November 29, 2023

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2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Day Three Recap

by Brian Bosarge0634
Combine

The offense finally hit the field on Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.

They split the prospects into three groups today. The first & second groups contained quarterbacks and wide receivers. The third group was the tight ends.

Let’s look at the players performed in each group.

2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Day Three Recap

QB/WR GROUP 1

QUARTERBACKS
  • Kentucky QB Will Levis did not run but did all of the throwing drills. You obviously see the ease of his arm strength but the tape shows you that his accuracy is a work in progress (to put it nicely).
  • Georgia’s Stetson Bennett IV measured in at 5’11” and 192 pounds. We knew he was going to be small. The biggest thing for Bennett at the Combine was answering the questions about his off-field maturity and decision-making.
  • Malik Cunningham (Louisville) is a passer I honestly thought would run faster. 4.53 isn’t anything to sneeze at but I thought he would in 4.4s.
  • Max Duggan of TCU has the grit and toughness you want from a quarterback. And at 4.52 seconds in the forty, he ran faster than I thought he would. 
  • Jake Haener (Fresno State) and Jarren Hall (BYU) also didn’t test but threw on the field.
WIDE RECEIVERS
    • Jordan Addison (Southern Cal) measured in at 5’11” and 173 pounds He has a chance to be WR1 in this class. Addison had a solid workout during testing but nothing earth-shattering.

  • LSU’s Kayshon Boutte did not test like an elite athlete, to say the least. Boutte ran a 4.5 in the forty, a poor 29″ vertical, and a 9’10” broad jump. His testing reminds people of another former LSU Tiger, Jarvis Landry.
  • Derius Davis (TCU) is quick and fast and is going to be a tremendous special teams player. Dabis had the fastest forty in this group with a 4.36. His ten-yard split was a fabulous 1.46.
  • Houston WR Tank Dell was one of the early stars of Senior Bowl week. Dell ran fast with a 4.49 forty and had a super quick 1.49 10-split. He really showed out during the gauntlet drill.
  • Josh Downs (North Carolina) tested well with a 4.48 forty (1.49). he added a 38.5″ vertical and a 10’11” broad jump.
  • Zay Flowers of Boston College was a star during the field drills of the Combine. He is a superior route runner and looked extremely quick in the gauntlet drill. Flowers ran a 4.42 in the forty, vertical leaped 35.5″, and broad jumped 10’7″.
  • Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt has been on a meteoric rise up the draft boards since the Alabama game in the fall. Hyatt ran a 4.4 forty (1.50), had a 40″ vertical, and an 11’3″ broad jump. He needed to be able to show off a full route and I don’t think we fully saw that.
  • Andrei Iosivas (Princeton) 
  • Rakim Jarrett, Dontay Demus, and Jacob Copeland all represented Maryland well today. Jarrett and Copeland ran a 4.44 and 4.42 in the forty respectively. I was concerned if Dontay Demus (6’3″ 212) would be able to regain his athleticism of two years ago. Other than his subpar 40 (4.57), he tested fairly well.
  • Liberty WR Demario Davis is another name that is gaining traction in the mid-rounds. Davis ran a 4.44 in the forty, vertical leaped 39.5″, and had a broad jump of 11’2″.
  • Jason Brownlee (Southern Miss) is one of my guys in this class. Brownlee didn’t run a fast forty (4.59) but his 10-split was nice (1.52). He struggled a little in the gauntlet drill but his other route running was phenomenal. Brownlee cuts on a dime.
  • West Virginia WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton was the biggest star on the track in this group. BFW measured in at 6’4″ and 221 pounds. He ran a 4.38 in the forty, vertical leaped 41″, and broad jumped 10’9″.

QB/WR GROUP 2

QUARTERBACKS
  • Florida QB Anthony Richardson was going to be the best athlete among all of the quarterbacks at the Combine. What we didn’t know was that he would become the best athlete to ever test. Richardson ran an astonishing 4.33 in the forty at 244 pounds. That followed a 40.5″ vertical and a 10’9″ broad jump. Add that to his howitzer of a right arm and you can see why teams are intrigued about drafting him in the top 10. But seeing him throw right before Stroud, you can see how much worse his accuracy is. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how big or fast you are at QB or how big your arm is. If you can’t complete passes in the NFL it just will not matter.
  • Bryce Young (Alabama) passed a minor hurdle in his predraft process with his time on the scales. Young’s playing weight was questioned (and rightfully so). His weight in Indianapolis came in at 204 pounds. Is that a natural weight for Bryce Young? I doubt it. But it was good to see him get there. Young also has 9 3/4″ hands for those who care. He didn’t work out on the field.
  • Ohio State QB CJ Stroud didn’t test athletically but he was EASILY the best quarterback at throwing the football at the Combine. Stroud’s effort was completely flawless, easily repeating every single thing he needed to do. Almost robotically. Stroud also has the arm strength you want. It is going to be fun as we get closer to the draft to see who ends up at QB1 on my board, Stroud or Young.

