NFL Scouting Combine Day 3: Risers and Fallers
By Erik Lambert
Day three of the NFL scouting combine got the defensive class up and running with the front seven crew: linemen and linebackers. Expectations are for this to be one of the best defense-charged drafts in recent memory. Did the workouts and testing live up to that hype?
Here are some risers and fallers who stuck out from the crowd.
Riser: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
Among the several edge rushers in the class, Emmanuel Ogbah went into the combine with a soft 1st round feel. He had enough talent and tape to consider going in the top 32, but there were enough red flags to think he might not. After posting a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash and a 34.5 inch vertical jump at 270 lbs, Ogbah proved he had the explosiveness to warrant a closer look.
Faller: Scooby Wright III, ILB, Arizona
His production at Arizona showed a player that could make plays in a variety of ways, but Scooby Wright needed to prove it was more than just great instincts that helped him because his rather average measurables weren’t going to help him in the pros. It didn’t work out as hoped. Wright ran a mediocre 4.90 in the 40, and looked clunky and awkward in a number of the agility drills. Already floundering on draft boards, it’s not a performance that did him many favors.
Riser: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State
On the flip side, expectations were high for Darron Lee to perform. His tape showed several flashes of athleticism and physical upside at Ohio State. He didn’t disappoint. With a 4.47 in the 40, he posted the fastest time among all defensive front seven players and was outpaced by just six wide receivers at the combine. The vertical and broad jumps were also solid. So the workout backs up the tape, which is a huge box checked.
Faller: A’Shawn Robinson, DE, Alabama
Most will say that the film says it all about A’Shawn Robinson. He’s an elite run defender and tone setter. That said, there are concerns that he is a one-dimensional player. In other words, he’s not much of a pass rush threat. His combine did little to quiet those fears. A 5.20 in the 40 and 26-inch vertical validated the perceived lack of explosive and he wasn’t all that great in the athletic drills. There is no arguing the size or power, but for versatility there is little.
Riser: Charles Tapper, DE, Oklahoma
There was only one defensive lineman faster than Ogbah on day three and that was Charles Tapper out of Oklahoma, who ran a blistering 4.59 in the 40-yard dash at 6’3″, 270 lbs. Factor in the 34-inch vertical, 34-inch arms and huge 11-inch hands and it’s not hard to see that this kid has a significant amount of physical upside that would excite any defensive coach. Most of his problems in college centered around pad level and hand use, two things that are correctable.