Once a trio on the 2012 University of Tennessee football team, quarterback Tyler Bray and receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson, showed off their abilities Sunday in an individual manner. The players were put under the proverbial microscope at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
All three players were juniors this past season, and elected to declare for the NFL draft. And while Patterson is projected by many mock drafts to be taken in the first round, all three can boost their stock before draft day.
They began that process Sunday with mostly beneficial results. In the 40-yard dash, Patterson ran a 4.42 and Hunter ran a 4.44. Texas’ Marquise Goodwin had the top time among receivers, and all players for that matter, at 4.27, but Patterson and Hunter had top-10 times out of the 35 receivers that participated.
Goodwin was the 10th-place finisher in the long jump at last summer’s Olympics.
Hunter stood out in the vertical jump, tying Virginia Tech’s Marcus Davis and former Vol Da’Rick Rogers with the best result among receivers at 39.5 inches. Patterson was close behind at 37.5.
Hunter also had the best receiver mark in the broad jump at 136.0 inches. Goodwin and Rogers tied for second at 132.0.
As for Bray, the quarterback has bulked up, adding 24 pounds. And according to a report from The Tennesseean, most analysts at the combine agreed Bray showed the best arm Sunday. Bray could also benefit from Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley not participating in the combine because he is still battling an injury.
Some of Bray’s combine competition included West Virginia’ Geno Smith, N.C. State’s Mike Glennon, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones and Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson.
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Comments » 8
hueypilot writes:
Look at Bray with the new bod and all business buzz cut instead of surfer dude mop top. I know it's an observation about superficial appearance (the hair not the physique) but I hope he has grown up and does well gong forward. Good luck to all the guys who wore the Orange. Even DaRick. Vols in the NFL and their brothers (Eli ) are my only interest in the pros.
whatmeworry writes:
How did Bray get so big so fast and why didn't he do that while at U.T.?
Rumblefish writes:
I was wondering that myself.
Maybe all that class and study time got in the way ;)
jack4444 writes:
Heard the draft gurus discussing the top 8 QB's- no mention of Bray. Guy's got the strongest arm and he's not in the top 8? Headcase deluxe and they all know it.
NYvolFan writes:
Maybe he started drinking more beer bottles instead of throwing them at vehicles. GBO!
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Will say it again.
Bray will be a decent NFL qb.
He's immature, not a "head case". Damn, people, what were you doing at 21?? Other than whacking off??
Bray manages an offense well. He's tall, can make every throw.
Hell, Ainge made it, might even have played if not for the painkiller addiction; Ainge has half the arm Bray has.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Yeah, kind of forgot about Rogers.
Maybe if he'd stayed, he and Patterson could have played D as Pickens did so many years ago....we sure needed something.
rbwtn writes:
HONESTLY! Bray looks good we all forget he was only a kid at UT and he has now and will continue to put on weight he looks good and we already know he can throw so he deserves what he'll get and he just may start! Don't be surprised. Good Luck Tyler. I just hope he doesn't forsake TN.
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