The NFL Combine is not for everyone. If you are the typical hardcore football fan who is starving for anything and everything NFL related year-round, then it’s right in your wheelhouse. But if you’re talking to the fan who isn’t quite as David Puddy-fanatical about sport as your are, then you’re going to get some weird looks when you tell them you’ve watched about 15 hours of college players running, jumping, and going through drills for a week in the offseason. So grab a Twix, because we are about to go from A to Z with all with the winners, losers, movers, and newsmakers from the 2024 NFL combine.
Alt, Joe (OT, Notre Dame) It all starts up front, so it’s fitting to start this list with the best offensive lineman in this draft. Here’s the summary; Joe Alt is 6’9” and 321lbs and ran a 5.05 in the forty with a 10 yard split of 1.73. He was also impressive in the rest of his drills and with the media, but for him, this was the place to solidify his place atop the OT mountain, and he did just that.
Beaux Limmer (C, Arkansas) turned some heads with a strong, well-rounded showing at the Combine. His 39 reps on the bench press took the crown for the week but it was his top 2 finish in the vertical and top 10 finishes in the 3 cone and shuttle drills that showed his athleticism. He killed it in the wave drill, gained a lot of ground quickly in the long pull drill. This performance probably got him into the 3rd round as the 5th center off the board.
Caleb Williams (QB, USC) I know, he didn’t participate in anything on the field. Heck, he didn’t even participate in the medical part of everything. But let’s look at the positives; he is 6’1” and weighs 214 and his hands are 9 and ¾ inches. Check, check, and check. What stood out the most was probably his interactions with the press. He seemed…dare I say…genuine and gave honest answers. Not only that, but he was cheering on teammates and was the last athlete to leave the field as he thanked all of those running the drills and working the event. It’s as big a win as he could hope for without even stepping on the field.
Dallas Turner (EDGE, Alabama) will probably the the first defensive player off the board in this years NFL Draft, according to many experts, and his performance at the NFL combine supported those opinions. The word of the day for Turner was explosive, evidenced by his 40’5″ vertical jump, 1.54 second 10 yard split, his 4.46 second forty yard dash (which were all bests of the combine for his position), and his 10’7″ broad jump which was only off the top spot by one inch. For Turner, the combine wasn’t a place to prove himself, it was a place to confirm that which everyone knew already…the dude is explosive, fast, and athletic.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (CB, Missouri) Oh, what could have been. At one point about Rakestraw was looked at as a top three or four cornerback, now he’s probably top 7. A large fall, not by any means, but it would be surprising to see him go in the 20-24 range at this point. At the combine, he ran a 4.51 forty, a very ordinary ten yard split and was one of the bottom third in the broad jump. He’s still probably at the back end of the first round, but he did himself no favors at the combine.
Fiske, Braden, (DL, Florida State) Most experts agree that Fiske is a little undersized and sometimes struggles in the run game, so he has to make up for those deficiencies with speed and a high motor. At the scouting combine, his athleticism took center stage. When you weigh 292lbs and run a 4.78, people take notice. Among, DTs, he had the top times in the 40 yard dash, 10 yard split, vertical and broad jumps, and shuttle run. His performance screams interior pass rusher and with his performance at the combine, he has boosted his value enough to warrant at Day 2 grade.
Graham Barton (OL, Duke) is one of my favorite offensive lineman in the draft. For OL, versatility is key, and he can play any of the five positions on the line. If you’ve seen his film, you know he’s tough, physical, and plays nasty (in a good way) in the run game. At the combine he measured in at 6’5″ and 313 pounds. His arms are on the shorter side for a tackle, so he may stay inside at the next level, but there are too many good things about Barton to let that scare most teams away. Right now it’s looking like Day 2 but I could see a team reaching for him a little earlier than currently projected and sneaking into the first round.
Hawkeyes DT, Logan Lee saw his value go to the moon after an extremely impressive visit to the combine. He measured in at 6’5″ and 281 lbs. He benched a solid 25 reps(8th best at his position), ran a 5.05 in the forty (11th), 31.50″ vertical (5th), 9’6″ broad jump (5th), and first place finishes in the three cone and shuttle. What does all that mean…well nothing if that’s it, but take into account that he looked great in his drills, has good film, and that he’s a huge, athletic, strong lineman that can give offensive lines fits, and now you have something. He’ll be a Day 3 target that will be a steal for someone.
