Cornerback Terrail Lambert had a stellar day as he recorded two 40-dash times under 4.4 seconds, faster than any recorded time by a defensive player at this year's NFL Combine.

Irish Shine at NFL Pro Day

March 19, 2009

Notre Dame Pro Day Photo Gallery

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Safety David Bruton was the main attraction for NFL scouts Thursday as Notre Dame held its annual Pro Day but it was cornerback Terrail Lambert that probably boosted his stock the most.

Lambert, who was not invited to the NFL Combine last month in Indianapolis, raised eyebrows among all the scouts as he was timed at 4.37 and 4.36 seconds, respectively, in his two attempts at the 40-yard dash. Those times would have ranked first and second among all defensive players at the Combine as safety Chris Clement turned in the fastest time of 4.41 seconds in Indianapolis. Lambert’s time of 4.07 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle would have tied him with projected first-round picks Vontae Davis and Malcolm Jenkins for fifth-fastest among cornerbacks at the Combine while Lambert’s 11.24-second clocking in the 60-yard shuttle would have ranked third among cornerbacks last month.

Bruton turned in stellar performances at the Combine last month and only participated in position-specific drills Thursday.

Among the highlights from other Notre Dame players participating in Pro Day were fullback Asaph Schwapp and defensive tackle Pat Kuntz in the bench press. Schwapp benched 225 pounds 33 times while Kuntz recorded 31 repetitions. Only three players (all offensive linemen) at the Combine recorded a higher total than Schwapp and Kuntz would have tied for eighth with projected first-rounder Brian Orakpo among defensive players last month.

Here are notes and quotes collected by Associated Press reporter Tom Coyne from Notre Dame Pro Day:

– David Grimes didn’t workout because he’s still recovering from back surgery. Safety David Bruton let his numbers from the combine stand, but did take part in the position drills.
– 21 teams had scouts at the pro day. No head coaches or general managers were in attendance.
– Players worked out in groups. Lambert drew an “ooooo” from Notre Dame players watching the workout when he made a one-handed catch with his left hand when in one drill he was running with backwards, spun around and someone from the other direction fired a pass at him.
– Also working out were former Irish tight end Marcus Freeman, St. Francis defensive back Paul Carter and Valparaiso offensive lineman Ryan Kozy.

Quotes from Pro Day
Charlie Weis

(can you talk about Terrail Lambert)
“I think similar to Bruton at the combine, he had measurable that went through the roof. He ran two 40s in the 4.3s. They have a three-cone drill they do and he nailed that. The 60-yard shuttle, he nailed that. That and he weighed in at 5-10 and just under 190. So now as their doing workouts he got everyone’s attention just like David did when he went down to the combine.”

(how much can a day like today help?)
“He got everybody’s attention. Because what happens is all the scouts share these times. So within a couple of hours all 32 teams will know those times and that automatically gets everyone’s attention.”

(so overall a good day)
“He helped himself today.”

(David continue to be on the radar)
“He’s out there working out now and he’s having a nice workout. When you nail the combine like he did, you don’t do the measurable again. So today for him, he’s been supportive of all his teammates and now he’s just going through the position specific stuff.”

(You mentioned Kuntz and Asaph, they had a pretty good day?)
“When you’re an interior defensive lineman or a fullback, the thing they’re looking for is how strong you are. Asaph put up 33 on the bench and Kuntz put up 31 on the bench. To be honest with you, that’s almost a magical number when you get that number in the bench in the 30s. It automatically gets everyone’s attention.”

(maybe numbers this year aren’t the same as the last couple of years, do you think maybe a couple guys are moving up a lot in terms of draft picks)
“I’ll use an example. Besides Lambert, who we just talked about, a guy like Asaph, Asaph is a guy who maybe marginal for some teams, but any team who is looking for a blocking fullback _ you have to be looking for a blocking fullback _ but any team looking for a blocking fullback can get somebody like Asaph. Because instead of having a veteran for $800,000 or $900,000, you can get a guy for a third of the money to do the exact same thing. So anytime you see a guy 250 go ahead and throw 33 on the bench, it gets everyone’s attention.”

