensive end Ade Aruna, who ran a very good 4.60 and looked very athletic. Aruna also did 18 reps on the bench.

Other than Griffin, the fastest linebacker was Jerome Baker out of Ohio State with a 4.53 clocking. Christian Sam from Arizona State won the bench press for linebackers with 28 reps.

Safeties and cornerbacks wrapped up the combine Monday. LSU’s Donte Jackson said he would break the 40-yard time record of wide receiver John Ross who ran 4.22 last year, but the Riverdale alum came up short running at 4.32.

Tulane’s Parry Nickerson matched Jackson’s time at 4.32 and did 15 on the bench. Nickerson, a West Jeff product, should be moving up draft boards.

Three cornerbacks ran 4.32, top rated corner Denzel Ward of Ohio State matched the New Orleans duo.

Contact me to get information on how to obtain my Draft Day Report publication at adupuy1@cox.net.