WIDE RECEIVERS
  • TCU WR Quentin Johnston is currently WR1 for me in the class of 2023. I think he is a tremendous athlete with a 6’2″ and 208-pound frame. Johnston didn’t run a forty but had a 40’5″ vertical and 11’2″ broad jump. He also showed excellent route running and hands during the drills. I think there is a little Randy Moss in his game. I said what I said!
  • Charlie Jones (Purdue) has been appropriately nicknamed “Sizzle” by people I am friendly with. Jones certainly sizzled on the Lucas Oil Field turf with a 4.43 40 (1.51).
  • Mississippi WR Jonathan Mingo is a bigger slot wide receiver and ran well for having 220 pounds on his frame. Running a 4.46 at his size is tremendous.
  • Trey Palmer (Nebraska) was fast at the Senior Bowl and was certainly fast at the Combine. His 4.33 40 was the quickest amongst every wideout in Indy.
  • Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry had some deep speed concerns for me and he firmly answered those with a 4.47 forty-yard dash.
  • Rashee Rice (SMU) also had long-speed questions and somewhat answered those. Rice ran a 4.51 in the forty. His 1.49 split was the second-fastest of group two (Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker).
  • Cincinnati pass catcher Tyler Scott is still a bit of an unknown for me. He ran a fast 4.4 in the forty. This paired with his 39.5″ vertical and 11-foot broad jump.
  • Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) has been out of sight, out of mind for most of the last six months. After dealing with an injury for most of the 2022 season, JSN did not run at the Combine. However, he showed off his route running on the field. JSN’s shuttles were otherworldly, however. He had a 6.57 three-cone and a 3.93 in the short shuttle.
  • Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman may have fallen behind Jalin Hyatt in the hype department but he may ultimately end up being the best Volunteer WR. Tillman measured in at 6’3″ and 213 pounds. He ran a 4.54 in the forty (1.53) with a 37″ vertical.
  • Michael Wilson (Stanford) shot onto my radar with an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl. His route running and catch radius are impeccable. Wilson has an injury history and isn’t the fastest on the hoof (4.58 in the forty). However, he did have a 1.50 10-yard split.
  • Other pass catchers that stood out during the field drills were Michigan State’s Jayden Reed and Puka Nacua (BYU).

TIGHT END GROUP 

    • Darnell Washington (Georgia) did not disappoint. He measured 6’6″ and 266 pounds. Then ran a 4.64 in the forty with a 1.57 10-yard split. His vertical of 31″ was a tad underwhelming. However, his 10’2″ broad jump was great. Washington is probably the best blocker at TE in this class. He is a pretty fluid athlete too.

  • Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave only played in two games this season but showed in Mobile that he could be an elite tight end. At the Combine, Musgrave did nothing to dissuade those attitudes. He ran a 4.61 in the forty with a 36″ vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump.
  • Michael Mayer (Notre Dame) ran a solid forty (4.70) and showed off his value as a blocker and a route runner. Is he a first-round pick? We shall see.
  • Sam LaPorta of Iowa had a lot of legacies to look up to with Hawkeye TEs. Having to follow George Kittle, Noah Fant, and T.J. Hockenson is no easy feat. LaPorta measured in at 6’3″ and 245 pounds. He showed off great hands in the gauntlet drill and looked smooth during his routes. LaPorta ran a 4.59 in the forty.
  • Can Tucker Kraft become the next South Dakota State stud tight end to enter the NFL? Dallas Goedert was a great prospect and has been a good NFL TE. Kraft ran a solidly fast 40 (4.69) and also tested well with his jumps. Kraft is a good blocker and catches the ball easily.
  • Zack Kuntz (Old Dominion) entered the season highly regarded before an injury sapped away his season. However, we were told he was a tremendous athlete, and he did not disappoint. Kuntz ran a 4.55 in the forty (1.57). He is not a natural blocker and is a bit of a body catcher. Kuntz is the type of TE athletic prospect every team should try to gamble with on day three.

  • Will Mallory (Miami-FL) ran the fastest 40 of the TE group. Mallory’s 4.54 will do. He also had a solid week at the Senior Bowl.
  • Utah TE Dalton Kincaid and Cameron Latu (Alabama) did not work out.

Check back tomorrow for my recap of the final day of the Combine.

You can also see a sortable table with all of the testing results here at Draft Countdown!

 

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