USD’s Compton a late draft choice

While most University of South Dakota students were preparing for their upcoming mid-term exams, former University of South Dakota senior offensive tackle Tom Compton was put to the test not by college professors, but National Football League scouts.

The four-year starter for the Coyotes traveled to Indianapolis this weekend to participate along side the best in college football in the annual NFL Combine, with hopes of gaining the interest of professional franchises and becoming a potential draftee in the NFL Draft on April 26-28.

The 6’5” 315 pound Rosemount, Minn. native got his chance to impress the scouts through several workouts and drills, which included the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill and shuttle run.

Among offensive linemen Compton ranked third in the broad jump with a 9’ 0” and fifth in 40-yard dash with a time of 5.11 seconds.

Other top-ten finishes for Compton include the vertical jump (30.0 inches), three-cone drill (7.59 seconds) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.60 seconds).

If drafted in April, Compton would become the first Coyote to be drafted into the NFL since David Elle was chosen by the Phoenix Cardinals in the tenth round of the 1990 NFL Draft.