Attaochu recovered from injury, breezes through Pro Day

Early on in the workout, Jerry Attaochu kept checking on his rehabbed right hamstring.

He’d tug on it. Then stretch some. Look at it. Then tug on it some more.

“There is that little mental part where you think it’s getting tight, so you have to stretch it and do things like that,” said Attaochu, after completing a full combine-styled workout for NFL teams at Georgia Tech’s Pro Day on Friday in the Brock Family Indoor Practice Facility.

Attaochu, who was referred to as Jeremiah when he played at Tech, suffered a partially torn right hamstring in the third quarter of the Senior Bowl in January. He was unable to perform at the NFL scouting combine in February, although he did undergo medical testing and interviewed with several teams.

Tech’s Pro Day was his big chance to shine for NFL scouts, as all 32 teams were represented, including Billy Devaney and Anthony Robinson of the Falcons.

Scouts on hand Friday knew that Attaochu was recovering from the hamstring and will factor that into their evaluations. Attaochu said that he ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.5s. He didn’t do the bench press, but said he has a personal-high of 21 reps.

Defensive back Jemea Thomas recorded an unofficial 4.38 seconds on his second 40-yard dash.

Attaochu clearly was nervous while warming up and early in the drills.

“I would say midway through, when I was warmed up,” said Attaochu, when asked when he settled down. “It’s been a while since I really pushed it like that. Running a 40 (yard dash) full-speed twice and doing things like that. I felt great.”

Attaochu, 6-foot-3, 252 pounds, is intriguing to NFL scouts because he played in multiple defenses at Tech as a linebacker and a defensive end. Most teams are looking for players to help sack the quarterback in the NFL’s pass-happy era. He had 31.5 career sacks and 12.5 last season.

Attaochu had to show the scouts that he could drop in coverage and play in space. He’s a better fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

“I’m getting a lot of great feedback,” Attaochu said. “The league is split, half and half, between 3-4 and 4-3 teams. Being a pass rusher who can do both, cover and rush the passer, very well, that plays to both type of defenses.”

NFLDraftScout.com ranks Attaochu as the sixth-best outside linebacker in the draft and projects him to go in the second or third round.

“The league is becoming more versatile, and they need more guys like me,” Attaochu said. “Guys who can stand up or put their hands in the ground, that definitely works to my advantage.”

Attaochu had interviews with Tennessee, the New York Jets, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Philadelphia at the combine.

He’s set to have individual workouts next week with Philadelphia, Indianapolis and New England. At the end of his workout Friday, Attaochu huddled with scouts from Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

Attaochu hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Tech defenders Michael Johnson and Derrick Morgan.

“Michael Johnson called me yesterday,” Attaochu said. “Derrick Morgan has been there talking to me and has been giving me advice. They’ve had my back.”

He just doesn’t want teams to call him Jeremiah.

“The NFL knows me as Jerry Attaochu,” he said. “That’s what was on my name tag. It was warming to know that’s what they call me. I think Jerry is fine. It makes me feel comfortable. Jeremiah is really formal when they say that to me.”

Thomas, who had a strong showing at the combine, was fluid in his drills.

“This was just a chance to get some better results, so I didn’t have a problem with it,” Thomas said. “I have a couple of individual workouts set up. I’m just sitting and waiting to see what comes next.”