Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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58 APRIL 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH IN THE PROS BY COREY BODDEN N otre Dame had five former play- ers invited to showcase their tal- ents in front of coaches, scouts and front office personnel at the NFL Scouting Combine Feb. 27 to March 5 in Indianapolis. All five came from the offensive side of the ball, with running back Josh Adams, left tackle Mike Mc- Glinchey, left guard Quenton Nelson, tight end Durham Smythe and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown tak- ing part in various drills throughout the week. Here is a look at how each per- formed during the event and where they stand in terms of their current 2018 NFL Draft projection. RB JOSH ADAMS Adams measured in a 6-2, 213 pounds and did 18 reps on the bench press (225 pounds). The Pennsylva- nian did not participate in the other drills, which will make his pro day performance key to boosting his draft stock. Notre Dame's pro day is scheduled for March 22. "Based on some of his film, he's probably a second-round talent," DraftCountdown.com analyst Scott Wright told The South Bend Tribune. "But I think the durability factor is probably going to push him down a little bit, not to mention running backs just tend to drop. "I wouldn't be shocked if he were available in rounds four or five. When he's healthy, I don't think there's any question he's an early- round talent at that position." OT MIKE MCGLINCHEY The All-American left tackle was measured at 6-8 and 309 pounds during the combine. McGlinchey re- corded 24 reps on the bench press along with a 28.5-inch vertical jump and a 105-inch broad jump. "I love two things about Mike McGlinchey," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said during a confer- ence call before the combine. "I love that he got coached by Harry Hies- tand at Notre Dame, which tells me when he comes out, he's going to be ready to play. And I don't care if you're putting him at right tackle or left tackle, he's going to be ready to play. "And No. 2, his work ethic and passion for the game is unparalleled. I know what I'm getting with that kid, and that's why I bang the table for him." McGlinchey's draft position could depend on if a team views him as a left tackle or eventual right tackle, but his versatility and experience should allow him to contribute at either spot early in his career. "With a nice blend of length and athleticism, as well as experience on both sides of the line, McGlinchey should become a quality starter," Sports Illustrated noted when ranking McGlinchey as the No. 21 player in the draft. "He doesn't overwhelm opponents and his ceiling doesn't match [Texas offensive tackle] Con- nor Williams, but he's technically polished with a chance to start imme- diately, probably on the right side." Mayock has McGlinchey ranked as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the class. McGlinchey has been projected any- where from middle of the first round to early second round. OG QUENTON NELSON Nelson is regarded as a top-10 tal- ent and a likely first-round selection, and his performance in Indianapolis did not change that perception. The All-American guard measured in at 6-5 and 325 pounds, and dis- played his strength by recording the second-most reps on the bench press among offensive linemen with 35. He also posted a 26.5-inch vertical and 105-inch broad jump, and ran 7.65 seconds in the three-cone drill and 4.62 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle. "Nelson had a terrific combine and is a plug-and-play, high-level starter," ESPN draft analyst Todd Mc- Shay noted in a post-combine mock draft. "He's a guard, not a tackle, but he's also currently my second-ranked prospect in this class." Mayock agrees on Nelson's poten- tial for the next level. "He has a nasty demeanor," Mayock said. "He finishes with an edge. He's probably the best run- blocking interior offensive lineman I've seen in years. "Every quarterback I've talked to in the NFL says what bothers them the most is immediate pressure up the middle. So you have a guy who can set a physical edge in the middle of your line up front and allow your quarter- back to step up. That's a big deal." Sports Illustrated ranks Nelson as the No. 4 prospect in the entire draft. "The complete package at guard — one evaluator told Albert Breer that Nelson is a better prospect than Zack Martin was coming out of Notre Dame," SI wrote. "Nelson is a violent mauler with brute strength and a nasty disposition, but blends it with nimble athleticism that allows him to thrive in space and as a pass protector." TE DURHAM SMYTHE Out of the five players invited to the combine, Smythe is likely going to be drafted the lowest. The tight end put up solid testing numbers, but none jumped out to quell some of the athleticism questions being asked. "Smythe certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds with big mitts, but testing closer to the bottom than the top in nearly every athletic drill [during combine] week didn't help him," ProFootballWeekly.com's Ed Edholm stated. "It's a deep class of Former Irish Stars Take Part In NFL Combine Nelson's performance in the NFL Scouting Combine at Indianapolis only solidified his stand- ing as one of the very best prospects heading into the draft. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL