SB Nation Chicago - 2012 NFL Draft: Defensive Backs Run On Tuesday

2012 NFL Combine: Tuesday Schedule And Preview

2012-02-28T14:25:41Z

The 2012 NFL Combine is coming to its close, but on Tuesday there are still very important drills and workouts for defensive secondary prospects hoping to improve their stock for the 2012 NFL draft. Can Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Harrison Smith do enough to move past Alabama Crimson Tide safety Mark Barron on draft boards? Smith has the physical tools and the prototypical build for a safety in the NFL, and if he can test well at the combine he might be able to boost his stock enough to jump into the bottom half of the first round.

Tuesday's schedule in Indianapolis looks like this:

Tuesday

Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB)

-Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), departure from Indianapolis

Here's a list of some top prospects from the defensive secondary that will be looking to prove themselves on Tuesday:

Morris Claiborne | Cornerback | LSU
Dre Kirkpatrick | Cornerback | Alabama
Janoris Jenkins | Cornerback | North Alabama
Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | South Carolina
Mark Barron | Safety | Alabama
Jamell Fleming | Cornerback | Oklahoma
Chase Minnifield | Cornerback | Virginia
Markelle Martin | Safety | Oklahoma State
Alfonzo Dennard | Cornerback | Nebraska
Harrison Smith | Safety | Notre Dame

You can find the full list of players invited to the 2012 NFL Combine via the NFL Combine's official website.

For news and information regarding the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, please stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's dedicated section and Mocking the Draft.

2012 NFL Combine: Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus Runs 40-Yard Dash In 4.68 Seconds

2012-02-28T01:51:41Z

Whitney Mercilus took part in drills along with the rest of the defensive linemen and linebackers at the 2012 NFL Combine on Monday. Mercilus has been projected as a first round selection in some mock drafts, but he still has a lot to prove to scouts after only one productive year in college.

He didn't hurt himself in the 40-yard dash, where he clocked the fourth-fastest time among defensive linemen. West Virginia's Bruce Irvin topped all defensive linemen with a 4.50 40.

Here is how Mercilus fared in some of the other drills:

Bench Press: 27 reps

Vertical Jump: 32 inches

Broad Jump: 118 Inches

3-Cone Drill: 7.17 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.53 seconds

For news and information regarding the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, please stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, check out SB Nation's dedicated section and Mocking the Draft.

2012 NFL Mock Draft: Bears Still On Kendall Wright?

2012-02-27T16:18:36Z

If the Chicago Bears were indeed targeting Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Michael Floyd with the No. 19 pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, they got some bad news over the weekend when Floyd ran a blazing 40-yard dash, which will likely bump him into the tier above where Chicago is picking. But if the Bears are still intent on getting a wide receiver, they'll have solid options to pick from, including Baylor Bears WR Kendall Wright, who is projected by SB Nation's David Fucillo in his post-Combine 2012 mock draft to go to Chicago.

Wright had a disappointing combine, running his 40-yard dash in the 4.6 range, and the Bears may end up opting for someone like Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets WR Stephen Hill, who impressed scouts over the weekend with the fastest 40 time amongst receivers. But Wright has extensive college success to fall back on, and will have a chance to impress scouts once again at Baylor's Pro Day. Here's Fucillo's reasoning on the projection:

19. Chicago Bears, Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

The Bears will spend the foreseeable future battling offensive heavyweights like the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Earl Bennett and Devin Hester are not the big playmakers the Bears need to get their passing game going with consistency. Although Wright had a bit of a disappointing 40-yard dash, most people believe he plays faster. The film and his pro day should be enough to keep Wright going fairly high.

NFL Draft 2012, Whitney Mercilus: San Diego Considering Illinois Defensive End

2012-02-27T15:00:44Z

It's a big week for Whitney Mercilus, who is at the 2012 NFL Combine doing his best to prove that his performance in 2011 was no fluke and that he is worthy of a first round draft pick.

Mercilus has been bothered by the "one-year wonder" label, which isn't all that surprising given that he had a total of two sacks combined in 2009 and 2010 and finished 2011 with 16. But that's probably not going to prevent him from going relatively early in the 2012 NFL draft; the San Diego Chargers are one of the franchises taking a look at him:

Don’t be shocked if the Chargers are the team to give Mercilus that chance. He would fill one of their greatest needs. And indeed, Mercilus said the Chargers are among the the teams showing the most interest in him.

Mercilus led the NCAA in both sacks and fumbles forced last season.

