The media rounds continued Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine, as defensive linemen and linebackers met with reporters. The on-field drills also kicked off with the running backs and offensive linemen at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Here are seven things were learned from the third day in Indianapolis:
- Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche took the podium and faced a barrage of questions about his off-the-field incident last fall where he fell out of a hotel window and was subsequently charged with drug possession. Nkemdiche said that he was drunk during the incident, but that he had not used any drugs. He explained that the drug charge was the result of someone else having marijuana, but the room was booked in his name. “Nobody wanted to take the fall, so it happened to be under my name,” Nkdemdiche said.
- Nkemdiche also said that Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was with him in the hotel that night. Tunsil is widely considered the best lineman in the draft and he could end up being the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans.
- Ohio State’s defensive end Joey Bosa said he believes he’s the best player in the draft.
- Georgia running back Keith Marshall put his speed on display by running the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds. That was the fastest time of the day.
- UCLA’s Myles Jack said his knee feels “100 percent” after suffering a season-ending injury in September. He still won’t go through the on-field drills at the combine because he has to get full medical clearance on March 11. Jack has been projected to the Ravens in some mock drafts, and he brings a versatile skillset to the mix. He said teams have talked with him about playing multiple spots, including inside linebacker, outside linebacker and safety. Jack pointed to Seattle safety Kam Chancellor as the kind of physical safety he could model his game after.
- Eastern Kentucky pass rusher Noah Spence faced questions about his off-the-field issues that got him kicked out of Ohio State. Spence was banned by the Big 10 for failing multiple drug tests, and he said the failed tests were all for ecstasy. “There’s a group of people I can’t hang with,” Spence said. “I have to be more myself and stay away from that party scene. It was more like partying and going out. Every time I did it, it was me going out and partying.”
- Maryland defensive linemen Quinton Jefferson and Yannick Ngakoue both praised former Maryland Head Coach Randy Edsall for helping them prepare for the NFL. “Coach Edsall, he runs his team like an NFL team,” Jefferson said. “He was all about structure and doing things a certain type of way, so I feel like it helped me a lot. It made me mature. It made me accountable, and I feel like it made me a man.”
