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2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Stock Report:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Workout Analysis:
QB | RB | WR | OL & TE | DL & LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Bench Press Analysis:
RB | OL & TE | DL & LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Weigh-In Analysis:
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Wonderlic Test: Take the Wonderlic Test
These is my 2012 NFL Combine Stock Report for the linebackers. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.
2012 NFL Combine: Stock Report – Linebackers
Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina 
Zach Brown nearly crashed Twitter when he ran a 4.44 despite pulling up twice. His 10-yard split of 1.52 was also impressive. Brown was a fringe first-round prospect heading into the Combine, but he definitely strengthened his case to be chosen on Thursday.
Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State 
Remember when Vontaze Burfict was a top-15 prospect? He could go undrafted. That’s how bad his Combine was.
It all started when Burfict blamed others for his struggles this past season during Sunday’s press conference. When asked about his terrible 2011 campaign, Burfict called out his coaches for not putting him in a better position. Burfict would later reportedly bomb during the team interviews.
It got even worse when he hit the field. Burfict ran 4.93 and 5.10 in his two 40 attempts with an awful 10-yard split of 1.70. He simply looked like he was out of shape. His broad jump (8-8) and vertical leap (30 inches) also indicated that he has no burst.
I’m not done. Burfict had some of the shortest arms of any linebacker in Indianapolis (31 1/4). You’d think this would help his bench press, but he elected not to participate in the weight room.
Again, Burfict could go undrafted. It’s amazing how far he’s fallen in six months.
Tank Carder, LB, TCU No bias here despite the fact that Tank Carder has a draft diary on this Web site. He legitimately looked great during the drills, but if you don’t want to believe me, Mike Mayock repeatedly praised him as well. This is not a surprise, as Carder’s stock slipped during the fall because he was playing hurt. He’s healthy now, making him a sleeper in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Carder’s measurables held up as well. He ran a 4.56 40, and notched a 10-1 broad jump and 34.5-inch vertical leap. His arms are a bit short (31 1/2), but he remains a strong Day 2 prospect.
Audie Cole, ILB, N.C. State Audie Cole did not look good in the drills. He was stiff, and this was after he ran a 4.72 in the 40. He’ll be limited to two downs in the NFL.
Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama Dont’a Hightower is a big player (6-2, 265), so he wasn’t going to look as smooth as some of the other smaller linebackers. Still, the fact remains that he struggled a bit in the drills. On the bright side, he ran a 4.62 40 with a 1.65 10-yard split; solid numbers for a player of his size.
Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California Mychal Kendricks was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year this past season, but the scouting community didn’t expect much of him heading into this weekend. That certainly isn’t the case anymore, as Kendricks stood out as one of the top linebackers in Indianapolis.
Kendricks ran the fastest 40 (4.41) of any linebacker since 2000. His broad jump (10-7) and vertical leap (39.5) were also outstanding. And to top it off, Kendricks was one of the top performers in the drills. The production is obviously there, given how dominant he was at Cal, so he’s moved himself into second-round consideration.
Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College It’s amazing that some scouts thought Luke Kuechly would run 4.8 or 4.9. The Boston College product silenced his detractors in Indianapolis, notching a 4.50 and 4.59 on two separate occasions. He also showcased his great explosion with a 10-3 broad jump and a 38-inch vertical leap.
Kuechly, who was as good as advertised during the drills, won’t get out of the top 20 picks. Unless the Eagles sign Stephen Tulloch, I don’t know how they’ll be able to pass on Kuechly at No. 15 in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Sean Spence, OLB, Miami Sean Spence ran well at the Combine, notching a 4.56 40 with a 1.59 10-yard split. However, his bench performance (12 reps) was alarming; even Mike Mayock expressed serious concern over it. Spence’s arm length (31 1/2) was also disappointing, and it really makes you wonder how he wasn’t able to muster more than 12 reps.
Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama Courtney Upshaw did not look like a linebacker during the Combine. He was terrible during the drills, showing very limited hip flexibility and slow feet. Teams may want to move him to 4-3 defensive end because of this, but that’ll be an issue as well because of his height (6-1). Melvin Ingram has the same problem, but he is a really explosive player who can drop into coverage. Upshaw can’t do that, and he’s also stricken with limited explosion. Upshaw essentially has no natural position, which could really hurt him on Draft Day.
Back to the 2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Page.
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Prospects - Weigh-Ins and 40 Times:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Stock Report:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Workout Analysis:
QB | RB | WR | OL & TE | DL & LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Bench Press Analysis:
RB | OL & TE | DL & LB | DB
2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Weigh-In Analysis:
QB | RB | WR | OL & TE | DL & LB | DB
Wonderlic Test: Take the Wonderlic Test
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