Virginia DE Eli Harold stands out at the NFL Combine: a recap

By all accounts, former Virginia standout Eli Harold had an excellent NFL Combine. The 6'3", 243 lbs. defensive end / outside linebacker has been garnering a lot of attention, including most recently from ESPN's Mel Kiper, who's taken notice of Harold's performance.

"I think Eli Harold's going to go first round now, based on his workout." — Mel Kiper on teleconference, mentioning former #UVa DE.

— Andrew Ramspacher (@ARamspacher) February 26, 2015

By the numbers, Harold had one of the top 40 times, coming in at 4.60 flat. He also posted a 35.0" vertical jump, 123.0" broad jump, a 7.07 sec. 3 cone drill, a 4.16 sec. 20-yard shuttle, and a 11.81 sec. 60-yard shuttle. Harold's 40 time came in sixth among linebackers.

Virginia defensive lineman Eli Harold hustles through 40-yard dash

Watch both of Eli Harold's 40-yard dash attempts on NFL.com.

ESPN's Todd McShay said, "He's just a talented, raw player who I think his future's bright. Certainly you can see the potential he has when you watch the tape. He's got a lot of developing still to do. But when you look at some of the numbers he was able to put up, it matches what you see. I think his best fit's probably 3-4 outside backer but at 6-3, 247 pounds, he's got those long arms that you look for in a defensive end, outside backer, rush backer types."

In terms of initial burst coming out the gates, McShay said Harold is among the "elite, elite group."

For a little bit of funsies, watch Harold's Combine Confessional here.

Combine Confessional: Virginia defensive end Eli Harold

NFL.com called Harold Buzzworthy:

Eli Harold, edge rusher, Virginia: The former Cavalier standout had been hailed as one of the draft's biggest sleepers prior to the NFL Scouting Combine, but the cat might be out of the bag now, as Harold put on a spectacular showing on the turf Sunday. The 6-3, 247-pounder clocked a 4.60 in the 40 and posted remarkable times in the shuttle drills (7.07 in the three-cone, 4.16 in the 20-yard and 11.81 in the 60-yard). In addition, Harold recorded a 35-inch vertical jump and a 123-inch broad jump, suggesting that he is an explosive athlete with the physical tools to develop into a consistent pass-rushing threat off the edge.

In other news, former Virginia players Max Valles and Ant Harris also participated in the combine. Valles ran a 4.83, while Harris ran a 4.56. Follow the links below for the bios and analysis for each of Virginia's three combiners:

NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Eli Harold NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Anthony Harris NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Max Valles