UCLA linebacker Myles Jack won't fully participate in workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, deferring on many of the drills as he continues to recover from a season-ending knee injury suffered in practice on Sept. 22, the week before the Bruins' fourth game of the season.
Jack has been training in combine-specific drills, but hasn't been medically cleared for some of those drills at the combine, according to ESPN. Instead, Jack said his participation will be limited to the bench press testing, personal interviews and medical examinations. In other words, he won't perform in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, or any of the agility drills that help NFL scouts measure speed, quickness and explosiveness.
The date of UCLA's annual pro day hasn't been announced, but that could be Jack's target for a more complete workout for NFL coaches and scouts. Last year, UCLA's pro day was held on March 10, and similar timing this year would give the former Bruins star more than a week of extra preparation time. If Jack doesn't fully participate at UCLA's pro day, he could have more opportunities in private workouts with individual clubs. Some schools hold a more informal pro day later in the spring for players recovering from injury, though it's unclear if UCLA would do so for Jack. According to the report, he was medically cleared to begin running on Jan. 22 and has made significant progress.
"Personally, I feel great," Jack said. "The knee, I can do whatever I can do with the knee, running, cutting. It feels great. It feels like a new knee," adding that in combine medical exams, his knee will "check out fine."
Jack is considered one of the top linebacker prospects available in the 2016 draft. He withdrew from classes at UCLA soon after his injury, announcing his intention to enter the draft early, and began focusing on rehabilitation. Across four mock drafts, NFL Media analysts project Jack to be drafted as high as No. 7 overall by the San Francisco 49ers and no lower than No. 11 to the Chicago Bears.
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