Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner might have run himself into serious consideration to be the first-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions.
Milliner was clocked in 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash Tuesday morning on the final day of the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis.
It was the second-fastest time among the 60 defensive backs at the Combine, behind only a 4.36 run by Mississippi State cornerback Darius Slay.
Scouts and analysts went into the day questioning whether Milliner had the speed to be considered an elite corner and worthy of, say, the Lions’ No. 5 choice overall.
The Lions desperately need a quality cornerback, but they can’t afford to use such a high pick on just a good one. He has to be special, and with that 40-yard sprint, Milliner might have elevated his potential to that level.
“The question was: Can he run very fast in a straight line when he had to take on receivers running the go routes in the NFL?” said NFL Network analyst Charles Davis, a former defensive back at Tennessee. “He answered that question emphatically.”
Milliner didn’t perform as well in some of other drills that focused on backpedaling and ball skills. He might have lost a little focus after getting the 40 time he needed. Maybe he was pressing.
Or are there some ball-skill issues that weren’t exposed in college?
More than likely, it was focus or nerves.
The consensus evaluation of Milliner from his college tape has been that he’s a complete cornerback who simply had to prove his speed.
A couple of dropped passes probably won’t affect his grade too much, if at all.
There's one other concern, however, in taking Milliner so early. He confirmed that he won't participate in Alabama's Pro Day next month because he'll undergo surgery on his right shoulder for a torn labrum in a couple weeks.
It's a missed opportunity to prove he has better hands than he showed at the Combine. It also likely means that he won’t be at full strength to participate in the Lions' offseason program and might even miss some of training camp.
Before Tuesday’s workout, Milliner was questioned about the perception that he isn’t an elite athlete. He clearly took it personally and had something to prove, confidently telling reporters beforehand, “Watch the NFL Combine.”
Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders, an analyst with the NFL Network, said he had discussed Milliner with Lions general manager Martin Mayhew.
“He’s a great-sized cornerback,” Sanders said. “I love his swagger. I love his confidence. I love the aura about him. He has swag out of this world.”
As soon as Milliner’s unofficial 40 time was posted, former New York Giants defensive back Mike Mayock said during the NFL Network’s telecast, “Welcome to the top 10.”
Mayock gave Milliner the only first-round grade among cornerbacks entering the Combine. Like everyone, Mayock just wanted to see him run before penciling Milliner in too high.
The 40 times are considered crucial in evaluating cornerbacks more than any other position.
“Everybody thought I was going to run slow,” Milliner told Sanders in an on-field interview following the first part of his workout. “I don’t know why they thought I was slow.”
As for having a bad day with his hands, Milliner said, “I don’t know what it was. I think mostly I wasn’t watching the ball in. After I dropped the first one, I got a little frustrated with myself.”
If the Lions don’t go for Milliner with their first pick, they likely will take a cornerback, along with a safety, in later rounds.
One player who improved his draft stock considerably is Slay, who broke out of the shadow of his higher-rated teammate, Johnthan Banks.
Banks was generally believed to be one of the top two or three cornerbacks coming out, but that could change after he ran 4.61.
Mayock said that Slay’s performance caught everyone’s attention and will guarantee that each team goes back to closely examine his game tape.
Others who stood out included: Washington cornerback Desmond Trufant (6-foot, 190 pounds), who ran the third-best 40 time at 4.38 seconds; Connecticut cornerbacks Dwayne Gratz (5-11, 201 pounds) and Blidi Wreh-Wilson (6-1, 195 pounds); Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas (5-9, 213 pounds); California cornerback Steve Williams (5-9, 181), who received a lot of notoriety with an unofficial 40 time of 4.25 before it was officially downgraded to 4.42; and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (5-9, 186 pounds), who was kicked off the LSU team last season after failing drug tests.
Many of these players who took part in the Combine over the last week will perform again scouts, coaches and GMs at their school’s Pro Day sometime in March. Some also will be asked to take visits to NFL clubs for more workouts and extensive interviews.
It's all part of the long, intense process leading up to the NFL Draft, which will be held April 25-27.
