The 2018 NFL Combine has already begun, but the meat and potatoes of the annual “underwear Olympics” start on Friday. That’s when the invited prospects will begin working out on the field in front of NFL general managers, scouts and coaches, hoping to boost their draft stock.
Virginia Tech has seven former players participating in this year’s NFL Combine. Only seven other programs have more participants at the combine this year, with Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Florida State, Miami and Penn State all having eight or more players at the event.
Never mind that, though. Let’s look at the Hokies attending this year’s NFL Combine.
Tremaine Edmunds
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 250 pounds
Scheduled workout: Sun., March 4
Tremaine Edmunds is almost a guaranteed first-round pick. NFL Draft analysts from various sites project him as an early pick, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, NFL Network’s Mike Mayock and NFL.com’s Chad Reuter. Edmunds’ elite athleticism should help him ace the combine drills and workouts. Few players move like him at that size, and he’ll be able to flash all of those tools this weekend.
Cam Phillips
Measurables: 6-feet, 199 pounds
Scheduled workout: Sat., March 3
In terms of statistics, Cam Phillips is the most productive wide receiver in Virginia Tech history. Phillips started all four years of his career, finishing with 236 receptions, 3,027 yards and 17 touchdowns, with the first two numbers being school records. That said, his production isn’t elevating his draft stock. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein currently projects Phillips to be taken in the seventh round, or to be signed after the draft as a free agent. This weekend’s event not only gives Phillips a chance to prove he can produce against NFL hopefuls, but also that he’s fully recovered from a sports hernia he played through last season.
Greg Stroman
Measurables: 6-feet, 180 pounds
Scheduled workout: Mon., March 5
Greg Stroman is another college player hoping to parlay his productive career into NFL success. Stroman finished his Virginia Tech career with nine interceptions and 27 pass breakups in 29 career starts, and returned four punts for touchdowns. The speedy cornerback is projected to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round by Zierlein, but when Stroman gets to the Combine, he’ll be able to flash his athleticism that made him so good in college.
Terrell Edmunds
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 220 pounds
Scheduled workout: Mon., March 5
After a stellar redshirt sophomore season in 2016, Terrell Edmunds seemed poised to put it all together in 2017. However, a position change and a nagging shoulder injury hampered Edmunds’ ability to contribute. He still started 10 games for the Hokies in 2017 and served as a veteran leader of the defense. Edmunds has two big things he’ll need to show this weekend — that his shoulder is healthy, and that he has the speed to play safety at 220 pounds. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter projects Edmunds as a third-round selection.
Brandon Facyson
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 197 pounds
Scheduled workout: Mon., March 5
Brandon Facyson is one of three Virginia Tech defensive backs who were invited to this year’s Combine, which shows just how much talent there was in the secondary this season. Facyson will be one of the most experienced players at this year’s Combine. He started 47 career games, despite battling injuries for the early portion of his career. Facyson stayed healthy for his last two seasons and capped off an impressive career. His 39 career pass breakups represents a school record, and though he failed to make an interception after totaling five as a freshman in 2013, he still held his own on the field. He has the size that NFL teams like at cornerback and is currently projected as a third or fourth-round selection in this year’s draft by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.
Tim Settle
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 335 pounds
Scheduled workout: Sun., March 4
Tim Settle shocked a lot of people when he declared for this year’s draft as a redshirt sophomore, but early buzz indicates he made a good choice. Settle is projected as a first or second- round pick by Zierlein, and as a third-round choice by NFL.com’s Chad Reuter. The big, athletic defensive tackle has an opportunity to crush this weekend’s combine by displaying his elite-level athleticism at his size. Settle will move better than just about any defensive lineman at the 2018 NFL Combine, and he needs to capitalize on that advantage.
Wyatt Teller
Measurables: 6-foot-4, 301 pounds
Scheduled workout: Fri., March 2
Zierlein has raised some questions regarding Wyatt Teller’s 2017 season, though numbers from Pro Football Focus contend that Teller had an impressive year. Per PFF, Teller allowed just five quarterback pressures and zero sacks all season long. Zierlein projects Teller as a sixth or seventh-round pick, while Reuter predicts that Teller will be drafted in the fourth round.
The 2018 NFL Combine will wrap up on Mon., March 5. Once all the workouts are completed and all the measurements are taken, we’ll be back with a full recap. Virginia Tech is holding their Pro Day on March 14, and TechSideline will bring you full coverage of that as well.
Print
Zierlein has raised some questions regarding Wyatt Teller’s 2017 season……..
What does this mean?
Know what a lot of seniors in high school do after they get accepted to college early – they slack off academically. Guy may be saying Teller saved himself for the NFL instead of going all out during the season.
I’m calling BS – It will take a lot to convince me Teller did that. Maybe the only thing that would convince me would be Teller confessing to it.
I did notice that I was shouting “TELLER!” in frustration a lot less frequently this season, meaning there were fewer holds, false starts, etc. Is that indicative of a player holding himself back, or a player who’s playing like a senior and has learned from previous mistakes. If you combine that with the 0 sacks allowed and 5 qb pressures, I think you have your answer. And Fuente and Vice don’t strike me as the kind of coaches who would permit a player to coast.
If that is the reason for Zierlein’s questions, then I too call BS.