Each year Indianapolis is taken over by the entirety of the NFL, their personnel departments, coaches and executives. St Elmos’s, Prime 47 and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouses are littered with scouts, coaches and general managers making the NFL Scouting Combine a can’t miss event every single year but 2019 will be marked as the year of freakish times across the board. Our website caters to the dynasty owners, the keeper league managers and fantasy football players so we’re sticking to the skill positions with a review of went down on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.

QUARTERBACK

THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE

• Drew Lock, Missouri – On the field, Lock looked sharp and flashed his trademark arm strength in passing drills. He has a lot of zip on his passes, he throws the deep ball well and he has plus velocity to make it out to the far hashes on a line. How his interviews went would be very interesting to see but on the whole, Lock appears to have helped himself last week.
• Daniel Jones, Duke – Jones is what he is. He doesn’t boast the biggest arm in the class and he’s got a bit of a deliberate release but the guy gets it. He’s a chalkboard whizz, coached up by David Cutcliffe and what we don’t know is how those interviews with teams went but I would have to assume that Jonesie hit em all out of the park with his mental makeup and knowledge of the game.

STOCK UP

• Tyree Jackson, Buffalo – The 6’7″ 249 pound passer from Buffalo posted a 4.59 forty yard dash and also flashed a pretty rare hand cannon in the passing drills on his deep attempts. Jackson’s movement skills are impressive and he’s the type of player that coaches will want to get into the building. His draft stock is currently soaring, as he’s gone from a day three pick, to a day two investment. Jackson is an ideal quarterback to get on the roster as a backup to groom into a starter by year two or three with the basic triangle numbers he boasts.

STOCK DOWN

• Will Grier, West Virginia – His draft stock has been on a downhill trajectory since the day he decided to skip the team’s bowl game. He was downright terrible during practices at the Senior Bowl and his throwing sessions left a lot to be desired in Indy with some accuracy issues. Although Grier had the highest velocity of any of the quarterbacks this year, he threw a couple of wobblers and threw an early pass on the in route drills. He is still a draftable player but there’s no doubt that his stock is at an all time low.

BACK TO THE WOODSHED

• Trace McSorley, Penn State – Possibly the most interesting tidbit from the combine this year was that McSorley was asked to do defensive back drills, as he was a highly touted prep prospect as a defensive back! He at least tested well with the fastest forty yard dash of any quarterback at 4.57 and despite not working out with the DBs, he brings added buzz now with some teams having that backup plan in mind. McSorley isn’t going to be a regular NFL starter but he does have a chance to play at a professional level.

RUNNINGBACK

THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE

• Damien Harris, Alabama – Harris is one of the safest bets in this draft class. His interviews with the media were stellar and he tested out very well for his size with a 4.57 forty at 215 pounds to go along with a rock solid 37-inch vertical leap. He wasn’t going to light up the leaderboard in Indianapolis but Harris is what he is, a yoked up power back with break away speed that is tough to tackle.
• David Montgomery, Iowa State – Some might put a “stock down” or have a bad reaction to Montgomery’s so-so testing results but that’s kind of what he is. There’s more than a few backs that have survived in the league without being the perfect picture of athleticism; see Frank Gore, Jerome Bettis and CJ Anderson. Montgomery is the guy that shows up on game day and can run routes just as good as the receivers, he only runs a 4.63 but he runs it in the first quarter, the second, third and into the fourth he’s still running that same 4.63! I see a Kareem Hunt 2.0 in Montgomery. DOn’t be surprised to see the Chiefs take a chance on this kid in round three.

