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2018 NFL Combine workouts: Orlando Brown bleak, Saquon Barkley a freak

By Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com
Penn State running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs for a 24-yard touchdown against the USC Trojans in the 2017 Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. Photo by Juan Ocampo/UPI
Penn State running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs for a 24-yard touchdown against the USC Trojans in the 2017 Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. Photo by Juan Ocampo/UPI | License Photo

INDIANAPOLIS -- On the first day of the NFL Scouting Combine, Oklahoma's Orlando Brown didn't have to be the best athlete at the event to cement his status as one of the draft's top offensive tackles. But he couldn't be among the worst.

Brown wasn't only among the worst, he ranked dead last in several athletic testing drills on Friday morning. He ranked last among the offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash (5.85 seconds), bench press (14 reps), vertical jump (19.5-inches) and broad jump (6-feet, 10 inches).

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His tape shows a heavy-footed athlete with minimal lower body flexibility, so he wasn't expected to test among the best offensive line athletes. But few expected record-low numbers across the board.

At 6-foot-8 and 345 pounds with 9 3/4-inch hands, 35-inch arms and 85 1/8-inch wingspan, Brown is a mountain of a man who compensated for his limited athleticism at Oklahoma with his wide base and reach. And, according to Brown, his mental preparation is also an asset.

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"My football IQ is some of the best in the country," Brown said. "It's honestly my best asset: how I understand the game. I understand the NFL. I understand these schemes and what's expected. I'm a good learner."

Considered a possible first-round pick entering the Combine, his pro projection will be all over the map after Friday's performance. Some teams will trust the tape; others will be scared off. Regardless, Brown knows he needs to play at a high level to see the field.

"I'm a guy that understands my job isn't going to just be given to me," he said. "I have to take it."

Other notes:

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Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is a freak -- something we all have known for quite some time. He clocked a 4.40 40-yard dash at 233 pounds, adding a 41-inch vertical jump and a 4.24 time in the short shuttle. Barkley entered the week as arguably the best player in the draft and he only confirmed that with his Combine workout Friday.

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Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller sustained a right foot injury in the Liberty Bowl, forcing him to sit out the Senior Bowl. He was medically cleared before the Combine and recently started sprinting. Although he won't be running in Indianapolis, Miller does plan to perform all the drills at his pro day. He did lift at the Combine and posted an impressive 22 reps of 225 pounds. Miller remains the top-ranked senior wideout on my draft board.

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Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough is an interesting prospect, and his workout on Friday only raised the level of intrigue. At 6-1 and 228 pounds, he ran a 4.52 40-yard dash and posted a 40-inch vertical jump, but he was at his best in the broad jump, posting a position-best 10 feet, 8 inches.

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Among the offensive linemen, UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller has fourth-round tape, but he put together a first-round workout, including an offensive line record with a 10-foot-1-inch broad jump. He added strong numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.95), three-cone drill (7.34) and vertical jump (31.5 inches). Although his college play was very inconsistent, Miller will have teams going back to the tape and pouring extra resources into checking out the UCLA left tackle.

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