2018 NFL Draft: Five standout performers from Scouting Combine

If you entered the Scouting Combine believing that Shaquem Griffin is nothing more than a feel-good story, you were proven wrong. Griffin, who had his left hand amputated due to amniotic band constriction, became something of a sympathetic figure amongst the uninitiated in 2017.

Griffin quickly rewrote the narrative in a more appropriate and fitting way by showing that he’s far more than just an inspirational story.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/970364000704675841

Griffin ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds—0.13 seconds faster than any other linebacker at the 2018 Scouting Combine. It was the fastest time by a linebacker in more than a decade, which is reason enough to be intrigued.

Griffin also did 20 reps in the bench press, which silenced some concerns about if he has the strength to play in the NFL.

With blazing speed at the linebacker position, some are beginning to hypothesize that Griffin could play safety in the NFL. He recorded three interceptions and 16 passes defended over the past three years, which could support that claim, although he still projects as a linebacker.

Regardless of where Griffin lines up, he proved at the Scouting Combine that he’s one of the most athletically gifted linebackers in the 2018 NFL Draft.