The Combine was this past weekend and, of course, there were some big-time winners and some big-time losers. Not everyone who performed well or poorly is included on this list, but the guys who made the biggest difference in increasing, decreasing or solidifying their draft stock.
Winners:
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
It’s hard not to put Metcalf at the top of this list. At 6’3” and 228 pounds, Metcalf tied for the highest number in the bench (27 reps) despite having almost 35″ long arms, jumped 40.5″ in the vertical jump, 11’2″ in the broad and ran an incredible 4.33 in the 40. He did not test well in the 3-cone (7.38) or the 20-yard shuttle (4.5). There are questions about his ability to move as a receiver other than in a straight line down the field. However, there is even more talk about Metcalf going in the top 10 now, possibly top 5.
Montez Sweat, DL, Mississippi State
Another guy that had an absolutely phenomenal weekend and saw his draft stock rise. Sweat measured in at 6’6” and 260 pounds and somehow ran an insane 4.41 in the 40. He also tied for 4th in the broad jump at 10’5″, tied for 5th in the 3-cone at 7.00, placed 7th in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.29, and tied for 8th in the vertical at 36”. A guy with that size should not be allowed to run that fast. Sweat seemed to be a consensus first round pick, but now I would be surprised if he makes it out of the top 15.
Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State
The biggest win for Burns was him weighing in at 249 pounds, 21 pounds heavier than what he played at during the season. Equally as impressive is his 4.43 time in the 40 with his added weight. He also ran a 7.01 in the 3-cone and jumped 36” in the vertical jump and 10’9” in the broad jump. The only real question with him was his size and he solved that problem. His ceiling could be as high as a top 5 pick.
Devin White, LB, LSU
White had an emotional weekend after running an incredible 4.42 in the 40 and visibly crying after he saw his time. He measured in at 6’0” and 237 pounds. He had 22 bench press reps, had a vertical jump of 39.5” and a broad jump of 9’10”. He showed off his agility with a 7.07 3-cone and a 4.17 20-yard shuttle. I just love Devin White. He is athletic, physical and intelligent. A guy with his abilities, upside and dedication is someone I would love to build a team around.
Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
The other Devin linebacker, Bush put up some ridiculous numbers. Slightly undersized at 5’11” and 234 pounds, but he can move. He ran a 4.43 in the 40, putting him just behind White for linebackers. Bush also had 22 bench reps, 40.5” in the vertical jump, 10’4” in the broad jump, 6.93 in the 3-cone and 4.23 in the 20-yard shuttle. He’s even more athletic than what I saw on tape, and he pushed himself from an early 2nd round pick into a first round lock.
Garrett Bradbury, OL, NC State
Bradbury looks like he solidified himself to be the first interior offensive lineman taken in the 2019 Draft. At 6’3” and 306 pounds, he showed he is an all-around player posting a 4.92 in the 40, 34 reps on the bench, and a ridiculous 7.41 in the 3-cone. Bradbury is strong and athletic and can find himself in the top 20.
Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State
Dillard is a guy who has been on a sharp rise since January with a stellar Senior Bowl Week. At 6’5” and 315 pounds, he had the 4th best 40 (4.96), the best broad jump (9’10”), the 2nd best 3-cone (7.44) and the best 20-yard shuttle (4.4). Dillard came into the Combine with high expectations regarding his athletic abilities. The real question is with his technique. This performance still makes him a first round lock.
Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
The battle between the two Iowa tight ends for the top spot in this class continues. Fant measured in at 6’4” and 249 pounds. He was the top performer in the 40 (4.5), the vertical jump (39.5”), the broad jump (10’7”), the 3-cone (6.81) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.22). Fant also finished among the top-5 in the bench press with 20 reps. Fant is more of a big receiver than an in-line tight end, so where he goes in the draft will be more scheme specific, but it will be in the first round.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
The other Iowa tight end, Hockenson looked equally as impressive at the Combine. He measured in at 6’5” and 251 pounds. 32.25″ arms, 4.70 40-yard dash, 17 bench reps, 37.5″ vertical, 123″ broad jump, 7.02 3-cone, 4.18 short shuttle. Hockenson didn’t test as well as Fant, but he has a more complete and balanced skill set with being a good blocker. He still tested well enough though, running a 4.70 in the 40, a 37.5” in the vertical, a 10’3” in the broad, 17 bench reps, 7.02 in the 3-cone and 4.18 in the 20-yard shuttle. Hocksenson looks like a perfect with the Patriots, but I don’t think he makes it to 32.
Emanuel Hall, WR, Missouri
Well I can’t leave the guy who set the record for the best all time broad jump with 11’9” off this list. Hall also placed top three all-time with a 43.5” vertical jump. He finished that off with a blazing 4.39 time in the 40. Hall didn’t run the agilities, but hopefully he will at his Pro Day. He was a big-time deep threat in college and his performance this weekend shows he can be one in the NFL as well.
Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame
I must admit, I did not expect Boykin to have such a great weekend at the Combine. If it weren’t for Emanuel Hall, Boykin would’ve had the top jump numbers at the Combine. That being said, a 43.5” vertical and 11’8” broad is still remarkably impressive. Boykin also ran a 4.42 40, 4.07 20-yard shuttle and a WR best 6.77 3-cone. Teams will be going back over his tape and he should have a big rise before the draft.
Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama
One of the stars of the Combine coming in, Williams did not disappoint. Williams is one of the hottest names in the draft, a consensus top 3 player, due to his meteoric rise this season. He was able to continue his hype by checking all the boxes this weekend. Williams measured in at 6’3” and 303 pounds. He ran a 4.83 in the 40 and had jumps of 30.5” in the vertical and 10’4” in the broad. He didn’t participate in anything else due to a minor injury, but these marks are great. I can’t imagine him falling out of the top 5 in the draft, and if it weren’t for positional value, he’d probably be taken second.
Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota
To be honest, I didn’t really know much about Cashman before this weekend. He is now on everyone’s radar and tape watch-list after the Combine. He measured in at 6’1″ and 237 pounds and he can fly across the field. He ran 4.5 in the 40, 6.95 in the 3-cone and 4.12 in the 20-yard shuttle. His jumps were 37.5″ in the vertical and 10’4″ in the broad, showing his explosiveness. Cashman might have some struggles with his size, but the guy can really move in space. He will be on the rise for the next 7 weeks until the draft and he will likely be an early Day 2 pick when it’s all said and done.
Jerry Tillery, DL, Notre Dame
Tillery saw his stock rise a little bit towards the end of the season and he’s settled down to a top 50 player. But with his performance this weekend, I wouldn’t be surprised if a team snatched him at the end of round one. Tillery measured in at 6’6” and 295 pounds and ran well with a 4.93 in the 40, 7.45 in the 3-cone and 4.33 in the 20-yard shuttle. He also jumped 32” in the vertical and an elite 10’7” in the broad. His athletic ability combined with his size is perfect for the way the NFL is trending toward versatile defensive players.
Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan
Gary was a consensus top 5 player before the season began but saw his stock dip slightly after an injury during the season. Gary proved at the Combine that he is still the player we thought in the summer and still a crazy athlete. Measuring in at 6’4” and 277 pounds, Gary ran 4.58 in the 40, 7.26 in the 3-cone and 4.29 in the 20-yard shuttle. He also jumped 38” in the vertical and 10” in the broad. You can play Gary anywhere on the line, just draft him and play him.
Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State
Sanders was always talked about during the season as Saquon Barkley’s replacement no matter how well he played. He showed this weekend that he is not anything like Barkley, except being a great athlete and running back. He was dominant in the 3-cone with a time of 6.89. Sanders measured in at 5’11” and 211 pounds. He ran 4.49 in the 40 and 4.19 in the shuttle. Sanders jumped 36” in the vertical and 10’04” broad.
Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State
Layne converted to cornerback from receiver in 2016, but he looked like the best cornerback in the drills at the Combine. He’s a long corner at 6’2” and 192 pounds with 33” arms and a 80.5” wingspan. He tested great for his size, running a 4.5 in the 40, 6.9 in the 3-cone and 4.09 in the 20-yard shuttle. He also had phenomenal jumps with 37.5” in the vertical and 11’4” in the broad. He will be a high riser over the next month as the cornerback class is still very fluid.
Justice Hill, RB, Oklahoma State
There were rumors that Hill was going to have a dominant Combine and he did not disappoint. He ran the fastest 40 for running backs at 4.40 and he led running backs in the vertical jump at 40.0” and broad jump at 10’10”. He measured in at 5’10” and 198 pounds and didn’t complete the day after pulling up after his second 40. He left a positive impression on teams as an explosive athlete.
Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia
Thornhill is a converted cornerback and he was expected to test very well athletically. But Thornhill did even better than that. He posted an amazing 11’9” in the broad, 44” in the vertical and 4.43 in the 40. He measured in at 6’0” and 205 pounds and showed he has the speed and athletic ability to cover the field and explode towards the ball.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
Gardner-Johnson weighed in a little bit bigger than most safeties at 5’11” and 210 pounds but showed he can move with the best of them. He posted a 4.49 40, 7.03 3-cone and 4.20 20-yard shuttle. He didn’t have the greatest jumps at 36” in the vertical and 9’9” in the broad, but he’s the type of safety that can eliminate mismatches in coverage. Gardner-Johnson has the speed to cover receivers and the size to cover tight ends.
Josh Oliver, TE, San Jose State
Oliver isn’t a guy most people talk about in the tight end group, but he is now. He has perfect size for today’s NFL at 6’5” and 250 pounds. He showed great athleticism with runs of 4.63 in the 40, 7.21 in the 3-cone and 4.47 in the 20-yard shuttle. He jumped 34” in the vertical and 9’9” in the broad. Oliver is a good developmental tight end with a high upside. On top of his athleticism, he is a good blocker and has good body control. He looks like he’s launched himself into Day 2.
Trysten Hill, DL, UCF
Hill had an odd career at UCF where he was a long-time starter before his senior year where he wasn’t technically a starter but played a lot of snaps. He measured in at 6’3” and 308 pounds. Hill had elite numbers in the vertical jump at 35” and broad jump at 9’7”. He also ran well with a 5.04 in the 40, 7.7 in the 3-cone and an exceptional 4.38 in the 20-yard shuttle. Hill is a high-motor player who is now a top sleeper in this draft.
Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
Forget Haskins’ 40 time of 5.04. It doesn’t matter. Most of us know that Haskins is more of a passer than a runner. Plus, according to Ian Rapoport, battling leg cramps prior to running. Haskins will run again at his Pro Day. NFL teams won’t be asking Haskins to run speed options at the next level. What really impressed for Haskins was simply him throwing the ball. He threw well all over the field and he had some great deep balls. Another plus for Haskins was his measurements of 6’3” and 231 pounds. He is a top-10 lock.
Foster Moreau, TE, LSU
Moreau had an impressive Combine that a lot were hoping for after a lackluster career stat-wise at LSU. He looked the part in college, but just didn’t see many looks. Moreau measured in at 6’4” and 253 pounds. He ran 4.66 in the 40, 7.16 in the 3-cone, 4.11 in the 20-yard shuttle, and jumped 36.5” in the vertical and 10’1” in the broad. He had a great Senior Bowl Week and his rise continues after this weekend.
Losers:
Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida
Polite had one of the weirdest Combines that I’ve ever witnessed. He complained about teams “bashing” his play during interviews. He raised a ton of questions about his coach-ability and passion for the game. Then he left early with an “apparent” hamstring injury. Polite measured in at 6’2” and 258 pounds and ran a slow 4.84 in the 40 with a 1.71 10-yard split. Once thought of as a top-15 player, Polite looks like a mid-Day 2 drop off.
Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
I can’t say I’m surprised at the way Little performed at the Combine. Little posted the 2nd worst 40 (5.33) and third worst vertical jump (25”). He looked almost as bad in the workouts with poor footwork. I’ve had Little ranked outside my top 75 since December. He is seriously limited athletically, and his technique isn’t much better. He probably won’t hear his name called until Day 3 now.
Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia
Ridley’s performance was not what anyone was expecting. His tape isn’t one of the tops of this class and you can tell he has limitations with his athleticism. Ridley ran well in the 20-yard shuttle with a 4.25 but put up below average number in the vertical (30.5”) and broad (10’4”. Where he really fell short was the 40 with a time of 4.58. At 6’1” and 199 pounds, Ridley should’ve posted a better time than that. We’ll have to wait until his Pro Day to see if he’ll be knocked down to Day 3.
Elijah Holyfield, RB, Georgia
I was never high on Holyfield during the season, but he’s been getting a lot of hype the past two months. I was looking forward to his Combine and expecting to go back to his tape with hope. Holyfield pretty much did the opposite. He ran 4.78 in the 40 and jumped 29” in the vertical and 9’6” in the broad. He didn’t do the agilities or the workouts. This workout wasn’t entirely unexpected, Holyfield’s bottom-line strengths are filed vision, sense of space and footwork. Still, he will drop far for this.
Dre’Mont Jones, DL, Ohio State
This was a performance that I was really disappointed with. I’ve had Jones ranked in my top 20 at times this season. I was ready to be surprised by an athletic Jones dominating the Combine. Once again, I got the opposite. Jones measured in at 6’3” and 281 pounds, ran a slow 40 time (5.12), 3-cone time (7.71) and 20-yard shuttle (4.53). He also had poor jumps with a 31.5” vertical and 9’4” broad. At his size, Jones should have tested much better, not quite Montez Sweat (because that was ridiculous) but around the same area. Teams even tried him out at linebacker for some drills. He left the Combine with a bad taste in everyone’s mouths.
L.J. Collier, EDGE, TCU
Collier just simply won’t cut it as an EDGE rusher in the NFL. He tested very slowly across the board and measured in a 6’2” and 283 pounds, too short and heavy to play on the edge. He ran a 4.91 in the 40, 7.71 in the 3-cone and 4.78 in the 20-yard shuttle. Collier might be able to survive in the NFL in a hybrid role, or switching to ILB or and End in a 4-3 scheme. He doesn’t have the athleticism to warrant anything other than a Day 3 selection.
Isaiah Buggs, DL, Alabama
At the end of it all, Buggs might have fared the worst at the Combine in terms of testing. He measured in at 6’3” and 306 pounds, but his arm length (31.25”) and wingspan (75.5”) were severely below average for a defensive tackle. His test results weren’t any better, running 5.15 in the 40, 8.01 in the 3-cone and 4.83 in the 20-yard shuttle. Buggs also had poor jumps of 24.5” vertical and 8’4” broad. There were some rumblings during the end of the season that Buggs was being completely overlooked, but I think that can be put to bed now.
Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
Smith measured in with great size (6’5” and 255 pounds) but his speed and his jumps left a lot to be desired (4.92 in the 40, 32” vertical, 9’0” broad). His workouts weren’t much better as he couldn’t show that he could move on the field despite poor testing. Smith only put up 15 reps in the bench press and on tape he’s a poor blocker. I was looking forward to Smith’s Combine performance, and needless to say I was severely disappointed.
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