Clemson held its pro day on Thursday and representatives of the San Francisco 49ers met one-on-one with former Tigers linebacker Dorian O'Daniel, according to Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst. Of course, the representatives did not include general manager John Lynch or head coach Kyle Shanahan, who are in Santa Clara for a scheduled press conference to introduce newly signed free agents Jerick McKinnon and Weston Richburg.
"The big winner today was Dorian O'Daniel," wrote Pauline. "The athletic defender stood on his combine numbers and was run through linebacker and defensive back drills. He looked terrific in both and in some cases looked better than the Tiger defensive backs who took part in the workout.
"O'Daniel, who also impressed scouts during the Senior Bowl, is looked upon as one of the better one-gap, cover linebackers in the draft. There are some who feel he will end up as a second-day selection. Over the course of the day, O'Daniel met one-on-one with the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins."
O'Daniel led the Tigers in 2017 with 103 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, five sacks, and three passes breakups in 14 starts, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-1 and 223-pound O'Daniel had a 40-time of 4.61 seconds, a vertical jump of 32 inches, a broad jump of 119 inches, completed the three-cone drill in 6.64 seconds, had 21 reps in the bench press, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.07 seconds. Other measurables for O'Daniel include an arm length of 31 1/8 inches and hands that measure 9 inches.
NFL.com projects that O'Daniel will be selected in round 6 of the NFL Draft.
Lance Zierlein of NFL Media, who compares O'Daniel to Julian Stanford, had the following to say in his scouting report:
"Just one season as starter. Has the frame of a big safety, but is an average athlete in space. Is a little sluggish in his directional change and needs a runway to accelerate to top speed. Pursuit speed is below par. Often blocked by smaller slot players against spread rushing attacks. Needs to prove he can beat blocks near the line of scrimmage on next level. Gives up separation when matched in man coverage. Plays upright and needs to do better job of anticipating routes. What O'Daniel lacks in size and speed at the linebacker spot, he makes up for with production and consistency. He may not have the tools to become a quality full-time starter at linebacker, but his outstanding career as a special teams cover talent could be enough to earn him a roster spot and a place in the league for years to come."
Measurables
Height: 6-1
Weight: 223 lbs.
Arm length: 31 1/8 inches
Hand length: 9 inches
NFL Scouting Combine
40-time: 4.61 seconds
Vertical: 32 inches
Broad jump: 119 inches
3-cone drill: 6.64 seconds
Bench press: 21 reps
20-yard shuttle: 4.07 seconds