Author: Monojit Mandal
According to Daniel Jeremiah, host of the NFL Network podcast and ‘Move the Sticks’, Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon strengthened his first-round pick projection after running the 40-yard dash in 4.46 and 4.42 seconds during a private workout. Due to a hamstring injury, Witherspoon did not participate in the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine or the University of Illinois’ Pro Day.
Despite his great performance, at least eleven players had times equal to or faster than Witherspoon, with Michigan’s DJ Turner II leading the pack with 4.26 seconds and Maryland’s Jakorian Bennett coming in second with 4.3 seconds.
Witherspoon, who injured his hamstring during a training session last month, recently visited the Washington Commanders, who are picking 16th in the first round. According to Jeremiah, Witherspoon is the sixth-best overall prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Witherspoon won the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year award during the 2022 season, making him a Thorpe Award nominee and the first Illinois athlete to do so. Witherspoon had 42 total tackles, 14 passes defended and three interceptions this season. In 11 games, he hasn’t allowed a score and has given up less than 35 yards to the opponent’s best receiver.
Witherspoon joined fellow candidates Will Anderson Jr. and Bijan Robinson as the first Illinois defenders to be named a Consensus All-American. He was also named to the CBS Sports All-American teams, Pro Football Focus and the Associated Press First Team. PFF ranked him as the best cornerback among Power Five schools and the second-best cornerback in the country.
According to Dan Pompei of The Athletic, Witherspoon attended Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. But after discovering that his SAT score qualified him to play college soccer, colleges like Cincinnati, Southern Mississippi and Temple tried to recruit him. He selected Illinois because it was the only Power Five institution that expressed an interest in him.
Many NFL teams have expressed interest in Witherspoon’s athleticism and outstanding performance during the 2022 season. As an expected first-round pick, he should make an impact on the league from the start.