Ohio State's Price sustains 'incomplete pec tear'

Ohio State interior offensive lineman Billy Price, considered a mid-first round prospect by NFLDraftScout.com, said Friday he suffered only an "incomplete pec tear" while doing the bench press at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Price stopped after three repetitions on Thursday, grimacing in obvious discomfort and reaching toward his left shoulder. He said he received results of an MRI exam on Friday morning.

"Looking at the MRI results, we were able to see a little bit of an issue, nothing that's going to force me to miss time at all," he said at a media interview in Indianapolis. "I'll be fine for the season going forward and I should be fine going into training camp."

That was quite a relief for Price, ranked 16th overall by NFLDraftScout.com.

"Oh, it's huge. You look at guys who have a complete pec tear. I have no bruising, which is huge for me. I woke up this morning and looked down there like, 'Thank God,'" he said. "No bruising, no issues in that sense. Yeah, I'm definitely happy. It's definitely something minor. It's not something that's going to make me lose time or impact me going forward in the season."

That said, he did add that he would seek a second opinion by no later than the end of the weekend and that surgery remains a potential option. He said surgery would require a four-month rehab, according to the Indianapolis Colts doctors.

Price is projected to go 12th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals in a mock draft by NFLDraftScout.com's Rob Rang. Price was an All-American at left guard in 2016 before earning the same honors in 2017 as a center.

NFLDraftScout.com writes: "Scouts can check a lot of boxes with Price. He boasts a prototypical build and mentality for the interior, along with quickness, balance and power. Price's square-ish frame and high football IQ project best to center at the next level."

Price said he had met with 19 teams over three days at the Combine, feeling that he "put my best foot forward." He said he was unsure how the setback would affect his draft stock.

"Playing 55 games at Ohio State, the resume and the body of work is there," Price said.

"I have a great relationship with the strength staff back at Ohio State if anybody were to ask, 'Can this kid run? Can this kid move? How's his bendability?' They have all the numbers. ... But this is a situation where we're just excited for whatever is going to come next."