NFL Network’s Mike Mayock evaluates Auburn players attending NFL Combine

NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock
Photo credit: Getty Images

AUBURN –The NFL Scouting Combine is less than a week away as more than 300 of the top college players in the nation will converge on Indianapolis for a chance to work out for pro scouts. Defensive end Corey Lemonier, tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and running back Onterio McCalebb are the three former Auburn players invited to this year’s Combine and NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock gave his thoughts on the former Tigers.

“Lemonier, he’s an interesting prospect,” Mayock said Monday afternoon on a conference call. “I think his best football was probably his sophomore year and maybe a little bit at the beginning of this year. Everybody knows he’s talented but he hasn’t played up to what he should play at.”

Corey Lemonier
Photo credit: Michael Wade/Icon SMI

Lemonier had 34 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season but just .5 sacks in the final eight games. An All-SEC performer in 2011, Lemonier had 47 tackles and 13.5 sacks his sophomore season.

Mayock said he sees Lemonier being picked in the second or third round, the same as ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

Lutzenkirchen had 15 receptions for 139 yards in six games before his senior season was cut short due to left hip surgery. Mayock said he likes Lutzenkirchen a lot, “I think he’s really solid.”

The speedy McCalebb is expected to run an eye-popping time at the Combine.

The Fort Meade, Fla. native, who was in attendance at both Auburn men’s basketball games last week, had 570 yards rushing with six touchdowns and 18 receptions for 132 yards as well as 23 kickoff returns for 523 yards with a 100-yard return touchdown last season.

“McCalebb is going to run fast. That’s what he does,” Mayock said. “He’s going to add return value and he’s going to run real fast at the Combine and get people pumped up but he’s probably a fourth or fifth round pick.”

Kiper Jr. also felt McCalebb would be a fifth rounder, based off a 4.35 40-yard dash time.

Mayock also commented on the talent disparity between Auburn and Alabama going back to 2010, in response to an inquiry as to how the Tigers’ poor play the past two seasons may have impacted the draft status of Auburn players.

“Alabama had a lot more talent, Auburn had Cam Newton,” Mayock said. “There was not a whole lot of talent running around on that national championship team. There really wasn’t. Alabama’s talent dwarfs them, from a two-deep perspective. It doesn’t surprise me that we’re not seeing all those names at a high level right now.”

Tight ends will work out Feb. 23, running backs the 24th and defensive linemen the 25th and NFL Network will provide extensive coverage of the Combine with Mayock serving as lead analyst.

Auburn’s Pro Day is March 5 and the NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25-27 in New York.