Combine: Quick Hits

Yesterday marked the last day for the 2018 NFL Combine, bringing us that much closer to the draft in April. Stocks rose for some, slipped for others, and the rest solidified their place name on scout’s draft boards. Here is what stood out this weekend:

Standouts

It would be very difficult to start out a draft-standout segment without first mentioning a certain running back from Happy Valley, but here is someone more deserving. Shaquem Griffin, the six-foot, 227 pound linebacker from the University of Central Florida momentarily set the football world on fire. Griffin started out his combine by putting up 20 reps of the standard 225 pound bench press drill. That would rank Griffin tied for 11th most out of all linebackers at the combine.

Did I mention that Griffin has one hand? Griffin suffered from what is called amniotic-band syndrome, a condition that led to the amputation of his left hand.

Not only did he put up 20 reps with a prosthetic hand, he posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.38 seconds. For perspective, that time would have placed him as the 3rd fastest receiver of the weekend. That mark is also the fastest 40 time ever recorded since they started tracking in 2003.

To cap off his wildly successful weekend, Griffin looked very fluid and comfortable in the coverage drills. He has flexible hips and displayed great ball-skills. Look for Shaquem Griffin to be a spotlight of the upcoming draft

 

Now, let’s revisit the generational talent, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. Whatever small doubts or reservations scouts may have had about Barkley have since been silenced. Not only did Saquon check every box on Friday, he has pushed his name into conversations for the #1 overall pick in the draft. Ian Rappaport stated, “He is very much in the mix to be the first running back taken first overall since Ki-jana Carter two decades ago.”

Barkley somehow managed to raise his already high draft stock by posting ridiculous numbers for a six-foot 233 pound athlete. He started by posting 29 reps in the bench press, then showed off his 41-inch vertical jump, and iced the cake with his 4.40 40-yard dash.

 

Bradley Chubb (EDGE) also solidified his top 5 status by running a 4.65 second 40-yard dash and the quick-twitch traits he displayed at NC State.

 

Receivers D.J. Chark (LSU) and Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) elevated their draft stock. Chark set the bar at wide receiver for the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.34 seconds., and a vertical of 40 inches. The 6’3″ big-bodied burner looked the part of an offensive weapon that can take the top off of a defense.

Kirk excelled in receiving drills with natural hands and solid route combinations.

 

Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield separated themselves from the rest of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft. Both showed a superior mix of arm strength and accuracy in throwing drills, while Rosen also impressed scouts in interviews. There has been speculation that Rosen may not value winning and the game of football. He silenced those rumors by appearing down-to-earth and humble talking to the media.

Both quarterbacks looked confident with every drop back and route. Expect both to be gone by the time the Buccaneers select at pick 7.

 

Will Hernandez is my dark-horse lineman in this draft class. He excelled in the bench (37 reps), 40 (5.15), and pad drills, showing off his strong hands and power.

 

As for the linebacker class outside Roquan Smith (Injury, Georgia) and Shaquem Griffin, Rashaan Evans (Alabama) and Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech) stood out. Evans put up solid numbers in nearly every drill, while Edmunds excelled with his speed and agility in movement drills.

Da’Ron Payne stood out to me with his agility drills. He moved exceptionally well for a 6’4″ 310 pound defensive lineman. With his knack for disrupting the interior offensive line, his mobility will help him thrive at the next level.

 

Denzel Ward (Ohio State), Jaire Alexander (Louisville), and Derwin James (Florida State) stood out in the secondary drills Monday. Ward impressed with a top 40 time of 4.32 seconds. Alexander ran a 4.38 and looks like a physical shutdown type corner. Derwin James jumped out of the building with a 40 inch vertical and 11 foot broad jump.

Stock Down

I want to preface this section by pointing out that while an athlete may have a poor combine, it does not directly translate to a poor professional career. I am a strong advocate of film over measurables.

Lamar Jackson (Louisville) told scouts not only would he opt out of running receiver drills, he would also forego the 40-yard dash, which is arguably his most dynamic drill at the combine. I doubt Jackson’s stock will plummet, he may not go in the first round of the draft.

Jackson played the combine safe, by throwing soft and controllable passes. He did not showcase the arm strength that others did, but instead tried to bolster his accuracy traits. Pair this with his apparent footwork issues and I believe scouts will be reserved when grading him on their draft boards.

Regardless of the combine and his pro day results, there is no arguing that Jackson is one of the most prolific athletes in the draft, and I do believe his mechanics can improve to become an exciting quarterback.

 

In what has been one of the most disappointing performances of all time at the combine, Orlando Brown (Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma) will need to show NFL teams something more between now and April 27th. Brown looked sluggish in absolutely every drill he participated in. He set combine lows with his historically low 5.85 second 40, his 14 reps in the bench press, and his 19.5 inch vertical. He struggled through agility drills and apparently was directly questioned by scouts regarding his effort.

 

Tim Settle, the big 6’3″ 335 pound space eater disappointed in the agility bag drills. His footwork is questionable at best and he struggled to change directions. This is another case of tape vs. measurables. Settle dominated interior lineman at Virginia Tech, so don’t expect teams to give up on him just yet.s

 

Lastly, with corner backs, Josh Jackson (Iowa) only disappointed on the bag drills. He seemed uncomfortable in his transition from his back-peddle and first step to the ball. Mike Hughes (UCF) disappointed some with his 4.53 40 time.

 

Athletes will continue to rise and fall on team’s draft boards from now until the draft. With pro days and team meetings scheduled to take place over this time, the Combine will be just one of many factors that play into where these athletes ultimately start their careers.