INDIANAPOLIS -- The NFL combine is just a small sliver of the evaluation process. Evaluators often use it to confirm their scouting report from the tape. Let's take a look at how a few of the big-name prospects performed Monday, when cornerbacks and safeties went through workouts.
I currently have 10 defensive backs among my top 33 players overall. We saw some "wow" workouts Monday, but there were also a few blunders. And one of the marquee names in the draft, Ohio State safety Malik Hooker, didn't work out because of injury. We'll see if he returns to health fast enough to workout prior to the draft
Players analyzed below include: S Obi Melifonwu, S Jamal Adams, CB Marshon Lattimore, CB Teez Tabor, CB Sidney Jones, CB Adoree' Jackson and CB Jourdan Lewis.
Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut
Rank entering combine: No. 40 overall | No. 5 safety
Melifonwu was the big story from Monday. He's off the charts in every way. Measuring just shy of 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds, Melifonwu jumped out of the gym (44-inch vertical and 11-foot, 9-inch broad jump). That vertical is the third-highest of the past five combines and the broad is just shy of fellow Connecticut DB Byron Jones' combine record of 12 feet and 3 inches. And Melifonwu ran the 40 in 4.40 seconds, an elite time for any safety, let alone one who weighs 224. In a league where length, size and athleticism are coveted more than ever among defensive backs, given the need to cover the Rob Gronkowskis of the world, Melifonwu is certainly an intriguing talent.
Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Rank entering combine: No. 4 overall | No. 1 safety
Adams has the skill set and tape of a potential top-five pick, but his 4.56-second 40-yard dash didn't quite dip into the elite numbers for the position. It's a perfectly acceptable time -- slightly better than the five-year average for safeties -- but something teams toward the top of Round 1 will factor into their evaluation. I was also expecting a little more explosion out of his jumps than what we saw. His 31½-inch vertical came in well below the average for safeties (nearly 35 inches), and his 10-foot broad jump ranked 10th among safeties in this year's class.
Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Rank entering combine: No. 9 overall | No. 1 CB
Lattimore's 4.36 40-yard dash was the fifth-fastest of the 2017 combine. And his vertical (38½ inches) and broad jump (11 feet) were both in the exceptional range. But he tweaked his hamstring, according to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter, and sat out the remainder of drills. This is only concerning given his history with hamstring injuries: He missed the entire 2014 season and more than half the 2015 season with the ailment. Lattimore's durability is something teams will have to continue to monitor.
Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Rank entering combine: No. 20 overall | No. 3 CB
Based on Tabor's tape, we knew he wasn't going to run in the 4.4s, but I was hoping for a time in the low to mid-4.5s. He turned in a 4.62 time, which is a red-flag number for the cornerback position. I really like Tabor's tape, and teams will have to make a decision on what they trust more: his film from Florida or the stopwatch. I bumped him up to the No. 2 cornerback spot after watching more of his tape earlier this week, but the evaluation gets trickier now that we've seen his speed. I need to go back and study him some more.
Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Rank entering combine: No. 12 overall | No. 2 CB
Jones doesn't have the longest arms (31½ inches), but on film, his ability to use his hands to win in press coverage is outstanding. His 40 time turned out well for a 6-foot, 186-pounder (4.47), and while his vertical jump fell below average (33½ inches), he showed good lower-body explosiveness with a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump. Jones proved to be a playmaker during his time at Washington (21 pass breakups and nine interceptions in three seasons), and he has shown the ability to excel in both man and zone coverage.
Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
Rank entering combine: No. 44 overall | No. 8 CB
Jackson may have had the best all-around workout of the cornerbacks, when you include his on-field work. He looked really smooth and explosive during drills. And he lit up the 40-yard dash (4.42), as expected. On tape, Jackson gives up a lot of big plays because his technique still needs some work -- he's not going to be a starter at CB from Day 1 -- but he's one of the better return men in this class. He has the physical tools to continue to develop as a cornerback.
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Rank entering combine: No. 36 overall | No. 7 CB
Lewis' week went as expected. He's undersized at 5-10 and 188 pounds and he's not the fastest guy (4.54), but man, his tape is fun. Lewis shows great physicality for a player his size and exceptional instincts. He has the ball skills you're looking for, too (31 pass breakups and four interceptions the past two seasons). Big picture, Lewis looks like a solid second-round pick. He's a plug-and-play nickel/slot corner from Day 1 and can eventually transition to playing on the outside as he gets more experience.