Recap of the Hurricanes at the NFL Combine

Nine Miami Hurricanes were invited to the 2018 NFL Combine but the days of multiple first round draft picks and eye-popping workouts are over. The program has been steeped in mediocrity for over a decade and nine and ten win seasons have only pulled the ‘Canes up a slight bit and into respectability but not a threat at the College Football Playoff National Championship or a huge run on NFL first round draft picks.

Here is how a few of the former Miami Hurricanes did at the NFL Combine broken into my own categories.

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Underwear Olympians

The first player that jumps off the combine chart for Miami was Dee Delaney. Delaney, the Citadel grad transfer, had a rocky one-year tenure for the Miami Hurricanes. Delaney measured in at 6’1 194 pounds which is far above NFL size and Delaney posted a 4.46 in the 40 yard dash. Delaney capped off his fast 40 with a 4.25 in the 20 shuttle, 6.95 in the 3-cone drill, a 120” broad jump. His 32.5” in the vertical jump isn’t impressive but it’ll do when you pick up a sub-4.5 in the 40.

Kendrick Norton measured in at 6’3 and 314 pounds as we knew he has NFL size. Norton posted a solid 40 yard dash at 5.25 for a big hoss of his size. Norton repped 225 pounds on the bench press 30 times. However, I would’ve liked to have seen what he could do in the vertical, broad and 20 shuttle but maybe he’ll flash some explosive hips at the pro day.

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When’s my Pro Day?

A few Miami Hurricanes are checking their iCalendars for their pro day date.

The first is Mark Walton who put up marginal numbers. Walton measured in at 5’10 and 202 pounds. His 40 time was a 4.6 flat which leaves a lot to be desired. Bigger backs like Saquon Barkley, Royce Freeman, and Derrius Guice posted far better times. Walton then put up only a 31.5” vertical jump and a 118” broad jump. Those just aren’t explosive enough numbers with the work that was put in from other backs in the draft.

Braxton Berrios will also be desperate for the pro day. Berrios pulled his pec after 11 reps and didn’t get to run. He measured in at 5’9 and 184 pounds. Berrios needed to put on a show at the combine in order to get out of the 3rd day of the draft but unless his pro day is perfect he will probably be a 5th-7th round pick. Berrios getting hurt is strange, and I assume he wants to be 100% but it was bad for him because he needs to work himself into a round 3-4 player.

Obviously Christopher Herndon IV will need a big pro day as he wasn’t ready physically to run after being injured late in the season. RJ McIntosh chose not to run, but did get measured in. Herndon makes sense. A player coming off of a recent injury should give their body as much time as possible to heal and prepare. But RJ McIntosh... I’m not sure what was going on there. If Chubb can run, and blow people out of the water into keeping a top 5 status, then a sub-first round prospect like RJ should have ran. It was perplexing and I’m against it.

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I’ll take it, but want more

Chad Thomas’ combine was good but not great. Thomas measured in at 6’6 281 pounds which is a big bodies defensive end in today’s game. He’ll be a strong side end playing to the tight end side in the NFL. His 4.92 40 yard dash isn’t bad for his size, but it’s not elite either. With other late 1st round defensive ends like Arden Key, Harold Landry and Josh Sweat putting up big numbers, Thomas will slide down the chart into maybe even the 3rd round. Then again, Calais Campbell ran a 5.11 at the combine back in 2008 and look at him now.

KC McDermott tested how you would expect. McDermott doesn’t have overwhelming measurables although he is 6’6 311. McDermott’s vertical jump was 23.5” and his broad jump was 97”. You would expect more power angle explosion from a potential offensive tackle.