https://theathletic.com/1622553/2020...uting-combine/
Long article by Dane Brugler
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As the NFL Draft grows in popularity, so do the events of the draft process like the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. NFL Network began airing combine drills over a decade ago and now the coverage is moving to primetime, making it even more viewer-friendly.
Not only has the schedule structure changed, but many around the league believe it is only a matter of time before the combine becomes a traveling roadshow. While Indianapolis is a fabulous host, the opportunity to move the event to places like Frisco, Texas or Los Angeles for added exposure might be too enticing to pass up.
But amid the evolution of the event, what hasn’t changed is the importance of the combine as NFL teams evaluate the class of draft prospects. The combine can basically be broken down into three separate categories:
– Medical evaluations
– Interview process
– Agility/positional drills
The 337 invited prospects who will travel to Indianapolis represent 337 different situations and game tapes. However, for one week, February 24-March 1, they will all be evaluated in the same environment at Lucas Oil Stadium. The scouting combine is also where teams get a head start on offseason deals, both free agency and corporate. It’s basically a league-wide convention.
The old scouting adage is the 90-10 rule at the Combine – 90% of the results should reflect the tape and expectations. But around 10% of results might send evaluators back to the tape to find the reasoning for discrepancies.
All of the categories are immensely important for all 337 participants, but several prospects have a little extra to prove in certain areas. Below, we break down the players to watch for when it comes to medical evaluations, interviews and drills.
Medical Evaluations
Medical information is the most important step of the NFL Scouting Combine.
The scouting combine started in the early ‘80s as a way for each team to perform medical checks at a neutral, geographically-friendly site instead of forcing players to travel from city to city, going through the same exams. And that’s one of the main reasons the scouting combine is in Indianapolis, because of the medical equipment available. Over 300 MRIs are conducted in only a handful of days, making it difficult for a host city to accommodate the demands.
NFL scouts provide the doctors and trainers any pre-existing medical information from their school calls, giving the training staffs a starting point with each prospect. The examinations include everything from blood work to joint movement and everything in between. Drug testing is also part of the process.
With the physical nature of the sport, players battle natural attrition over their careers, but some players have more serious medical concerns than others. Each team uses its own grading system, but a common numerical 1-through-5 system is common throughout the league (1 representing zero issues and 5 being strong red flag concerns). Each case is different, but a “4” or “5” likely takes a prospect off draft boards.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
According to reports, Tagovailoa’s three-month CT scan showed that his fractured hip in mid-November had fully healed. But where is he in terms of range of motion? What is the long-term prognosis? He also underwent tightrope surgery on both ankles so the full medical report will be vital for Tagovailoa’s draft projection. NFL teams are expecting to receive an update at the Combine, but the full medical report might not be ready until the re-checks in April.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Despite avoiding serious injury, Swift has been beaten up by minor issues dating back to high school. He underwent surgery on both groins after his freshman season at Georgia and then battled through groin, toe and ankle issues as a sophomore. As a junior, Swift suffered a shoulder contusion that limited him down the stretch (six combined touches in the SEC Title Game and Sugar Bowl) so his full medical report will be important.
Zack Moss, RB, Utah
The biggest red flag for Moss’ NFL future is his medical history. He missed the final five games as a junior after he aggravated a pre-existing knee issue (it “locked up” while getting into bed). He also battled ankle and shoulder issues the past two seasons, requiring injections down the stretch just to finish his senior season.
Anthony McFarland, RB, Maryland
With only 263 offensive touches in college (and under 250 touches in high school), McFarland has struggled to stay healthy over his career. He missed his senior year at DeMatha Catholic (and redshirted in 2017 at Maryland) due to a broken leg and battled an ankle issue throughout 2019.
DeeJay Dallas, RB, Miami (Fla.)
Dallas was one of the few positive notes from the Hurricanes’ 2019 offensive output, averaging 6.0 yards per carry through 10 games. Unfortunately, a dislocated left elbow prematurely ended his season and career after he decided to skip his senior year.
Patrick Taylor, RB, Memphis
Taylor entered the season with mid-round draft projections and with Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard off to the NFL, the 2019 season was supposed to be his coming out party. He rushed for 128 yards in the season opener but didn’t see the field again until mid-November due to a foot injury.
Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
A dynamic threat with the ball in his hands, Shenault does a great job creating after the catch, but it also means more hits on his body, which has taken a toll. He has undergone offseason surgeries to his toe and shoulder and battled through numerous other ailments. Shenault’s medical eval will be interesting to make sure he isn’t already damaged goods.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Senior Bowl week kicked off with the disappointing news that Aiyuk was medically red-flagged during his physical. What was originally diagnosed as a hip issue turned out to be an abdominal injury that wasn’t game-ready. While not considered serious, it is something that will need to be addressed at the Combine.
Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
Edwards put together productive high school and college careers — unfortunately, both ended early due to separate knee injuries. His rehab also kept him from participating at the Senior Bowl and unfortunately he won’t work out at the Combine after suffering a broken foot during training. Teams will be eager for an updated medical report on the projected top-100 draft pick.
Lawrence Cager, WR, Georgia
A graduate transfer from Miami (Fla.), Cager was the go-to receiver for the Bulldogs in 2019 until his season ended due to a left ankle injury that required surgery.
Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Durability isn’t a strong concern, but Kmet did miss the first two games of the 2019 season after breaking his right clavicle in August, requiring surgery.
Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington
The medical feedback for Bryant will directly influence his draft grade. He suffered a sprained ACL and LCL in his left knee as a freshman and then injured his meniscus in the same knee the following summer. He also missed time in high school with a fractured back so the updated health of his knee and the rest of his body will be important.
Jacob Breeland, TE, Oregon
Breeland was in the midst of a breakout senior season when he went down awkwardly on his left leg in mid-October. He received priority free agent grades from teams over the summer, but he did enough through the first six games of 2019 to be drafted – if the health of his leg checks out.
Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
Cleveland suffered a turf toe injury in the season opener against Florida State, but played through the pain and missed only one game in 2019. He is expected to be a full participant at the combine (and should shine with his athleticism). Hopefully the medical reports show the toe is fully healed.
Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
Niang suffered a labrum tear a year ago and tried to play through the injury as a senior. However, the pain was no longer manageable and he shut things down midway through the 2019 season to have his surgery. A projected Day 2 draft pick when healthy, teams will be eager to see the updated medical evaluation of his hip.
Trey Adams, OT, Washington
Teams are in wait-and-see mode when it comes to Adams’ draft grade with his combine medicals being the missing piece to the puzzle. He missed the second half of the 2017 season with a torn ACL and then missed most of the 2018 season due to back surgery, repairing two bulging discs. Adams has a chance to be drafted on Day 2 if teams are convinced that long-term durability isn’t a concern.
Robert Hunt, OG, Louisiana
Considered a borderline draftable player over the summer, Hunt was lights out over the first half of the 2019 season, dominating defenders in front of him. However, he missed the second half of the season due to a nagging groin injury, which required surgery and sidelined him for part of the draft process.
Netane Muti, OG, Fresno State
Based on talent, Muti is a starter-level NFL prospect who would receive buzz as early as the top-50 picks. But his medical history makes it impossible to accurately rank him right now. He injured his right Achilles tendon and redshirted in 2016 before his one healthy season in 2017, playing lights out and putting his name on the NFL radar. But the last two years were both lost to season-ending injuries: rupturing his left Achilles in 2018 and then suffered a Lisfranc foot surgery in 2019. Hopefully his long-term diagnosis is positive, but the greatest predictor of future injury is past injury.
Tyler Biadasz, OC, Wisconsin
NFL clubs will want to get a look at Biadasz’s surgically repaired hip that plagued him throughout the 2018 season. He got it corrected last offseason, but obviously a hip injury is serious for any player, especially an offensive lineman.
K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
Chaisson missed almost all of the 2018 season with a torn ACL in his left knee and then missed two games the past two seasons due to a right ankle issue.
Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama
The combine medical evaluation means more to Lewis than most. Based on ability, he would be drafted in the first round. But he has double the amount of career sacks (8.0) than starts (four) due to a lengthy injury history. Lewis missed most of the 2017 (elbow) and 2018 (ACL injury) seasons, also missing a game this past season after hyperextending the same knee.
Khalid Kareem, EDGE, Notre Dame
Kareem banged up his shoulder over the second half of the 2019 season, but played through the injury. However, he required a postseason procedure to clean it up, sidelining him for the Senior Bowl and likely the combine.
Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame
Okwara would have blown up the combine with his testing numbers, but unfortunately, we won’t get a chance to see it. He missed the second half of his senior year with a fractured left fibula, which required surgery, and his time in Indy will be all about the medical results.
Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Brown suffered a bruised sternum early in the 2019 season that required extra padding under his jersey. He didn’t miss a game and it isn’t considered a serious concern, but projected top-10 picks will always spend extra time under the microscope.
Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
There were whispers about a possible knee issue with Kinlaw toward the end of the 2019 season and then he pulled out of the Senior Bowl midweek due to knee tendinitis. He also underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip after the 2018 season. Neither is expected to have a long-term effect and hopefully, the combine will confirm that.
Benito Jones, DT, Ole Miss
After multiple surgeries over his career, Jones’ right shoulder will require careful examination before teams throw his tag up on the draft board.
Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU
Nagging injuries were a consistent issue for Lawrence throughout his career, including his senior season when he missed three games. While there hasn’t been anything major, the number of minor injuries could scare off some teams. The combine will help provide context.
Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech
Brooks has the talent to be a Day 2 draft pick, but the long-term health of his shoulder is a concern. He underwent surgery to repair his shoulder following the 2016 season and required another surgery this past December, which will sideline him for most of the draft process.
David Woodward, LB, Utah State
Jordan Love wasn’t the only NFL prospect at Utah State this season, but the Aggies lost their best defensive player midway through the 2019 season. An update on his rehab and recovery will be the most important part of Woodward’s combine.
Markus Bailey, LB, Purdue
Bailey is one of those “don’t forget about him” prospects. Ranked as one of my top-five linebacker prospects over the summer, he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during practice in September, prematurely ending his college career. And unfortunately, it was his second ACL tear, missing the 2015 season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Justin Strnad, LB, Wake Forest
A senior captain, Strnad was in the midst of a career-best season when he suffered a torn right bicep in mid-October, requiring surgery. With a four-month recovery window, he should be near full health at the combine. Strnad was creeping into top-100 territory prior to his injury and now he might be a bargain in the mid-to-late rounds.
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
After an All-American junior season, Hall returned to Charlottesville for his senior year, but missed the second half of the year after a serious left ankle injury. He had season-ending surgery and wasn’t able to participate in the Senior Bowl because of the injury.
Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Unfortunately, NFL teams won’t get the chance to see Robertson work out at the combine due to a groin injury. It isn’t expected to be an issue that affects his draft status, but the medical evaluations should confirm that. Robertson is tiny, but he’s a ballhawk and has a good chance of landing on Day 2.
Grant Delpit, DS, LSU
Delpit doesn’t have great body armor for a safety and he battled a few injuries in college that could create pause with evaluators. He suffered a broken collarbone in spring 2018, requiring surgery and battled a nagging ankle issue throughout his junior season, missing one game.
Ashtyn Davis, DS, California
A possible top-50 draft pick, Davis missed Cal’s bowl game and the Senior Bowl after undergoing minor groin surgery. His plan was to be full-go for the combine, but confirming his health will also be important.
Antoine Winfield, DS, Minnesota
The rare fourth-year sophomore, Winfield suffered season-ending injuries two of the last three seasons. He missed most of the 2017 season due to a serious hamstring injury and most of the 2018 season due to a ligament tear in his left foot. Winfield put together an All-American (and healthy) 2019 campaign so the medicals should go well — hopefully.
J.R. Reed, DS, Georgia
Reed started 42 straight games at Georgia over his three years in Athens, but a nagging toe injury sidelined him for the bowl game and Senior Bowl. He avoided surgery by resting his injury and is expected to be full-go for the combine.
Julian Blackmon, DS, Utah
A former cornerback, Blackmon moved to safety as a senior and performed like an ascending player. However, a serious knee injury towards the end of the season prematurely ended his college career. A look at the progress of his injury will be crucial to his draft grade.
Interview Process
While the medicals are the most important aspect of the combine, the interviews are a close second.
There are formal and informal interviews. The set-up used to be 60 15-minute interviews per team. But with the schedule changing this year to account for primetime on-field drills, the format has shifted to 45 interviews per team, lasing 18 minutes each.
Generally, these interviews will be the first opportunity for head coaches and general managers to speak with most prospects, especially the underclassmen. Most teams also bring psychologists and specialists to observe each interview.
The informal interviews take place after hours at the “train station” and are a combination of the Wild West and speed dating – unorganized and disorderly.
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
One of the reasons it was important for Love to attend the Senior Bowl was to knock out several interviews with NFL teams before the combine. He will still be a popular player to interview in Indianapolis, especially after he was cited in December for marijuana possession.
Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
While discussion him with NFL scouts, Eason’s character was frequently brought up as a question mark, mostly due to immaturity earlier in his career. Drafting a quarterback in the top-50 picks is a sizeable investment for any franchise so figuring out Eason’s mental make-up will be vital for teams.
Sewo Olonilua, RB, TCU
Olonilua built a solid reputation at TCU, including graduating in three-and-a-half years. But he was arrested on felony drug charges last May after a traffic stop. The charges were eventually “resolved,” but like coach Gary Patterson said: “He screwed up, and he knows it.”
Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin
Cephus was found not guilty in August, 2019 of multiple charges of felony sexual assault and was reinstated this past season to Wisconsin after being expelled at the end of the 2018 semester. As a result, he had spent 22 months away from the field between injury and his off-field troubles. His father, a well-known gangster, was murdered in 2017, and was the one who helped get him to Madison. The Wisconsin coaches haven’t hesitated publicly praising his character.
Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee
Jennings showed growth while in Knoxville, but his career was volatile for various reasons. He was temporarily dismissed from the program in 2017 after an expletive-laced tirade about the coaching staff on social media and reinstated after Jeremy Pruitt took over in 2018. He was suspended for a half by the SEC this past season for stepping on the face of a Vanderbilt player. NFL scouts have described him as a “loose cannon,” making interviews crucial to his draft grade.
Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky
There is a fine line between being a fiery competitor and having the emotional maturity needed for the NFL. (A notable recent example: Bowden throwing a punch at a Virginia Tech opponent during a pregame scuffle at this year’s Belk Bowl.) The interview process will be crucial for teams to figure out where Bowden sits on the spectrum.
Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami (Fla.)
A very gifted athlete, Thomas had a rocky tenure with the Hurricanes, including multiple suspensions under different coaching staffs. Questions about his emotional maturity might drop him to the later rounds or out of the draft altogether.
Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
Dating back to his freshman year of high school, Moss has attended seven different programs over the last eight years for various reasons. When talking with scouts about his next-level prospects, maturity is a topic that has frequently come up as a question mark.
Cheyenne O’Grady, TE, Arkansas
The interview process will be critical for O’Grady, who has a history of effort issues and immaturity dating back to high school. He was suspended a total of three times over his time in Fayetteville, finally choosing to leave the program in early November. O’Grady has draftable talent, but his football character is a red flag and he needs to build trust with NFL teams to earn draftable grades.
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
When discussing Wirfs with people close to the Iowa program, they describe him as a “mature” person who has made a few “youthful” mistakes (cited for being at a bar underage, DUI for operating a motorized scooter while intoxicated). NFL teams will use the interview process to help confirm that.
Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
One of the true wildcards of this draft class, Charles has the athletic talent and upside worthy of top-50 consideration. He didn’t start playing offensive line until three years ago and will be only 20 years old when he reports for his first NFL training camp. However, whenever discussing his prospects with scouts, there is always a “but” that tempers excited expectations. Charles had multiple failed drug tests in college and served a six-game suspension this past season. He will really need to sell his character during the interview process to build up enough trust for a team to invest in him.
Trevon Hill, EDGE, Miami (Fla.)
From high school to Blacksburg, Hill showed a pattern of immature behavior that led to his eventual dismissal at Virginia Tech. Scouts say the coaches finally got tired of his “antics.” He stayed on the straight-and-narrow in his one season at Miami (Fla.), but he still has some damage control to do.
Jonathan Garvin, EDGE, Miami (Fla.)
Garvin doesn’t have any off-field issues, but teams are going to grill him on the half-effort plays he put on tape this past season. There were multiple reasons for his decline in production in 2019 and his inconsistent motor is one of them. Garvin is immensely talented as a development project, but the question marks are why he is a projected Day 3 pick.
Tipa Galeai, EDGE, Utah State
A borderline draftable player based on talent, Galeai also has baggage working against him as well. He started his college career at TCU and was arrested and charged with assault following an incident where he punched two students multiple times. Galeai will be unable to workout at the combine due to that assault charge (dumb rule, but that debate is for another day), but he will still interview with teams.
Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
Dye is a very passionate player on the field, but behind the scenes, scouts have questioned his maturity level and drive. That paired with a few failed drug tests from earlier in his career means he will have plenty of questions to answer from scouts.
Joe Bachie, LB, Michigan State
Bachie was a two-year team captain and an “extra coach on the field,” according to his coaches. But he missed the final five games of his career after a random drug test revealed a supplement classified as a performance-enhancing drug. At the end of the day, it shouldn’t be something that hurts his grade as long as his answers are what teams want to hear.
Michael Divinity, LB, LSU
The week of the Alabama game, Divinity abruptly left the team due to “personal reasons.” He hasn’t addressed the reasoning publicly, but NFL scouts say it was related to failed drug tests. Divinity returned a few weeks later and played in the National Championship Game against Clemson, but his reliability will be questioned by teams.
Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Arnette made the wise decision to return for his senior season, playing like a player worthy of first-round consideration. While he has shown growth both on and off the field, NFL teams still have “major” questions about his emotional maturity and off-field decision-making that he must address during interviews.
Agility/Positional Drills
The sexiest aspect of the combine: the athletic testing. The 40-yard dash, three-cone drill, short shuttle, long shuttle, vertical jump, broad jump and bench press. These drills allow NFL teams to match quantitative data with a player’s tape. The drills help provide context with each prospect participating on the same field, in the same setting and under the same circumstances (unlike campus pro days where scouts must adjust for tracks, grass, wind, weather and several other factors).
The 40-yard dash and other drills won’t make or break a prospect’s draft grade, but there will be roughly 10% of results that will force teams to go back to the tape and do more homework. Opinions vary on the legitimacy of these drills (most teams don’t care about the bench press), but the three-cone and shuttle drills, which judge short-area quickness and fluidity, are generally viewed as the most important, regardless of position.
Look for big changes coming in the near future when it comes to the on-field drills. As the NFL is looking to profit off viewership of the combine, they will look for ways to adjust the drills to make them more appealing for fans.
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Taylor was an accomplished track athlete in high school, winning back-to-back state titles in the 100-meters. His personal-best in the 100-meters was 10.49 – will his 40-yard dash and other testing numbers match up?
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
One of the few knocks on Edwards-Helaire is his average speed, losing races to the corner. Long-speed is pretty far down on the list of critical traits at the running back position, but running in the 4.50-4.55 range would be a solid number for him.
Zack Moss, RB, Utah
Moss has elite run balance and shows a burst into contact, but he isn’t a make-you-miss type of runner and there were times he was caught from behind as a ball carrier. Although above-average testing numbers aren’t required for Moss to be a Day 2 pick, his numbers can’t be below average.
Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State
Evans was a pleasant surprise on tape. He runs with quickness, elusiveness and quick feet, creating his own yardage. Hopefully, his athletic testing numbers reflect the same traits.
Malcolm Perry, RB/WR, Navy
Perry will not impress during weigh-ins (182 pounds and 8 1/2″ hands), putting added emphasis on his testing numbers. His athleticism was impressive on tape; it will be interesting to see if the numbers match up.
Raymond Calais, RB, Louisiana
With his track background, Calais should burn up the track at Lucas Oil Stadium. He doesn’t look like much at 5-8 and 182 pounds, but a 40-yard dash in the 4.38-4.42 range helps his chances of being drafted.
Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
Running in the 4.2’s in the 40-yard dash is freaky fast. But that has been the buzz on Ruggs since scouts timed him in that range back in the spring. Can he get under 4.30 on the Lucas Oil Stadium track?
Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
While Reagor should run in the low 4.4’s or better, I’m most interested to see how he jumps, showing outstanding lower-body explosion on tape. In high school, he won the 2017 Texas state title in the long jump (24’-5) and set the nation’s best mark (26’) in the area meet.
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
After a solid, but unspectacular career at Baylor, Mims was outstanding at the Senior Bowl, showing better consistency and polish than he ever did on tape. Can he keep that momentum going in Indianapolis? I think he will — look for Mims to stand out for his athletic prowess in the drills.
Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Until he was a teenager, Gandy-Golden focused on one sport: gymnastics. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound athlete shows that fluidity at the catch point with some of his adjustment skills. It will be interesting to see if Gandy-Golden’s gymnast background shows during some of the combine drills.
Jauan Jennings, WR, Tennessee
A physical possession target, Jennings is one of the toughest players in this class, which helps him create after the catch with his run strength. But how fast is he? On tape, he looks like a 4.6 athlete and that lack of speed is understandably an issue for some teams.
Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
Duvernay is rocked up and runs like a running back with the ball in his hands. But he was also a state-champion sprinter in high school, winning the 2015 6A Texas state title in the 100-meters. His 10.27 time was the third-fastest in the country.
John Hightower, WR, Boise State
I mentioned Hightower in the “Interview” section, but his workouts will be important as well. He plays like a poor man’s Will Fuller with his tall, slender, speedy frame. Will he come close to matching Fuller’s stopwatch speed?
Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky
Bowden should test like an NFL athlete, but I’m more interested in how he performs in the receiver-specific drills. While it was fun watching him light up the SEC as a running quarterback, how does he perform in the gauntlet? Or the various routes he will run at the combine? Those position focused drills will be important for his draft grade as a wide receiver.
Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Always switching between baseball and football, Kmet has been able to train exclusively for football recently and it will be interesting to see how that looks during drills. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he cracks the 4.6’s in the 40-yard dash.
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Earning the No. 1 spot on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freak List, Wirfs is indeed a freaky athlete. In high school, he won the 2017 state title in wrestling and became the first player in the state of Iowa since the 1950s to win both the shot and discus titles in three straight years. That big-man twitch and explosiveness shows on the football field and translates to his weight room numbers and movements.
Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Former Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino said he knew they had something special when they saw Becton do a reverse dunk in high school. A player with his size has surprisingly light feet with lower-body muscles that should be reflected during combine testing.
Josh Jones, OT, Houston
Andre Dillard’s Combine performance last year helped secure his spot in the top-25 picks and it could be a similar story with Jones this year. His light feet and body flexibility should help him shine in the movement pattern drills.
Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
If he were a stock, I’d be buying. A finely tuned athlete, Cleveland will create some buzz in Indianapolis after his combine workouts. I expect him to shine in the short-area agility drills like the shuttles and three-cone.
A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
Rushing the passer is more than just speed and Epenesa is a great example, disrupting the pocket due to his heavy hands and savvy. But to be a top-15 pick like his talent suggests, his testing and movements during drills are important to show that his athleticism is better than simply average.
K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
At 240-ish pounds, Chaisson is going to wreck the testing drills. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run sub-4.55 in the 40-yard dash and hit 40 inches on the vertical. Athletes like that who rush the passer don’t last long on draft night.
Bradlee Anae, EDGE, Utah
One of the more polarizing players in the early rounds this year, Anae is a better pass rusher than pure athlete. And that is okay — you want the better football player, not necessarily the better athlete. But it will be interesting to see if his final testing numbers match up with the thresholds that some teams have at the position.
Curtis Weaver, EDGE, Boise State
See Anae’s analysis above.
Kenny Willekes, EDGE, Michigan State
Willekes has the motor and relentless play style that routinely impacted the game on tape, but his subpar athleticism is why he is considered a Day 3 prospect. Will he run better than a 4.90 40-yard dash? Get under 7.30 in the three-cone?
