Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Trae Waynes catches a pass in a work out drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Monday was defensive back day at the 2015 NFL Combine, which is pretty lame if you think about it. While the offensive players and the huge d-linemen get to showcase their talents over the weekend, DB’s do their thing on a Monday morning, when much of the world is (reluctantly) at work.
It’s a shame, really, because this year’s draft class tore it up on Monday. Records were broken, Rich Eisen raised some money running his own 40 yard dash, and some guy we’ve barely heard of came in and forced scouts to do some extra homework over the next few weeks.
For teams like the Ravens, who are in pretty dire need of a talent infusion in the defensive secondary, this is all great news. With safety a very shallow position in the upcoming draft, teams will be looking hard at cornerbacks. And with more and more freakish wide receivers coming out of the college ranks, the demand is higher than ever before.
Trae Waynes came into the combine as the draft’s number one corner based on game tape alone, and he solidified that position by running a 4.31 40, surprising everyone in the process. There’s little doubt he’s going to come off the board long before the Ravens are on the clock.
Waynes added to the hype by banging out 19 reps on the bench, recording a 38 inch vertical, and knocking out the 3 cone drill in 7.06 seconds, showing excellent movement and fluidity.
Meanwhile, a guy named Byron Jones out of UConn made a name for himself on Monday in a big way. Jones shattered the combine record in the broad jump by an astounding 8 inches, setting a mark of 12′ 3″. Jones also led all DB’s in the vertical by recording a 44.5″ mark. He didn’t run due to an injury, but you can bet teams are already going back and watching film on this guy.
The rest of the DB’s, for the most part, put in solid performances in what was probably the best position group overall. Here’s how everybody else stacked up on Monday.
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