LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson entered the NFL Scouting Combine as a consensus Top 10 pick. He leaves the Combine with his status as one of this year’s truly elite prospects having been solidified.
Peterson ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash of any defensive back, with an official time of 4.34 seconds. And he also impressed in the position-specific drills.
“I thought he looked really good in the drills,” NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said. “Is he a little taller? Yeah, he is, but he unlocks his hips, he runs, great ball skills as befits a guy who returns punts and kickoffs. To me, he’s a lock-down, Top 10 pick.”
NFL Network’s Deion Sanders said he wanted to “poke holes” in the much-discussed Peterson, and he described Peterson’s footwork as just “OK,” adding, “I’d like to see him a little quicker -- took too many steps to get to a certain point.” But Sanders acknowledged that he was just looking for minor areas where a great talent can improve.
“Peterson, he did nothing to persuade me not to think of him as the No. 1,” Sanders said. “He is still the No. 1. Yeah, he is not as fluid in his backpedal as I would like, but the guy is good. I can work with that.”
A lot of NFL secondary coaches are hoping right now that they’ll get the chance to work with that.