Feb. 21, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Four University of Maryland Terrapins -- linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, linebacker William Kershaw, tight end Vernon Davis and cornerback Gerrick McPhearson -- have been invited to participate in this year's National Football League Combine. The combine begins on Thursday, February 23, and runs through Tuesday the 28th in Indianapolis, Indiana's RCA Dome.

Each Terrapin player has been assigned a roster number and can be identified on television with the number of their jersey (Davis, TE05; Jackson, LB17; Kershaw, LB20, McPhearson, DB36). Fans can watch more of this year's combine than ever before with extensive coverage on NFL Network.

Davis and Jackson are expected to go highest of any Terrapins with Davis widely-regarded as Maryland's second first-round pick in the last two years. Shawne Merriman, the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year, was taken 12th overall last year by the San Diego Chargers.

Due to his physical prowess, it is also anticipated that Davis' stock will only improve with the workouts this week and those of Maryland's Pro Day on March 15 (closed to the public). Some of those numbers while still at Maryland include a 460-pound bench press, 355-pound power clean, a 40-inch vertical jump, a 685-pound squat and a 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash. Davis is currently featured on the NFL's Draft website.

In addition to the four players attending the combine this weekend and early next week, six other Terps have signed with agents and will participate in Pro Day on campus in March. Those players are WR Derrick Fenner, S Milton Harris, WR Danny Melendez, TB Mario Merrills, TE Derek Miller and WR/Spec. Jo Jo Walker.

Bios of NFL-Eligible Terps (PDF)
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Fenner on Discovery Health Channel
Derrick Fenner will get air time of his own in the next month or so.

Many fans remember the punishing helmet-to-helmet collision the 2005 senior took in the season-opening win over Navy in Baltimore. Camera crews were at the University of Maryland's Baltimore-based medical center when Fenner was taken from the game and to the hospital.

Discovery Health Channel will air its footage of Fenner and his treatment that evening at the hospital. It is scheduled to be televised on March 4th at 10:00 p.m. and again on March 11th at 2:00 p.m.