The NFL Combine has come to an end and it's time to take a look at how the seven Badgers in attendance fared in Indianapolis.
As expected, there were mixed results. J.J. Watt stood out more than most players at the combine and clearly helped his draft status. Gabe Carimi, Lance Kendricks and John Moffitt didn't do much to help or hurt themselves. Meanwhile, John Clay had a somewhat confusing weekend and he came in much lighter, but didn't run much faster.
Then there's Scott Tolzien and Niles Brinkley. Will they get drafted?
No matter what happens in the NFL Draft next months, it will be one of the more interesting drafts for Badger fans in recent years.
Below are each player's results and a general summary how their performance will affect their draft status:
Niles Brinkley
Defensive back - 5-10, 193 lbs.
40-yard dash: 4.52
Bench (225 lbs.): 15
Vertical: n/a
Broad jump: n/a
The Verdict: Brinkley's 40-time was a bit below average for his position and his bench press wasn't great either. He doesn't have a whole lot of great film to fall back on either so it seems doubtful Brinkley will get drafted next month.
Gabe Carimi
Offensive Tackle/Guard - 6-7, 314 lbs.
40-yard dash: 5.27
Bench (225 lbs.): 29
Vertical: 31.5
Broad jump: 9-1
The Verdict: Carimi didn't help or hurt his draft stock all that much, but he probably will benefit from the injury to USC tackle Tyron Smith. Some of the unofficial 40-times had Carimi ahead of Boston College's Anthony Castonzo, but the official time had Carimi behind. Teams use their own 40-times anyway so this isn't all that significant. Colorado's Nate Solder looked like the best tackle overall. Carimi will probably be the third tackle taken in the draft, which could put him in the Top 20.
John Clay
Running back - 6-1, 230 lbs.
40-yard dash: 4.77
Bench (225 lbs.): n/a
Vertical: 29.0
Broad jump: n/a
The Verdict: Clay showed up to Indianapolis in tremendous shape. He weighed in at 230, well below the 248 he played at during the season. Unfortunately, Clay's 4.77 40-time fell closer to those running backs who weighed in closer to 250. This puts Clay is a tough spot. If he can't run faster at 230, should he put the weight back on and commit himself to playing as a big, bruising running back? Either way, Clay still projects as a fourth or fifth round pick.
Lance Kendricks
Tight end - 6-3, 243 lbs.
40-yard dash: 4.75
Bench (225 lbs.): 25
Vertical: 34.5
Broad jump: 10-2
The Verdict: Kendricks weighed in as the lightest tight end at the combine and put up one of the better 40-times at his position. He also posted the third-best bench press number, which showed off his rare combination of size and speed. His performance on the field was mixed as some scouts still have concerns about him dropping balls. Kendricks is likely a second round pick.
John Moffitt
Offensive guard/center - 6-4, 319 lbs.
40-yard dash: 5.55
Bench (225 lbs.): 23
Vertical: 30.5
Broad jump: 8-6
The Verdict: None of John Moffitt's numbers in Indianapolis were eye popping, but no one expected them to be. Knowing Moffitt's personality, the interviews were key for him and while we don't get much information on how those interviews went, it's hard to believe any team was turned off after talking to him. Moffitt will rely on tape to prove his worth and I still contend he was the most consistent offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl. He's a late second round pick.
Scott Tolzien
Quarterback - 6-2, 212 lbs.
40-yard dash: 4.93
Bench (225 lbs.): n/a
Vertical: 29.5
Broad jump: 9-8
The Verdict: The coaches at the combine obviously knew Tolzien is accurate as he was used to throw to wide receivers when the receivers went through their on-field drills. Tolzien's arm power isn't going to wow anybody, but he showed some agility with decent times in the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill. His 40-time was fourth slowest overall, however. The scouts care less about those numbers when it comes to quarterbacks though. They want to make sure you can throw the ball. Tolzien's lack of height and arm power will keep him out of the early rounds, but his accuracy should be enough to get him drafted.
J.J. Watt
Defensive end - 6-5, 290
40-yard dash: 4.78
Bench (225 lbs.): 34
Vertical: 37
Broad jump: 10-0
The Verdict: Back in January, when he declared for the NFL Draft, I made a prediction that with nearly two months to prepare, J.J. Watt would get even better and become one of the standouts at the NFL Combine. That's pretty much exactly what happened. Watt's 4.78 40-time is impressive for a 290-pound man and he showed off his strength with a 34 in the bench press. He also finished in the top five in all of the shuttles and all of the jumps. Watt was originally projected as a late first round pick, but he's now a Top 10 pick on almost everyone's draft boards. It's safe to say Watt made the right decision to leave Wisconsin early.