Athletic Oregon defender Dion Jordan will participate in all of the Combine drills here in Indianapolis except the bench press. Then next week, he will fly out to Los Angeles, CA to have surgery on his right shoulder.
"Give me about three to four months as far as my rehab," he said Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. "I'm going to attack my rehab after surgery like I did before to make sure I'm able to show up to camp and compete with all the other guys."
Many draft pundits believe the extremely versatile Jordan would be a good fit for the Jets with their No. 9 overall selection. While Jordan lined up all over the field for the Ducks, he believes the best spot for him at the next level will be outside linebacker.
"I get a lot of talk from 3-4 defenses because that's what I played at the college level and it's the best spot for me to utilize my athleticism," he said.
Jordan, who started out at Oregon as a tight end in 2009, switched to the defensive line in the spring of 2010. He was an All-Pac-12 Player as a junior, racking up a team-high 7.5 sacks and 13 stops behind the line. Last season, Jordan added another five sacks and 10.5 stops for loss.
"I understand the game. I understand defenses because I played on the defensive side of the ball. I understand a lot of the offensive schemes also," he said. "It plays to my abilities and understanding a lot of little things. Just my size — I'm 6 '7" and for an outside linebacker that's kind of unique."
Although he has the length to bother quarterbacks, Jordan knows he must get stronger. The upcoming surgery on his labrum will delay some weight room training and it might be difficult for Jordan to keep on the pounds before training camp.
"I feel like I need to improve my strength. Getting to the next level, it's a big boy game," said the 248-pound Jordan. "Not only me but everybody getting to this point — our strength is key. I feel like it plays a lot in the longevity in playing in the National Football League."
Jordan figures to have a high ceiling. Every NFL team is always searching for the next elite pass rusher and Jordan doesn't figure to last long in round one of April's draft.
"I feel like me lining up all over the field on defense shows my athleticism, shows that I understand the game and shows I did a lot for the University," said Jordan, who racked up 14.5 sacks for the Ducks. "The whole thing is getting after the quarterback, so pass rush would be my No. 1."
