Pierre Strong put his name on the NFL draft map back at the scouting combine. The South Dakota State running back was the fastest RB in Indianapolis with a 4.37 40-yard dash.
Strong and his Jackrabbit teammates had their pro day last week, and the Detroit Lions were among the 20-something NFL teams in attendance in Brookings, South Dakota.
Strong is the headliner for the FCS program, but he’s not the only SDSU prospect who the Lions could have some interest in drafting or signing as a priority free agent. Safety Michael Griffin definitely grabbed attention with his workout. From Matt Zimmer of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
The 6-foot, 215-pound safety provided the first true ‘wow’ moment of the morning with a vertical leap that was so high it exceeded the limits of the measuring tool. When they extended the marker so Griffin could jump again, he reached a whopping 43.5 inches, drawing hoots and hollers from the players and coaches in attendance. His leap would have been the top jump at this year’s NFL Combine and among the top 10 in Combine history.
Later, Griffin ran a sub-4.5 40-yard dash (no official times were posted, every scout had their own stopwatch), and also impressed in the other skills.
Griffin doesn’t get projected as a draft pick often, but those athletic marks merit deeper attention. The same is true of CB Don Gardner, a physical 6-footer with impressive ball production and tackling skills. He turned in great games against Trey Lance and North Dakota State, as well as Northern Iowa, a couple of seasons ago (the only times I’ve seen him).
Former Lions RB Zach Zenner was also there, though not representing the team. He’s now a player agent and returned to his alma mater to represent clients.