Manti Te'o, eager to shift the spotlight on his football credentials rather than his fake-girlfriend drama, ran a 4.71 40-yard dash at Notre Dame's Pro Day on Tuesday, according to reports. Te'o ran the 40 in 4.82 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine last month and brought his first-round draft stock into question.

After running, Te'o told the media, "I felt good. I'm at home now. I was very pleased with how I performed." ESPN analyst Bill Polian, the former general manager of the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts, believes Te'o is "in the mix" first-round pick because of his performance at Tuesday's Pro Day.

ESPN draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both project Te'o as a first-rounder as well. Kiper Jr. has him going 19th overall to the New York Giants while McShay has slotted him 32nd to the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

Te'o seemed aware that his performance was a huge step for him, telling reporters "This is possibly the best day ever. It's a big, big burden off your shoulders," he said. "It feels like it's your birthday. I'm very glad that it's over."

Not everyone seemed convinced by Te'o's improved 40-yard dash, though. One AFC personnel official said "Nice player, but not worth a first-round pick. Not in my view. It's the old saying about, 'It only takes one team to fall in love with a guy.'"

Another source, an AFC head coach, said, "I think he can play and he can help your defense. But he's a two-down player on a good team. He's not a star. If I'm taking a linebacker in the first round, I want a guy who can change my defense. Trust me, I've been wrong about linebackers before, but this guy doesn't fit the bill of what I spend a high pick on."

In his senior season at Notre Dame, Te'o led the Fighting Irish to the BCS National Championship game, racking up 113 tackles, one and a half sacks, and seven interceptions, which is a startling number for an inside linebacker. He also recovered one fumble.

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