Fooch's update No. 2: SiriusXM NFL radio saying surgery viewed as optional.
Fooch's update: Jaelen Strong tweeted about it -
Old news. That happened Nov 1st. I'm fine. Played 5 games with it and I'm sure you couldn't tell. Don't believe everything you hear.
— Strizzy (@JaelenStrong) April 15, 2015
The 2015 NFL Draft is two weeks away, and a big benchmark is fast approaching. The NFL Combine "re-checks" are taking place this week in Indianapolis. Back during the Combine, players went through various medical procedures and examinations. The re-check provides teams a chance to get one more bit of critical information as they make their final decisions leading up to April 30 through May 2.
One player teams will be keeping a close eye on this week is Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong. According to multiple reports, he is dealing with a fractured bone in his wrist, and likely needs surgery.
Potential 1st round Arizona St WR Jaelen Strong has a fractured bone in his wrist, sources say. Likely needs surgery at some point.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2015
#ASU WR Jaelen Strong is among players headed for combine rechecks this weekend. Teams want a status update on the small bone in his wrist
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2015
It remains to be seen how significantly this will impact his draft stock, but it likely will have at least a modest impact. Maybe it is enough to drop him into the second for the 49ers? Or maybe the team is willing to climb up from their spot in the second? All it takes is one team liking Strong, but this adds an important question into the mix.
The re-check will feature several notable players, and the biggest is probably running back Todd Gurley. I've seen people declare that knee injury aside, he'd be the top player in the draft. We don't live in a world of such hypotheticals, but some team is going to invest significant draft capital into Gurley. This weekend might give teams a better idea of just how much.