(how is Maurice Crum doing?)
“He’s out there in this workout too. He must have got their attention because after he ran two 40s they asked him to run a third one.”

(Is that a good sign?)
“It’s not a bad one. It means they had inconsistent numbers. So it means they wanted an extra look.”

(How about Justin Brown)
“He actually ran under 5 in the 40s and weighed in in the high 260s. So he’s going to have to go to a team that fits what he does, that’s a 4-3 type of team that’s not looking for those 280-pound defensive ends. It will be enough to have him in a camp somewhere where he’ll have a chance.”

(Mike Turkovich?)
“Turkovich didn’t run real fast but he weighed in at 316 pounds. What happens with offensive linemen, especially second-day offensive linemen, everyone’s there looking. Because you can’t find enough big guys out there, they want to get a good look at them. Forties aren’t usually what these big offensive linemen make their money on. It’s how they do in the drill work.”

(How many do you think will be drafted)
“I don’t know how many of them will get drafted. I do know there are guys like Bruton who days like today help some guys a lot more than others. Like Asaph Schwapp won’t be able to show people what he can do in a day in shorts. Because days in shorts don’t help him. The best thing he could do besides running the 40 in a manageable time, which he did, the most important thing he could do is show everyone how strong he is. That’s the type of thing he did.”

(probably not a lot of first guys here)
“I’d say one. Because the first day now is the first and second round. It’s not three rounds anymore. David just kind of put himself where a lot of people had him in the mid-rounds. I think now you’re talking about a guy who could get into the bottom of the second round. I don’t know that, but I’m saying he could get into the bottom of the second round because the arrow with everybody with him is pointing up.”

(I’m guessing this will be you’re worst draft here)
“This will be the last class that will have this low a volume. I’m not going to say it’s worse because I’m rooting for them. When they talk to me about the kids for next years, they asked me about roughly 15 different guys. Even back up guys here were people they were asking about. They didn’t ask that going into this year.”

Terrail Lambert
“I ran around a little bit, felt pretty good. My muscles were loose. I just tried to make an impression on these coaches that were out here for pro day.”

(how much do you think you helped your status)
“I think I improved it a considerable amount. Pretty much everyone I talked to said good job. They liked what they had seen. It’s a good situation, I think.”

(On his 4.3 times)
“I was hoping to get a 4.2, but I kind of slipped at the start. But I’ll take a 4.3. It’s cool.”

(faster than times at the combine)
“That’s new information for me, so thank you.”

(what do you think is your biggest selling point for the NFL)
“The fact that I can run with pretty much anybody. Aside from speed, just overall toughness. I feel like I play a little bigger than your average little corner. I know some may see me as undersized, but I think I play bigger than that. So those two points, I sold myself.”

(what are you expecting on draft day)
“I’m just saying wherever I end up, God put me there for a reason. I’m willing to accept that and just go from there. I don’t mind going through the back door to the NFL as long as I get there. And once I get there, I plan on staying there.”

“Whoever wants to take me. Home is home.”

David Bruton
(good day)
“Yes, very good day. I kind of wanted to go out there and run some 40s with the guys and do some drills.”

(didn’t want to do it to mess up your times at Indy?)
“I don’t feel like I would have messed it up, but coach Weis advised me not to do anything. I’m going to let my combine numbers stand. Because even if I a better 40 out this time it would still be considered the second fastest at the combine.”

(what did you think when you say Terrail’s time, did you want to run)
“I wanted to. I said Terrail, ‘Me and you should race. We’re going to finish this right now. Maybe week him and me will race.”

(how happy were you for Terrail)
“To see my old teammate and see him do well out here and have somebody to fool around with while I’m doing drills is great.”

(what are you hearing about your draft status)
“I’m hearing my stock’s on the rise. Wherever I fall would depend on what team’s need and what they’re looking for and how they evaluate me on the film and pro day and at the combine.”

(hoping first day)
“I’m hoping first day. If I don’t go first day it’s not the end of the world. But it would be great to go first day and see my name announced that very first day and my whole family just going nuts with me.”

Bruton said his time in the 40 at the combine was 4.46

(what is your biggest asset)
“Smart player. I communicate well. I make calls. Basically I’m always on top of my game when it comes to that. And my range. Being able over the top of corners in case they want to jump up.”

