Maybe not the quantity of guys Oklahoma has had at recent NFL Draft Combines, but there’s no dismissing the quality of the four former players headed to Indianapolis.
A brief overview of where this quartet stands heading into the week and what can be accomplished with a strong showing.
DT Neville Gallimore
2019 stats: 30 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Career stats: 148 tackles, 18 TFL, 9 sacks, 5 forced fumbles
OU overview: Coming from Canada, Gallimore was one of the prized jewels of OU’s 2015 class. Heading into his redshirt senior season, it felt like potential was going to be the story instead of productivity. But with the Alex Grinch defense and Gallimore dropping weight, he was a new player in 2019. Someone a lot of OU fans wonder what he could have done 2016-18 if he was prepped the same way. Gallimore was finally that force in the middle and save his best OU-Texas performance for his final Red River Rivalry with four tackles and two sacks.
Combine day: Saturday. The Combine should be kind to Gallimore because if there’s one thing everybody has heard about, it’s his freakish athleticism. The Combine is all about showcasing athletic anomalies like Gallimore. He has already proven he can run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. If he does that one more time this weekend, then he’s going to make himself some money.
Draft projection: Late first/early second round. Draft analysts vary with Gallimore. Some seeing him going late in the first round, while others project more of a second-round grade. The good news is the Combine should be a huge opportunity for his stock to be as high as it can be heading down the Draft stretch run.
QB Jalen Hurts
2019 stats: 237-of-340 passing, 3.851 yards, 32 TDs, 8 INTs; 233 rushes for 1,298 yards, 20 TDs
Career stats: 682-of-1,047 passing, 9,477 yards, 80 TDs, 20 INTs; 614 rushes for 3,274 yards, 43 TDs
OU overview: The numbers are eye-popping. His leadership off the field is unquestionable. But after a hot start in the first month of the 2019 season, you started to see why Hurts is a good quarterback but not elite. The Alabama graduate transfer was perfect for what OU needed in 2019 in a veteran presence in the locker room. However, there were times when OU’s offense rolled despite Hurts, and there were times when Hurts did will the group like the epic comeback win at Baylor. Curious to see how OU fans remember the one-year Hurts experiment down the road.
Combine day: Thursday. Polarizing isn’t quite the right word, but Hurts is definitely one of the more intriguing prospects in Indy this week. Hurts came out last weekend saying he will not workout at any other position than quarterback. A lot of people believe there’s going to have to be a special package for Hurts to excel, so his goal this week is to show that’s not necessary. He can be your every down, traditional quarterback and succeed. He has a lot of boxes to check off for scouts this week.
Draft projection: Day 3 (Rounds 4-7). It just seems to an overreach to predict Hurts to be selected during the first two days. He’d have to absolutely destroy the Combine, and even that might not be enough. Everybody is going to love his leadership and mentality, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to love the player.
WR CeeDee Lamb
2019 stats: 62 receptions, 1,327 yards, 14 touchdowns
Career stats: 173 receptions, 3,292 yards, 32 touchdowns
OU overview: Lamb was expected to be a star for OU’s #SoonerSquad17 class, and he was. A starter as a true freshman and then a star as a sophomore and junior. Each year, you saw the progression. He got bigger. He got smarter. He became a bigger threat after the catch. Everybody knew he could make the circus grabs, but he added so much into his repertoire in three seasons that he might very well go down as OU’s greatest receiver ever. His 2019 highlight reel is something OU fans will remember for a long time to come.
Combine day: Thursday. It’s a great receiver class, and Lamb is right there in the mix with Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Clemson’s Tee Higgins. Lamb will look impressive going through drills. Guess the only question is going to be speed. Hard to gauge when you’re compared to Marquise Brown for two seasons, but Lamb showed his breakaway ability repeatedly in 2019. So, no, he’s not running a Hollywood time, but it should be more than enough to cross off that one doubt.
Draft projection: Mid-first round. Last month, Lamb to Arizona at No. 8 and Kyler Murray was all the rage. That’s died down a bit although there isn’t one person who doesn’t believe Lamb won’t have his name called on the first night. Will he be the first receiver off the board?
LB Kenneth Murray
2019 stats: 102 tackles, 17 TFL, 4 sacks
Career stats: 335 tackles, 37 TFL, 9 sacks, forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
OU overview: Murray entered OU having never played middle linebacker in his life. He leaves on a huge positive, following a sensational 2019 season. Still raw and learning the game as a freshman and sophomore, things came together for Murray as a junior. He didn’t rack up the tackle numbers, but he was much more disruptive, more aggressive and finished stronger than ever before. A team captain as a sophomore and a junior, there are zero off-the-field questions about Murray, who outperformed any projection anybody had for him coming out of high school.
Combine day: Saturday. Much like his fellow defensive teammate in Gallimore, Murray should have a banner weekend at the Combine. He looks like what a middle linebacker should look like, and now he’s playing like one, too. His speed should be more than enough to pass that test, and he’ll impress during the interview process.
Draft projection: Late first round. The Combine could see him bumped up to mid-first round, but it feels like could be sweating this one out on Day 1. Murray should go, but once you get to the 20s or so, it’s must about fit and need than taking the best available player. Dominate in Indy and put those worries to bed.
