A 39-inch vertical leap, 38 reps of 225 pounds on the bench, and a time in the 40-yard dash at just more than five seconds (despite a cramp) at 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds will do that. Justice's performance at Southern Cal's pro day on April 2 and his potential -- an early entry, he's 21 and only started playing football as a junior in high school -- make him a virtual lock to be the second tackle taken in the upcoming draft, behind Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson.
And while he doesn't quite sound steamed about it and says it's nothing personal against Ferguson, it's apparent from talking to Justice that the whole No. 2 thing doesn't sit well with him. Justice recently changed agents, from Leigh Steinberg to Gary Uberstine, but clearly he doesn't need much assistance in the promotion area.
"I think I'm the best tackle in the nation," Justice said matter-of-factly during a phone interview over the weekend. "If I don't prove it in the draft, I'll prove it in the NFL. I'm bigger, stronger, and faster than [Ferguson] is. I believe I'm a better prospect because I have more upside. I believe I proved I'm a better athlete than he is on my pro day. I think I'll be the better football player in the NFL."
