Three Buckeyes named to ‘all-combine team’

For all involved, that is noteworthy, but perhaps none more-so than Wypler.

He was a surprising early entry to the draft and overshadowed not only by several teammates but multiple other centers leading up to the combine.

The New Jersey native might get consideration as the first center taken in April, though, after he ran the fastest 40-yard dash and posted the best three-cone drill time of the group in Indianapolis.

Straight-line speed is not a big key to success for centers, of course, the the 40 is designed to measure explosiveness and stamina for any player, and the three-cone drill gives teams an idea of a player’s agility, things that are hard to study while guys are battling it out in tight spaces in the trenches.

“I think coming out and being able to train in a different way, getting ready for kind of the ‘underwear olympics here this week has been a lot of fun,” Wypler said before the workouts.

“It’s been a lot of fun to learn all the mechanics that go into running and things I have to use going forward in my game.”

He also confirmed he decided to be on himself and leave Ohio State after only three years (somewhat rate for an offensive lineman) because “the NFL just made more sense at the time” following a strong performance against Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

“This game’s all about competition, and when you play some of the best defensive linemen in the country — and we held our own and excelled — that definitely factored into my decision.”

Stroud is considered a high first round pick, but most analysts seem to assume he will go after Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

Well, Young’s decision to wait until his pro day to throw for scouts opened the door for Stroud to show his stuff, and he did not disappoint, confirming the accuracy and arm strength he showed as a Buckeye.

Perhaps more importantly, Jaxon Smith-Njigba impressed during on-field workouts in his bid to remind scouts and team personnel about his ability to work in space as a slot receiver following a junior season mostly wiped out by injury.

“I feel like I’m a player, wherever you ask me to be, I can be,” Smith-Njigba said a day earlier. “Outside, inside, pitching me the ball, punt return — wherever you need me to be, I’m the type of guy to get it done.”

On the flip side, the combine did not go so well for Utah running back Tavion Thomas.

The 6-foot Dunbar High School graduate weighed in at 237 pounds (10 less than he was at the East-West Shrine Bowl a month earlier) but ran the slowest 40-yard dash (4.74) and had the worst vertical jump (30″) and second-shortest broad jump (9-10) among running backs.

“Ran a slow time but watch my film,” he wrote on Twitter after the combine. “I can outrun a 4.3 guy. It’s crazy. Just give me the ball, I will know what to do with it! Never been a drill guy.”

Springfield tight end Leonard Taylor took part in field work but said he planned to save drills such as the 40-yard dash for his pro day at the University of Cincinnati on March 23.