The NFL Scouting Combine officially kicks off today as more than 300 players vying to be drafted begin on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Today running backs, offensive linemen and special teams specialists will work out for scouts, coaches, general managers and NFL executives.
Of the 300 invited to the combine, eight are from Clemson, the largest contingency from the ACC and one of the biggest in the country. However, no former Tiger will do on the field workouts until Saturday when wide receiver Charone Peake participates in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, the broad jump, the three-cone drill and the shuttle run. He will also participate in his position drills.
Peake is being interviewed today and will perform on the bench press, which is a test of strength. He will have to bench 225 pounds as many times as he can. What the scouts are looking for is endurance. It also tells them how committed the players were to visiting their weight room during their time in college.
Clemson’s other seven representatives—cornerback Mackensie Alexander, defensive end Kevin Dodd, linebacker B.J. Goodson, safety T.J. Green, safety Jayron Kearse, defensive end Shaq Lawson and defensive tackle D.J. Reader—will begin their on the field workouts on Sunday. Dodd, Goodson, Lawson and Reader will be on the field then, while Alexander, Green and Kearse are expected to participate on Monday, the last day of the combine.
Overall, Clemson’s seven defensive players at the combine ties Ohio State for the most in the country, marking the second straight year the defense has been No. 1 nationally in participants. There were six former defensive Tigers invited to the combine in 2015.
Clemson’s eight athletes, a school-record for invites at the scouting combine, are tied for fifth nationally with Auburn, Florida and Georgia.
Lawson (1st team), Alexander (2nd team), and Kearse (2nd team) were all named All-Americans in 2015. Lawson was a consensus selection as he led the nation in total tackles for loss with 25.5. Goodson was a first-team All-ACC selection and led the Tigers in tackles with 160. Dodd ranked second to Lawson nationally in tackles for loss with 23.5.
Peake ranked second on the Clemson team in receptions with 50 and Reader had 31 tackles in eight games, five as a starter.
Heading into the scouting combine, many 2016 mock drafts have Alexander, Lawson and Dodd going in the first round. Clemson has never had three first-round picks in the same year. In the last two weeks, Peake’s and Green’s stock rose among NFL circles, while Kearse’s has fallen somewhat.
Clemson had 38 former players on NFL rosters last year, the most in one season in Clemson history.
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
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