By Chris Marler
Every year the NFL Combine is loaded with SEC players. This year was no different. The league may not have won–or even played for–a national title in each of the past few seasons, but it will almost certainly still be the most represented when it comes to the NFL Draft.
There were 105 SEC Players in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, making up nearly a third of the field of 329 players and we’ve got the three biggest standouts.
Nick Emmanwori won the Combine
There was perhaps no one who had a better week in Indy than the South Carolina safety. A former three-star prospect stole the show this weekend. Emmanwori didn’t just have a good combine, he had arguably the best combine in history at his position. He measured at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, recorded a 43-inch vertical jump, and an 11-foot-6 broad jump.
He’s also one of the few prospects whose tape matches his measurables and one of the very few prospects where both match his intangibles. If any single player won the NFL Combine this year it was Emmanwori.
Will Campbell is about ball and business, in that order
Campbell continues to be one of the most likable players in this year’s draft class. Campbell ran a sub 5-second forty yard dash and had a 32-inch vertical jump. At over 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, that athleticism makes you a first round lock. However, when you factor in the fact that he put up better numbers than some tight ends in the forty and out jumped some defensive backs, it’s even more astounding.
While it might be not what’s most impressive with Will Campbell, what is definitely most refreshing about him is his unflinching honesty. Campbell may not know where he’ll go in the draft or what city he will be playing pro ball in. What he does know is who he is and he could not be more comfortable in his own skin. He’s honest, confident, and personable in his interviews and continues to back up his confidence off the field with performances on it.
Georgia shows out again
On day one of on-field workouts, Daniel Jeremiah had one of the best quotes of the week. “When you commit to Georgia, you get an invite to the combine the next day.”
That will almost certainly be something Kirby Smart should, and will, plaster on every piece of mail he sends to future recruits. Georgia didn’t have any one specific player go off. Instead, they had a contingent of former starters and rotational guys who not only had great performances but performances that ranked near the top of players at their position historically.
Center Jared Wilson ran the fastest forty time of any player at his position. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins had the second fastest forty of anyone at position since 2003. Tate Ratledge registered a Relative Athletic score that ranked fifth all-time at his position (out of 1583 players) since 1987.
Check out more of our SEC coverage here.
