The NFL Combine isn’t just for players from Alabama, Ohio State, and Southern Cal — and the combine’s history has proven that time and time again. On day one of the on-turf measurables, the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Pac 12, and Big 12 did well — but so did players from schools like Tulane, Appalachian State, Rice, and Eastern Michigan, just to name a few.
Below is a look at a couple of G5 products that turned heads on Thursday, with more to come over the next few days. We’ll have a final top 10 after all positions have gone through the Combine drills:
FULL RESULTS: NFL.com Live From The Combine
𝗡𝗙𝗟 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲
Nick Hampton ➡️ Official 40 time: 𝟒.𝟓𝟖
T-6th among edge rushers at the #NFLCombine #AppStateSpeed | #GoApp pic.twitter.com/mLJpiJryOD
— App State Football (@AppState_FB) March 3, 2023
NFL COMBINE G5 TOP STANDOUTS
PLAYER: Nick Hampton
COLLEGE/POSITION: Appalachian State/LB
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 3rd round
DRAFTSCOUT PROFILE: Prospect page
THE BREAKDOWN: Hampton has performed well in the measurables, posting a 4.58-second official time in the 40-yard dash (not elite but certainly not too shabby). His vertical of 35.5 inches and his broad jump of 10 feet flat are both very impressive for the linebacker position — and he stands 6-foot-2, 236 pounds. He’s certainly one of the big G5 winners so far.
PLAYER: Dorian Williams
COLLEGE/POSITION: Tulane/LB
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 3rd round
DRAFTSCOUT PROFILE: Prospect page
THE BREAKDOWN: Not only has Williams jumped off the page among G5 prospects but he’s also jumped out ahead of many Power Five prospects from higher-profile schools. It hasn’t mattered that he isn’t an SEC prospect — he has clearly been one of the hottest names so far. His 4.49-second official time in the 40-yard dash as a linebacker turned heads, as well as his quickness in the 10-yard split and his measurement of his hands for a non-lineman (10.25 inches). He’s extremely quick with decent size (6-1/228).
PLAYER: Jose Ramirez
COLLEGE/POSITION: Eastern Michigan/LB
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 6th round (and trending upwards of late)
DRAFTSCOUT PROFILE: Prospect page
THE BREAKDOWN: Ramirez posted outstanding marks in the 3-cone technique (which measures quickness when it comes to change of direction) and an impressive vertical jump mark at 34.5 inches, and he was No. 2 among all athletes in the 20-yard shuttle. While he probably wanted another tenth or so off the clock of his 40 time (4.73 seconds), he can improve upon that at his Pro Day on March 16 when he’s back in Michigan. According to our partners at DraftScout, he was already trending upwards coming into the NFL Combine.
PLAYER: Ikenna Enechukwu
COLLEGE/POSITION: Rice/Edge
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: 6th round
DRAFTSCOUT PROFILE: Prospect page
THE BREAKDOWN: The Rice standout has clearly been the best among the G5 edge players. At 6-foot-4, 264 pounds, he ran an official 4.70-second time in the 40-yard dash (when he was projected in the mid 4.8s) and showed his big-man athleticism with an all-positions G5-best 10-foot-0 mark. He projects as a defensive end, but also could play outside linebacker — he’s that flexible when it comes to talent.
@Ikenna_91 Making Us Proud at the Combine 🤩#GoOwls👐 x #RFND pic.twitter.com/scmTwgo43s
— Rice Football (@RiceFootball) March 2, 2023
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