An edge rusher who was projected to be the top pick heading into this season, a workout warrior, and an off ball linebacker is who we’ll talk about today.
Day one of the on-field drills in Indianapolis is over, with some eye-popping results from prospects linked to the 49ers by mock drafts or speculation. Mason Graham from Michigan, Abdul Carter from Penn State, Mike Green from Marshall, and Walter Nolen from Ole Miss were among the prospects who didn’t participate in the drills.
Still, plenty of defensive lineman raised their stock with impressive performances and are sure to rise draft boards. Let’s look at which players impressed on Thursday.
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Height: 6050 Weight: 267 Arm: 34 ⅛” Hand: 9 ⅝”
My goodness. On a scale of 1-10, Stewart finished with a 10 RAS (Relative Athletic Score). Is that good? The EDGE from Texas A&M had all his freakish athletic gifts with a 4.59u 40 time, 2.66u 20-yard split, and 1.58u 10-yard split. It doesn’t stop there with a 40 vertical jump and 1011 broad jump. All five categories fall into the “Elite” category.
Stewart’s athletic gifts were never in question. The debate surrounding Stewart starts and ends with his college production. Only 4.5 sacks over his three seasons is a cause for concern. It’s uncommon but not unheard of for a player with little college production to turn into a star NFL player. Danielle Hunter had the same output.
Following a performance like that, Stewart will fly up draft boards. Can Stewart refine his pass-rushing bag in the NFL to go with his freakish ability? One last eye-popping stat from Stewart’s performance. Stewart jumped 40 inches in the vertical, making him one of four defensive linemen over 260 pounds to leap that high since 2003.
James Pearce, Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
Height: 6052 Weight: 245 Arm: 32 ¾” Hand: 10”
The EDGE from Tennessee started his day slowly with a 31-inch vertical jump. His initial jump would be the only blemish on his record as he followed it up with a ten-foot-three broad jump, 4.47 40 time with a 1.56 ten-yard split.
The explosive EDGE with a high motor will draw attention in the top ten of the NFL draft following his performance on Thursday. Carolina at number eight makes a lot of sense, considering the task of replacing Brian Burns. If, by some miracle, Pearce, Jr makes it to number 11, the 49ers will have an interesting decision on their hands.
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Height: 6027 Weight: 235 Arm: 32 ½” Hand: 10 ½”
The consensus LB1 in the NFL Draft dazzled and reaffirmed why the scouting world is so high on the Alabama linebacker. Campbell blazed a 4.52u 40 time with a 2.84u 20-yard split and a 1.6u ten-yard split. All three are considered “Elite.”
Campbell finished with a 9.85 RAS score out of ten. With a ten-foot-seven broad jump, Campbell flashed his explosive traits for the world. Weighing in at 235 pounds makes Campbell’s performance all the more impressive. Prospects shed weight to run faster, and Campbell’s weight is typical for a linebacker.
With the possibility of Dre Greenlaw departing in free agency, Campbell would slot right in next to Fred Warner and hit the ground running for the 49ers. Plan A is to bring back Greenlaw, but Campbell is as good of a Plan B as there is.