Two former Rutgers Scarlet Knights have been invited to the 2019 NFL combine (Feb. 26-Mar. 4) in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the first time the program has sent multiple players to the NFL combine since 2015 when tight end Tyler Kroft and fullback Michael Burton.
This year cornerback Blessuan Austin and safety Saquan Hampton will both attempt to boost their draft stock at the annual event, with the on-field workouts beginning Monday for both players.
Here is an in-depth look at both prospects, along with where they are currently being projected, and much more.
OVERVIEW: Austin left Rutgers after four seasons, despite suffering season ending injuries over the past two years. Early in his career Austin had two very successful seasons, starting 21 games combined in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. After those two good seasons, Austin was only able to play five games over the next two years, suffering back to back season ending knee injuries. The scouts at the combine will be keeping a close eye on Austin to see how his recovery has been going.
ON FIELD WORKOUT DAY: Monday, March 4th
RUTGERS HEIGHT / WEIGHT: 6-foot-1 / 195-pounds
MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT: Austin should run a solid 40 time for a cornerback, he is expected to run somewhere around a mid to high 4.4. However most scouts won't be too concerned about his running times as they will be more concerned about how his knee is looking. If his knee can't hold up in the combine, it might just push him out of the draft and into the undrafted free agent pool.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
"If healthy he will need to put up an exceptional workout at the NFL combine or pro day and also excel in the on the field drills to help dispelled any lingering issues about his knees. The fact that he may still be recovering from the recent ACL tear he probably won’t get a chance participate until OTAs or training camp. If that happens expect him top be picked up as a priority free agent. I believe Austin fits best in a NFL defense that probably plays more zone than man which will protect him in coverage as he still try to prove at the next level that his knee ACL injury history is no longer a concern." - NFL DRAFT ANALYST TABER SMALL
BIG BOARD RANKINGS:
-- CBSSports has Austin ranked as the No. 26 cornerback and the No. 226 prospect in the entire 2019 NFL Draft.
-- DraftTek.com has ranked Austin as the countries number 32 overall cornerback in the 2019 NFL Draft.
-- DraftScout.com has Hampton ranked as the No. 35 overall cornerback in the entire draft.
-- TheDraftNetwork currently ranks Hampton as the No. 310 prospect in the NFL Draft.
OVERVIEW: Hampton was at Rutgers for five total seasons and suffered a couple of different injuries throughout his career. In his last season as a Scarlet Knight, Hampton was able to prove to NFL scouts that he can play healthy for an entire season. The Rutgers defense wasn't the best in the country during the 2018 season, but it could've been a lot worse without Hampton. The scouts are going to be keeping a very close eye on Hampton this combine, as he has a chance to drastically increase his draft stock with some good numbers. Right now he is considered by most as a third day pick, but with a good combine he could become a second day pick easily.
ON FIELD WORKOUT DAY: Monday, March 4th
RUTGERS HEIGHT / WEIGHT: 6-foot-1 / 209-pounds
MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT: Hampton should run somewhere between the mid to high 4.5's in his 40 yard dash attempts. Most scouts will be looking at his 40 yard dash, along with his footwork in drills and much more. If he can put up some solid to really good numbers at the combine he will be making some serious noise and could become the next big Rutgers defensive back in the NFL.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
"Hampton has a decent chance to be picked in this year’s Draft, and has a great opportunity to elevate his stock to a new level with a strong performance at the Scouting Combine. He displays the leadership skills, persistence, toughness, ball skills, and special teams ability that attracts NFL teams." - NFL DRAFT ANALYST TABER SMALL
BIG BOARD RANKINGS:
-- Matt Miller of BleacherReport has Hampton ranked as the No. 13 overall safety prospect in the entire draft after a very healthy senior season.
-- Charlie Campbell of Walter Football has Hampton ranked a little lower than Bleacher Report, currently has him ranked as the No. 17 overall safety, with a projected 4th-6th round projection.
-- DraftScout.com has Hampton ranked as the No. 9 overall free safety in the entire draft.
-- TheDraftNetwork currently ranks Hampton as the No. 324 prospect in the NFL Draft.
