Shamar Graves got a late jump on the NFL draft because the plan all along was for him to be looking forward to a final season at Rutgers right now.

But when an application for a medical redshirt season fell through – Graves played in only two games as a freshman because of multiple injuries – he was forced to head to the NFL draft. Now, the tight end/H-back is gaining a little late momentum just in time.

The 6-2, 235-pounder had a strong pro day at Rutgers and has capitalized on that in recent weeks with workouts for the Colts, Giants, Jets and 49ers. He’s also drawn interest from the Browns and Eagles and teams like his athletic ability even if his statistical production last season for the Scarlet Knights wasn’t overwhelming.

In fact, Graves’ pro day numbers would rank him among the best tight ends at the combine with a 4.65-second time in the 40-yard dash, 27 reps in the bench press at 225 pounds, a 6.92-second time in the three-cone drill and an 11.31-second time in the 60 shuttle, which would have been tops for the position in Indianapolis.

Now, it’s just a matter of Graves finding a system where he’ll have an opportunity to learn and grow. He’s hoping to be a late-round selection and is still fielding calls from teams wanting to get more information from him. With his size and athletic ability, he figures to get a shot somewhere. Stay tuned.

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