Louisville's Malik Cunningham runs third-fastest 40 of QBs: How did KY prospects perform?

Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham had the third-fastest 40 time among quarterbacks, while Christian County High grad and Purdue Boilermaker Cory Trice had the second-most bench press reps among cornerbacks on Saturday. during the third day of the NFL Scouting Combine drills.

Cunningham and Trice are two of 11 football players with ties to Kentucky that were invited to and competed in the combine. The weekend wraps up with offensive linemen taking center stage Sunday.

Cunningham, who had a 10-second split time of 1.51, ran a 4.53, behind only Florida's Anthony Richardson 4.43 and TCU's Max Duggan (4.52). Meanwhile, Trice totaled 17 reps, one less than Utah's Clark Phillips III.

Ahead of April's NFL draft, the combine began Tuesday in Indianapolis at the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium and concludes Monday. Coverage of the combine began Thursday and is broadcast on NFL Network.

Louisville defensive lineman YaYa Diaby also had a standout performance to start the weekend after running a 1.56 10-yard split before recording a 40-yard dash time of 4.51 on Thursday.

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Here are the 11 combine invitees with ties to the commonwealth (listed in alphabetical order) along with their official measurements and results from the combine:

Yasir Abdullah, LB, Louisville

One of the key contributors on Louisville’s stifling defense last season, Pro Football Focus named Abdullah the 68th-best football player in 2022 — the only Cardinal to make PFF's Top 101. A versatile defender who former Cardinals defensive coordinator Bryan Brown felt could play anywhere, the Florida native finished last season with 63 tackles, 14.5 for loss, a team-best 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and four pass breakups.

Height: 6-1

Weight: 237 pounds

Hand: 9 1/4"

Arm: 32 3/8"

40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds

Vertical jump: 36.50"

Broad jump: 10-9

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Kei'Trel Clark, DB, Louisville

In his first season back after suffering an ACL tear in 2021, Clark recorded four pass breakups, one interception and 51 tackles — including four for loss — to close out his fourth season with Louisville. Pro Football Network has the Virginia native as a fourth-round prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Height: 5-10

Weight: 181 lbs

Hand: 8 1/4"

Arm: 29 5/8"

40-yard dash: 4.42

Vertical jump: 34.5"

Broad jump: 10-2

20-yard shuttle: 4.21

Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville

Cunningham was taken in the third round of the USFL College Draft by the Birmingham Stallions on Feb. 21. He declined an interest in participating league when speaking to the media at the scouting combine on Friday. He's focused on doing what he can to hear his name called in the NFL draft or sign a free agent contract should he go undrafted.

Cunningham’s six-year career as a Cardinal ended with him becoming the school’s all-time leader in touchdowns, with 120, while tying Lamar Jackson for a program-best 50 rushing scores. He amassed 7,889 passing yards and 70 TDs through the air while adding 2,771 rushing yards.

Height: 6-0

Weight: 192 lbs

Hand: 9 1/2"

Arm: 31 3/8"

40-yard dash: 4.53

Vertical jump: Did not participate

Broad jump: Did not participate

What it means:Former Louisville QB Malik Cunningham selected in USFL draft

YaYa Diaby, DL, Louisville

As one of the driving forces of Louisville’s defense, Diaby was second behind Abdullah in tackles for loss (14) and sacks (nine) while tallying 37 tackles and two fumble recoveries last season. Diaby also participated in the Senior Bowl in February.

Height: 6-3

Weight: 263 lbs

Hand: 10 3/8"

Arm: 33 7/8"

40-yard dash: 4.51

Vertical jump: 37.00"

Broad jump: 10-0

Tiyon Evans, RB, Louisville

Evans became a Cardinal after a year at Tennessee, earning the starting running back job during fall camp. His final college campaign was spoiled by injuries that limited him to eight games. But he was still a difference-maker, recording 525 yards and six touchdowns on 83 carries during the 2022 season.

Height: 5-11

Weight: 210 lbs

Hand: 8 1/2"

Arm: 30 3/8"

40-yard dash: 4.52

Vertical jump: 30.5"

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Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

ESPN, 247Sports, CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports all have Levis as a future Las Vegas Raider, projecting him to go seventh in the NFL draft. NFL.com has him going fifth to the Carolina Panthers after a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, while Pro Football Network is predicting the former UK QB joins Carolina via a trade between the Panthers and the Detroit Lions for the sixth pick in the draft. USA Today also has Levis going to the Panthers, with the No. 9 pick.

Levis ended his career as a Wildcat with a 17-7 record as a starter and threw for 5,233 yards, which ranks sixth all time in the program’s history. In his final year with UK, he started 11 games and recorded 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while completing 185 of his 283 passes (65.4%).

Height: 6-4

Weight: 229 lbs

Hand: 10 5/8"

Arm: 32"

40-yard dash: Did not participate

Vertical jump: 34"

Broad jump: 10-4

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Tashawn Manning, OL, Kentucky

Manning started at right guard in 12 games for the Wildcats last season after spending the previous five years at Auburn. With the Tigers, he started 14 of the 30 games he played in and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the team’s best run blocker in 2021.

Height: 6-3

Weight: 330 lbs

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame via Covington Catholic High

The 2019 Kentucky Football Coaches Association Mr. Football winner is hoping to add his name to a growing list of tight ends that Notre Dame has sent to the NFL. With the Fighting Irish, he set a new program record for most catches by a tight end with 180. He is projected as a first-round pick in April's draft. USA Today has him going 12th to the Houston Texans via a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports and 247Sports have him 15th to the Green Bay Packers. Other outlets are projecting Mayer to go later: 18th to the Detroit Lions (NFL.com), 27th to the Buffalo Bills (Pro Football Network) and 28th to the Cincinnati Bengals (Yahoo Sports).

Height: 6-4

Weight: 265 lbs

Hand: 9 1/2"

Arm: 31 5/8"

40-yard dash: 4.7

Vertical jump: 32.5"

Broad jump: 9-10

Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB, Kentucky

Only playing in eight games last season, Rodriguez was still UK’s leading rusher with 904 yards and six TDs on 175 carries to close out his college career. He’s third in the program’s history in all-time rushing yards (3,644), second in all-time rushing scores (32) and fifth in all-time touchdowns (15).

Height: 5-11

Weight: 224 lbs

40-yard dash: Did not participate

Vertical jump: Did not participate

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Cory Trice, DB, Purdue via Christian County High

Trice was named to the College Sports Communicator’s Comeback Player of the Year watch list midway through the 2022 season after returning from a torn ACL in 2021. The Hopkinsville native recorded 10 pass breakups with two interceptions and had 34 tackles in 13 games during his final season with the Boilermakers. Pro Football Network has Trice going in the fourth round of its mock draft.

Height: 6-3

Weight: 206 lbs

40-yard dash: 4.47

Vertical jump: 35.5"

Broad jump: 11-0

Bench press: 17 reps

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Carrington Valentine, DB, Kentucky

Opting out of his final year of eligibility, Valentine entered his name in the draft following a junior season where he led the SEC is passes defended with 11. During his final season with the Wildcats he recorded 48 tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception. While he could fall under the radar because of the deep cornerback class, Pro Football Network pegged the Cincinnati native as a potential future NFL starter.

Height: 6-0

Weight: 193 lbs

40-yard dash: Did not participate

Vertical jump: 35.5"

Broad jump: 11-0

Bench press: 9 reps

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: NFL Scouting Combine 2023: How Kentucky, Louisville prospects did