Former Arizona cornerback Trevin Wade didn’t blow scouts away with his 4.59 40-yard dash time at Tuesday’s NFL Scouting Combine.
He didn’t steal the show on the bench press and put up 24 reps like former ASU corner Omar Bolden, and his standing vertical jump wasn’t spectacular 39.5 inches like Presbyterian’s Justin Bethel.
But Wade said he was “perfect in position drills,” showing NFL scouts his smarts and how he knew “so much about football,” and showcased just enough athleticism to improve his stock heading into the 2012 NFL Draft.
“I think I helped myself,” Wade said in a phone interview from the Indianapolis International Airport on Tuesday. “I talked to a lot of people and they gave me great vibes. It went really well.”
Wade said he believes he helped himself so much that he could hear his name called as early as the second round. The 5-foot-10, 192-pound corner said he was projected as a fifth or sixth round pick before the combine, but after his stint in Lucas Oil Stadium, NFL.com graded Wade an 82.5 out of 100 and wrote, “He could be taken as early as the second round.”
“I was real happy, but still humbled and still trying to work hard,” Wade said. “If that’s when I get picked up then I can prove that I am that type of caliber of player. It’s just some confirmation of the hard work I put in and what I want to accomplish.”
NFL.com is the only outlet listing Wade as a possible second-round pick, however. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay rated Wade a 46 out of 100 while NFLdraftscout.com called the cover corner a sixth or seventh-round pick.
The knock on Wade has been his speed and athleticism, evident by his 40-time that slotted him 19th out of 34 cornerbacks. Wade did finish sixth in both the 20-yard shuttle and the 60-yard shuttle, however it’s his average 40-time that could cause scouts to stay away from him.
But the former Wildcat, who ended his career with 12 interceptions — tied for fourth most among active players — doesn’t buy into the importance of straight-line speed at the corner position.
Wade, who models his game after New York Jets cover cornerback Darrelle Revis, believes his technique and ball skills outweigh the speed and athleticism of other draft prospects.
“A guy that runs 4.2, when the game’s on the line, he probably won’t be able to make that stop because you don’t need to run straight when it’s 3rd-and-5 and the team needs a first down to win the game,” Wade said. “I have the type of skills to stop them and get the offense the ball back.”
Leading up to the draft, Wade helped hone those skills at Athletes’ Performance in Phoenix, where he trained with top cornerback prospects Janoris Jenkins and Morris Claiborne as well as possible top pick Robert Griffin III and Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden.
In the months leading up to the draft, Wade’s expecting to continue training at the University of Texas or at the University of Houston, where former UA strength coach Brian Odom is now working.
Wade wants to increase his speed and 40-time before Arizona’s March 19 Pro Day. But even if Wade’s numbers stay as is, he believes he’s improved his draft stock and shown what he can bring to an NFL franchise.
“I think I’m going to bring that perfect technique and great ball skills,” Wade said. “I think I can be second or third (round). That would be cool.”
Combine Results
40-yard dash: 4.59 sec. Bench Press: 18 reps
Vertical Jump: 34.5 in. Broad Jump: 116.0 in.
3-Con Drill: 6.87 sec. 20-yard shuttle: 4.0 sec.
60-yard shuttle: 11.25 sec.
Q&A with Trevin Wade
On who he’d take with the No. 1 pick: “I’d take my man Robert Griffin. I don’t know who’s better but I just would take Robert because he would be a better style for my offense.”
On the toughest receiver he’s ever faced: “Austin Collie from BYU. You have receivers whose strong points are that they’re tall or they’re big but he’s a great route runner and I think he’s the best.”
On if he keeps up with UA football: “I talk to a few guys every now and then just to see how they’re doing but that’s about it, every now and then. I’ve talked to coach Ryan Walters probably four times this week and I’ve also talked to strength coach Corey Edmond this week too.”
On Robert Golden: “I’ve been talking to him and he’s doing well. He’s doing really well. I think he’s in a good position. He’s got to do real well at pro day and I’m sure they’ll watch his film and he’ll be fine.”
