By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

I think we’re all in agreement, except for maybe anyone that actually works for an NFL organization, that the NFL Combine is more show than substance. It’s similar to proclaiming that a particular movie is the greatest piece of cinema ever created, after having only seen the trailer.

Nevertheless, there is always one athlete who tends to steal the show with a quicker than expected 40-yard dash, or impressing the attendees with the amount of reps they do on the bench press. This year was no different, albeit for one minor exception.

Before the Combine, I didn’t know much about Shaquem Griffin. I knew he played for UCF and I was aware that he did not have a left hand; that was it.

I didn’t know if he was a good player or not. I had no idea if he had been born without a left hand, or if it had been amputated. Hell, I didn’t even have a clue as to what position he played, besides defense. I can promise you, I know now.

Besides impressing everyone with his 40 speed (4.38 seconds), or his 20 reps on the bench press using a prosthetic hand, Griffin is coming off two very successful seasons at Central Florida.

In 2016, his junior year, he was 1st team All-AAC and AAC Defensive Player of the Year. He followed that season up with a senior campaign that saw him receive not only 1st team All-AAC honors again, but AFCA 2nd team All- American, as well.

Over the two year span he combined for 166 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and 1 interception.

I’m not saying Griffin is going to be the next Ray Lewis, but he’s good enough to play on Sundays.

Throw in the fact he did all this without the use of a left hand, which was amputated when he was four years old, and it’s pretty incredible.

All that said, the more interesting question to me is, “Where will he get drafted?”

You can always count on two things happening at the draft: 1. A player is drafted higher than their talent level would suggest, based upon the Combine. 2. A player’s stock will drop, below where their talent level warrants, because of same ridiculous, inane reason. I could see either of those two scenarios playing out for Griffin.

Overall, I think he’s a late 2nd round/early 3rd talent, so it’ll be intriguing to see if a team reaches a bit and drafts him earlier than that, or if they are hesitant and he drops into the later rounds.

Like most draft picks, much of his success will depend on where he goes and who his coach will be. In the right situation, he could be a huge asset for whomever drafts him. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing him on the Panthers.

There will be a lot of feel good articles written about Griffin between now and the NFL Draft, and there should be. What he accomplished in his college career, and what he hopes to achieve at the next level, is something that should be applauded; not necessarily because of what he’s done, but because of what it took for him to get to this point.

I don’t normally get too sentimental about these type of things, but his story is certainly inspiring and I’m rooting for him.

At this point I have no idea what type of professional football career Griffin will wind up having, but so far he’s put out one hell of a teaser trailer.