Arrion Springs had some numbers on his side.
The Oregon cornerback had 12 passes broken up as a sophomore in 2015, and another 19 last fall as a senior, both of which led the Pac-12 Conference. The analytics web site Pro Football Focus gave him a coverage grade of 88.2 out of 100 in 2017, seventh nationally among FBS cornerbacks.
Still, there were questions about his long-term potential. Springs wasn't extended an invitation to a postseason all-star game, nor to the NFL Scouting Combine. Through the grapevine, Springs heard whispers it was another number that scouts doubted — his 40-yard dash time.