Three combine standouts who'll be 1st-round picks

Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell, USC safety Taylor Mays and South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul were among the most talked-about prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine, an event that is all about physical talent.

Campbell wowed onlookers with his impressive fat-free 6-foot-6, 314-pound physique. He ran the fastest time of any offensive lineman. He also hoisted 225 pounds on the bench press 34 times, which is no easy feat with his 36-inch arms.

Mays, at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, ran the fastest 40-yard time among all defensive backs at 4.43. His official time was a bit of a letdown, though, as the NFL Network reported his “unofficial” time as a blazing 4.24 seconds.

And Pierre-Paul, at 6-5, 270 pounds, demonstrated the athleticism that enabled him to supply a YouTube moment with 14 consecutive backflips before a bowl game a couple of months ago.

Scouts warn that Pierre-Paul had the best game film of the three, but he played major-college football for just one season. Campbell and Mays, despite their physical potential, did not warrant first-round picks based solely on their college production, several sources say.

Still, all three are expected to be first-round picks, as teams won’t be able to resist the temptation and potential of their enormous physical attributes.

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Wide receiver is one position where a good 40 time means at least something. Notre Dame’s Golden Tate definitely helped himself when he posted the fourth-best time at his position.

Here are the official combine times of the fastest wideouts, as posted on NFL.com.

Jacoby Ford (Clemson) 4.28

Taylor Price (Ohio) 4.41

Emmanuel Sanders (SMU) 4.41

Golden Tate (Notre Dame) 4.42

Brandon Banks (Kansas State) 4.43

Kyle Williams (Arizona State) 4.43

Marcus Easley (UConn) 4.46

Andre Roberts (The Citadel) 4.46

Scott Long (Louisville) 4.46

Carlton Mitchell (South Florida) 4.49

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Here is my wrap-up article in today’s newspaper, “NFL Combine ends, wait for draft begins.”

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