Pat Kuntz
“I got robbed (on the 31 bench presses)

(how’d you get robbed)
“I shorted a few of them in the beginning, four, so they ended up counting 31. So do the math, it’s around 35.”

(how do you feel about how you did today)
“I thought it went pretty well. I could have done a little bit better in the 40, but I’m not too upset about it. I thought my shuttles and everything like that was good. I thought position drills went real well.”

(how much do you think you improved your draft status)
“I think I did a lot. Before this, I felt like I was under the radar a little bit. I think after my performance today I’m going to be back on people’s standings and I think they might recognize they might have forgotten about me a little bit.”

(any idea on where you expect to go)
“I think it’s more like a late-round pick or a free agent. Where just going to see how the draft goes. But I’m pretty positive and pretty optimistic in thinking I’m going to be picked up late.”

(what do you think is your biggest selling point)
“The way I play. I think a lot of people try to focus too much on the combine and stuff like that and they forget about the game film. I think once people watch that and see how I go every second, they’re going to like what they see.”

Maurice Crum Jr.
(what were you happiest with)
“Just how I felt. I felt I was under control. Not wild in what I was doing. My body felt good going through the drills and I was moving well.”

(how’d you feel about your 40 and bench press)
“I felt I could have done better.”

Crum up to 235. Weighed 225 at the end of the season.

(what are you expecting on draft day)
“I’m just hoping for a phone call. I feel like I’m a draftable player.”

(what do you think are your biggest assets)
“I think I make the players around me because I’m a smart player. I’m an extension of the coaches on the field. I don’t know if you can find a better team player than me. I’ll do whatever I have to do for the sake of the team. I don’t know how many guys like that there are out there.”

(so you’re ready to play special teams if necessary)
“I’m ready to sell popcorn. Whatever the teams needs me to do.”

Among the Notre Dame players there watching: Armando Allen, Jimmy Clausen, Michael Floyd, Kyle McCarthy, Nate Montana, Sam Young, John Goodman, Ethan Johnson, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Sergio Brown, Kerry Neal, Darius Fleming, Harrison Smith, Trevor Robinson, Brandon Walker

Player Performance Lists
Justin Brown

40-Yard Dash – 4.84, 4.82
Pro Agility – 4.51
3-Cone Drill – 7.57
60-Yard Shuttle – Did not attempt
Vertical – 33 inches
Broad Jump – 9-3
Bench Press – 23

David Bruton
Only participated in position drills

Maurice Crum Jr.
40-Yard Dash – 4.87, 4.87
Pro Agility – 4.64
3-Cone Drill – 7.37
60-Yard Shuttle – 12.08
Vertical -28 ½ inches
Broad Jump – 8-9
Bench Press – 18

David Grimes
Still recovering from back surgery

Pat Kuntz
40-Yard Dash – 5.07, 5.05
Pro Agility – 4.37
3-Cone Drill – 7.37
60-Yard Shuttle – Did not attempt
Vertical – 32 inches
Broad Jump – 8-7.5
Bench Press – 31

Terrail Lambert
40-Yard Dash – 4.37, 4.36
Pro Agility – 4.07
3-Cone Drill – 6.85
60-Yard Shuttle – 11.24
Vertical -35.5 inches
Broad Jump – 10-4
Bench Press – 15

Asaph Schwapp
40-Yard Dash – 5.07, 5.10
Pro Agility – 4.48
3-Cone Drill – 7.61
60-Yard Shuttle – Did not attempt
Vertical – 30.5 inches
Broad Jump – 9-3
Bench Press – 33

Mike Turkovich
40-Yard Dash – 5.59, 5.51
Pro Agility – Did not attempt
3-Cone Drill – Did not attempt
60-Yard Shuttle – Did not attempt
Vertical – 28.5 inches
Broad Jump – 8-8.5
Bench Press – 23

Marcus Freeman
40-Yard Dash – 4.79, 4.75
Pro Agility – 4.27
3-Cone Drill – 7.14
60-Yard Shuttle – 12.20
Vertical – 32.5 inches
Broad Jump – 9-7
Bench Press – 22

-ND-