Landon Collins—Overall [A]
Summary: Landon Collins turned heads in 2012 when he chose Alabama over LSU. Three years hasn’t provided a drop off, as he excelled at the NFL combine. Collins was clocked at a 4.53 and a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash, exceptional speed for the 6-foot-0 and 228-pounded Louisiana native.
He placed eighth amongst all safeties in the vertical jump, posting 35.0 inches. Collins’s 10-foot broad jump landed him in the top 10, finishing eighth overall. He was one of the top performers in the 20-yard (4.33, 13th) and 60-yard shuttle run (11.94, 9th). He didn’t participate in the bench press, but Collins’s speed and leaping abilities have further intrigued NFL scouts.
Xzavier Dickson—Overall [C]
Summary: He had a positive weigh in, at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, yet Xzavier Dickson didn’t place in the top 10 amongst all linebackers in numerous drills. He accounted for a 4.74 in the 40-yard dash. His 19 reps on the bench press set him near the bottom tier. Dickson put in a 29.5-inch vertical and a broad jump of 100.0 inches. He finished the 3-cone drill in 7.56 seconds.
Dickson’s strengths are his arms and hands. His 33 ½” arms give him the leverage to stay low against an offensive lineman in his pursuit of the quarterback. Dickson’s 10-inch hands help him showcase an array of pass rush moves. Maintaining intensity will be a focus for him.
Austin Shepherd—Overall [C]
Summary: Austin Shepherd lacked a solid 40-time (5.39s) and bench press performance (17 reps). He recorded a 29.0-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 94 inches. Shepherd ended the 3-cone drill in 8.04 seconds and the 60-yard shuttle in 4.70 seconds.
Speed isn’t his strong suit, but Shepherd has to have quick feet at the next level. It’s important for offensive tackles/guards to explode off the ball and block effectively. He displayed a lot of knowledge and power in the offensive linemen drills, but Shepherd’s footwork must improve.
Other analysis
Offensive guard Arie Kouandjio and inside linebacker Trey DePriest didn’t work out at the combine. DePriest, who finished with 88 tackles in 2014, underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus (knee). Kouandjio, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, is projected to be a second or third round pick. Both players look to showcase their talents during Alabama’s pro day on Mar. 11, 2015.