James Smith-Williams, EDGE, NC State
Although his tape is average, Smith-Williams should be an impressive tester, coming in at No. 3 on Feldman’s Freak List. If he runs a sub 4.6 40-yard dash at 265 pounds, that will create buzz among NFL teams.
Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Freakishly explosive and strong on the football field, how will that translate to combine drills? Not that it will matter much because he will still be an early first-round pick, but Brown should post impressive numbers.
Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
An active basketball and soccer player growing up, Gallimore out-grew those positions, but he didn’t lose his speed. If he comes anywhere close to a 4.76 40-yard dash at 300 pounds, the “Canadian Bulldozer” will be talked about a lot more leaving Indianapolis.
McTelvin Agim, DT, Arkansas
At 307 pounds, Agim moves like a much smaller player and should be one of the best testers in the 10-yard split and three-cone drill.
Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
They might rename the combine after Simmons after he is done with it. A track athlete growing up, he was a state champion in high school in the long jump in 2014 and 2015 while also performing well in sprints. He was listed as a defensive back on the combine invite list, but regardless if he works out with the linebackers or defensive backs, Simmons’ combine performance will only cement why he is being talked about as a top-10 pick.
Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
If you are looking for explosiveness at linebacker, Queen is your guy. He is still developing some linebacker-specific traits like his stack-shed skills, but his play speed and swivel hips are outstanding and should be reflected in his combine numbers.
Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
Not playing football in high school due to religious reasons, Taylor was a standout basketball player and track athlete. He also ran track at Colorado with a personal-best 10.51 in the 100-meters during prelims of the Pac-12 Championships. Taylor’s instincts and recognition skills are still a work-in-progress, but his natural speed and athletic traits are going to entice teams and give him a long leash once he lands on a roster.
CJ Henderson, CB, Florida: Henderson is a top-tier athlete, especially for his size. In high school, some thought he was a better track athlete than football player, setting personal-bests in the 100-meters (10.40), 200-meters (20.92) and 400-meters (48.48).
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
According to Feldman’s Freak’s List, Gladney ran a 4.34 40-yard dash while benching 400 pounds this past offseason. If his combine comes close to those numbers, he will only bolster his chances of landing in the first round.
Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
The son of world-class track athletes, Igbinoghene won six state titles in high school: two indoor long jumps, two outdoor long jumps, one indoor triple jump and one outdoor triple jump. He also had a top-five finish in the state in the 100-meters (11.05).
Troy Pride, CB, Notre Dame
Pride won four state titles as a senior sprinter and ran track for the Irish. He posted impressive times at the ACC Indoor Championships in the 60-meters (6.73) and 200-meters (21.38).
Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA
A darkhorse for the fastest defensive player at the combine, Holmes was running times in the low 4.3s while at UCLA. He is undersized with streaky tape, but his toughness and speed are going to have NFL teams interested in the mid-rounds.
Javelin Guidry, CB, Utah
How many athletes can say they were the 100-meter champion in two different states in high school? Guidry is on that short list, including the fastest all-conditions’ 100-meter time (10.13) in California state history. He can absolutely fly.
Javaris Dean, CB, Auburn
When scouts went through Auburn last spring, they timed Davis at 4.32 in the 40-yard dash. His lack of size (5-9, 179 pounds) is an issue, but he is one of the fastest players in this draft class.
Ashtyn Davis, DS, California
One of the best background stories in the draft, Davis used his track skills to earn a college scholarship, backdooring his way onto the Cal football team. He was a four-time All-American in track at Cal and won a Pac-12 Championship, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2018 in the 110-meter hurdles. Davis’ play speed jumps off the screen and it’s one of the reasons he is a potential top-50 draft pick.
Kyle Dugger, DS, Lenoir-Rhyne
At 6-1 and 217 pounds, Dugger is a little bit of a tweener with some teams seeing his best fit at weakside linebacker while others slotting him at safety. But he has the movement skills of a cornerback and that should show during testing.
Antione Winfield, DS, Minnesota
On tape, Winfield has average speed at best, struggling to recover after a false step. How does he test in the speed and positional drills? The results could be the difference between him being drafted on Day 2 or Day 3.
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