SPORTS

Jermaine Whitehead among top safeties in NFL Combine tests

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser

Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 23, 2015.

AUBURN –Jermaine Whitehead posted strong results across the board in the on-field tests at the NFL Combine.

The former Auburn safety was in the top five among safeties in the vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle on Monday.

Whitehead leaped 128 inches in the broad jump, second only to Mississippi State's Justin Cox's 129 among safeties, and tied for ninth best by a safety since 2006.

He achieved his goal of being in the "high 30s" of the vertical jump with a 37-inch leap, tied for fifth in the position group.

Whitehead ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds (12th), but showed better change of direction speed in the three-cone drill (6.95 seconds, tied for fourth) and 20-yard shuttle (4.11 seconds, fifth).

Whitehead had six interceptions last season, including four after returning from his four-game suspension and two games of special teams only for his verbal altercation with safeties coach Charlie Harbison.

Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The Mississippi native felt his "ball skills" were his strong point.

"I got quite a few turnovers this year," Whitehead said. "I made that a premium coming into this year and hopefully made me a more marketable pro."

Though at least one team has said it will not overlook Whitehead's exchange with Harbison, those willing to take a player who is currently seen as a late-round pick or undrafted free agent can find one with physical talents and a mouth willing to lead on the field.

"I'm a ball hawk, I like to go get the ball," Whitehead said. "I'm a guy that was very talkative, I have fun, I interact with the crowd."

Whitehead was among several former Auburn players to play for three different full-time defensive coordinators during his college career. While he wouldn't say the teams he was meeting with while in Indianapolis, Whitehead wanted to stress his learning of different schemes as a positive.

"Being consistent and being able to learn systems fast," he said, "those are things I think will help me."