2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Saturday’s Risers

Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jaelen Strong catches a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Jaelen Strong

At 6’2″, 217 pounds, long arms and big hands Jaelen Strong came in labeled a possession receiver. As the scouting media watched tape, they universally saw him as the guy the caught the ball the cleanest. And from what I’ve seen of him, he had the least amount of drops among the top receiver prospects.

Early in the season, Strong was looked at as going somewhere in middle of the first round. Then somehow, the scouting media had him teetering between rounds one and two with two starting to show up more. Along with his hands, they loved his physicality and ability to get position from his basketball background but questioned his speed.

And on Saturday, Strong shut everyone up with a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash to raise some eyebrows. If that wasn’t enough, he showed more of his elite athleticism with a 42-inch vertical leap. His broad jump was 123 inches and he didn’t do the all important 3-cone drill but the 40-yard dash alone moved him up.

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