(SP) – NFL scouts in attendance at the 2018 draft combine in Indianapolis held an emergency meeting today to reach agreement on the terminology they will use to describe linebacker Shaquem Griffin.
The UCF product wowed at the combine by running a 4.38 40, the fastest time by a linebacker in a decade. At the same time, he is missing his left hand since birth.
“This is probably the toughest case of athletic or scrappy I’ve had in all my years,” said one NFL scout with two decades of experience. “On the one hand, he’s fast and black. So very athletic. On the other hand, he has a stump hand and plays linebacker. Considering those two things, imagine if his name was something like Chad Matkeiwicz. He’d be called the scrappiest linebacker of all-time.”
One team’s GM said he will wait to meet Griffin before deciding on him.
“If he gives me a firm handshake, I will know he is a high character, scrappy player,” said the GM. “And, no, not having a hand to shake with is no excuse. Character doesn’t have limitations.”
