Day two is in the books, and the Combine is halfway through. Sunday is usually the most exciting day, but also the longest. The receivers ran exceptionally well in the forty. It was a nice change to see some of the better quarterbacks throw at the Combine.
Here is the schedule and more info:
- Saturday – Special Teams/OL/TE
- Sunday – QB/RB/WR
- Monday – DL/LB
- Tuesday – CB/S
Each day of the Combine can be streamed on NFL.com with multiple camera angles for each group.
Quarterbacks
Quarterback is a hard position to observe at the Combine. They don’t have any drills that specifically feature them, but are shown in the receiver drills. Blake Bortles (UCF), A.J. McCarron (Alabama), Logan Thomas (VA Tech), and others actually threw this year. Most years top quarterbacks decide to opt out of throwing and leave that to the day three prospects.
This quarterback class isn’t as athletic as 2012, but some of these guys showed today that they can move.
Here’s today’s prospects that improved and bruised their stock:
Risers:
Credit to collegefootballperformance.com
Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech – Thomas is a big, imposing quarterback. He’s also more athletic than some may think. He had the fastest forty for quarterbacks at 4.61 forty. He also had a 35.5” vertical. Thomas also threw very well on the field today. Thomas is looking to be a great project.
Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State – Carr is realistically an end of the first or early second day player, but in a quarterback driven league he gets a boost. Running a 4.69 forty (Manziel ran a 4.68) and having a vertical of 34.5” shows his hidden athleticism and explosiveness.
Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina – Shaw’s athleticism will get him a look late day three as a development prospect. He ran a 4.66 forty, had a 34” vertical, and a 116” long jump. At 6’ tall, Shaw is in the Manziel boat, but obviously doesn’t have the same arm. Maybe a team with a scrambling quarterback may take a late shot on him as a developmental player.
Reassurance:
Blake Bortles, QB, UCF – Bortles surprisingly ran a 4.93 forty, which is slower than most thought. He showed explosiveness with a 32.5” vertical and a 115” long jump. He threw the ball all over the field with ease, and looks the part of a potential franchise quarterback.
Stephen Morris, QB, Miami – Morris has one of the best natural arms in the draft. He just doesn’t have the production to match his Combine numbers. He posted a 4.63 forty, 30” vertical, and a 111” long jump. Morris needs to use his athleticism more on the field.
Falling:
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – How? When you show up to the Combine and do nothing that’s how. Obviously Bridgewater isn’t truly falling, but if you really are the top quarterback in the class, get on the field and prove it.
Wide Receiver
This class is deep at receiver. The group as a whole worked out very well today, and much better overall than I originally thought they would. All of the top receivers solidified their first round status, but here are some names that helped and hurt themselves on day two.
Riser:
Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss – Here is your workout warrior of day two. Running a 4.40 forty, a 39.5” vertical, and an insane 132” long jump. He was an early day three guy, but he may have worked himself into day two with his workout.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt – Matthews looks like a smaller tight end, but he ran a 4.46 forty today. He only posted a 35.5” vertical, but had a nice 120” long jump. He improved his stock with a fast forty for a possession receiver.
Reassurance:
Credit to www.dailybarometer.com
Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State – Another Oregon State track star like receiver who put up the fastest forty for receivers at 4.33. Cooks needs to improve his route running and catching concentration, but solidified his burner label.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU – Beckham came into the Combine seen as a slot receiver and a kick returner, and that’s what he proved he is. He’s a quick player (4.43 forty) that can make plays in space. Nice vertical at 38.5” and long jump of 122”.
Falling:
Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU – Landry is a mid round possession receiver, but even then he should have run better than a 4.77 forty. He didn’t perform that well during the on field drills either. He looks to be a rotational fourth or fifth receiver for a team.
Running Backs
I was pretty disappointed in the running backs group. No one stepped up as a potential leader for the top running back available, but most of them solidified their draft status. The top handful of backs that could be taken in rounds two through four all stayed in place. Maybe at someone’s pro day they will make a push for being a first round running back.
Risers:
Credit to Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Dri Archer, RB, Kent State – Archer ran a 4.26 forty. We can all agree that is really fast. Archer most likely won’t be a starting running back, at least in the beginning, but he can fill multiple roles with his speed and agility.
Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – Seastrunk didn’t run a fantastic forty (4.51), but he posted an insane 41.5” vertical, and a great long jump of 134”. He’s an explosive player that will find a home around the third round.
Reassurance:
Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia – The best receiving and blocking back in Indianapolis this week, and he proved that. He caught almost everything in the receiving drills and he is probably a back that looks better in pads than in shorts.
Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington – Sankey came in good at everything, but great at nothing. He continued that trend. He had a nice bench with 26 reps and a long jump of 126”, but his forty time was average (4.49) and so were his field drills. He caught the ball better than was expected.
Falling:
De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon – His measurables were not favorable for him when he checked in. He is light at 174 pounds and has small hands 8 1/8”. He is viewed as a luxury back for his speed and quickness. That too a hit when he ran a 4.50 forty. He also did poorly in the on field drills dropping passes and not taking directions well.
Stay tuned for the defensive portions on Monday and Tuesday of the NFL Combine.
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