Nkang spent last weekend alongside Calvin Johnson and Troy Smith at the NFL combine. Indianapolis was the site as hundreds of NFL hopefuls made the trip to workout for professional scouts, head coaches and owners. Nkang has waited for that moment for years.
It has been nearly 20 years since an Elon player was able to make an impact in the NFL, and while Nkang hasn’t made an impact he is on the path to reach his goal.
“Chad has positioned himself to get the opportunity,” head coach Pete Lembo said. “The good news for Chad is because of what he’s accomplished he’ll get a chance… the combination of what he has done in his Elon career and the kind of numbers that I believe he will put up at combine will be enough to get him into camp somewhere.”
The combine is a chance for college players to show what they can do in an assortment of drills. While scouts from all NFL teams watch, seniors and undergraduates compete in the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump test as well as the shuttle and cone drills.
"It gives you a step up against the athletes who don’t get to go to the combine,” Nkang said. “I’m hoping to do really well, though, and showcasing what I can do.”
Most NFL scouts say that this is a weekend that will make or break a college players career. Through a good workout, you can improve your draft status multiple rounds, but at the same time a poor workout can knock you out of the draft completely.
Nkang’s numbers at the combine this past weekend gave him a leg up in the draft and may have even lifted him a round higher. He was the third fastest linebacker at the combine with a time of 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Nkang finished tenth in the 60-yard shuttle and sixth in the vertical jump.