NFL Scouting Combine: A.J. Klein Injures Knee During Workouts

Everyone has their opinion on the NFL Scouting Combine. Some people believe it’s great to showcase invited top athletes from colleges to run drills among all the scouters, and some players from smaller schools getting a chance to get recognition outside of playing along their team a season ago. Others think it’s a completely overhyped event that the NFL just wants to cover on their network instead of running Football Follies for the 700th time.

Feb 23, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa State Cyclones linebacker A.J. Klein speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

When there’s more exposure of players, more often than not it will hurt your stock instead of improve it. Especially when a player could get injured in workouts.

Lost in the oversaturation of Manti Te’o drama and his excuses for running a bad 40-yard dash was former Iowa State Cyclones’ linebacker A.J. Klein suffering a knee injury. After doing his 40 and bench presses, Klein reportedly went down twice during coverage drills. On the last fall, he injured his knee which ended drills for him.

Luckily, the injury doesn’t seem to be serious, and Klein was told to sit out the rest of the way for precautionary reasons. According to his Twitter account, he’ll finish up his drills on pro day.

Before the injury, Klein ran a 4.66 on the 40-yard dash, sixth best of all the linebackers than ran. He also benched 20 reps of 225 pounds. The Cyclones’ other linebacker, Jake Knott, just participated in team interviews as he’s still recovering from a shoulder injury from last season.

Brian Spaen is the lead editor of Clones Confidential. Get more Cyclones coverage by following us on Twitter and Facebook.