Isaac Guerendo (RB, Louisville) may have had the combine’s most impressive testing of anyone, at any position. He finished above all other running backs in the forty (4.33 secs) and vertical jump (41.5″), second in the broad jump (10’9″), and fourth in the three cone (6.94 secs) and shuttle (4.15). So is he just a 6’0″ and 221 pound workout warrior? Could be, but he proved that he’s athletic, and coaches and general managers love speed and athleticism. With his performance at the combine, teams must be thinking that he could be their change of pace, home run hitting speedster to score from anywhere on the field. He seems like a Day 3 guy who comes in as a backup but has the tools to develop into much more than that.
JJ McCarthy (QB, Michigan) displayed everything a coaching staff would want in a franchise quarterback. Everyone knew he would interview well, and it’s always nice to see high end QBs participate in events like the 3 cone drill and the shuttle run (in which McCarthy took the top of both). For anyone who watched any of his games, the arm talent is undeniable, and at the combine, it was no different. He threw with plus velocity no matter the route that was run, and his timing was on point. The negatives can be found in his overthrows, which happened a number of times. With so much time before the draft, McCarthy is the perfect candidate to have his stock rise even more because coaches will fall in love with his intangibles and with him as a person. Expect him to land in the half of the first round, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s one of the top three quarterbacks to go off the board.
Kamren Kinchens (S, Miami) did nothing to help himself at the combine. He ran the 40 in 4.65 seconds, and in a league built on speed and athleticism, this could be enough to see him slide. Add to that his abysmal 9’2” broad jump 35” vertical, and this has the makings of a disaster. His film is great, he has a nose for the ball, and he gets rave reviews from coaches and teammates. His college resume should be enough to keep him in the back half of round two.
Luke McCaffrey (WR, Rice) took the top spot in the shuttle, second in the 3 cone, fifth in the 10 yard split, and ran a 4.46 forty yard dash and showed that he can run crisp, precise routes. Sure he’s the brother of the best RB in the NFL, but Luke did a lot to help his own cause with this strong showing. At 6’2” and almost 200 lbs, he could go in the top end of the 5th and become a solid possession receiver like hid dad, Easy Ed.
Michigan RB, Blake Corum scores touchdowns whenever he’s on the field, and the scouting combine was no different. He led the way for the RBs in the bench press but the on-field drills are where he shined even brighter. His body control, explosiveness, cutting ability, and route running out of the backfield were all on display. He’ll be a Day 2 pick, and someone will get a solid RB for years to come.
North Carolina State LB, Payton Wilson helped himself at the combine and confirmed what most already knew. He is big, athletic, fast, agile and looks the part. At 6’4″ and 233 lbs, he stands out amongst the crowd. Wilson ran the 40 in 4.43 seconds, and his 10 yard split was at 1.54 seconds (both best amongst the LBs). While he may have had the best combine of any LB, will it be enough to overcome the fears about his injury history. We’ll find out in April; right now he projects to be taken in the back half of round two or first half of round three, but with his strong showing at the combine, that could change.
Oregon QB, Bo Nix had a nice day at the combine. His timing was on point, and he threw the ball accurately throughout the drills. He showed nice touch on the deep balls even though his arm was not as strong as some of the others quarterbacks. His arm strength seemed adequate to good but it didn’t compare well to Milton, Penix, McCarthy and a couple others, Overall he’s probably the 5th or 6th QB to go and probably on Day 2, but with plenty of time before the draft, his stock could rise.
Pearsall, Ricky (WR, Florida) The former Gators wide receiver had a very solid and consistent combine. In every workout in which he participated, he finished in the top ten of all receivers (while winning the three cone drill). While his forty time was impressive (4.41 secs), he’s not thought to be a burner at the next level. He has great hands, has made some ridiculous catches, can play out wide or in the slot, and is a very dangerous playmaker once the ball is in his hands. He’s one of the biggest movers up the board recently and looks to be an early Day 2 pick.
