Bad performances at the combine can hurt someone’s draft stock, but so can bad luck.
A league source tells Mike Florio of PFT that Iowa State linebacker A.J. Klein suffered a “serious knee injury” during drills at the NFL’s Scouting Combine on Monday.
The tough break comes after Klein turned in a 4.66 40-yard dash that made a good case for the inside linebacker’s athleticism. Klein was the co-defensive player of the year in the Big 12 in 2012, but there were doubts about how well his skills would translate to the NFL. A good 40 doesn’t answer those doubts altogether, but it’s better than the alternative.
Those questions are secondary, though, if Klein’s injury turns out to be as severe as reported.
UPDATE 4:49 p.m. ET: It sounds like the news is better than originally feared. Klein tweeted out that he avoided a serious injury and will finish up his workouts at a pro day on March 26.