1. Myles Garrett walks the talk
After saying he'd prove why he's the best player in this year's NFL Draft class, Myles Garrett walked the talk on Sunday morning.
The Texas A&M defensive end (6 foot 5, 270 pounds) clocked a 4.62-second 40-yard dash, posted 33 reps on the bench press, a 41-inch vertical jump and 10 foot, 8 inch broad jump.
To put Garrett's big day into context: he's taller than Julio Jones, heavier than Rob Gronkowski, quicker than Devonta Freeman and faster than Jarvis Landry, according to the NFL Media Research Group.
Garrett ran the fifth-fastest 40 time among defensive linemen and had the second most reps on the bench press behind Auburn's Carl Lawson (35).
Garrett, widely viewed as the best player in this year's class, will have another chance to shine during his Pro Day, which is set for March 29 in College Station.
2. Malik Hooker ahead of surgery
Ohio State safety Malik Hooker said he's ahead of schedule after a January surgery to repair both a sports hernia and torn hip labrum.
Hooker, who's thought to be a top 10 draft pick, suffered the injuries in the team's regular season finale against Michigan. He played at about "75 percent" against Clemson a month later because he didn't want to miss potentially the final game of his collegiate career.
"I'm recovering a lot faster than they thought," Hooker said, adding he hopes to be back by rookie minicamp. "There's nothing else I can really say about it right now, it's just a day to day thing."
3. Don't sleep on Temple's Hasaan Reddick
Temple's Hasaan Reddick might have pushed himself into first-round conversation after a big Sunday. The linebacker/defensive lineman clocked a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and posted the longest broad jump (11 feet, 1 inch) since 2003, according to the NFL Media Research Group.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah ranks Reddick as the 41st best player in this year's class. Reddick, who played mostly outside linebacker at Temple, led the nation with 22.5 tackles for loss and the Owls with 10.5 sacks.
Reddick said Saturday teams have spoken to him about playing multiple positions.
"The versatility shows how athletic I am. It shows I can do multiple things. It's more of the mindset and approach I'm taking to it that's going to help me the most," he said.
"It's not necessarily because I'm versatile it's going to make me a good inside linebacker with the change, the way I'm going to attack the transition to being an inside linebacker, the things I'm going to do to make sure I am the best inside linebacker, at least the best rookie inside linebacker to come in next year, that's what's going to help me with the change."
4. Jamal Adams makes his case for No. 1
Asked to identify the best safety this year, NFL Network Mike Mayock said earlier this week that it's basically a coin flip between Hooker and LSU's Jamal Adams. It just depends on what you want or need from the position.
Adams took it step further and said he's worth the top overall pick in the draft.
"I feel like I'm the best guy in the draft, I feel like I should be the No. 1 pick," he said. "The game is starting to change scheme-wise, passing. We're starting to have tight ends that can run now … the game is changing and you need safeties that can do everything in the backend that can cover and make the calls and tackle and just do what the coaches ask them to do."
5. Jabrill Peppers Day 1 of workouts
It's still unclear what position Michigan's Jabrill Peppers might play at the next level. What's not is the safety/linebacker's athleticism.
Peppers, who worked out with the linebackers on Sunday, clocked a combine-high 4.46-second 40-yard dash among linebackers. It's also tied for the fifth-fastest time by a linebacker since 2003. Peppers, who posted a 35-inch vertical, 128-inch broad jump and 19 reps on the bench press, will participate in on-field drills again Monday alongside defensive backs like Lattimore, Hooker, Adams, Florida' Teez Tabor and Washington's Sidney Jones.
