As the Rutgers football program perennially improves, its presence at the NFL Combine increases from year-to-year.
Running back Ray Rice and offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah represented the Scarlet Knights last year, and RU sent three more to Indianapolis this weekend.
Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood greatly helped his chance at moving up in April’s NFL Draft with strong showings in nearly every drill.
Underwood may have sprinted up from a seventh to a fifth round pick, according to a number of Draft experts, by impressing with a 4.41 40-yard dash, sixth-best among all wide receivers — and that was not his best performance of the weekend.
The 6’1”, 184 lb. wideout ran the fastest three-cone drill at the Combine of any skill position player, finishing the event in 6.62 seconds.
In placing in the top three with a 41.5” vertical jump, 10’9” broad jump and a 4.11 second 20-yard shuttle run, Underwood further opened scouts’ eyes about his athletic ability.
“I think this is a good year for receivers,” New York Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum told Rivals.com’s Bobby Deren. “I think they all bring something a little different to the table.”
But wide receiver Kenny Britt, widely considered the best RU prospect on the market and a probable second round pick on nearly every mock draft, did not live up to his own expectations.
“I’m looking forward to all of the events. I especially want to show off my strength and my speed,” Britt told Deren before the Combine. “That’ll be the bench press and the 40-yard dash. That’s one thing that I really want to get to and show that I have some strength and also have some speed in me.”
According to The Star-Ledger, Jack Britt, Kenny Britt’s father, said his son can run a 4.39 40-yard dash, but Britt was officially clocked at 4.47 – still impressive for a 6’4” 218 lb. receiver.
Britt lifted 23 reps on the bench press, the second most at his position, but did not rank among the leaders in the three-cone drill or either of the shuttle runs. Britt recorded a 37” vertical jump, good for 10th best at his position.
Former safety Courtney Greene ran a 4.54 40-yard dash, a top-10 showing among the safeties that participated, and also lifted 21 repetitions in the bench press.
“There are a lot of scouts out here, GM’s and head coaches,” Greene told Deren. “You want to show you can perform in front of guys like that. I just want to put my best foot forward.”
All three, as well as quarterback Mike Teel, linebacker Kevin Malast and others will have their chance to show off their skills to scouts in early March at the Rutgers Pro Day.
Knight Note: Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano will step down as defensive coordinator this season in place of two assistants for the first time since he took over the spot in 2005.
In Schiano’s stead, linebackers coach Bob Fraser and defensive backs coach Ed Pinkham will share the responsibility.
“I feel very comfortable with our entire defensive staff, and as time went on I was delegating more and more and I just felt like this was the time to officially name Bob and Ed,” Schiano told Tom Luicci of The Star Ledger. “It’s going to allow me to be involved in all areas, defense included.”
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receivers coach Kirk Ciarrocca and offensive line coach Kyle Flood will become co-coordinators in replacing the departed John McNulty.
Former Scarlet Knights impress at NFL Combine
Published: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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