Risen Star
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http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...l-draft-logan-thomas-top-athletes-draft-class
Offense
Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech
He deserves a look at quarterback even after a two-year stretch in which development became a major question. As an athlete at his size, Thomas isn't just a freakish QB -- he's pretty comparable to a super-athletic NFL tight end. Thomas, at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, runs a 4.61 40, has a 35-plus inch vertical jump, broad jumps 118 inches -- all of which are within a hair of Jimmy Graham's combine numbers -- and also has monstrous 10 7/8-inch hands (bigger than Rob Gronkowski's).
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern
He saw a lot of time at QB in college, but McKinnon is a major sleeper at running back. A compact but powerful 5-9, 209, he ran the second-fastest 40 among all RBs at the combine at 4.41 -- behind only the diminutive Dri Archer -- but also had six more reps at 225 pounds than any other RB (32 total), and showed off a 40.5-inch vertical.
Dri Archer, RB, Kent State
At just 5-8, 173, you expect Archer to be fast -- and he is. He ran a blazing 4.26 40 and put up a 38-inch vertical, but Archer is also seriously strong. He put up 20 reps at 225 pounds. Think about that total from a player his size. I think he can go as high as Round 3.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss
His route running needs work, but there's nothing more Moncrief can show as an athlete after running 4.40 and leaping 39.5 inches in the vertical, and he put up those numbers as a 6-2 wide receiver weighing in at 221 pounds. It's hard not to bet high on that workout.
Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
The speed numbers aren't incredible, but his 4.53 is plenty good for a player who checks in at 6-5 and 231 pounds, has a 34.5-inch vertical and 35-plus-inch arms. That kind of leaping ability and length will make Evans look like a giraffe.
Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson
College teammate Sammy Watkins has pretty strong "athlete" credentials, but at a full three inches taller (6-4), Bryant ran faster (4.42), and also jumped 39 inches. Those are stretch-the-field-and-go-up-and-get-it totals.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
Last year, Tavon Austin jumped in the draft after his workout totals matched up with his exceptional production. Well, no WR in college football caught more passes than Cooks last year, and all he did was run faster (4.33), jump higher and pump out more reps than Austin -- and he did so while 15 pounds heavier, two inches taller (5-10), and with longer arms.
A.C. Leonard, TE, Tennessee State
He ran faster than any tight end at the combine (4.50) -- next fastest was Eric Ebron at 4.60 -- but Leonard is no lightweight. He's on the shorter side at 6-2, but is 252 pounds and has 33-inch arms. He also posted a 34-inch vertical. The one-time Florida Gator and big-time recruit is a tremendous athlete.
Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
The character questions are a major problem, but Lyerla's "freak" credentials are pretty solid. Lyerla is 6-4 and 242 pounds but still ran 4.61 (he can go faster) and posted a 39-inch vertical in Indy. The next closest tight end went 35 inches. He's a big question mark, but not as an athlete.
Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
His 4.87 40-yard dash and 30.5-inch vertical wouldn't be so impressive, except when you consider (A) Lewan is nearly 6-8 and checks in at 310 pounds, and (B) he's a really good run-blocker, too. This is a tackle who can get out in front of a screen and almost beat the running back down the field.
Brandon Thomas, OT, Clemson
He hurt his knee during post-combine workouts and could sit out the 2014 season, but Thomas has that rare combination of extremely long arms -- a shade under 35 inches -- and impressive power: He benched 225 pounds 35 times.
Russell Bodine, C, NC State
I had to get an interior blocker in here, and Bodine is a worthy choice. He put up 42 reps -- that's six more than any other player at the combine. It's no wonder Bodine does such a great job of creating movement inside.
Defense
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
Talk about a workout confirming the tape. After leading the nation in tackles for loss, Donald ran 4.68 at 285 pounds and threw in 35 reps for good measure. That 4.68 is faster than a couple of wide receivers who will get drafted before Day 3. And again: at 285 pounds! What's crazy about Donald is that he's really good technically, using his hands and leverage to shed blockers, along with his elite quickness at that size.
Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
Hageman can run sub-5.0 at 310 pounds, has a huge 34-plus-inch wingspan and a 6-6 frame and can jump 35.5 inches straight up. The former high school tight end also banged out 32 reps. He's a work in progress as a football player, but his athlete credentials could keep him in Round 1.
Howard Jones, OLB/DE, Shepherd
Let's get a sleeper in here. Jones battered tackles at the D-II level, and piled up 71.0 TFL and 34.5 sacks. His explosiveness is the reason why, as he ran a 4.60 40-yard dash and posted a 40.5-inch vertical. While strength is a question (21 reps), Jones has a long wingspan with 34 1/8-inch arms. He's a little bit in that Bruce Irvin mold: "It's third down. See the QB, get the QB." But he could be a find in the middle rounds for a team looking for an explosive situational rusher.
Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
The 4.53 40 at 266 pounds is crazy enough, but the 1.56-second 10-yard split is what's really impressive. Clowney's ability to get his body moving forward with such suddenness is what you dream about in a speed-to-power pass-rusher. Don't worry too much about the 21 reps, given Clowney has a wingspan just an inch shorter than LeBron James'. At 6-5 he also shows off a 37.5-inch vertical.
Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
Mack didn't see the same competition as many of the top prospects, but his workout numbers show he wouldn't be out of place. He ran 4.65 at 251 pounds, has a 40-inch vertical and very good short-area quickness. On tape Mack shows a powerful lower half and the ability to get leverage, and he can really bend at the ankles to dip and turn the corner. Big-time athlete.
Prince Shembo, OLB, Notre Dame
He lacks one crazy workout number aside from a 38.5-inch vertical, but Shembo is good all around at 6-1, 253, and with long 33-plus-inch arms. He can run sub-4.7, and has good strength at that arm length with 26 reps.
Kevin Pierre-Louis, OLB, Boston College
He's a bit undersized for an OLB, playing at about 225-230 pounds, which could make him a conversion candidate, but Pierre-Louis is a lithe, lean, explosive athlete. In Indy he ran 4.51 with a 39-inch vertical and did 28 reps at 232 pounds. He could be a project, but he was productive as a four-year starter.
Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana
When he makes the read, Tripp comes flying out of his stance downhill to make plays at the line of scrimmage. And it's great when the workouts match the tape. His change-of-direction explosiveness is real, as the only players who were faster than him in the 20-yard shuttle are wide receivers, and one safety who beat him by a hundredth of a second. Tripp is explosive, and his 4.67 40 and 37.5-inch vertical at 234 pounds aren't too bad.
Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State
He's the total package as far as athletes go. He was timed at a hometown discount 4.36 at his pro day, but is easily a sub-4.5 runner, and he also had a crazy-good 42-inch vertical and 130-inch broad jump in Indy. Good thing for Shazier -- he looks fast in pads, too. If I'm drafting, Shazier's a first-round lock.
Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
He ran a fast 4.39 officially in Indy, and you can see the explosiveness on the field. Roby also quietly put up 17 reps at 192 pounds, showing pretty good strength numbers, which help his case.
Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
He ran faster than any CB in Indy, going 4.37, but did so at 6-foot, 202 pounds, and also knocked out 20 reps even though he has 33 1/8-inch arms. A likely middle-first-round pick.
Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State
He was the fastest safety in Indy with a 4.42 and is an explosive leaper. More important, Brooks plays fast -- sometimes too fast as he can miss tackles when he flies to the ball. But many teams need safeties, and I could see Brooks gone in Round 2.
Offense
Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech
He deserves a look at quarterback even after a two-year stretch in which development became a major question. As an athlete at his size, Thomas isn't just a freakish QB -- he's pretty comparable to a super-athletic NFL tight end. Thomas, at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, runs a 4.61 40, has a 35-plus inch vertical jump, broad jumps 118 inches -- all of which are within a hair of Jimmy Graham's combine numbers -- and also has monstrous 10 7/8-inch hands (bigger than Rob Gronkowski's).
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Georgia Southern
He saw a lot of time at QB in college, but McKinnon is a major sleeper at running back. A compact but powerful 5-9, 209, he ran the second-fastest 40 among all RBs at the combine at 4.41 -- behind only the diminutive Dri Archer -- but also had six more reps at 225 pounds than any other RB (32 total), and showed off a 40.5-inch vertical.
Dri Archer, RB, Kent State
At just 5-8, 173, you expect Archer to be fast -- and he is. He ran a blazing 4.26 40 and put up a 38-inch vertical, but Archer is also seriously strong. He put up 20 reps at 225 pounds. Think about that total from a player his size. I think he can go as high as Round 3.
Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss
His route running needs work, but there's nothing more Moncrief can show as an athlete after running 4.40 and leaping 39.5 inches in the vertical, and he put up those numbers as a 6-2 wide receiver weighing in at 221 pounds. It's hard not to bet high on that workout.
Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
The speed numbers aren't incredible, but his 4.53 is plenty good for a player who checks in at 6-5 and 231 pounds, has a 34.5-inch vertical and 35-plus-inch arms. That kind of leaping ability and length will make Evans look like a giraffe.
Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson
College teammate Sammy Watkins has pretty strong "athlete" credentials, but at a full three inches taller (6-4), Bryant ran faster (4.42), and also jumped 39 inches. Those are stretch-the-field-and-go-up-and-get-it totals.
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
Last year, Tavon Austin jumped in the draft after his workout totals matched up with his exceptional production. Well, no WR in college football caught more passes than Cooks last year, and all he did was run faster (4.33), jump higher and pump out more reps than Austin -- and he did so while 15 pounds heavier, two inches taller (5-10), and with longer arms.
A.C. Leonard, TE, Tennessee State
He ran faster than any tight end at the combine (4.50) -- next fastest was Eric Ebron at 4.60 -- but Leonard is no lightweight. He's on the shorter side at 6-2, but is 252 pounds and has 33-inch arms. He also posted a 34-inch vertical. The one-time Florida Gator and big-time recruit is a tremendous athlete.
Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
The character questions are a major problem, but Lyerla's "freak" credentials are pretty solid. Lyerla is 6-4 and 242 pounds but still ran 4.61 (he can go faster) and posted a 39-inch vertical in Indy. The next closest tight end went 35 inches. He's a big question mark, but not as an athlete.
Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
His 4.87 40-yard dash and 30.5-inch vertical wouldn't be so impressive, except when you consider (A) Lewan is nearly 6-8 and checks in at 310 pounds, and (B) he's a really good run-blocker, too. This is a tackle who can get out in front of a screen and almost beat the running back down the field.
Brandon Thomas, OT, Clemson
He hurt his knee during post-combine workouts and could sit out the 2014 season, but Thomas has that rare combination of extremely long arms -- a shade under 35 inches -- and impressive power: He benched 225 pounds 35 times.
Russell Bodine, C, NC State
I had to get an interior blocker in here, and Bodine is a worthy choice. He put up 42 reps -- that's six more than any other player at the combine. It's no wonder Bodine does such a great job of creating movement inside.
Defense
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
Talk about a workout confirming the tape. After leading the nation in tackles for loss, Donald ran 4.68 at 285 pounds and threw in 35 reps for good measure. That 4.68 is faster than a couple of wide receivers who will get drafted before Day 3. And again: at 285 pounds! What's crazy about Donald is that he's really good technically, using his hands and leverage to shed blockers, along with his elite quickness at that size.
Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
Hageman can run sub-5.0 at 310 pounds, has a huge 34-plus-inch wingspan and a 6-6 frame and can jump 35.5 inches straight up. The former high school tight end also banged out 32 reps. He's a work in progress as a football player, but his athlete credentials could keep him in Round 1.
Howard Jones, OLB/DE, Shepherd
Let's get a sleeper in here. Jones battered tackles at the D-II level, and piled up 71.0 TFL and 34.5 sacks. His explosiveness is the reason why, as he ran a 4.60 40-yard dash and posted a 40.5-inch vertical. While strength is a question (21 reps), Jones has a long wingspan with 34 1/8-inch arms. He's a little bit in that Bruce Irvin mold: "It's third down. See the QB, get the QB." But he could be a find in the middle rounds for a team looking for an explosive situational rusher.
Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
The 4.53 40 at 266 pounds is crazy enough, but the 1.56-second 10-yard split is what's really impressive. Clowney's ability to get his body moving forward with such suddenness is what you dream about in a speed-to-power pass-rusher. Don't worry too much about the 21 reps, given Clowney has a wingspan just an inch shorter than LeBron James'. At 6-5 he also shows off a 37.5-inch vertical.
Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
Mack didn't see the same competition as many of the top prospects, but his workout numbers show he wouldn't be out of place. He ran 4.65 at 251 pounds, has a 40-inch vertical and very good short-area quickness. On tape Mack shows a powerful lower half and the ability to get leverage, and he can really bend at the ankles to dip and turn the corner. Big-time athlete.
Prince Shembo, OLB, Notre Dame
He lacks one crazy workout number aside from a 38.5-inch vertical, but Shembo is good all around at 6-1, 253, and with long 33-plus-inch arms. He can run sub-4.7, and has good strength at that arm length with 26 reps.
Kevin Pierre-Louis, OLB, Boston College
He's a bit undersized for an OLB, playing at about 225-230 pounds, which could make him a conversion candidate, but Pierre-Louis is a lithe, lean, explosive athlete. In Indy he ran 4.51 with a 39-inch vertical and did 28 reps at 232 pounds. He could be a project, but he was productive as a four-year starter.
Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana
When he makes the read, Tripp comes flying out of his stance downhill to make plays at the line of scrimmage. And it's great when the workouts match the tape. His change-of-direction explosiveness is real, as the only players who were faster than him in the 20-yard shuttle are wide receivers, and one safety who beat him by a hundredth of a second. Tripp is explosive, and his 4.67 40 and 37.5-inch vertical at 234 pounds aren't too bad.
Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State
He's the total package as far as athletes go. He was timed at a hometown discount 4.36 at his pro day, but is easily a sub-4.5 runner, and he also had a crazy-good 42-inch vertical and 130-inch broad jump in Indy. Good thing for Shazier -- he looks fast in pads, too. If I'm drafting, Shazier's a first-round lock.
Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
He ran a fast 4.39 officially in Indy, and you can see the explosiveness on the field. Roby also quietly put up 17 reps at 192 pounds, showing pretty good strength numbers, which help his case.
Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
He ran faster than any CB in Indy, going 4.37, but did so at 6-foot, 202 pounds, and also knocked out 20 reps even though he has 33 1/8-inch arms. A likely middle-first-round pick.
Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State
He was the fastest safety in Indy with a 4.42 and is an explosive leaper. More important, Brooks plays fast -- sometimes too fast as he can miss tackles when he flies to the ball. But many teams need safeties, and I could see Brooks gone in Round 2.
