To watch Myles Garrett play football is to know the Texas A&M star is a special athlete, but the NFL Scouting Combine will let NFL clubs and the public alike know just how special. One of the 2017 NFL Draft's elite prospects, Garrett will have his athleticism measured in Indianapolis next month at the annual event, and NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah expects nothing less than an exceptional performance.
"When you talk to the folks at Texas A&M, they tell you he is going to test like a freak. Now we're going to get a chance to see him get out there, go through all these drills, put the watch on him, see how high he jumps, all those things. I expect him to just completely torch the combine," Jeremiah told NFL Network's Up to the Minute Live on Thursday. "He's going to be outstanding in this area. He enters for me as the clear-cut best player in this draft, and I expect him to leave (the combine) as such. But it's going to be fun to watch him put all those athletic skills on display."
Combine testing includes the bench press (225-pound reps), 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, and agility tests like the 3-cone drill and shuttle runs. At 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds, Garrett has reportedly run under 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash and achieved 40 inches in vertical jump testing. For his size, those would be other-worldly numbers at the combine, particularly compared to others in his defensive line group.
The anticipation for Garrett's workout could rival that of Jadeveon Clowney's 2014 combine appearance, where he ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at 266 pounds to lead all defensive linemen.
In describing Garrett's playing style, Jeremiah mentioned nine-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers.
"You look at Von Miller, he bends different than anybody else in the NFL, so you can't really compare him there. Khalil Mack is a little bit shorter, a little bit more compact, and more of a power-based rusher. (Garrett) kind of combines the two worlds," Jeremiah said. "He can win with speed on the outside, but he also has that power to run right through a tackle. He's got a very unique skill set (that) reminds me a little bit of Julius Peppers. ... Peppers is a little bit heavier, but (has) a similar way of playing the game."
If Garrett's combine performance meets expectations, comparisons like those won't stop anytime soon.
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