After an impressive NFL combine performance, Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat turned the heads of numerous NFL scouts after he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.41 seconds, which was a record for defensive lineman.
Sweat ran the 16th fastest 40-yard dash time behind wide receivers and defensive backs including Ohio State WR Paris Campbell and Ole Miss WR D.K. Metcalf.
“When we first signed him, we thought he was a top-50, top-40 player,” said Brian Overstreet, NFL Agent at United Sports Group. “But certainly his draft status has improved.” Overstreet along with his partner, Rodney Williams represent Sweat.
Agents are not allowed in Lucas Oil Stadium while the combine is taking place. Therefore, Sweat’s agents were not able to see Sweat break the 40-yard dash record. Overstreet and Williams were watching it on television, Overstreet said. “And they went to a commercial right when Montez was supposed to run. When we were watching the commercial I got a text from one of the scouts that I know.” Overstreet said the text was one word: “Wow”.
The 6’6, 260lb DE recorded 21 reps on the bench press and ran the 20 yard shuttle in 4.29 seconds as well.
It wasn’t a surprise to NFL Draft Scout analyst Rob Rang about Sweat’s athleticism. Rang first got a glimpse of Sweat at the 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he called Sweat “the most gifted player at the Senior Bowl” and said he “wowed scouts” with a wide receiver-like time. “Possessing a similar degree of vertical explosiveness as former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, Sweat is among a handful of Pro-Bowl-caliber edge rushers available in the 2019 draft warranting top-10 consideration,” Rang said.
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks has Sweat going No. 8 overall to the Detroit Lions. Despite his heart condition that was discovered in tests at the combine, Sweat is still expected to be a top-10 pick.
United Sports Group has signed another potential first-round pick, Ohio State cornerback Kendall Sheffield. Other signees to their 2019 NFL Draft class include Texas A&M RB Trayveon Williams, SMU CB Jordan Wyatt, Iowa State CB Brain Peavy, Baylor DE/LB Greg Roberts, Houston S Garrett Davis, Arkansas S Santos Ramirez, Prairie View A&M DE/LB Quinton Bell and University of the Incarnate Word LB Silas Stewart.