Four Former Buckeyes Set to Compete at Annual NFL Combine

By Tim Shoemaker on February 19, 2015 at 8:35 am
Jeff Heuerman trots onto the field at Penn State.
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The NFL Combine is a time where hundreds of coaches and scouts gather in Indianapolis to watch more than 300 of the top prospects in the country work out in what essentially is their underwear.

Players will run 40-yard dashes, bench press, test their vertical jump and go through an interview process, among other things. It's all done with the hopes of improving their stock for the upcoming NFL Draft.

The NFL Combine is overblown a bit, but there's still no doubt it's important. A bad combine has significantly hurt some prospects before and a good one has allowed some guys to go from somewhat unknown to a hot topic of conversation.

Whether you're a firm believer in it or not, it still matters. And for four former Ohio State players — Michael Bennett, Doran Grant, Jeff Heuerman and Devin Smith — it's a huge opportunity to shine in what will be the most important workout of their lives.

The workouts at the Combine begin Friday, but here's what to look for from each of the former Buckeyes.

Michael Bennett

A terror from his defensive line position, Bennett had a monster second half to the 2014 season and was a huge part in the resurgence of Ohio State's defense. He recorded 41 tackles (14 for loss) and had seven sacks playing mostly on the interior part of the line.

“I like Michael Bennett. I think his quickness and explosion is what sets him apart.”– Mike Mayock

Bennett's biggest strength is his quickness and technique as he uses it to his advantage to beat opposing offensive linemen off the ball. He's extremely quick and agile for being 6-foot-2, 288 pounds.

Bennett should test fairly well during the combine and most mock drafts have him going somewhere in the second round. But Bennett will crush the interview portion of the Combine. He was one of Ohio State's most thoughtful and well-spoken players. It's hard to walk away from an interview with Bennett and not be impressed.

"I like Michael Bennett. He needs to be in a system where he plays '3 technique' in a 4-3. (Ohio State coaches) move him a lot," NFL Draft analyst Mike Mayock said on a teleconference previewing the Combine. "I think his quickness and explosion is what sets him apart. He can get overwhelmed a little bit at the point of attack just because of size, but that's where the movement helps. I would expect he's going to go somewhere in the second round, and I think it's his movement skills and his quickness that separates him."

Bennett's on-field workout is scheduled for Sunday.

Doran Grant

Perhaps the Buckeye with the most to prove at the Combine is Grant.

An All-Big Ten corner, Grant was sensational all season for Ohio State. He had 63 tackles to go along with five interceptions and nine pass breakups.

“[Grant] is a really good football player, and from all I've heard he's a great kid and a hard work ethic kid. He's the kind of guy I would bet on.”– Mike Mayock

The knock on Grant is his size — he's listed at just 5-foot-11, 193 pounds. But for him, it's more about what you see on film. Grant didn't have too many bad games as a senior. He limited Alabama's Amari Cooper to just 71 yards in the Sugar Bowl and locked down Michigan State's Tony Lippett, holding him to just five catches for 64 yards.

He was also one of Ohio State's fastest players. Last year, Grant was clocked at a 4.32 40 during the Buckeyes' pre-season testing. If he runs well and performs well during positional drills, Grant could see his stock rise. Right now, he's projected to go somewhere in the middle rounds in most mock drafts.

"He's kind of sneaky because his measurables I don't think are going to jump off the board, but he's a really good football player, and from all I've heard he's a great kid and a hard work ethic kid," Mayock said. "He's the kind of guy I would bet on." 

Grant's on-field workout is scheduled for Monday.

Jeff Heuerman

After a breakout junior season, the on-the-field product for Heuerman was not quite there as a senior as the Naples, Fla. native never seemed fully healthy in 2014.

Still, Heuerman caught 17 passes for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Buckeyes and played a key role as a blocking tight end paving the way for Ezekiel Elliott's record-setting season.

Heuerman's mesurables are off the charts. He's a 6-foot-5, 255-pound athletic specimen who can be used in the NFL as one of those hybrid tight ends who can split out and play wide receiver for some snaps. FOX Sports' Bruce Feldman listed Heuerman at No. 9 on his Freaks list for bowl season, saying Heuerman had a 37-inch vertical jump and bench pressed 465 pounds.

How healthy Heuerman is will be a huge factor in how he performs at the Combine. If he's healthy, draft experts have said Heuerman should be the first tight end taken and could go as high as the second or third round.

Heuerman's on-field workout is scheduled for Friday.

Devin Smith

Of the four former Buckeyes competing at the Combine, it seems as if there is the most hype and intrigue surrounding Smith.

A serious vertical threat with elite speed, Smith was his typical big-play self for Ohio State in the 2014 season. He caught 33 passes for 931 yards. Twelve of those catches went for touchdowns and Smith averaged a ridiculous 28.2 yards per reception.

There's no doubt when Smith tests at the Combine he will run extremely well and could run one of the best 40-yard dashes at the entire thing. If he can prove he's more than a one-dimensional threat, he'll improve his stock that much more. Right now, some mock drafts have Smith going as early as the first round, while others have him going somewhere in the second.

"He's going to be one of the fastest guys at the combine, but in my notes I've got, all over my notes, it says can track the deep ball, and a lot of guys can't. And when it comes over the opposite shoulder, the ability to track it and move with it," Mayock said. "He's got kind of that center fielder skill to track the ball in the air, and that's rare, and when you combine it with his speed, that's a big weapon."

Smith's on-field workout is scheduled for Saturday.

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