Big Ten Blog

Big Ten's top performers at the combine

March, 1, 2010

3/01/10

10:45

AM ET

After watching Michigan State and Purdue slug it out on the basketball court Sunday, I was tempted to make the short drive down I-65 to Indianapolis for the final few days of the NFL combine.

The combine continues today and Tuesday, but many of the key evaluations have already taken place.

Let's take a look at the Big Ten's top performers in the events through Sunday:

40-Yard Dash

Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for fourth among tight ends (4.69 seconds)
Andrew Quarless, Penn State, tied for fourth among tight ends (4.69 seconds)

Bench Press

Daryll Clark, Penn State, first among quarterbacks (21 reps)
Arrelious Benn, Illinois, tied for first among wide receivers (20 reps)
Blair White, Michigan State, sixth among wide receivers (18 reps)
Michael Hoomanawanui, Illinois, third among tight ends (25 reps)
Andrew Quarless, Penn State, tied for fifth among tight ends (23 reps)
Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, tied for eighth among tight ends (20 reps)
Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio State, tied for sixth among defensive linemen (32 reps)
Brandon Graham, Michigan, tied for 10th among defensive linemen (31 reps)
Mike Neal, Purdue, tied for 10th among defensive linemen (31 reps)

Vertical Jump

Mike Kafka, Northwestern, tied for seventh among quarterbacks (32 inches)
Arrelious Benn, Illinois, tied for eighth among wide receivers (37 inches)
Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, sixth among tight ends (34.5 inches)
Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for seventh among tight ends (34 inches)
Rodger Saffold, Indiana, tied for ninth among offensive linemen (29.5 inches)

Broad Jump

Mike Kafka, Northwestern, tied for fifth among quarterbacks (9 feet, 2 inches)
Tony Moeaki, Iowa, tied for fifth among tight ends (9 feet, 5 inches)
Rodger Saffold, Indiana, tied for second among offensive linemen (9 feet, 5 inches)

3-Cone Drill

Mike Kafka, Northwestern, third among quarterbacks (6.96 seconds)
Blair White, Michigan State, third among wide receivers (6.69 seconds)
Rodger Saffold, Indiana, third among offensive linemen (7.42 seconds)

20-Yard Shuttle

Blair White, Michigan State, first among wide receivers (4.03 seconds)
Garrett Graham, Wisconsin, fourth among tight ends (4.35 seconds)
Rodger Saffold, Indiana, eighth among offensive linemen (4.67 seconds)

60-Yard Shuttle

Mike Kafka, Northwestern, second among quarterbacks (11.79 seconds)
Blair White, Michigan State, second among wide receivers (11.07 seconds)
Tony Moeaki, Iowa, third among tight ends (11.86 seconds)

So it's been a good combine for players like Moeaki, Saffold, White, Kafka and Quarless. I'll provide more updates on top performers as the results are posted.

Adam Rittenberg | email

College Football

ESPN.com Big Ten blogger
Joined ESPN.com in 2008
Wrote for Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Adam Rittenberg

Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.

Brian Bennett

Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.

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