Gophers have three potential NFL draft picks – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

At last week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, team scouts scribbled private player evaluations to be squirreled away for selecting players at the NFL Draft from April 28-30.

Among the subjects of those thoughts were three former Gophers: linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and cornerbacks Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Eric Murray. Those Minnesota players and other NFL hopefuls are expected to perform again at the Gophers Pro Day at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex next Monday.

The other Gophers expected to compete in the pro day are wide receiver KJ Maye, punter Peter Mortell, defensive end Thieren Cockran, center Brian Bobek, safety Antonio Johnson, fullback Miles Thomas and running back Rodrick Williams.

In a video Monday on NFL.com, former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew asked retired NFL cornerback Ike Taylor to publicly share who he felt was his “sleeper or dark horse, a guy you might get in the third or fourth round that can come impact my team right away.”

“Boddy-Calhoun from Minnesota,” said Taylor, who had a 12-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “This guy is in the slot. He’s outside. He is very savvy. My comparison of him is Deshea Townsend of Pittsburg Steelers (1999-2009). He wasn’t the fastest. He wasn’t the most athletic, but he was very savvy, IQ level was super high and sometimes coach gave him the green light to make the call. I believe this guy from watching the tape, Boddy-Calhoun is one of the dark horse guys.”

With that praise, Boddy-Calhoun might now be stepping out of the shadows. On Twitter, he thanked Taylor.

Appreciate the love @Ike_SwagginU ✊????

— Briean Boddy-Calhoun (@darthBoCa) March 1, 2016

Just calling it how I see it…no problem… https://t.co/DTcGkNmUs0

— Ike Taylor (@Ike_SwagginU) March 1, 2016

Lance Zierlein, a writer for NFL.com, previously said Boddy-Calhoun has “smooth hips that open easily,” but is “small in stature (5-foot-9) and lacking a ‘dog mentality’ to make up for his lack of size.”

His final assessment was that Boddy-Calhoun will need to have a “big postseason to keep his draft stock alive.” Taylor’s comments have helped.

Meanwhile, Murray could go the highest of the three Gophers to be selected in the draft, with Zierlein putting him in the middle rounds.

“Murray’s size, durability (started 39 straight games) and physical nature should land him near the top of NFL teams’ cornerback wish list,” Zierlein wrote.

Murray’s vertical jump of 39.5 inches was third-best among defensive backs and tied for tenth among all participants, but Zierlein questioned what he felt was Murray’s tightness in his hips.

Murray ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, which Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn points out was faster than expected.

“Earlier in the month, executives in personnel for two NFL teams predicted he would clock about 4.55,” McGinn wrote.

Campbell continued to impress scouts with his size (6-foot-4 and 232 pounds) but left doubts about his play-making instincts, according to Zierlein.

Zierlein’s strength: “Wiry and strong, Campbell is just scratching the surface of his potential.”
Zierlein’s weakness: “Linebacker instincts missing badly.”
Overall prognosis: “His inability to consistently perform his assignments as a second level linebacker could make him a project.”

Campbell was the combine’s third-fastest linebacker with a 40 time of 4.58 seconds, behind Ohio State’s Darron Lee (4.47) and Washington’s Travis Feeney (4.50).

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock was asked about how Campbell might fit in Vikings’ Mike Zimmer’s defense.

Campbell is interesting.played ILB at minn- has length to get a look at 34 OLB.and Zimm loves big athletes in his 43 https://t.co/RZQOYlGUGG

— Mike Mayock (@MikeMayock) March 1, 2016

RealGM.com writer Jeff Risdon complimented Campbell’s character.

I’m rooting hard for Devondre Campbell b/c when I told him I had publicly dogged him he couldn’t have been nicer, didn’t squash me.

— Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) February 28, 2016

Gophers defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel also got in on the overall praise.

Happy that our 3 players at the combine performed very well

— Jay Sawvel (@JaySawvel) March 1, 2016

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