Dymonte Thomas (image via MLive)
Several Wolverines participated in the NFL Combine a couple weeks ago (LINK), and I broke down the winners and losers from the Combine (LINK). Michigan held its pro day on Friday, and there were numerous big NFL names at Al Glick Fieldhouse to check it out:
- Bears defensive backs coach Ed Donatell
- Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis
- Dolphins executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum
- Jets head coach Todd Bowles
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell and general manager Bob Quinn
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia
- Ravens head coach John Harbaugh
- Saints head coach Sean Payton
- Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin
- Texans defensive line coach Anthony Weaver
- Titans head coach Mike Mularkey and head coach Jon Robinson
In total, there were reportedly going to be representatives from all 32 teams at the pro day.
Here are some notable performances from Michigan’s players:
- DE Taco Charlton: 4.80 forty
- WR Jehu Chesson: 4.41 forty, 39.5″ vertical, 13 reps on bench, 11.32 sixty-yard shuttle
- WR Amara Darboh: 36.5″ vertical, 6.81 three-cone drill, 4.3 twenty-yard shuttle, 11.25 sixty-yard shuttle
- DT Ryan Glasgow: 24 reps on bench
- DT Matt Godin: 5.13 forty, 27″ vertical, 26 reps on bench, 9’0″ broad jump, 4.83 twenty-yard shuttle, 7.53 three-cone drill
- OG Kyle Kalis: 5.47 forty, 30 reps on bench, 24.5″ vertical, 8’3″ broad jump, 4.97 twenty-yard shuttle, 7.84 three-cone drill
- CB Jourdan Lewis: 4.44 forty, 6.88 three-cone drill, 4.37 twenty-yard shuttle, 11.0 sixty-yard shuttle
- OT Erik Magnuson: 5.4 forty, 21 reps on bench, 25″ vertical, 8’1″ broad jump, 8.07 three-cone drill, 4.85 twenty-yard shuttle
- RB De’Veon Smith: 4.83 forty, 7.0 three-cone drill, 4.29 twenty-yard shuttle
- CB Channing Stribling: 4.6 forty, 33.5″ vertical, 33.5″ vertical, 9’6″ broad jump, 7.14 three-cone drill, 4.22 twenty-yard shuttle, 11.66 sity-yard shuttle
- S Dymonte Thomas: 4.5 forty, 32.5″ vertical, 9’10” broad jump, 6.89 three-cone drill, 4.4 twenty-yard shuttle, 11.65 sixty-yard shuttle
- DT Chris Wormley: 4.83 forty, 31.5″ vertical, 9’2″ broad jump, 7.08 three-cone drill, 4.55 twenty-yard shuttle
A FEW THOUGHTS
- De’Veon Smith was reportedly upset after his forty time, and for good reason. A 4.83 is not impressive, and that’s with “home field advantage.” Whether because of favorable people timing the event or just being more comfortable in Ann Arbor, every other player who ran the forty at the pro day improved his time by at least 0.06 seconds. (Charlton improved by .12, Lewis by .10, Stribling by .08, etc.). Smith didn’t run at the NFL Combine because of a reported ankle injury, but if he had, it’s fair to think that he would have run in the 4.9s. Even with the home cooking, Smith would have been the second-slowest running back at the NFL Combine – ahead of only 5’10”, 231 lb. Virginia Tech fullback Sam Rogers.
- Dymonte Thomas and Matt Godin seem like a couple guys who might be big winners here. Thomas impressed scouts with his athleticism; his 4.50 forty would have been sixth of the safeties at the Combine, and even adding .06 would have put him smack dab in the middle of that pack. Godin, meanwhile, ran a respectable 5.13 for a defensive tackle, had a solid 27″ vertical, and did 26 bench press reps. He would tie for #10 of all defensive linemen at the Combine in the bench press, and while those numbers aren’t elite, they’re respectable for a guy listed at 6’6″, 294 lbs.
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Mags isnt very strong for a Tackle. Caveat, bench isn’t everything, but I’ve done it 15reps, and I am not a huge guy by any means
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Isn’t it “fair to think” that Smith is upset because he knows he typically runs faster than that? He reportedly thinks he can run a 4.5. While that probably involved a very favorable timer (based on how slow he looked on the field), it’s “fair to think” he has done far better than 4.9.
The issue with Smith, as always, is the ceaseless obsession with straightline speed misses the big picture.
I still can’t believe Thomas wasn’t invited to the combine, but “middle of the pack” isn’t enough for a guy whose play didn’t stand out to get drafted. Thomas probably needed elite athleticism to get there. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a camp invite and ends up making a roster. He seems to play fast.
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No, at this point, I don’t think it’s “fair to think” that Smith was upset for that reason. If his ankle was injured at the Combine, then how/why did he compete in the other events, such as the vertical jump, the 60-yard shuttle, and the broad jump? Why is running in a straight line for 40 yards too much for a bum ankle? My guess is that he a) wanted more time to train for the 40 and/or b) wanted a comfortable, home environment to get the best time he could. Sure, maybe he’s done faster than a 4.9. But a 4.5? That’s BS when someone like Jehu Chesson is running a 4.47 (at the Combine).
I don’t think Thomas will get drafted, but I think he will be an UDFA who fields a lot of phone calls as soon as the draft is finished.
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Why did he want more time to train to do his best for the 40 but not the shuttle? Why wouldn’t he want a more comfortable home environment for the other events?
I agree that Smith’s 4.5 is optimistic to delusional. I also think he routinely runs better than 4.9.
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There’s a very plausible explanation, if you’re into that sort of thing. What two criticisms have you heard most about Smith? One is his speed; the other is his vision. Vision can’t really be tested at the Combine, so that’s irrelevant. So what’s left in which to mitigate the negativity? Speed.
You didn’t do anything to refute my argument. You just asked another question. But there’s another very obvious portion of the answer, and that is: You can’t be a mediocre college running back and totally skip out on the Combine while still making a good impression on your potential future employers. He had to do SOMETHING at the Combine, but again, running in a straight line is just about the easiest possible thing to do on a bum ankle.
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so smith and wormley ran the same 40 time? impressive by big worm
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