STOCK UP

• Justice Hill, Oklahoma State – There’s no question that Hill helped himself the most with the fastest forty yard dash of all the backs at 4.40, he had the best vertical leap at 40 inches and he tied for best broad jump at 10’10” with Miami’s Travis Homer and Notre Dame’s Dexter Williams. Justice was a speed back and most assumed he’d run well but he really opened up some eyes with his times.
• Miles Sanders, Penn State – Sanders posted the best three cone of any of the backs at 6.89, his 4.49 forty was outstanding for 211 pounds and his 1.53 split will certainly play. His 10’4”broad jump was also impressive and 36 inches on the vertical leap is plenty for his size. Some analysts will claim that they had Sanders in on day two already but the bottom line is that he doesn’t play that fast and he’s not a dynamic runningback regardless of his plus athleticism.
• Ryquell Armstead, Temple – The big power back from Temple was a one cut and go type of runner for the Owls but he flashed some real speed at 4.48, which was second best at his position and possibly more impressive than Hill since Armstead weighs 222 pounds. Armstead other workout numbers were average with a poor vertical leap but he looked like a sub 4.5 runner from the Temple tape but that time and his 1.53 10-yard split made him money without a doubt.

STOCK DOWN

• Elijah Holyfield, Georgia – That forty time is going to sink him. 4.78 just won’t play. I don’t care if he improves to 4.71 or 4.69 at his pro day, he’s not even a pass catcher and he’s only a two down back with limited explosion. I love his toughness, I think he has excellent vision and his ability as a blocker is clear, he’s even got those intangibles but he’s not bringing the prerequisite athleticism to the table in this case. 242 pound fullback Alec Ingold’s 10-yard split was better than Holyfield’s, which leads me to believe that he didn’t put in the work on his start.
• Devin Singletary, Florida Atlantic – Running a 4.66 at 203 pounds will throw some shade on the LeSean McCoy comparisons, especially when his vertical leap was just 35 inches. The good news is that McCoy wasn’t particularly a plus-athlete or a workout warrior but the bottom line is that Singletary’s lack of explosion and his lackluster straight line speed will certainly damage his draft stock.

BACK TO THE WOODSHED

• Travis Homer, Miami [FL] – I don’t care if this is the most over-used phrase in March but “I didn’t see that kind of athlete on film”, as Homer lit it up in Lucas Oil Stadium with a 10’10” broad jump, a 4.48 forty yard dash and a terrific 39.5 inch vertical leap. He’s a player that has ability but that speed just doesn’t translate and he’s a player that I’ve got to go back to footage and review if it’s just the fact that he was the victim of suspect coaching the last two years.
• Alex Barnes, Kansas State – Holy cow! This big cat can run. At 226 pounds, he ran a 4.59 and jumped 38.5 inches in the vertical leap. His 6.95 three cone is surprising since his style is more no nonsense without a lot of wiggle but he has lateral explosion and that 10’6” broad jump combined with 34 bench reps tells you that he’s a powerful runner. There’s going to be a lot of teams going back to Kansas State’s games to gauge exactly what kind of player they think Barnes can be.
• Mike Weber, Ohio State – There’s always been question marks as to why he never really took over at Ohio State but Weber did a lot to hush those doubts with a 4.47 forty and 1.48 ten yard split. He’s a smooth runner that has great capability to be a cutback ball carrier in a zone blocking scheme with his plus acceleration. While some will return to the Buckeyes tape, there’s just a committee back here.

WIDE RECEIVER

THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE

• Parris Campbell, Ohio State – This event was tailor made for Paris Campbell. Campbell had a forty inch vertical leap, he tied for the best short shuttle among receivers at 4.03 and his forty yard dash matched his game speed at 4.31 which was also tied for best in this receiver class. Campbell looked solid catching passes and his route running is definitely improving but he’s not the complete prospect that his teammate Terry McLaurin is.
• DK Metcalf, Ole Miss – Dubbed “Batman” by the NFL Network crew, Metcalf put up 27 reps on the bench, he ran a blistering 4.33 forty yard dash and posted a freakish 40.5 vertical leap at 228 pounds. He also looked sharp in the gauntlet drill with some sticky hands and he tracked the ball well in some of the drills but his footwork and balance is still a work in progress. His change of direction is questionable and he’s a big time medical red flag but there’s definitely a significant buzz around DK after the combine.
• Andy Isabella, Massachusetts – We thought he’d run a fast time and Andy backed it up by ending up in a tie for the fastest forty with Parris Campbell at 4.31 to go along with a solid 4.15 short shuttle. He hit the sub-7.00 three cone drill, which is key for potential slot receivers. His 36.5 vertical and 10’1” broad jump were adequate and his size is certainly his biggest knock but outside of that, he’s a guy with plus body control and elite speed. My guess is that teams already knew he’d run in the low 4.3’s with his track background.

