Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan recently called New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. the greatest athlete on Earth. That's pretty high praise for a second-year pro that missed the first month of his rookie year and didn't even start making a name for himself until after the team's bye in Week 8. Of course, when you can do things like this, it doesn't take much of a sample to draw the highest of compliments.
Of course, nobody in the 2015 NFL draft class has made a catch quite like Beckham's, but some pretty amazing feats mark the next crop of NFL stars. Here are nine "wow" moments and facts about some of the top athletes in the draft, listed alphabetically.
Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
Specs: 6-7, 292 pounds, 33-inch arms, 10 1/2-inch hands
Draft status: Despite lacking the statistical production one would expect of a top draft choice, Armstead's athleticism, measurables and versatility have made him a presumed top-20 pick. Armstead played four different positions up front for the Ducks and looks like a good fit for the San Francisco 49ers.
He did what? Who else in the draft can claim the athleticism to play college basketball in a major conference? It didn't last long before Armstead gave it up, but you can bet he would have been a rebounding machine.
Bud Dupree, LB, Kentucky
Specs: 6-4, 269 pounds, 32 5/8-inch arms, 9 3/4-inch hands
Draft status: The best pro prospect to come from UK since Randall Cobb, if not before, Dupree is one of six listed here who should be gone in the first round. Like Armstead, Dupree was asked to perform multiple roles for the Wildcats and would fit well with a 3-4 defense.
He did what? Dupree ran a 4.56 at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-6 broad jump, all stunning numbers for someone his size. Clemson's Vic Beasley grabbed the combine headlines because his 4.53 40 was the fastest among linebackers, but at almost 25 pounds heavier, Dupree's 4.56 was more impressive.
Mario Edwards, Jr., DL, Florida State
Specs: 6-3, 279 pounds, 33 1/4-inch arms, 10 7/8-inch hands
Draft status: Because of questions about effort and motivation, Edwards could be the last player listed here left on the draft board. Still, his talent and athleticism are obvious enough that he could be gone by the end of the second day.
He did what? Know any defensive linemen who can do a backflip? Seeing is believing.
Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas
Specs: 6-2, 266 pounds, 34 1/4-inch arms, 10-inch hands
Draft status: Flowers got a third-round draft grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board after his junior season in 2013, and chose to return to Arkansas. His senior season didn't launch him into first-round status, but it didn't hurt him, either.
He did what? How about a 55-inch box jump for a defensive lineman? Watch Flowers perform the work of much smaller men.
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
Specs: 6-5, 237 pounds, 32 1/2-inch arms, 9-inch hands
Draft status: Despite questions about Green-Beckham's character and a lack of polished technique, he is a good bet to be chosen in the back half of the first round. And considering he's been compared to Calvin Johnson, that could be a bargain in a best-case scenario.
He did what? When Green-Beckham showed up for the combine at 237 pounds, some wondered if he'd prepared properly. When he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, nobody had any doubt. That's a ridiculous time for someone that size.
Randy Gregory, LB, Nebraska
Specs: 6-5, 235 pounds, 34-inch arms, 10-inch hands
Draft status: Gregory is too good a player not to be drafted in the first round, but after a failed drug test at the combine, he might be too hot to touch in the top 10. Thanks to that transgression and two just like it at Nebraska, he's become something of a first-day wild card.
He did what? This was certainly a first -- in performing some drills for "Sports Science," the ESPN feature that blends athletes with a physics lecture, Gregory knocked the head off a tackling dummy that the show wires to measure force of impact. Consider that test passed.
Byron Jones, CB, UConn
Specs: 6-1, 199 pounds, 32-inch arms, 10-inch hands
Draft status: Jones has been a draft climber, and made a strong move in the latest update of NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 list (No. 38). He also plays a premium position that isn't a particularly deep one in this draft class, which will get him off the board all the faster, presumably early on Day 2.
He did what?Breaking a combine record is one thing. Breaking a world record is another. Jones broad jumped more than anyone ever (12 foot, 3 inches) in Indianapolis. Freak membership card issued.
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
Specs: 6-2, 212 pounds, 34-inch arms, 9 1/4-inch hands
Draft status: Like Green-Beckham, Perriman needs some work when it comes to running routes and learning the finer points of the position. He's also known to drop a few balls. Still, he's worked his way into first-round status because of his athleticism, and NFL clubs all over the league are bringing him in for visits.
He did what? Nobody north of 210 pounds should be allowed to run a 4.24 40-yard dash, but Perriman did just that at his pro day. And a couple of unofficial times clocked him sub-4.2.
Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa
Specs: 6-5, 319 pounds, 33 3/8-inch arms, 11-inch hands
Draft status: The Outland Trophy winner is widely considered a top-15 draft pick, projecting as a star-caliber offensive guard or, depending on the team that picks him, an offensive tackle. Having played tackle in college, he's got plenty of experience and most of the measurables usually needed to do so at the next level. Either way, Scherff has the look of a plug-and-play NFL starter as a rookie.
He did what? Just watch Scherff hang clean a school record 443 pounds three times. Weight-room feats don't impress you? Well, Scherff's athletic exploits at the high school level include playing quarterback in football, championship-level shotput throws in track and field, and in basketball, he collected more rebounds than match.com.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
