Storrs Side: UConn football stars improving draft stock at 2013 NFL Combine

The 2013 NFL Combine came to an end on Tuesday, and four former UConn football players improved their stock for April’s NFL Draft.

Defensive standouts Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Trevardo Williams, Sio Moore and Dwayne Gratz were all invited to participate in the annual scouting event, a prelude to the NFL Draft, and all four players have improved their draft stock with their performances this week.

Moore is ranked as the sixth-best outside linebacker in the Draft by CBS and is pegged as a second round pick. He was fourth in the 40-yard dash (4.65 seconds), second at the bench press (29 reps), third in the vertical jump (38 inches), fourth in the broad jump (10’7”) and fourth in the 20-yard shuffle (4.31 seconds).

Williams, who broke the school record for sacks last season, is a potential second or third round pick. He led all defensive ends in the 40-yard dash, with a time of 4.57 seconds, and in the vertical jump with a jump of 38 inches. He also posted the third-best jump in the broad jump at 10’4” and was tied for fifth in the bench press with 30 reps.

Gratz was the top performer among cornerbacks at the bench press. With 22 reps, Gratz and James Taylor of Boise State were the only cornerbacks to bench more than 17 times. Gratz also finished in the top 10 among cornerbacks in the vertical jump (fifth at 38 inches) and the three-cone drill (third at 6.70 seconds).

CBS ranks Gratz as the 16th-best cornerback in the Draft and projects that he will be selected in the fourth or fifth round.

Wreh-Wilson, another UConn cornerback, has also had a solid week in Indianapolis. He was ninth in the vertical jump (36 inches), fourth in the broad jump (10’8”), ninth in the 20-yard shuffle (4.12 seconds) and sixth in the 60-yard shuffle (11.56 seconds).

CBS projects Wreh-Wilson as a third or fourth round pick as the 13th-best cornerback in the Draft.

The NFL Draft will take place in New York City from April 25-27.