STOCK UP

• Miles Boykin, Notre Dame – If you’d have told me that Miles Boykin would run the best three cone for a wide out at 6.77, I would have claimed you were taking crazy pills but that’s exactly what he did at 220 pounds. Boykin tied for the best vertical leap at 43.5 and his broad jump was stupid good at 11’8” but then he’s out there running a 4.42 forty that I did not see in South Bend. I’d like to say I’ve watched a majority of his games and he doesn’t have a ton of production but more importantly, he doesn’t appear to be this fast. He’s rangy and he uses his length well but clearly, his speed is deceptive. For visual aid of how awesome Miles Boykin’s day was, check out this ridiculous spider graph from our friends at mockdraftable.
• Hakeem Butler, Iowa State – I am a big supporter of Hakeem Butler but I had no clue he was going to go out there and run a 4.48! I think teams assumed he would jump well and show off his phenomenal body control in drills but that speed he flashed in the forty yard dash and the explosiveness in the broad jump (10’8”) were refreshing to see from a 6’5⅜” 227 pound small forward body type. Butler eliminated a big question mark that surrounded his game with these results.
• Terry McLaurin, Ohio State – Checking boxes all day! If I were Terry, I’d legally change my name to Terry “All Day” McLaurin because he has answered the bell at every turn. He took his opportunity and ran with it at the Senior Bowl, flashing his speed and ball skills but he also illustrated his special teams experience and blocking ability. Now at the combine, McLaurin went ham! The Indy native and Cathedral graduate ran a 4.35 forty, he had a 10’5” broad jump and he was outstanding in position drills.
• AJ Brown, Ole Miss – Just looked good in drills, tested very well and not only improved his stock but showed that he belongs in the conversation of round one. He’s a natural catching the ball but really helped himself with a legit forty yard dash at 4.49 and a respectable 36.5 broad jump. His strengths are in his terrific body control, ball skills and making contested catches but that forty alone will silence more than a few doubters.

STOCK DOWN

• Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Texas – It’s shocking that Humphrey ran a 4.75 forty because he is such an athletic space mover that is used so frequently on end arounds and out of the backfield. He is a difference making player and I was expecting a mid 4.5s type of forty number, so that makes me think he might not have taken training as seriously. This is a damaging time and all of his numbers across the board are below average.
• Nyqwan Murray, Florida State – It’s tough to get drafted running a 4.63 forty at 191 pounds but none of this matches his game footage. It’s pretty much been a downhill ride since his sophomore season and Murray did nothing to help himself in Indianapolis. He’s gone from a sleeper to not getting drafted and he’ll need to make magic happen in somebody’s camp or he’ll be starting another career.

BACK TO THE WOODSHED

• Darius Slayton, Auburn – Slayton has a very intriuging blend of athleticism and length but he really backed up his believers with an outstanding 4.39 forty and 1.45 ten yard split to go along with a 40.5 vertical leap and a 11’3” broad jump. He looked great catching passes and with these numbers, a lot of evaluators will be forced back to watch more War Eagle from the last two seasons.
• Emanuel Hall, Missouri – There’s no doubt that Hall is a phenomenal athlete that has pretty rare explosion for his size and he clearly took his combine preparation seriously but there’s two glaring issues with this guy. He has never played one full season in college and there are serious concentration lapses in his game. It’s time to go back to the Missouri footage from the last two seasons for teams after a big week in Indy.
• Bisi Johnson, Colorado State – While most have his teammate Preston Williams ranked higher, Johnson showed that he’s no slouch athletically with a 38 inch vertical leap, a 4.51 forty yard dash and a very respectable 6.88 three cone. Johnson has elevated his stock and will force some teams to reevaluate where they have him rated after Indy.

