There have been some great performances at the NFL Combine over the last few days, but few players have exploded onto the scene the way Clemson outside linebacker Vic Beasley did Sunday Morning at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Beasley, at 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds came into the day as the No. 2 ranked outside linebacker behind Florida’s Dante Fowler Jr. The impressive showing started with the bench press, when Beasley did 35 reps of 225 pounds, tied for the third highest total of the entire combine and with the defensive backs scheduled to go Monday on the final day of workouts, that’s not likely to change.
Then came the 40-yard dash and Beasley burned a hole in the turf, putting down a 4.53. For a guy that will be a 3-4 OLB in the pros and a primary pass-rusher, that time is incredible. To put it in perspective, Oregon QB Marcus Mariota’s 40 time was just 0.01 faster than Beasley’s. It was faster than all but six of the running backs participating in the combine and one of those, USC’s Javorius Allen, was a 4.53 too. Robert Griffin III is the only quarterback playing int he NFL today that Beasley might be unable to chase down. Might.
With the Washington Redskins picking at No. 5 and the New York Jets at No. 6 and both running 3-4 defenses, Beasley is not in the conversation to be a top six pick, especially if the top two quarterbacks are off the board.
Beasley put up the third highest high jump with 41 inches and the third longest broad jump at 10-feet, 10 inches. His three-cone drill time of 6.91 seconds was a good 0.16 seconds faster than the next best guy, Virginia’s Eli Harold. His 4.15 in the 20-yard shuttle was the second best of the day.
To put it simply, Beasley was already looking at a top 15 pick before the combine and did nothing but climb up the draft board today, adding a a few more crooked digits to the contract he’ll sign this spring.
None of this is to say the other big names on the defensive line and at linebacker didn’t stand out Sunday too. Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards laid down a 4.84 40-yard dash and put up 32 reps in the bench press.
Fowler had a blistering 40 of his own with a 4.60. Bud Dupree out of Kentucky had a shocking 4.56 of his own and had the second-best high jump at 42.5 inches and best broad jump at 11-feet, 6 inches. USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams, the consensus best player in the draft, put down a 4.97.
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Bad news Sunday for Shane Ray
Shane Ray led the Southeastern Conference with 13.5 sacks for the University of Missouri this season and for at least until his Pro Day, that will have to be enough. Ram was held out of drills by combine doctors because of a foot injury he suffered in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1.
Ray will have to make up for it at his Pro Day, which would be a hot ticket anyway. At 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, Ray will likely be, at worst, the third outside linebacker taken in the draft and has the skills to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3.
“Personally, I feel like I bring everything that you need as a defender to the table,” Ray said Sunday. “I’ve shown that I can make plays in the open field, that I can drop into coverage. Throughout my career my coaches have moved me all over the field. I’ve just displayed my speed consistently and what I can do as a 4-3 defensive end and an outside linebacker.”
Shaq Thompson has a scare
Washington outside linebacker Shaq Thompson projected as a first rounder and with his game tape and performance for the Huskies last season that might not change, but for a moment at least his lofty position seemed to be in jeopardy.
There may not be a better all-around athlete in the draft than Thompson, who played offense, defense and special teams in 2014 for Washington. In addition to his 81 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and an interception on defense, Thompson carried the ball 61 times, averaging 7.5 yards-per-carry at running back, rushing for 456 yards and two touchdowns. Thompson even added a couple of special teams returns.
So you would expect Thompson to do well in the 40-yard dash, but his first time of 4.78 was pedestrian at best. Thompson, who could end up as a safety or even a running back in the pros repaired the damage posting a 4.64 to put him in the top 25 percent of linebacker times.
