A conference-record 18 players from the American Athletic Conference performed in front of National Football League coaches, general managers and scouts - not to mention a national television audience - at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine. And it's fair to say that The American's participants turned plenty of heads.
Ten of The American's 18 players turned in at least one time or mark that was rated as a Top Performer by NFL.com in the respective position groups.
UConn safety Obi Melifonwu participated in four measured workouts and posted Top Performer status in three, highlighted by his 44-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 141-inches (11 feet, nine inches). The broad jump number is the second-best in the history of the NFL Combine, trailing only former UConn teammate Byron Jones, who jumped 12 feet, three inches last year.
Coupled with an outstanding time of 4.40 in the 40-yard dash, Melifonwu made a compelling case for his NFL prospects.
The fastest 40 time of The American's contingent came from UCF defensive back Shaquill Griffin, who turned in a 4.38. That stood as a NFL Top Performer mark, along with Griffin's 38.5-inch vertical, 32.0-inch broad jump and 11.62-second effort in the 60-yard shuttle.
The 2017 NFL Draft will take place April 27-29 in Philadelphia. The American, which has had at least two players chosen in the first round in each of the last three drafts, has two players (East Carolina’s Zay Jones and Temple’s Haason Reddick) tabbed as first-rounders by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. entering the 2017 Scouting Combine.
American Athletic Conference Players at the 2017 NFL Combine
| Player |
Pos |
School |
40 |
Bench |
Vertical |
Broad |
3-Cone |
20 |
60 |
| Rodney Adams |
WR |
USF |
4.44 |
8 |
29.5 |
125.0 |
6.98 |
4.28 |
11.39 |
| Tyus Bowser |
LB |
Houston |
4.65 |
21 |
37.5 |
127.0 |
6.75 |
|
|
| Dion Dawkins |
OG |
Temple |
5.11 |
26 |
26.0 |
106.0 |
7.30 |
4.78 |
|
| Jake Elliott |
K |
Memphis |
4.79 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shaquill Griffin |
DB |
UCF |
4.38 |
17 |
38.5 |
132.0 |
6.87 |
4.14 |
11.62 |
| Nate Hairston |
CB |
Temple |
4.52 |
14 |
35.5 |
118.0 |
|
|
|
| Zay Jones |
WR |
East Carolina |
4.45 |
15 |
36.5 |
133.0 |
6.79 |
4.01 |
11.17 |
| Keevan Lucas |
WR |
Tulsa |
4.55 |
11 |
32.5 |
119.0 |
7.23 |
4.43 |
12.00 |
| Marlon Mack |
RB |
USF |
4.50 |
15 |
35.5 |
125.0 |
|
|
|
| Arthur Maulet |
DB |
Memphis |
4.62 |
18 |
34.5 |
120.0 |
|
|
|
| Obi Melifonwu |
S |
UConn |
4.40 |
17 |
44.0 |
141.0 |
|
|
|
| Haason Reddick |
LB |
Temple |
4.52 |
24 |
36.5 |
133.0 |
7.01 |
4.37 |
|
| Tanzel Smart |
DT |
Tulane |
5.24 |
22 |
27.0 |
105.0 |
7.53 |
4.57 |
|
| Jahad Thomas |
RB |
Temple |
4.62 |
11 |
32.0 |
116.0 |
|
|
|
| Noel Thomas |
WR |
UConn |
4.63 |
9 |
32.5 |
118.0 |
|
|
|
| Mike Tyson |
S |
Cincinnati |
4.56 |
17 |
33.0 |
118.0 |
|
|
|
| Greg Ward Jr. |
QB/WR |
Houston |
|
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Howard Wilson |
CB |
Houston |
4.58 |
|
33.5 |
119.0 |
6.68 |
3.94 |
|
40 40-Yard Dash (seconds)
Bench Bench Press (number of reps at 225 pounds)
Vertical Vertical Jump (inches)
Broad Broad Jump (inches)
3-Cone 3-Cone Drill (seconds)
20 20-Yard Shuttle
60 60-Yard Shuttle
bold indicates NFL.com Top Performer