Quinyon Mitchell (CB, Toledo) is already looked at as the top corner in the upcoming NFL draft and the former Rocket’s blazing fast 4.33 sec forty time helped his case as did his CB leading 20 bench press reps. On the field, he showed quick feet and fluid hips, which were on display all season as he locked down receivers often. Mitchell will be a nice addition who can play right away and might sneak into the top ten.
Robinson, Chop (DE, Penn State) Chop had a strong showing at the combine, running the forty in 4.48 secs (second behind only Dallas Turner among all EDGEs) and having a ten yard split of 1.54 secs (top overall at the position). He is a helluva pass rusher so his great time ten yard split isn’t surprising as it confirms what his game film shows…the dude is quick off the edge. He’ll probably be the fourth EDGE player taken somewhere in the 16-24 area of the first round.
Solomon, Javon (EDGE, Troy) The combine doesn’t always boost the stock of a player. Solomon did nothing to impress decision makers and in fact, probably scared a lot of them away. At 6’1″ and 246 lbs., he’s already a guy who would be crossed off some teams’ lists. Add to it an unimpressive 4.72 second 40 yard dash, an even more disappointing 1.66 ten yard split, and only 23 reps on the bench, and you have a faller, a slider, or any other term you want to use. You can probably also call him a Day 3 pick.
Theo Johnson (TE, Penn State) took advantage of the combine…according to Warren Sharp, Johnson is the only TE ever in the to weigh as much as 259lbs, have a 39.5 inch vertical, and run under a 4.6 (he ran a 4.57). He probably just jumped about two rounds with that performance. Don’t be surprised to continue his ascension into the 4th round.
Ulofoshio, Edefuan (LB, Washington) Okay, so the pronunciation isn’t easy, but what is easy is to see how athletic this guy is. He ran the forty in 4.56, had a crazy 39.5″ vertical and a 10’8″ broad jump (both jumps were tops among all non-EDGE linebackers). His RAS score was a 9.54 which is probably part of the reason his coverage is as good as it is. After this performance at the combine, he’s probably earned himself a 5th round grade. Besides, who wouldn’t want someone on their team whose name translates to “not afraid of war.”
Verse, Jared (EDGE, Florida State) Verse had a very solid showing at the combine. He ran a 4.58 forty, led the edge rushers in bench reps (31), and did very well in the three cone and shuttle drills. He really stood out in the on field drills, as his explosiveness, smooth hips, quick feet, and body control were all on display. He has great film to go along with the physical tools, and he’s expected to go somewhere in the mid to late first round.
Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. had a great workout at the combine. Everyone has seen what he can do on film, but his arm strength and accuracy were on display. He was as consistent as any quarterback at the combine (maybe the most consistent) and overall had a successful trip. After positive medicals and good interactions with the press, he will probably be taken somewhere in the second round.
Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas) Speed kills: it also drives up draft stock. Worthy ran a blazing 4.21 in the forty, breaking John Ross’s 4.22. The former Longhorn may have sprinted himself into the back end of the first round. He’s already sharing stories of his meeting with Andy Reid. He may be the next speedster the Chiefs have been looking for to replace Tyreek Hill.
You, the Fans The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine TV viewership was way up. With so much buzz around the quarterbacks and receivers in year’s draft, the numbers for Day 3 (QBs, WRs, and RBs) were record breaking with over 399K viewers. According to @NFLMedia on X, over 5 million viewers watched on the NFL Network. What does this all mean? I’d say it cements football as America’s Sport.
Zak Frazier (C, West Virginia) is another stud in one of the better center classes in recent memory. He’s a strong, stout, big body with large hands that projects as a long term starter at the next level. He had a nice showing at the combine, benching the fourth most reps among all offensive lineman. He will probably be the second center taken (after Powers-Johnson) and should come off the board on Day 2 of the draft.
Final Thoughts on the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
The combine is bittersweet depending on how you look at it. It’s not something we necessarily look forward to every year because that means that the season is over. On the other hand, once the season is over, the combine is the kickoff to all the fun. Before free agency, before the draft, before mini camps, it all starts in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with a bunch of young men chasing their dreams in tight clothes, and we wouldn’t miss a second of it.