Jerell Adams stays focused as NFL draft stock rises

Former Gamecocks tight end Jerell Adams was soft-spoken and to-the-point Wednesday following South Carolina’s Pro Day.

His shoes, a mismatch pair, one bright blue and one orange, didn’t follow suit.

“They gave it to us at the Combine,” Adams said. “We had the shoes, the gloves and cleats like this.

“They gave it to us like this.”

The 6-foot-5, 247-pounder made his mark at the Combine with the best 40-yard dash time for a tight end, and didn’t run Wednesday at Williams-Brice. Instead, he said he caught the ball well and held his own on the bench press.

He stayed late, meeting with representatives from San Diego and Philadelphia, even breaking down film from last year’s Tennessee game (that ended with his crucial fumble).

Adams said he plans to watch the draft at his mother’s house in Pinewood. Where he gets picked is unclear, but it seems his stock is rising. Not that he pays it any mind.

“People post it on my Twitter and Facebook,” Adams said. “But I just scroll down.”

Matulis taking a shot

Offensive lineman Mike Matulis wanted to prove to NFL teams that he was healthy and durable, and he thinks he did that with 31 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press and a solid workout .

“I just have to do what I can do here, and the rest is in other people’s hands,” he said.

Matulis measured in at 6-feet-6 and 315 pounds, and South Carolina offensive line coach Shawn Elliott believes he will get a chance to make an NFL roster.

“Those big bodies, they are hard to come by,” Elliott said.

Champ in the house

Along the sideline at the pro day, one could spot a champion. That’s a Super Bowl champion in former Gamecock Darian Stewart, a few months removed from his Denver Broncos’ victory against the Carolina Panthers.

He admitted his team delivered its best performance of the year that game, and it was a big moment for a veteran-heavy roster.

“That’s what we all work for,” Stewart said. “And then not too many people get to that level. Just to have that experience, that was special.”

He didn’t get the chance to celebrate, instead having to quickly move to a new home. The former Ram and Raven lives in Charlotte and works out with former teammates Captain Munnerlyn and Stephon Gilmore.

Shell Game

Offensive tackle Brandon Shell already had a chance to show his skill at the NFL Combine, and that was helpful considering a sore hip flexor caused him to pull up during the 40-yard dash.

The senior from Goose Creek said he felt he performed well, but wouldn’t have a better sense until he broke down the film.

“It doesn’t matter if I go fifth round, undrafted, third round, seventh round,” Shell said. “It doesn’t matter, I just want to play.”

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 5:47 PM with the headline "Jerell Adams stays focused as NFL draft stock rises."