Four players from N.C. State received invitations to the NFL Combine this year: defensive back David Amerson, strong safety Earl Wolff, quarterback Mike Glennon and offensive guard Zach Allen.
David Amerson
We all remember Amerson for his astounding sophomore season, recording 13 interceptions – the second most interceptions in NCAA history. This statistic earned him first team All-ACC and Walter Camp All-American honors. He was also awarded with the coveted Jack Tatum award, which is given to the top defensive back in the nation.
Amerson recorded a 4.44 40-yard dash time, 35.5-inch vertical jump, 15 reps on the bench press (with weight of 225 lbs.) and a 127.0-inch broad jump. He earned an overall grade of 74.4 from scouts and is heavily looked at for his size, confidence and great hands.
Some scouts have their doubts, suggesting he would be much better off playing at the safety position due to his lack of hip flexibility, agility and speed. Scouts also say he can be deceived by double moves (wide receivers changing hip positions).
Overall, NFL scouts say that a team will take a chance on him as a cornerback if he can prove that his foot quickness and fluidity are up to par.
Earl Wolff
Wolff ended his senior season with 225 career tackles, seven forced fumbles and an All-ACC nomination. Wolff graduated this past December after only three and a half years with a degree in sport management.
Wolff earned an NFL Combine grade of 63.4 and was a “Combine Top Performer” in four different categories: running a 4.44 second 40-yard dash, recording a 39.0 inch vertical, dubbed a 134.0 inch broad jump and ran a 4.07 second 20-yard shuttle.
Scouts commented that Wolff is a “solidly built defender able to make plays against the run and pass, a physical tackler coming downhill to attack ball carriers and is not afraid to bring intensity to the stop.” Wolff is able to bring down ball carriers both quickly and efficiently and can bring them down hard.
In Wolff’s case, doubters state he only has average height and that stronger backs can run through his tackles easier. He also has to prove that he can “get off the blocks” when playing near the line of scrimmage.
Overall, Wolff’s intensity stood out greatly amongst the NFL scouts. His willingness to attack ball carriers out in the open or inside the backfield means that he has a great chance to start in the NFL as a mid-draft pick.
Mike Glennon
After sitting behind Russell Wilson for three seasons, Glennon stepped up leading N.C. State to an 8-5 record and a bowl win during his first season as a starting quarterback. Coming out of high school, he was regarded as being in the top five for quarterbacks in the nation.
He earned a grade of 79.4 from NFL scouts, recording a slow 40-yard dash time of 4.94 seconds and an unsustained vertical of 26.5 inches. He is sought after for his height, arm strength and accuracy. Glennon has been compared to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, saying he has great placement in between defenders down the field.
His lack of foot quickness is a big weakness, especially in today’s fast-paced game. He also tends to shy away when defenders are attacking, instead of stepping up. He isn’t very agile and is brought down easily when outside of the pocket. Overall, Scouts are projecting him as an eventual starter.
Zach Allen
Allen has been injured most of his college career, but he still contributed for the scout team. In 2009, Allen saw playing time at both offensive guard and offensive tackle in 11 games. He played a season high of 35 snaps against Murray State.
In 2010, Allen played and started in all 13 games that season and he only allowed three sacks the entire season. In 2011, he improved his stats by only allowing two sacks.
In his senior season, Allen started the first five games, but missed the rest of the season due to a foot injury.
Scouts graded Allen at a 51.0, placing him on the lower end of the scores for offensive linemen. He was a “Combine Top Performer” on the 225-lb. bench press by performing 32 reps.
