NFL Combine Day 6: Risers and fallers
Texas Christian defensive back Jason Verrett warms up at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. Credit: AP / Michael Conroy
The 2014 NFL Combine wrapped up Tuesday as defensive backs took the field for workouts. Let's see who wowed during workouts and who left more questions to be answered.
RISER: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
Verrett posted a 4.38 40-yard dash, which was second-best among all defensive backs and just .01 second behind Justin Gilbert's top time of 4.37. Verrett also ran a 6.69 three-cone drill (fourth-best among all DBs) and had a 39-inch vertical leap (tied for third-best among all DBs). Verrett is undersized at 5-9 and 189 pounds, but he plays feisty on tape and looked smooth during positional drills. Combine that with his numbers from Tuesday, and it's a strong bet that he'll go in the first round come May.
RISER: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
Dennard erased any doubts about his speed, clocking a 4.51 40 on Tuesday. While it's not as fast as fellow top CB prospects Gilbert or Verrett, it's a good time for Dennard, who plays a more physical, press-coverage style than either of those two.
FALLERS: Marcus Roberson and Louchiez Purifoy, CBs, Florida
Roberson and Purifoy ran identical 4.61 40s, tied for sixth-slowest among cornerbacks. They also posted two of the lowest bench-press scores on Monday. Purifoy put up six reps -- worst among all DBs -- and Roberson put up eight, which was tied for the second-worst. Roberson is considered the better prospect of the two because he's relatively more consistent, but neither one really helped their cause at the Combine and will need to rebound at the Gators' Pro Day.
RISER: Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida
Not every Florida CB struggled in Indianapolis. Watkins -- the half-brother of Clemson wide receiver and peojected top-10 pick Sammy Watkins -- clocked a 4.41 in the 40 on Sunday, fifth-best among cornerbacks. (Also, it's faster than Sammy Watkins' 4.43, so Jaylen at least has some bragging rights.) Watkins also put up 22 reps on the bench press on Monday, tied for the most among cornerbacks. That athleticism will help him earn some mid-round consideration.
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