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The time has come to watch college-aged men run around in tights. Here are some updates as we're in the middle of the NFL Combine.
Nick Martin was measured at 6'4" and 299 pounds which is just fine for a center. He also put up 28 reps on the bench press and ran a 5.20 in the 40-yard dash. He's helping his stock and will appeal to teams off the field. For now, he seems locked in as the No. 2 center in the Draft and could conceivably go as high as the 2nd round. Some chatter that Martin could be a starting center as a rookie.
Since you were dying to know Ronnie Stanley ran a 5.22 in the 40 while coming in at 6'6" and 312 pounds. As a quiet person he's been trying to display to NFL teams that he's passionate about the game. Stanley just needs his stock to hold steady and it looks like that's happened following his workout on Friday.
We knew C.J. Prosise had an excellent combination of size and speed. He proved it in Indianapolis checking in at 6'0" and a healthy 220 pounds while blazing an official 4.48 in the 40-yard dash.
C.J. Prosise runs an unofficial 4.46 in his first 40-yard run at the NFL Combine. pic.twitter.com/3FHHYrrxLz
— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) February 26, 2016
Prosise mentioned in interviews that he was worried about carries in 2016 and wasn't keen on moving back to receiver. Understandable, I suppose. One of the big things for me was watching Prosise and his hands during drills. For some reason, he went from "sketchy receiver" in 2014 to nearly universal blanket praise as a running back with "good hands."
Not really the natural hands you want to see from a converted WR. C.J. Prosise was hit and miss in drill work today. pic.twitter.com/XvzdGlXAqb
— Ethan Young (@NFLDrafter) February 26, 2016
I think Prosise's hands are a major, major concern especially given the nature of the NFL today and that he's so raw overall as a running back. Among his 62 career receptions I think he had a dozen or more drops. His draft stock is so all over the place in mind but like they say all it takes is one team to fall in love.
Not great news for Jaylon Smith who is still recovering from his knee injury but has been at the Combine conducting interviews and taking physicals. He measured in at 6'2" and 223 pounds (17 pounds lighter than his list weight by Notre Dame) but there still remains questions about the nerve damage suffered in the Fiesta Bowl.
Difficult day for #NotreDame LB Jaylon Smith, who had his medicals. Ankle & knee nerve issues, teams believe he's out for 2016 -- at least
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2016
There's nothing to do but wait. Still makes you sick to your stomach thinking about how Smith has been robbed of a tremendous opportunity at the Combine, in the Draft, and elsewhere. Jaylon wasn't exactly clear about the nerve damage situation when speaking to the press but there are reports that teams did find such damage when conducting their own physicals. Really not good news.
Several more Irish players will get their chance to workout at the Combine which runs through Monday evening. Chris Brown, Will Fuller, Sheldon Day, Romeo Okwara, Keivarae Russell, and Elijah Shumate are getting prepared as we speak!