The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2018 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY ANDREW VAILLIENCOURT F ormer Michigan offen- sive lineman Mason Cole and linebacker Mike McCray both participated in this year 's NFL Scouting Com- bine, which ran from Feb. 27 to March 5 in Indianapolis. A third Wolverine, for- mer defensive tackle Mau- rice Hurst, was scheduled to participate but had to pull out due to the discovery of a heart condition while be- ing examined by doctors. He was able to get measured before leaving, and checked in at 6-1 1 ⁄4 and 292 pounds, with 9 1 ⁄2-inch hands, 32-inch arm length and a 76 7 ⁄8-inch wingspan. Cole measured in at 6-4 1 ⁄8 and 305 pounds with 32 1 ⁄8- inch arm length and 9 5 ⁄8-inch hands. McCray came in at 6-1 1 ⁄8 and 243 pounds with 9 1 ⁄8- inch hands, 32 5 ⁄8-inch arm length and a 78 1 ⁄4-inch wingspan. Offensive linemen worked out before linebackers, meaning Cole — who will likely enter the NFL as a center — was up first. He ran a 5.23-second 40-yard dash (tied for 13th among offensive linemen), 7.77-second three-cone drill (15th) and a 4.78 20-yard shuttle. He also lifted 225 pounds in the bench press 23 times, which was good for 21st out of the 36 offensive linemen that participated. Cole's unofficial 10-yard split — which is the most im- portant part of the 40 for linemen — of 1.78 ranked third among the first 17 blockers who ran the 40. He also re- corded a vertical jump of 23.5 inches and a standing broad jump of 104 inches, which was tied for 19th at his position. NFL Network analyst and former NFL general manager Charley Casserly called Cole one of the four best offensive linemen during the position drills. NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter said Cole looked good despite being an interior lineman that had played mostly tackle in college. "More fluid than most in pass pro drills, good hips in DB drill," Reuter said. "Zone guard/center would be a great fit." McCray clocked in his 40- yard dash at 4.76 seconds, good for 21st out of the 27 linebackers that ran it on March 4. He also had 16 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, which ranked 25th out of 26 linebackers that partici- pated. In the other drills, McCray recorded a 31.5-inch verti- cal jump, a 119-inch stand- ing broad jump, a 7.09-sec- ond three-cone drill, a 4.25 20-yard shuttle and an 11.61 60-yard shuttle. His 60-yard shuttle time ranked third out of the four linebackers that did it. McCray didn't draw a lot of attention from the an- nouncers calling the com- bine, but he did earn some praise on social media. "Mike McCray hasn't had a 'loud' day, but he's shown up to work in the drills. Efficient, loose and liquid-fluid in all hip drills," NFL Draft analyst Dion Caputi said. "And unlike most others in his positional group, I don't remem- ber a dropped ball either." The top concern surrounding McCray entering the com- bine was his speed. He was burned on occasion by slot receivers and running backs at U-M. "I think the NFL knows where he stands in terms of his coverage," Pro Football Focus analyst Josh Liskiewitz said. "They're not going to see his play in that and let that alter too much. I think he's pretty much as advertised as an athlete. "He's not a top-end guy, but I view him as a guy that has the ability to defend the run inside and take on block- ers and shed them. Yes, there's probably still a place for him in the NFL." ❏ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Wolverine Duo Participates In The NFL Combine NFL.com projects former U-M linebacker Mike McCray to be selected sometime in rounds 4-5 during the 2018 NFL Draft. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL