Will James Conner's cancer prevent him from being drafted?

… I really root for this guy 

With everything that James Conner has been through, from his Hodgkin's Lymphona to his recovery from his knee surgery, you have to root for him to make it in the NFL.

At least, that is the way I look at it.

He has been a tough, hard-nosed runner who has given it everything he has had to recover from some unbelievable challenges.

So, how will the NFL look at the cancer? Will that prevent him from being drafted?

CBS analysis

According to CBS, the most important concern for Conner is his mediocre performance in the NFL Combine earlier this month.

The network noted that Conner ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds while also jumping 29 inches in the vertical and 113 inches in the broad jump.

"Even for a 233-pound back, the numbers are less than good. It leaves Conner with a mixed prospect profile after otherwise producing at a very high level at Pittsburgh."

Conner was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year after his sophomore season with the Panthers. He finished his career with 3,733 yards (5.6 ypc) and 52 touchdowns in 39 games, CBS indicated.

Last year, he demonstrated that he could catch the ball coming out of the backfield in offensive coordinator Matt Canada's offense. which could be a factor in his favor.

A CBS story explained that Conner "stands out for his perseverance, a survivor in ways peers in the 2017 NFL draft class cannot relate."

How much concern is the cancer?

Talking with reporters after the first day of the Combine, Conner said this about his cancer, “I really haven't had many questions about the cancer besides the formal interviews when they ask me to explain a little bit more … The medical process here has been evaluation — shoulders, knees, getting tugged on and stuff like that. Medical has been fine for me.

“When we do the head and neck test, and they ask me about the scar on my neck, and I just explain it to them. I tell them that I had Hodgkin's lymphoma and that I'm clean. Simple questions like that,” he said.

Preparation

However, he prepared himself for questions that the teams and coaches would ask him. According to the Tribune-Review, "As he prepared for the questions he would face at the combine, Conner received some advice from Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 18.

“ 'He said to be yourself,' ” Conner said. “ 'People want to be a part of that. It's a great story to tell, and teams want to be a part of it'.”

From that perspective, Conner will pass with flying colors. He definitely has the intensity and work ethic and perseverance. And, of course, he has the tenacity to bounce back from a serious setback.

NFL football is a business

However, while the NFL loves Horatio Alger and Lou Gehrig stories, it is also a bottom line business. The teams want to know that if they use a third-round pick on a guy who has had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, they may be passing up another player who could be superb.

Hopefully, James Conner will be given that opportunity … if a team does that, it will probably be very contented that the organization made a wise choice.

Or so I hope.