Missouri pass rusher Shane Ray wasn’t able to participate in the combine in February because of a foot injury he suffered in the team’s bowl game and the injury has lingered long enough to create concern from at least one team that he’d need surgery before he’d be ready to return to action.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that a foot specialist told Ray that’s not the case. Per Rapoport, Ray needs to rest the injury rather than have an operation.
There still might be an impact on his draft status, however. Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported the same about the need for surgery on television Thursday, but added that Ray will “need to take it easy initially” when he begins working with his new team.
Ray is part of a gaggle of pass rushing prospects, including Dante Fowler, Vic Beasley, Bud Dupree and Randy Gregory, that have been discussed as first-round picks. Any fear that his transition to the NFL will be compromised by an injury is likely to make teams think twice about using a high pick on Ray if they’ve got similar ratings on another available prospect.