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2017 NFL Combine: 10 Players to watch from Big Ten

By Ryan McNeill

Sep 3, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Taco Charlton (33) rushes on Hawaii Warriors offensive lineman RJ Hollis (74) at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Taco Charlton (33) rushes on Hawaii Warriors offensive lineman RJ Hollis (74) at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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8. Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin

Confession: Last season I watched Corey Clement rip apart Purdue for 112 yards rushing on 27 carries. After the game, I was part of a media scrum that got to talk with Clement and I walked away impressed with him as a young man that had a great work ethic, elite physical tools and a player who was a tremendous teammate.

The challenge for Clement at the NFL Combine will be convincing NFL teams of the same thing.

That game wasn’t even Clement’s best of the season as he went off for 164 yards against Ohio State early in the season and 164 yards against Penn State late in the season. So it’s not like Clement just gashed a weak Purdue defense.

According to his bio on Wisconsin’s player profile for him, Clement was named First-team All-Big Ten (coaches), second-team All-Big Ten (media). Heady accomplishments that will be sure to catch the attention of scouts of NFL front office personnel.

Clement was pegged as the heir apparent to Melvin Gordon, but a sports hernia limited him to four games his junior season.Some scouts are still worried about that as shown by this quote from an NFC North scout:

"“He checked out mentally on the entire 2015 season and wasn’t very well liked inside that program. Then you add durability concerns and that’s a problem.”"

While the injury and his junior season, in general, combined to make that season a frustrating setback, Clement bounced back in a big way his senior season for WHAT yards rushing. Dealing with being the big man on campus after Melvin Gordon left took some time, but last season showed that Clement figured things out.

Performing well on the field and in interviews will be huge for Clement’s draft stock.

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