Over the past week, the nation’s top NFL prospects gathered in Indianapolis to show off their skill sets to coaches, general managers, and scouts at the annual NFL Combine. The 300+ players who were fortunate enough to get an invite to Indy had the opportunity to meet with top personnel from all 32 teams. With the NFL Draft coming up at the end of April, the Combine is an incredibly important time for aspiring pro-athletes as their performance during the event can significantly impact their draft ranking. In fact, it is probably the biggest factor aside from a player’s collegiate career in determining his future.
During the seven day event, players participated in physical tests such as the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, and broad jump as well as mental tests, which include interviews, press conferences, and psychological evaluations. While the on-field workouts are the main event, the intellectual aspects of the Combine can sometimes be just as tough. Aside from grilling players about their football IQ, team reps are also known to ask some pretty strange questions. From wanting to know a player’s drug of choice to inquiring about what age he lost his virginity to being asked to sing a song, there are almost no limits on what to expect from these interviews, therefore, players must come confident and prepared.
So with all the talent present at the Combine, which players really stood out amongst their peers?
The tight ends, offensive linemen, and special teams prospects started off the Combine’s on-field workouts on Friday. The two best tight end prospects coming in, University of Minnesota’s Maxx Williams and University of Miami’s Clive Walford, posted impressive 40 times, 4.78 and 4.79, respectively, so expect them to stay top tight end prospects come draft time. Tight end MyCole Pruitt from Southern Illinois had the best 40 in his group, coming in at 4.58, as well as the highest vertical jump, which should help to boost his draft stock. As for the offensive linemen group, Iowa offensive tackle Brandon Scherff continues to be the top prospect in his position after posting one of the better 40 times.
On Saturday, the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers took to the field to showcase their physical acumen. Obviously, the stars of the quarterback draft class are Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, both of whom impressed teams during their time in Indy. Though Winston’s 40 time was not that great, he made up for it during the throwing drills. Mariota, on the other hand, did well in both drills and also had an impressive vertical jump. Mariota seemed to be the winner between the two quarterbacks at the Combine though that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he will be the top draft pick. There are other factors to consider that depend on what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team with the first overall pick, are looking for. University of Georgia’s Todd Gurley is one of the nation’s top running backs but he was unable to participate in most drills due to the fact that he is still recovering from an ACL injury he sustained during the season. With him sidelined for most of the Combine, University of Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon had a chance to shine with the fifth best 40 time as well as outstanding 20 and 60 yard shuttle times. As for the wide receiver group, top prospects Chris Conley (University of Georgia), JJ Nelson (University of Alabama – Birmingham), Kevin White (West Virginia University), and Amari Cooper (University of Alabama) all put on great performances, excelling in the speed, jump, and positional drills. Nelson had the fastest 40 time of all the participants at the Combine at 4.28 seconds, while Conley set records for the broad jump and vertical jump. With their diverse skill sets, expect these guys to get snatched off the board quickly come draft time.
On Sunday, it was the defensive linemen and linebackers’ turn to test their physical skills. Clemson’s Vic Beasley made a name for himself amongst his fellow defensive linemen with the fastest 40 time and most bench press reps in his group. With his stellar showing, many see Beasley potentially going in the top 10 come April.
The last day of the Combine focused on the cornerback and safety prospects. University of Connecticut cornerback Byron Jones made headlines as he set a record with an astonishing 12 feet 3 inch broad jump. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes also wowed teams with one of the fastest 40 times at the Combine, coming in only .03 seconds slower than wide receiver JJ Nelson. And top safety prospect Landon Collins from Alabama remains a solid choice among teams with an overall impressive performance throughout the day.
As of right now, a quarterback is still projected to be drafted as the overall first pick. Tampa Bay, who recently released their starting quarterback Josh McCown, is in clear and desperate need of a new leader and only time will tell whether they will find that leader in Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. Stay tuned as we keep you updated on the upcoming draft and all of the latest news on this future class of NFL ballers.
Sources: NFL.com, SB Nation
