John Franklin in Indianapolis for 2018 NFL Scouting Combine
3/2/2018 9:12:00 AM | Football
SFA defensive end is only Southland Conference football player at NFL Scouting Combine, becomes first Lumberjack to participate in pre-draft showcase since Gus Johnson in 2015
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – After going 0-40 as a prep player at Greenville High School, Stephen F. Austin defensive end John Franklin will move one step closer to his dream of playing in the National Football League this weekend at 2018 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Greenville, Texas, native is the lone Southland Conference football player participating in the NFL's premiere pre-NFL Draft showcase held Tuesday-Monday, Feb. 27-March 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It marks the first time since 2015 the Stephen F. Austin football program will be represented at the NFL Scouting Combine as Franklin became the first Lumberjack to be invited to the coveted workout since All-American running back Gus Johnson. Franklin is one of just 20 FCS football players to be participating in the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine this week.
Only top prospects eligible for the 2018 NFL Draft are invited to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine where general managers, executives, coaches, scouts and doctors from all 32 NFL teams conduct an intense, four-day job interview in advance of the NFL Draft.
Broken down by positions, Franklin is a part of the defensive line group No. 8 and was a day three arrival to Indianapolis with defensive line group No. 7 and the linebackers on Thursday, March 1. His first day comprised of registration, a hospital pre-exam and X-rays, overflow testing, orientation and interviews. On Friday, March 2, Franklin will be involved with measurements, medical examinations, and additional overflow testing and interviews. Psychological testing, a NFL Players Association (NFLPA) meeting, interviews with the media, the bench press workout and more interviews with NFL team personnel is scheduled for Franklin on Saturday, March 3.
Wearing number DL33, Franklin will conduct his on-field workouts on Sunday, March 4, including the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and 20 and 60-yard shuttle runs. The NFL Network provides exclusive coverage of the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine and will broadcast the on-field workouts live from 8 a.m. CT to 3 p.m. CT. Condensed three-hour broadcasts of the day's workouts will be shown on the NFL Network at 3 p.m. CT, 7 p.m. CT and 11 p.m. CT.
In January, Franklin had a spectacular performance at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl inside the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Leading the Mike Martz' coached National Team to a 23-0 rout over the American squad, Franklin posted a team-high tying seven total tackles, including a tackle for loss, and had a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
A three-time All-Southland Conference honoree, including being a second team pick this past fall, Franklin finished out his Lumberjack career as one of SFA's top performers on the defensive line all-time. He led the Lumberjacks' defensive front in his final season suiting up for the Purple and White, posting a team-best 13.5 tackles for loss for negative 46 yards, including dishing out 3.5 sacks for a loss of 24 yards. In league play, Franklin's 11.5 tackles for loss were fifth-most in the Southland as he tied for sixth in tackles for loss per game (1.28). Ranked 42nd nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.2), Franklin finished with the fifth-most total tackles (55) on the team and had 27 solo stops.
Prior to the 2017 season, Franklin was tabbed as the 31st most important player in Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football. Franklin completed his Lumberjack career fifth on SFA's all-time career tackles for loss list with 37.5 over the past four seasons, while finishing ninth in program history in all-time career sacks (17.5). He compiled 130 total tackles across the last four years, including making 70 solo stops, forcing five fumbles and pressuring 22 quarterback hurries.
With a plethora of looks from NFL teams throughout the fall, his NFLPA Collegiate Bowl performance and the NFL Scouting Combine workout, Franklin has a strong opportunity to become the first NFL Draft pick for SFA since 2011. Former All-American linebacker Jabara Williams was taken 228th in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft, becoming the 32nd draft pick for the 'Jacks in program history.
Franklin is seeking to become the fifth Lumberjack to suit up for an NFL team during the Clint Conque era at SFA. He would join Gus Johnson (2014), Terran Vaughn (2015), Zach Conque (2016) and Justice Liggins (2016) as former 'Jacks who have made appearances on NFL rosters in recent years.
NFL.com Combine Live will broadcast every drill for every position group from Indianapolis. You can watch NFL NOW's live streaming combine coverage on your computer via NFL.com, on your phone via NFL Mobile or on the NFL app on your connected TV.
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