BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With an unofficial 4.30 on the 40-yard dash, IMG Academies' trainee Stephen Hill turned heads at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday and quickly rose to the top of teams' wish lists. The 6'4″, 215-pound WR from Georgia Tech was expected to run fast, but took it up a notch when it mattered most, clocking in officially at 4.36. He capped that performance off with the longest broad jump among receivers (11'1"), and the fourth-best vertical among receivers (39.5).

Hill's fellow IMG Academies-trained athletes also put up strong numbers throughout the weekend. Georgia tackle Cordy Glenn proved big men are capable of moving. The 6'5", 345-pounder posted a 5.15 on the 40-yard dash, making him the sixth fastest lineman on record. His 31 reps on the bench put him in the top-ten among all linemen.

Arizona State wideout Gerell Robinson showed his mobility should no longer be questioned. The 6'3", 227-pound, big-handed receiver clocked in at 4.62 on the 40-yard dash, and put in the 12th fastest 20-yard shuttle time (4.15) among the receiver group. Fellow IMG trainee, Toledo receiver Eric Page, posted the top 20-yard shuttle time among receivers (3.98).

"Every member of our Combine class has met or exceeded the mock combine numbers that he put up ten days ago," remarked Loren Seagrave, Director of Speed and Movement, IMG Performance Institute.

Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson posted the second fastest QB time on the 40, with a 4.55, and on the 20-yard shuttle with a 4.09. Wilson and Kirk Cousins, both of whom trained together at IMG Academies along with Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, had strong outings on the field during Sunday's position-specific work, silencing critics who had questioned their size and arm strength, respectively.

"Our two QBs performed as well as any QB out there today," said Chris Weinke, Director, IMG Madden Football Academy, from Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. "They [Cousins, Wilson] are both elite athletes, and today's performances are a direct result of the hard work and commitment they put in with us for the last two months."

Echoed Seagrave, "All of our players are having great position workouts, which is a testament to the work our position-specific coaches did with them for the last eight weeks. Our QBs, Russell [Wilson] and Kirk [Cousins], were spot-on in their throws; the receivers who drew those guys were lucky because they made the catches easy for them."

The 2012 NFL Scouting Combine continues through February 28. Boston College linebacker and prospective first-rounder Luke Kuechly took to the bench on Sunday, putting up 27 reps, the sixth best among linebackers. He will continue his workouts today.

Kuechly is one of thirty players who descended on IMG Academies' campus in early January to immerse themselves in one of the world's most advanced and comprehensive training programs for today's pro player. Players eat, sleep and train on the 450-acre campus, with 24/7 access to medical staff and physical therapists. In addition to the daily position-specific on-field training led by Heisman-winning QB and Director of the IMG Madden Football Academy, Chris Weinke, and his team of IMG Madden coaches, players receive education and training in areas like sports nutrition and hydration, physical conditioning, speed and movement, vision training, mental conditioning and communication.

Contact: Kim Berard, IMG Academies, kim.berard@imgworld.com, 941-752-2621

About IMG Academies

IMG Academies, located in Bradenton, Fla., is the world's largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education complex dedicated to developing the TOTAL ATHLETE™. For more than 30 years, IMG Academies has helped countless youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes reach their full potential in sport and life, by providing expert coaching, tailored programs and world-class facilities, across a 450-acre campus.

Today the campus attracts more than 20,000 athletes from 100 countries annually. The Academies consists of the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy, IMG Madden Football Academy, IMG Baseball, Basketball, Lacrosse and Soccer academies – all supported by the IMG Pendleton School and IMG Performance Institute's multi-faceted training disciplines. IMG Academies also conducts camps, clinics and events year-round, while providing support to teams and federations around the world. Find more info at www.imgacademies.com.  

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