Tyvis Powell among NFL draft risers from Day 4 at combine
Steve MuenchKevin Weidl
Cornerbacks and safeties
Jonathan Jones, CB, Auburn
Jones lacks prototypical size (5-foot-9, 186 pounds) and length (30¼-inch arms), which put him behind the eight ball before he took the field Monday. But Jones stood out by showing off the speed and explosiveness he flashes on tape. His 4.33 40-yard dash was the fastest of all the DBs and the third-fastest at the combine, behind only Georgia RB Keith Marshall (4.31) and Notre Dame WR Will Fuller (4.32). Jones added a 10-foot-3-inch broad jump and 36-inch vertical, both of which are above-average for his position. During drill work, he showed a bit of tightness in his hips -- which showed up in his agility drill results -- but he displayed good pop transitioning out of breaks and did a nice job tracking the ball. Jones turned some heads with a strong Senior Bowl last month, and with his combine performance today, it's clear he has used the postseason process to help his stock and put himself in the mid-round conversation.
Tyvis Powell, CB, Ohio State
Powell's size-speed combination alone makes him an intriguing safety prospect. At 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, he ran a 4.46 40, which tied for 10th among defensive backs. He has the potential to develop into a playmaker at the NFL level after intercepting eight passes at Ohio State and showing the ability to snatch the ball out of the air in position drills. Plus, he has excellent length (32¾-inch arms), slightly bigger than average hands (9½ inches) and a 34.5-inch vertical. Powell, who started 33 games in three at Ohio State, moved himself into the Day 2 mix.
T.J. Green, S, Clemson
Green posted the second-fastest 40 time among DBs (4.34) and an above-average vertical jump for the position (35.5 inches). In fact, he was the only DB weighing more than 200 pounds who cracked the top five in the 40; he measured 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds. His ball skills are still a work in progress -- which is evident when watching his tape and performance during drills on Monday -- but he has the physical tools to get better. Green has slightly above average arm length (32 inches) and hand span (just north of 9½). He needs to get stronger (he benched 225 just 13 times), but upper body strength is an area players can improve over time, and he's tough against the run on tape. Finally, Green is an excellent special teams player who should make an immediate impact in that area as he works on realizing his considerable potential at safety.
Sean Davis, S, Maryland
Checking in at 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, Davis was in the top 10 for all DBs and top five for safeties with his 40-yard dash (4.46), broad jump (10 feet, 6 inches) and vertical jump (37.5 inches). As for drill work, he showed a quality burst and did a nice job of tracking and playing the ball. But he was a bit high in his pedal and showed some tightness in his ankles and hips, which is also observed on his tape. He eased some concerns, though, with great times in the three-cone (6.64, second among DBs) and short shuttle (3.97, fifth). Davis made the switch to cornerback in 2015 but projects to be an NFL safety. He has good strength for the position (21 reps on the bench) and is a physical run-defender. Davis' strong showing Monday and his appealing versatility have him in the early Day 3 range.
K.J. Dillon, S, West Virginia
On tape, Dillon is a versatile safety who often aligned near the box, where he was a physical and reliable run-stopper. The big question for him coming into the combine was whether he had the athleticism and speed to hold up in coverage. Dillon's 4.53 40-yard dash (fourth among safeties) helped squash some of those worries. He added a 10-foot-1-inch broad jump, which was above five-year combine average for his position. Where Dillon really shined, though, was drill work. He showed good change-of-direction skills, fluidity and ball skills. Dillon continues to help his stock, and if he's able to put a cap on the postseason process with a good showing at his pro day, he will be off the board by Day 2.
Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota
Murray's 4.49 40 is markedly quicker than the five-year combine average for corners, even if his wasn't one of the fastest times of the day. At 5-foot-11, he has average height, but his above-average length (31¾-inch arms) and 39.5-inch vertical (fourth among DBs) mean he can match up with bigger receivers. Although benching 225 pounds 15 times isn't all that impressive, that's about average for corners, and Murray shows the ability to reroute receivers on tape. He might never be a playmaker -- he intercepted just two passes at the college level and didn't look like a natural pass catcher today -- but has flashed the ability to catch the ball with his hands away from his frame.
