2015 NFL Combine: Defensive Backs Steal the Show

Brett Foote

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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Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Connecticut Huskies defensive back Byron Jones catches a pass in a workout drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

40-Yard Dash (in seconds):

Trae Waynes, Michigan State: 4.31

Justin Cox, Mississippi State: 4.36

Ronald Darby, Florida State: 4.38

Doran Grant, Ohio State: 4.44

Josh Shaw, USC: 4.44

Craig Mager, Texas State: 4.44

Charles Gaines, Louisville: 4.44

D’Joun Smith, Florida Atlantic: 4.45

Eric Rowe, Utah: 4.45

Senquez Golson, Mississippi: 4.46

Damarious Randall, Arizona State: 4.46

Jalen Collins, LSU: 4.48

Steven Nelson, Oregon: 4.49

Lorenzo Doss, Tulane: 4.50

Damian Swann, Georgia: 4.50

Bobby McCain, Memphis: 4.51

Alex Carter, Stanford: 4.51

Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest: 4.52

Marcus Peters, Washington: 4.53

Jaquiski Tartt, Samford: 4.53

Justin Coleman, Tennessee: 4.53

Landon Collins, Alabama: 4.53

Clayton Geathers, UCF: 4.55

Troy Hill, Oregon: 4.55

James Sample, Louisville: 4.56

Adrian Amos, Penn State: 4.56

Anthony Harris, Virginia: 4.56

Quandre Diggs, Texas: 4.56

P.J. Williams, Florida State: 4.57

Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio): 4.57

Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech: 4.57

Julian Wilson, Oklahoma: 4.58

Dean Marlowe, James Madison: 4.58

Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn: 4.59

Cody Prewitt, Mississippi: 4.60

Tye Smith, Towson: 4.60

Garry Peters, Clemson: 4.61

Donald Celiscar, Western Michigan: 4.62

Kevin White, TCU: 4.62

Tevin McDonald, Eastern Washington: 4.63

Durell Eskridge, Syracuse: 4.63

Jacoby Glenn, UCF: 4.64

Jordan Richards, Stanford: 4.65

Kurtis Drummond, Michigan State: 4.65

Ladarius Gunter, Miami (Fla.) 4.69

Anthony Jefferson, UCLA: 4.72

Chris Hackett, TCU: 4.81

Next: Continue Reading

Bench Press (# of repititions at 225 pounds):

Josh Shaw, USC: 26

Ibraheim Campbell, Northwestern: 23

Clayton Geathers, UCF: 22

Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech: 21

Doran Grant, Ohio State: 21

Justin Coleman, Tennessee: 20

Steven Nelson, Oregon State: 19

Tevin McDonald, Eastern Washington: 19

Eric Rowe, Utah: 19

Trae Waynes, Michigan State: 19

Kevin White, TCU: 18

D’Joun Smith, Florida Atlantic: 18

Marcus Peters, Washington: 17

Bobby McCain, Memphis: 17

Quandre Diggs, Texas: 17

Alex Carter, Stanford: 17

Craig Mager, Texas State: 17

Gerod Holliman, Louisville: 17

Dean Marlowe, James Madison: 16

Tye Smith, Towson, 15

Detrick Bonner, Virginia Tech: 15

Justin Cox, Mississippi State: 15

Senquez Golson, Mississippi: 15

Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn: 15

Anthony Jefferson, UCLA: 15

Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio): 14

Damarious Randall, Arizona State: 14

JaCorey Shepherd, Kansas: 14

Jordan Richards, Stanford: 13

Ladarius Gunter, Miami (Fla.): 12

Ronald Darby, Florida State: 12

P.J. Williams, Florida State: 12

Cody Prewitt, Mississippi: 11

Lorenzo Doss, Tulane: 9

Garry Peters, Clemson: 7

Next: Continue Reading

Vertical jump (measured in inches):

Byron Jones, Connecticut: 44.5

Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest: 41.5

Ronald Darby, Florida State: 41.5

Alex Carter, Stanford: 40

P.J. Williams, Florida State: 40

Kurtis Drummond, Michigan State: 39.5

Eric Rowe, Utah: 39

Trae Waynes, Michigan State: 38

Justin Cox, Mississippi State: 38

Craig Mager, Texas State: 38

Damarious Randall, Arizona State: 38

Josh Shaw, USC: 37.5

Marcus Peters, Washington: 37.5

Justin Coleman, Tennessee: 37.5

Clayton Geathers, UCF: 37

Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn: 37

Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio): 36.5

Tye Smith, Towson: 36.5

Julian Wilson, Oklahoma: 36

Bobby McCain, Memphis: 36

D’Joun Smith, Florida Atlantic: 36

Jalen Collins, LSU: 36

Adrian Amos, Penn State: 35.5

Quandre Diggs, Texas: 35.5

Kevin White, TCU: 35.5

Landon Collins, Alabama: 35

Cody Prewitt, Mississippi: 35

Charles Gaines, Louisville: 34.5

Steven Nelson, Oregon State: 34.5

Jacoby Glenn, UCF: 34.0

Lorenzo Doss, Tulane: 33.5

Ladarius Gunter, Miami (Fla.): 33.5

Dean Marlowe, James Madison: 33.5

Senquez Golson, Mississippi: 33.5

Anthony Jefferson, UCLA: 33.5

Tevin McDonald, Eastern Washington: 33

Doran Grant, Ohio State: 33

Damian Swann, Georgia: 33

Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech: 33

Troy Hill, Oregon: 32.5

James Sample, Louisville: 32.5

Garry Peters, Clemson: 32.5

Chris Hackett, TCU: 32

Jordan Richards: 32

Durell Eskridge, Syracuse: 31

Next: Continue Reading

3-cone drill (in seconds):

Justin Coleman, Tennessee: 6.61

Eric Rowe, Utah: 6.70

Jordan Richards, Stanford: 6.74

Jalen Collins, LSU: 6.77

Byron Jones, Connecticut: 6.78

Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest: 6.79

Garry Peters, Clemson: 6.80

Bobby McCain, Memphis: 6.80

Troy Hill, Oregon: 6.81

Senquez Golson, Mississippi: 6.81

Craig Mager, Texas State: 6.83

Damarious Randall, Arizona State: 6.83

Steven Nelson, Oregon State: 6.88

Ronald Darby, Florida State: 6.94

Julian Wilson, Oklahoma: 6.94

Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn: 6.95

Kyshoen Jarrett, Virginia Tech: 6.95

Tye Smith, Towson: 6.97

Jacoby Glenn, UCF: 6.97

Dean Marlowe, James Madison: 7.00

Josh Shaw, USC: 7.01

Tevin McDonald, Eastern Washington: 7.01

James Sample, Louisville: 7.04

Alex Carter, Stanford: 7.05

Justin Cox, Mississippi State: 7.05

Trae Waynes, Michigan State: 7.06

Charles Gaines, Louisville: 7.07

Marcus Peters, Washington: 7.08

P.J. Williams, Florida State: 7.08

Adrian Amos, Penn State: 7.09

Kurtis Drummond, Michigan State: 7.09

Durell Eskridge, Syracuse: 7.09

Quinten Rollins, Miami (Ohio): 7.10

Cody Prewitt, Mississippi: 7.12

Chris Hackett, TCU: 7.12

Ladarius Gunter, Miami (Fla.): 7.18

Anthony Jefferson, UCLA: 7.18

Lorenzo Doss, Tulane: 7.20

Clayton Geathers, UCF: 7.21

Quandre Diggs, Texas: 7.22

Landon Collins, Alabama: 7.38

Next: Here are the corners the Ravens met with at the Combine

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Brett Foote