With solid performances at the Combine, Murphy and Mauro's efforts on Thursday were helpful but not necessarily critical to their grades. Three-year starting defensive end (and shocking Combine omission) Ben Gardner, however, took full advantage of his opportunity to work out for scouts, recording a 39.5" vertical and a 10-2" broad jump - numbers that would've ranked second and tied for fifth, respectively, among defensive linemen tested in Indianapolis.
The 6-foot-4, 262 pound Gardner also was clocked in at 6.78 seconds in the 3-cone drill and 4.83 seconds in the 40-yard dash. These explosive numbers provide quantitative evidence of the athleticism Gardner demonstrates on tape. Like Murphy, Gardner is viewed by some as a 'tweener but he's shown the grit to handle remaining on the defensive line as well as enough fluidity and instincts to operate as a linebacker.
