University of Richmond Athletics
Arman Shields Puts Up Big Numbers At 2008 NFL Combine
02/29/2008 | Football
Feb. 29, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS - Arman Shields had one day to make his mark. He did. The wide receiver, who finished his Richmond Football career as one of the school's all-time leading pass catchers, ranked among the leaders in every category at the 2008 NFL Combine. His performance helped raise his stock to a possible mid-round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.
COMBINE'S TOP PERFORMERS (NFL.com)
Shields was one of 54 wide receivers to take part in the Combine, which concluded Tuesday in Indianapolis. Other big-name wideouts to run the drills alongside Shields were Michigan's Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington, Earl Bennett of Vanderbilt and Limas Sweed of Texas.
Including Shields, just six of the 54 were non-Division I-A players.
Shields ranked as a top performer in each of the seven physical drills run during the Combine. He toasted the field in both the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttles, posting the only sub-four-second time in the 20-yard (3.96) and the only sub 11-second time in the 60-yard (10.87).
His time in the 3-cone drill was second (6.67) as was his mark in the broad jump (10'8"). Shields was tied for second in the vertical jump (37'5"), posted the fourth-best mark in the bench press with 19 reps, while running the 40-yard dash in sixth-fastest time of 4.44.
His impressive performance led SI.com to list Shields as one of eight "risers" among the Combines' wideouts or tight ends.
The senior reeled in 107 yards in the 2007 opener versus Vanderbilt to peak the interest of NFL scouts, but went down with a knee injury the game following and missed the rest of the season.
The Washington, D.C. native finished his career second all-time in catches (160), sixth in yards (1,930) and tied for eighth in touchdowns (13). Including the Vandy game, Shields surpassed the 100-yard receiving mark seven times in his 37-game career.
Nearly 300 of the top college football players participated in the NFL Scouting Combine. Top Executives, Coaching Staffs, Player Personnel Departments and Medical Personnel from all 32 NFL teams were on hand to evaluate the eligible players for the upcoming NFL Draft.