TIGHT END

THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE

• TJ Hockenson, Iowa – Channeling my inner Dennis Green and saying; “Hockensen is who we thought he was. Crown him!”. He’s TE#1 because he’s a true Y-End that gets his business done in the running game and even though he isn’t the same kind of athlete as his teammate Noah Fant, his 37.5 vertical at 251 pounds is more than adequate and 4.71 at his size will certainly play. He looked crisp in his routes, his hands were on display in drills and he looks so natural tracking passes out on the field.
• Noah Fant, Iowa – Fant led all tight ends in the forty yard dash (4.50), vertical leap (39.5), broad jump (10’7”) and three cone (6.81). What’s more impressive is if you put him in the wide receiver pool his vertical leap would have ranked 6th best and his three cone would have been 4th best among players that he outweighs by twenty or more pounds. Fant was sharp in drills, he looks like a natural catching passes and he is so smooth transitioning as a runner.

STOCK UP

• Caleb Wilson, UCLA – Wilson is an uber productive collegiate tight end who was a late invite to the Senior Bowl and struggled to acclimate himself but he looked great in drills and tested very well with an impressive 4.56 forty yard dash to go along with 1.53 ten yard split which was fastest among tight ends. He’s not a perfect prospect by any means but his stock is clearly on the rise.
• Foster Moreau, LSU – Moreau is known as more of a blocking tight end but he put his athleticism on display. Among tight ends, he had the second best bench reps at 22, his vertical leap of 36.5 inches was third best, he had the second best ten yard split at 1.55 and he ran the fastest short shuttle at 4.11. He’s got excellent ball skills, he took his training seriously and showed off why he’s getting drafted higher than originally forecasted.
• Josh Oliver, San Jose State – Oliver didn’t catch everything thrown his way with some concentration lapses in the gauntlet but he ran extremely well and has enjoyed a fine draft season after an excellent week at the Senior Bowl. Oliver has great body control and solid ball skills but his above average numbers particularly his 1.56 ten yard split will do a lot to help his cause.

STOCK DOWN

• Isaac Nauta, Georgia – Not only did Nauta show up looking like an out of shape forty year old construction worker, but he looked sloppy in drills and ran an offensive line time at 4.91 but the problem is that he weighed in at 244 pounds. He ran the slowest three cone time at 7.45 for tight ends and his vertical leap was worst among players at his position at 28 inches. Nauta’s draft stock was already falling victim to a strong tight end class but he’s certainly not helping his case with this combine performance.
• Tommy Sweeney, Boston College – Sweeney actually ran a respectable forty time for his size (4.83) and he’s a completely tight end but he did a lot of body catching in drills. He’s not a real natural running through his routes with a lot of stiffness and there’s definitely some holes in his game.

BACK TO THE WOODSHED

• Kahale Warring, San Diego State – A lot of teams will do a deep dive on this kid, especially after his combine performance with an excellent broad jump at 10’2” and his 36.5 inch vertical leap. What really stuck out about Warring was how at ease he was locating the football, tracking it and plucking it out of the air. His ball skills are outstanding and he’s a very smooth runner at 252 pounds with a 4.67 forty yard dash. The former water polo goalie left Indianapolis with a tone of buzz surrounding his name.
• Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M – Sternberger did not run particularly fast and his overall test numbers were subpar but he catches the ball so well. He’s a hands catcher that has the ability to track passes running full speed and shows off great coordination adjusting to the football. He’s just a natural receiver and his ball skills will force evaluators to make sure they’re getting a legit move tight end and not “Jace Amaro Part II”.
• Dawson Knox, Ole Miss – Dawson Knox is an enigma wrapped up in a riddle that gives this year’s tight end class its special sauce. He really looked outstanding in position drills and through the gauntlet. He ran sharp routes and his basic athletic makeup is very enticing. He catches the ball so well and even though he has little to no production at Ole Miss, he could very well end up being one of the better players from this draft class five years from now which is saying a lot.

Thanks a ton for reading and please bang out some feedback or comments below. You can always e-mail me questions, comments, and even complaints tojoe@draftscouts.com