Wisconsin LB Cichy back on radar as NFL prospect

Jack Cichy could be one of the most intriguing linebacker prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft after missing the final one-and-a-half seasons of his college career at Wisconsin. NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Dane Brugler wrote before the NFL Scouting Combine last month that "injuries have made him a forgotten prospect in this class on a national level, but his tape showed a top-50 prospect when healthy." Cichy missed the second half of the 2016 season with a torn left pectoral and all of last season because of a torn ACL. He was at the Combine late last month, mostly to meet with teams, as he saved almost all of his workouts for the Badgers' Pro Day last Wednesday. He did not run the 40, but his reported times of 4.28 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle and 7.10 in the three-cone drill were respectable, and his vertical jump of 33 1/2 inches was "the highest I jumped since probably my sophomore year," he told The Big 1070 in Madison, Wis., after the workout. "It's been going really well," Cichy added about his rehab. "I knew I really wasn't going to do much at the Combine, just give my knee a little more time, and I thought that was definitely a smart decision. Being able to wait those two weeks and really showcase what I have here, I'm really pleased with how it turned out and how I was moving around. ... "Absolutely happy. I felt crisp and clean in the agility drills." NFLDraftScout.com currently rates Cichy as the seventh-best inside linebacker and a fifth- to sixth-round selection, although there is plenty of time to move up before the draft begins on April 26 as teams further evaluate Cichy's injury history and rehab. He made 60 tackles and five sacks as a sophomore in 2015 and had 60 tackles in seven games as a junior before suffering the pec injury. Brugler wrote at DallasNews.com: "When healthy, Cichy competes with a quick trigger and shows off an impressive blend of athleticism and smarts. He fits all the stereotypes of a former walk-on with his nonstop hustle and enormous chip on his shoulder and his football character will instantly endear him to NFL teams." Here are NFLDraftScout.com's top 10 inside linebackers as of March 18: 1. Roquan Smith, Georgia 2. Malik Jefferson, Texas 3. Micah Kiser, Virginia 4. Josey Jewell, Iowa 5. Genard Avery, Memphis 6. Azeem Victor, Washington 7. Jack Cichy, Wisconsin 8. Tegray Scales, Indiana 9. Kenny Young, UCLA 10. Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Western Kentucky