INDIANAPOLIS -- Ohio State CB Denzel Ward didn't complete drills Monday at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he participated enough to send NFL clubs a strong message about his speed.
Ward ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash, tying him for the fastest clocking at the event. However, the former Buckeyes star told NFL Network's Kimberly Jones he tweaked his ankle prior to the combine and decided against participating in positional drills, intending to do so at Ohio State's pro day workout on March 22. He tested in the vertical and broad jumps at the combine, but did not perform drills requiring change of direction, such as the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
Ward (5-foot-10, 191 pounds) bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times in strength testing Sunday.
LSU's Donte Jackson and Tulane's Parry Nickerson ran 4.32 times Monday, as well.
Ward entered the combine ranked No. 8 on NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah's list of the top 50 draft prospects, and analyst Chad Reuter projected him No. 13 to the Washington Redskins in a pre-combine mock draft.
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