Feb 27, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive lineman Nick Perry does the shuttle run during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Nick Perry killed the combine! He came in all-business and caused a buzz with his performance. He gained an extra 10 pounds of muscle to get to 271 pounds and he had the top defensive line marks in the vertical leap (38.5 inches) and broad jump (10-feet, 4 inches) while posting the No. 3 time in the 40-yard dash (4.64 seconds). He posted some BEASTLY numbers.

There have been a lot of mock drafts that have us selecting this kid and I have even mocked him to us a couple of times. He mentioned that he would rather play defensive end and keep his hand on the ground and it was a little turn-off. We need an outside linebacker on our team! He still would get to chase the quarterback around, but there would be times that he would have to drop back in coverage.

At 270 pounds, Perry would be 20 pounds heavier than Shaun Phillips and Antwan Barnes. That extra size will help him out in the run game and he even has the speed to be able to cover guys. Does he have the ability to cover guys and does he want to?

Here is his scouting report from Pro Football Weekly:

Upside:

• Physical marvel
• Exceptional take-off speed, initial burst
• Screams upfield
• Great bend, balance and body control
• Quick and agile
• Disruptive pocket presence

Downside:

• Plays short-armed — does not leverage edge
• Average eyes, instincts
• Plays small
• Does not feel blocking pressure
• Not natural moving in reverse

The Way We See It:

A freakish athletic talent capable of beating blockers with speed, Perry profiles as a havoc-wreaking, pass-rushing force. However, still could stand to improve consistency and defending the run. Will work out like a phenom and be drafted higher than he grades on tape.

AJ Smith and the Chargers have emphasized that we are looking for a PASS RUSHER and that is Perry’s specialty.  Could we see Perry and Phillips off of the edges? Does his preference to play defensive end bother you? He could move over to defensive end on passing downs and we could bring in Barnes off the edge.

The Chargers drafted DB Shareece Wright out of USC to keep him in Southern Cali. Here is a video that he shared out on his twitter about the hours of waiting for that call of a lifetime.

One of the best parts of the draft is watching that moment when these youngsters find out that their dreams have come true and they will be playing in the NFL.