MONDAY UPDATES: 2018 NFL Scouting Combine: Alabama Schedule and Mock Projected Draft Positions

The 2018 NFL Scouting Combine workouts commence on Friday, March 2 in Indianapolis, IN. More than 300 prospects will participate including 14 Alabama players. Interviews, testing, measurements and physicals began on Tuesday, February 27. Also underway are the @all-important@ bench press reps for Group 1. Today is the first day of on-field drills.

WORKOUT SCHEDULE:

Friday, March 2: RB, OL, PK, ST - Bo Scarbrough, JK Scott.
Saturday, March 3: QB, WR, TE - Calvin Ridley, Robert Foster.
Sunday, March 4: DL, LB - Da’Ron Payne, Da’Shawn Hand, Joshua Frazier, Rashaan Evans, Shaun Dion Hamilton.
Monday, March 5: DB - Anthony Averett, Levi Wallace, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Tony Brown. *** Former Bama coach Derrick Ansley working the DBs on Monday

EVENTS:

Each February, hundreds of the very best college football players are invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., where executives, coaches, scouts and doctors from all 32 NFL teams conduct an intense, four-day job interview in advance of the NFL Draft. Here is a brief breakdown of the measurable drills:

40-yard dash The 40-yard dash is the marquee event at the combine. It’s kind of like the 100-meters at the Olympics: It’s all about speed, explosion and watching skilled athletes run great times. These athletes are timed at 10, 20 and 40-yard intervals. What the scouts are looking for is an explosion from a static start.

Bench press The bench press is a test of strength -- 225 pounds, as many reps as the athlete can get. What the NFL scouts are also looking for is endurance. Anybody can do a max one time, but what the bench press tells the pro scouts is how often the athlete frequented his college weight room for the last 3-5 years.

Vertical jump The vertical jump is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach. It is important to accurately measure the reach, because the differential between the reach and the flag the athlete touches is his vertical jump measurement.

Broad jump The broad jump is like being in gym class back in junior high school. Basically, it is testing an athlete’s lower-body explosion and lower-body strength. The athlete starts out with a stance balanced and then he explodes out as far as he can. It tests explosion and balance, because he has to land without moving.

3 cone drill The 3 cone drill tests an athlete’s ability to change directions at a high speed. Three cones in an L-shape. He starts from the starting line, goes 5 yards to the first cone and back. Then, he turns, runs around the second cone, runs a weave around the third cone, which is the high point of the L, changes directions, comes back around that second cone and finishes.

Shuttle run The short shuttle is the first of the cone drills. It is known as the 5-10-5. What it tests is the athlete’s lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. The athlete starts in the three-point stance, explodes out 5 yards to his right, touches the line, goes back 10 yards to his left, left hand touches the line, pivot, and he turns 5 more yards and finishes.

Source: NFL.com

BAMA PLAYERS INVITED AND DRAFT PROJECTION:

• DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (HT: 6-0 1/8, WT: 204, Hand: 9 3/,8 Arm: 31 1/4, Wingspan: 75 1/8, 14 bench reps, 4.47 in 40, 10-1 in broad jump, 33 vertical) - 1st ROUND, #4, 5,or 6.
• WR Calvin Ridley (HT: 6’0-1/2”, WT: 189, Hand: 9-1/8, Arm: 31 5/8, Wingspan: 75 3/4, 15 bench reps, 4.44 in 40 - 6th fastest WR) - 1st ROUND, #8 to the Bears seems popular.
• DL Da’Ron Payne (HT: 6-2 1/2, WT: 311, Hand: 9 3/8, Arm: 33, Wingspan: 78 3/8, 27 reps, 4.91 in 40, 28 ¹⁄₂ vertical, broad 8-11) - 1st ROUND, middle of the round.
• LB Rashaan Evans (HT: 6-1 7/8, WT: 232, Hand: 10, Arm: 32 2/8, Wingspan: 77 1/4, DNP in bench or 40, 30 vertical) - 1st ROUND, end of the round.
• DB Ronnie Harrison (HT: 6-2, WT: 207, Hand: 9 1/2, Arm: 33 3/8, Wingspan: 80 3/8, DNP bench, DNP in 40 - One report said Ronnie claimed to be nursing a sore hamstring, and after warming up, he decided not to run the 40.) - 2nd ROUND, could sneak into the back end of round 1.
• DL Da’Shawn Hand (HT: 6-3 5/8, WT: 297, Hand: 9 3-4, Arm: 34 3/8, Wingspan: 80 5/8, 28 bench, broad 9-3, 4.83 in 40, 31.5 vertical) - 3rd ROUND, possibly 2nd.
• DB Anthony Averett (HT: 5-11 1/8, WT: 183, Hand: 8 1/2, Arm: 30 1/4, Wingspan: 71 5/8, 14 bench, 4.36 in 40) - 3rd ROUND
• LB Shaun Dion Hamilton (HT: 5-11 3/4, WT: 228, Hand: 10 1/4, Arm: 31, Wingspan: 76 1/2, 20 reps, DNP in most drills due to knee) - 5th ROUND
• DB Levi Wallace (HT: 6-0 1/4, WT: 179, Hand: 9 3/8, Arm: 32 3/4, Wingspan: 77 3/8, DNP in bench, 4.48 in 40) - 5th ROUND
• DB Tony Brown (HT: 5-11 7/8, WT: 199, Hand: 9 1/4, Arm: 31 1/2, Wingspan: 74 3/4, 14 bench, 4.35 in 40, Deion Sanders: “He looks good, man. He’s feeling it too.”) - 6th ROUND
• RB Bo Scarbrough (HT: 6-1 3/8, WT: 228, Hand: 10”, Arm: 33 1/2, Wingspan: 80 3/8; 14 bench, 40” vertical - 2nd best among RBs, Broad Jump 11’4” - second best for a RB since 1999, 4.52 in 40 - sixth best today) - 6th ROUND
• P JK Scott (HT: 6-6, WT: 204, Arms: 33 1/8, Hands: 9 1/8, 30” vertical, 4.84 in the 40, Broad Jump 9’6”!) - 6th ROUND
• WR Robert Foster (HT: 6-1 5/8, WT: 196, Hand: 9 1/4, Arm: 32 1/8, Wingspan: 77 1/4, DNP in bench, 4.41 in 40 -3rd fastest WR) - 7th ROUND or undrafted.
• DL Joshua Frazier (HT: 6-2 7/8, WT: 321, Hand: 10, Arm: 34 1/4, Wingspan: 79 5/8, 22 reps, DNP in 40 or vertical) - 7th ROUND or undrafted.

SNUBBED

Oddly enough, Alabama center Bradley Bozeman was not invited. The Tide team captain was not the only one snubbed by the NFL Combine. Also left behind was Texas DT Poona Ford who was selected as the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and served as team captain for the Longhorns. Missouri DE Marcell Frazier was also not invited. He recorded a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss, including seven sacks for the Tigers this season. Despite the snubs, these three should be drafted. Bozeman could go as high as the fourth round but more likely fifth or sixth. Alabama’s Pro Day to be held March 7 and broadcast by the SEC Network.

GRAIN OF SALT

• The all-time fastest 40 time of 4.22 seconds was set last year by former Washington Huskies WR and John Ross. The first round pick (#9 overall) had a grand total of 0 receptions for the Bengals in his rookie season. He also had one rush that resulted in a fumble.
• Former Arkansas OL Mitch Petrus had 45 reps at the 2010 Combine. That was enough to fool the New York Giants into selecting him in the fifth round. The retired player played in 27 games with 4 starts between 2010 and 2012.

TV

The NFL Network will have wall-to-wall coverage daily from 8am to 3pm CT, repeating at 3pm and 7pm. ESPN will have daily coverage 12:30pm-2pm.

* For a full exhausting rundown, click here.