With the draft drawing ever closer, NFL scouts are entering the home stretch in their player evaluations. For most players, opinions are already set in stone. The tape has been watched, interviews have been conducted, and workouts have been attended. For a select few players recovering from injuries, however, the scouting process is still ongoing. Such is the case with Florida State defensive end Cornellius Carradine, who suffered a torn ACL late in the 2012 season.
Unable to participate fully in the scouting combine and FSU's March 19th pro day, Carradine's health situation is still an unknown. He was able to put up an impressive 32 bench reps a month ago, but has only been able to participate in light running drills since. Carradine has all the potential in the world, but if he can't prove his health prior to the draft, then it is a sure bet he will experience a draft day tumble, possibly into the second round.
Thankfully for Carradine, he still has about a week to perform in front of scouts before his fate is sealed. And he doesn't plan on wasting any time. According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Carradine plans to run in front of NFL scouts in Cincinnati on Saturday, just four months after his season-ending knee injury.
If Carradine can show that his knee is back to 100% strength, odds are he will be a first-round pick. He possesses ideal size for the position (6'4", 276 pounds) and is one of the more explosive pass rushers in the draft. Prior to his injury, Carradine had already racked up 11 sacks in 2012.
The Bengals aren't in any immediate need for a defensive end, but that doesn't mean they won't select one. With three pass rushers entering contract years in 2013, they might end up picking a defensive end as an insurance policy depending on how the draft shakes out, and Carradine could be an absolute steal.