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Football
NFL Combine Notebook: Buckeyes Set the Pace
By Tony Gerdeman

Saturday was the start of the on-field activities at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, which featured offensive linemen, tight ends and kicking specialists on Day One.

Reid Fragel
Photo by Dan Harker

Buckeyes Reid Fragel and Jake Stoneburner were the only Ohio State players participating on the day, and both did pretty well.

Fragel measured in at 6'7-5/8" and 308 lbs, but his arm length of 33" is considered on the shorter end for NFL tackles. His arm length likely helped him set the bar when it came to the bench press, however, where his 33 reps of 225 pounds were the most for any of the tackles.

Fragel ran the 40-yard dash in 5.14 seconds, which was tied for 16th among the linemen. Amazingly, six linemen ran under 5.0 seconds, including Terron Armstead (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) and Lane Johnson (Oklahoma), who ran a 4.71 and a 4.72 respectively. They were the best times ever for offensive linemen at the Combine.

Of note was one-time Buckeye recruit Kyle Long, who ran a 4.94. His winding road to the NFL took him through Florida State to play baseball, then junior college football, and then to the Oregon Ducks.

Fragel's 30.0" vertical jump was tied for fifth-best, and his 113.0" broad jump finished third. He ran the three-cone drill in 7.62 seconds, which was 14th. His 4.68 20-yard shuttle was good for 12th.

Overall, being a former tight end, Fragel was expected to finish in the upper half in most of these agility drills, which he did. Though some were expecting him to run a sub-5.0 40-yard dash, which didn't happen.

Stoneburner measured in at 6'3-3/8" and 252 pounds. He finished with 18 reps of 225 pounds, which put him right in the middle of the pack. It was the rest of his work, however, that separated him.

Jake Stoneburner
Photo by Jim Davidson

He ran a 4.65 40-yard dash, which was the third-best number on the day. Last year, the average tight end ran a 4.74 at the Combine. His 4.27 20-yard shuttle was the best by any of the participants, as was his 60-yard shuttle of 11.50 seconds.

He did the three-cone drill in 7.12 seconds, which was ninth-best on the day. He also tied for fourth on the broad jump with a leap of 116.0 inches. His 34.5" vertical was fifth-best.

Stoneburner showed that he was one of the swifter tight end prospects in the draft during the drills, which was pretty much exactly what was expected of him.

Right now, both Stoneburner and Fragel are being projected into the later rounds. Today likely answered some questions for the NFL teams that were interested. Further prodding will take place at Ohio State's Pro Day on March 8th.

Day Two will feature quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. Fullback Zach Boren will be the only Buckeye participating.

Notably, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson will be participating as a wide receiver. He is the lone Wolverine invitee.

Day Three will be Monday, featuring the defensive line and linebackers. Buckeyes Johnathan Hankins, John Simon, Nathan Williams and Etienne Sabino will be participating.

Day Four will be defensive backs, and there won't be any Buckeyes participating.

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