For those of us who consume a lot of college football, the NFL Scouting Combine doesn’t move the needle very much in the way of prospect grades. It isn’t like we are already set in our ways based on film study, but it has become abundantly clear that the Combine merely acts as an in-person confirmation. It also sheds light on some unheralded athletes who can dramatically alter their draft capital with a good showing. There is also the chance that players with excellent tape and few red flags can weigh themselves down with a poor Combine showing. Here are the skill players who may have helped (or hurt) their draft status following their appearance in Indianapolis.
For those of us who consume a lot of college football, the NFL Scouting Combine doesn’t move the needle very much in the way of prospect grades. It isn’t like we are already set in our ways based on film study, but it has become abundantly clear that the Combine merely acts as an in-person confirmation. It also sheds light on some unheralded athletes who can dramatically alter their draft capital with a good showing. There is also the chance that players with excellent tape and few red flags can weigh themselves down with a poor Combine showing. Here are the skill players who may have helped (or hurt) their draft status following their appearance in Indianapolis.
Risers
In one of the most impressive Combine performances by a QB ever, Anthony Richardson has spurred a great deal of controversy in the pre-draft process. He measured a Cam Newton-like 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds but ran a Mike Vick-like 4.43 in the 40. Add in QB records in the vertical and broad jumps, along with a sharper-than-expected throwing session, and Richardson has vaulted himself into rumored consideration for the top overall pick to the Carolina Panthers.
The spreadsheet warriors were very worried about Jahmyr Gibbs’ weight. I won’t quote the “data” that suggests that RBs under 200 pounds on an arbitrary day in March need to be outliers to have success in the NFL. It’s hogwash. Great football players like Gibbs will play great football. Gibbs somehow soothed the criticism by measuring shorter at 5-foot-9, leaving his body mass index (BMI) in a more desirable tier. BMI is a junk metric, so his 4.36 in the 40 should confirm to everyone that the incendiary playmaking ability shown at Georgia Tech and Alabama is going to continue at the next level.
Much like Christian Watson last year, there was a large-bodied WR who appeared to drop in from outer space. Bryce Ford-Wheaton from West Virginia measured at 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds. He combined that upper-echelon size with a 4.38 in the 40 and a 41-inch vertical jump. A bit of coaching in the professional ranks and we’re looking at a freaking monster on the outside.
Speaking of monsters — Darnell Washington is one of many athletic marvels who will hit the league from national champion Georgia. Although he was outshined as a receiver by next year’s freak TE Brock Bowers, Washington is a stellar athlete whose game is still on the rise. His size (6-foot-7 and 264 pounds) is matched with strong athleticism and textbook blocking skill. An NFL franchise could make Washington into any type of Pro Bowl-caliber player they see fit; he can do it all.
Some draft analysts are calling this class of TEs the deepest and strongest in a decade. As far as we can project for fantasy success, the TE position is nearly impossible to peg down before the NFL Draft. Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz put on a show at the Combine. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound athlete ran an amazing 4.55 in the 40 and 4.12 in the 20-yard shuttle. He paced the entire TE group in the 3-cone and with an insane 40″ vertical jump. I’m not saying Kuntz is Jimmy Graham, but he sure reminds me a lot of him.
Fallers
It’s pretty incredible that a guy who only showed up to get measured and sit down for team interviews might have hurt his draft stock at the Combine. Young measured at just over 5-foot-10, putting him in Kyler Murray territory. Many were surprised that the wispy Young tipped the scales at 204 pounds, but it did little to hush the concerned murmurs around his playing size and subsequent durability. The game tape is as impressive as any QB prospect in years, but Young must silence his doubters on the field. Once considered to be the outright favorite to go first overall, now the Alabama star is receiving much less buzz after C.J. Stroud and Richardson.
I have stated many times that I really don’t understand the infatuation with Will Levis as a top-level professional QB prospect. Arm talent alone can’t will someone into success in the NFL, especially when it’s not paired with consistent accuracy or sound decision-making. Levis was only ‘okay’ at showcasing his talents in Indy. His lazy footwork and mechanics were on full tilt mode as Stroud and Richardson matched his “cannon” with more excitement and polish. I have a third-round grade on Levis and it has not moved, despite the near assurance that he will have his name called early on in the first round.
This Combine performance was simply stunning. Kayshon Boutte has been one of the most talented receiving prospects since setting foot on campus in Baton Rouge. He reversed his initial decision to return to LSU for his senior season but laid a rotten egg at this year’s Combine. Last year, it was RB Isaiah Spiller who would have done better to forgo the Combine workouts. This year, it was painfully apparent that Boutte was far from prepared for the process. He tested below average in every single drill. He has a lot to salvage at his pro day to restore his standing in this very strong group of WRs.
There was a small hive of analysts who predicted that the next small-school superstar TE would be Tucker Kraft. He really did look like an unstoppable force at FCS South Dakota State. Unfortunately, he is painfully average athletically when compared to his peers heading into the NFL. Kraft is an ideal size at 6-foot-5, but he ran a 4.69 in the 40 and only had a 34″ vertical jump. The learning curve for TEs is already a treacherous mountain to climb, but there wasn’t enough “special” in Kraft’s tape to ignore his mediocre athleticism.
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