Despite being named as a suspect in a recent sexual assault investigation, former Ohio State CB Gareon Conley was drafted at No. 24 overall in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.
How did Conley do at the combine?
Conley performed well at the annual showcase in Indianapolis, running a 4.4 second 40 yard dash (14th among DB’s), jumping 37 inches in the vertical (11th), while showing good change of direction in the 3 cone drill, posting a 6.68 second time (5th).
It was his performance at the combine that earned him first round buzz for the first time during the draft process. He measured out at 6’0, 195 pounds and fell mid-range with 33 inch arms and 9.5 inch hands.
How good was Conley in college?
After spending most of his freshman season as a special teams ace in 2014, Conley was a rock for the Buckeyes’ secondary the past two years, starting all 26 games at corner, earning honorable mention Big-Ten Conference honors in 2015, and becoming an All-Big Ten second team pick by the coaches in 2016. In his three seasons, Conley racked up 66 tackles, six interceptions, and 15 passes broken up.
A member of the Buckeyes’ legendary 2013 recruiting class, Conley was originally a Michigan commit before flipping to Ohio State. A four-star recruit out of Massillon (OH), Conley was rated the No. 146 overall player in the 2013 class by the 247Sports composite, while ranking 15th among corners, and eighth in the state of Ohio.