NFL Combine Winners and Losers Linebackers

The linebacker drills are ok to watch. I think I get enough on film, but there are always a few questions to answer about linebackers, usually involving athleticism. You get a feel good for instincts on the film, well today two smart instinctive linebackers who were considered average to below average athletes had terrific combines and solidified their first round rankings–Luke Kuechly and Dont’a Hightower. Let’s get some news and notes on the linebackers.

Winners:

Kuechly has forever had questions about his speed and athleticism but owned the combine today. I expected Kuechly to run faster than most did, but he was also a little bigger than I thought coming in at 242 pounds. Kuechly had a 4.58 40 yard dash, and a 38 inch vertical. He also put up 27 bench press reps. He is the most instinctive linebacker in this draft class and one of the most instinctive linebackers I’ve ever scouted. Proved worthy of a top 20 pick.

Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama

Hightower is a big powerful linebacker who ran a 4.68 40 yard dash. Hightower is also a smart linebacker who handled a lot of responsibility in Nick Saban’s scheme. Hightower is 265 pounds and could be a real thumper inside for a 34 team or possibly in certain schemes in 43 schemes.

Bruce Irvin, LB, West Virginia

This was kind of obvious if you watch college football at all. Irvin was miscast in the Mountaineers 3-3-5 defense as a DE. He looks like a safety out there. Terrific speed pass rusher. Probably a situational pass rusher. He could be what Aaron Maybin was this year for the Jets at a much lower cost and possibly better.

Here’s

Loser

Vontaze Burfict, LB, ASU

Clearly the biggest loser at the combine.

I could quote a myriad of different analysts but I’ll just go with Rob Rang here:

Arizona State inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict entered the Combine needing to answer questions about his maturity and athleticism.

He may have failed at both.

Burfict raised more than a few eye-brows when he blamed the ASU coaching staff (which was led by former two-time NFL head coach Dennis Erickson) for his inconsistent play in 2011 during his interview with the media Sunday. 

He then proceeded to run slower than any other linebacker tested at the Combine in the 40-yard dash, registering a 5.09 second time that was beaten by 36 of the 48 defensive linemen including 346 pound Dontari Poe. A troubling lack of overall explosion was also shown with a 30″ vertical jump, a number beaten by all but two linebackers in Indianapolis. Burfict was tied by Montana’s Caleb McSurdy for second to last in the event, beating Southern California’s Chris Galippo (29.5″) by just half an inch.

Absolutely terrible.

Courtney Upshaw, alabama

Not necessarily a loser by anything he did, but he’s kind of a tweener. A little short for a DE with his kind of violent, tough play. Maybe not the type of athlete who excels in a 34. He didn’t run the 40 yard dash and didn’t look like the greatest athlete in drills. Upshaw is a terrific, tough pass rusher who will still go in the first round, just maybe outside of the top 15.