The NFL’s stars of tomorrow got their chance to shine even brighter in the 2014 draft combine this past weekend. Some capitalized, others were exposed, while one just flat out left. Here are some of the big takeaways from the recently concluded NFL Combine.
Top 5 Things to Take from 2014 NFL Draft Combine
1. Michael Sam had a tough weekend
Michael Sam handled himself very well through a busy weekend of media scrums, but had less success on the field. Already considered undersized, Sam underwhelmed with a 4.91 40 and a 25.5-inch vertical. Sam will likely still have the distinction of being the first openly gay player in the NFL, but that distinction may come as late as the fifth round after his Combine performance.
2. Johnny Football isn’t as quick as Kaep
Johnny Manziel’s success or failure in the NFL will be determined by his legs as much as his arm. Johnny Football posted a 4.68-second 40-yard dash, which is good, but apparently still not good enough to beat one of the NFL’s best running quarterbacks, Colin Kaepernick, as this nifty GIF shows.
3. Blake Bortles is not bashful
With his fellow quarterbacks shying away from the combine (cough cough Teddy Bridgewater), Blake Bortles took the opportunity to shine. After leading UCF to an historic season, Bortles showed in the workouts that he has the body (6-foot-5, 232 pounds, 32.5″ vertical, 9′ 7″ broad jump) and the skill (smooth release, accurate throws, great footwork) to be the No. 1 quarterback or even player in general selected in the draft.
4. Clowney questions are still unanswered, bro
Jadeveon Clowney is a once-in-a-generation athlete. At 266 pounds, his 4.53 40-yard dash topped most running backs’ times. So why isn’t he the absolute consensus No. 1 pick? Apart from the fact that he isn’t a quarterback, Clowney also failed to squash the narrative regarding his poor work ethic, which reared its ugly head at the combine when he didn’t participate in non-40 yard dash drills.
5. God works in mysterious ways
For a projected 4th-7th round draft pick who harbors dreams of playing in the NFL, walking out on the NFL Draft combine seems very counterintuitive. But running back Adam Muema was acting on specific instructions from God himself that in order to play for his beloved Seattle Seahawks, he must leave the combine. Let’s pray for Muema’s sake that He knows what He’s doing.
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