2012 NFL Combine Results: Notre Dame's Michael Floyd Blazes In 40-Yard Dash

2012-02-26T14:57:17Z

Michael Floyd of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish has unquestioned size and production in college, but it's widely thought that his speed will determine if he's drafted somewhere in the middle of the first round (say, by the Chicago Bears) or if he creeps up closer to the top 10. Well, if his performance at the 2012 NFL Combine holds any weight, Floyd may be inching up some draft boards, as he ran in the low 4.4 range in the 40-yard dash Sunday morning in Indy.

Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill just ran a 4.30 at 6-4, 215 pounds Very impressive. Notre Dame's Michael Floyd ran a 4.42, helps him
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) February 26, 2012

The 40 time will likely put Floyd in good position to be the second receiver taken off the board after Justin Blackmon of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and might put him out of the reach of the Chicago Bears.

2012 NFL Combine Schedule And Preview: Sunday Workouts, Tests And Measurements

2012-02-26T13:01:18Z

The 2012 NFL Combine continues chugging along as the we bid farewell to the offensive lineman and the focus turns onto Group 4, 5 and 6 skills players workouts.

Here is a look at Combine schedule for Sunday's activities:

Workouts: Timing, stations and skill drills.

Group 4 (quarterbacks and wide receivers)
Group 5 (quarterbacks and wide receivers)
Group 6 (running backs)

Psychological Tests, Interviews, NFLPA Meeting

Group 7 (defensive lineman)
Group 8 (defensive lineman)
Group 9 (line backers)

Measurements, Medical Examinations, Media, Psychological Testing

Group 10 (defensive backs)
Group 11 (defensive backs)

One of the most notable events will be the quarterback workouts. Among the quarterbacks working out, star Baylor Bears QB Robert Griffin III will have yet another chance to improve his stock for the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. Griffin will be joined by Michigan St. Spartans QB Kirk Cousins and Northern Illinois Huskies QB Chandler Harnish.

Sunday's portion of the 2012 NFL Combine will also feature the first interviews for Illinois Fighting Illini DE Whitney Mercilus. The sack artist from the 2011 college football season weighed in at 261 lbs. and measured at 6"4' in Saturday's measurements. He will work out on Monday, attempting to prove to NFL teams that his 2011 sacks number were no fluke.

2012 Combine Update: Bills Showing Interest In Whitney Mercilus

2012-02-25T20:24:31Z

After a tremendous junior season, in which he recorded 16 sacks and forced nine fumbles, former Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus is a guy that will be a great fit for any team looking for a 4-3 defensive end. According to Joe Buscaglia of WGR-550, Mercilus noted a handful of teams that he has been hearing from, with one team apparently showing heavy interest:

The Buffalo Bills are clearly in the market for another 4-3 defensive end to complete their defensive line. At least one player in the second round range has said the Bills are interested.

Speaking at the 2012 NFL Combine, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus was rattling off teams that have shown interest in him when he dropped the latest nugget of information important to Bills fans:

"Some of the teams I've talked with... Bears, Chargers showed interest also. Also the Bills, they showed interest... a lot of interest. Those are just to name a few."

Mercilus really burst on to the scene last season after limited production during his first couple of seasons at Illinois. The former Illinois DE has high potential and needs to prove that this past season wasn't an aberration.

2012 NFL Combine: Notre Dame Safety Harrison Smith Among Day 4 Arrivals

2012-02-25T17:22:13Z

Day 4 of the 2102 NFL Combine is when the top defensive backs and safeties are scheduled to travel to Indianapolis, register, take hospital pre-examine x-ray, attend orientation and give interviews. Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith is currently ranked as the No. 66 overall 2012 NFL Draft prospect and the third-best safety in the class, according to SB Nation's Mocking The Draft blog, but he now gets the opportunity to make his mark in front of scouts and talent evaluators from every team in the NFL.

The two safety prospects ranked ahead of him are Mark Barron of the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 39 overall) and Markelle Martin of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (No. 55 overall). Can Smith distinguish himself and become the number one safety on draft boards? Saturday kicks off his best opportunity to make that upward move.

Here a look at some of the best players who arrived in Indy on Saturday:

Morris Claiborne | Cornerback | LSU
Dre Kirkpatrick | Cornerback | Alabama
Janoris Jenkins | Cornerback | North Alabama
Stephon Gilmore | Cornerback | South Carolina
Mark Barron | Safety | Alabama
Jamell Fleming | Cornerback | Oklahoma
Chase Minnifield | Cornerback | Virginia
Markelle Martin | Safety | Oklahoma State
Alfonzo Dennard | Cornerback | Nebraska
Harrison Smith | Safety | Notre Dame

Related: Complete NFL Combine Schedule

You can find the full list of players invited to the 2012 NFL Combine via the NFL Combine's official website.