Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan NFL Combine Report: Thursday
2/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
INDIANAPOLIS -- Three of the school-record tying seven Spartans attending the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis spoke to the media on Thursday inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Two-time All-America center Jack Allen, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner Connor Cook, and Big Ten Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge all talked about what they're looking forward to at the NFL Combine as on-field testing begins Friday.
"I think I made a lot of progress," Cook said of his pre-combine training in San Diego. "The weight room schedule that I've been on has been great. The strengthening program for the shoulder has been great. Putting in a lot of time, a lot of work, obviously on the field, and off the field in the weight room, in the film room, in the classroom, the whole nine yards, so the whole month was great and I'm just looking forward to going out there and proving myself at the combine."
Cook, who suffered a shoulder injury in the Maryland game on Nov. 14, said his shoulder is 100 percent and ready to go for workouts at the combine. His on-field testing will be on Saturday.
"I'm just looking forward to going out there and just throwing it," he said. "Throwing the outs, throwing the digs, the go-routes, the post-corner, I just want to go out there and just let it fly."
Cook's favorite target during his senior season was Burbridge, who had an MSU single-season record 85 catches in 2015. Burbridge is excited for Cook to show the scouts why he was the winningest quarterback in Michigan State history with 34 victories as the starter.
"I think (Connor's) going to show them that he's an excellent leader, great person, (and) he can throw the ball as well as anybody else," commented Burbridge. "I feel like he's the best quarterback in the draft right now."
"He's a gamer," said Allen of Cook. "He'll show up and make all the passes and complete everything, so I've got faith in him."
Burbridge is also ready to prove he belongs in the conversation among the top receivers in the 2016 NFL Draft.
"I'm anxious to show the scouts that I'm one of the best receivers in the combine, that I have great body control, and can catch the ball just as well as anybody else," the native of Farmington Hills, Michigan, said.
Allen, who not only played center at Michigan State, but also guard and tackle, is counting on his toughness and versatility as being his biggest assets for teams in the upcoming draft.
"A lot of these teams they don't carry many offensive linemen on the active roster, so if they have a guy that's a back-up or playing, they want a guy that can play multiple positions so if something happens, you can slide right in wherever," he said.
"With wrestling (state champion wrestler in high school), I think that's probably the reason why I'm here. Like hand fighting, I can feel body weight from throws and getting thrown in wrestling. I think wrestling is the biggest and most important thing that I've ever done to get to a place like this."
One common theme between the Spartans was the great memories of playing on the winningest senior class in school history.
"I'm proud to be a part of the legacy we just left in East Lansing," said Burbridge. "Bringing a program back to where it's been 50 years ago. Everybody's looking at Michigan State like it's one of the elite teams in the country."
"Just the memories with the guys," noted Cook on what he'll remember the most from his time at MSU. "I've been so fortunate to be on such great teams. You look at the bowl games that we've been able to win, the Rose Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the conference championships. There's really not one thing that I can pick out. I would just say all the victories with the guys, in the locker room after the game, celebrating with them, and just having a great time with your teammates."
"Not many of us, no other team in college really had much faith in us, all of us were two-, three-star guys that everyone kind of brushed under the rug, and to be known for that (winningest senior class) at Michigan State is a pretty big accomplishment," said Allen. "To win two Big Ten Championships, that's something that doesn't happen all the time. I think it's a reflection on Coach D and the kind of guys that he brings in, and the hard work that we put in."
POTENTIAL FIRST-ROUNDER Jack Conklin OPENS NFL COMBINE
Jack Conklin, the first-team All-America left tackle who opted to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, was the first Spartan to greet the hundreds of reporters gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium on Wednesday. He is projected by several draft analysts to be selected in the first round.
"I think it's really just being able to talk with the coaches, show them what I'm about, show them that Jack Conklin is a hard-working guy who they want on their offensive line, who's going to be a guy that they can rely on in the fourth quarter and tough it out in those trench games," he said on what he's looking to accomplish this week. "Just being a physical guy. Obviously, you have the running portion; I think teams are going to be surprised at how athletic I really am. I think that's going to be a big part of it."
Conklin, who arrived at Michigan State as walk-on, left as a three-year starter on two of the winningest teams in school history (school-record 13 victories in 2013; 12 wins in 2015).
"My fondest memory has probably got to be the Rose Bowl," he said. "Coming off that tough 7-6 season where we had so many close games, just to finish that off the next year going 13-1 and beating Stanford in the Rose Bowl, I can't think of a better moment I've had at Michigan State."
Conklin was also proud of his accomplishments in dealing with his teammates.
"I think it was in the leadership," said Conklin on where he grew the most at Michigan State. "I came in as a real quiet guy, was more of the hard working, just keep your head down, stay out of the way and let my actions speak for (themselves). I think as I've grown at Michigan State I've become more of that vocal leader, that guy who helped teammates come along too. My biggest thing is talking to younger guys and helping them along through the process, because I had so many older guys help me."
WHAT'S NEXT
Live coverage of on-field workouts begins with the offensive linemen, running backs and specialists on Friday, Feb. 26. Coverage starts at 9 a.m. on the NFL Network and NFL.com. In addition, MSU's three defensive lineman -- Shilique Calhoun, Joel Heath and Lawrence Thomas -- are scheduled to meet with the media.
