2006 NFL Scouting Combine - Day 5
By: Staff

Two words sum up day five at the NFL combine, Vernon Davis. The highly touted tight end from Maryland posted a mind boggling 4.38 in the 40 yard dash. That was the fastest time ever put up by a tight end in the history of the combine. He then went on to broad jump 10 feet 8 inches, almost a foot better than the runner up Marcedes Lewis. Davis then proceeded to jump 4 ½” higher than the rest of the competition in the vertical jump. Davis was already being talked about as a possible top ten pick, but his combine performance should pretty much solidify that thought if not push him higher up on many teams big boards.

One other name that kept coming up at the top of the tight end drills was Tony Scheffler of Western Michigan. Scheffler ran the second fastest 40 time at 4.54, had the third longest broad jump at 9 feet 7 inches, tied for the best time in the 3-cone drill at 6.81 seconds, posted the fastest time in the short shuttle as well as the second fastest in the long shuttle. What this does for his draft status is uncertain at this point, but it certainly has to help his cause in what is a very deep tight end draft class.

Leonard Pope ran a 4.53 and at this point has to be the rock solid second choice at tight end for teams looking to add at that position.

Garret Mills of Tulsa also stood out among the tight ends, scoring high in several of the drills and certainly helped his cause as well.

Defensive linemen also took the field today and Manny Lawson was the standout of the day. Lawson posted the fastest 40 time by clocking a 4.43 as well as the third highest vertical jump at 39 ½ inches.

Mario Williams who was measured at 6’7 and 295 pounds along with a 34 inch wingspan, ran his 40 in 4.66 seconds and was second in the vertical jump at 40 ½. He solidified his status as the top pass rusher in this draft.

Alabama’s Mark Anderson finished in the top two in each of the six field events for defensive lineman. His was a group that also included Ray Edwards and Elvis Dumervil.

Four defensive linemen elected not to run today. Tamba Hali, Orien Harris, Claude Wroten and Matt Rice sat out the 40. Most scouts and personnel men tend to frown on prospects that are waiting until their pro days to run.

We’re down to linebackers, the rest of the defensive linemen and the defensive backs. As always keep it right here on Football’s Future for all the news coming out of the NFL Combine.