As they do for the Nike SPARQ scores, at the Lake Michigan Football Report’s March 17 combine the medicine ball toss was used as the strength component rather than bench press. Judging from the top 10 scores recorded at the Grand Rapids event, it’s hard to think of a test better representative of the top talent in attendance. There are D1 linemen on the list, naturally. There are also a couple of QBs, including fourth-place Drew Marion. The 6-1, 196 Lake City junior threw 39’4. Marion really helped himself, showing a superior physical profile to match his outrageous 2012 season, in which he rab or passed for 50 TDs. His vertical leap of 35 1/2″ was the second best at the combine, his pro-agility drill of 4.4 seconds tied him for third best, and he ran a 4.8-second 40. The event was won by a guy who plays some QB, too, Lowell junior Kyler Shurlow, who also partnered it by tying for third with a 35″ vertical.

Medicine Ball Top 10

1. Kyler Shurlow  6-1  195  Jr  QB/DB  Lowell  41’6
2. Kenneth Finley 6-3 270 Jr DL Muskegon 40’3
3. Logan Slaughter 6-5 248 So DL/OL Mendon 40’2
4. Kaleb Hauser 6-2 225 Jr  LB/RB Kalkaska 39’8
5. Drew Marion 6-1 196 Jr QB Lake City 39’4
6. Brett Miller  5-9  170  So  QB  Forest Hills Central  39’0
7. Troy Gotch 6-2 195 Jr OL/DL East Grand Rapids 38’9
8. Dan Shoop 5-10 185 Jr RB/DB Muskegon Oakridge 38’4
9. Tommy Roush 6-3 260 Fr OL/DL Petoskey 38’2
10. Alex Stevens 6-5 265 Jr OL Ogemaw Heights 38’1

Austin Gregory 6-0 190 So QB Ionia 38′