When the smoke clears after the Super Bowl, the first major event of the draft process is the NFL Combine. Hundreds of prospects travel to Indianapolis, where they’re measured, evaluated, interviewed, and tested by NFL scouts and executives.
Ultimately, the collegiate careers of those players will determine when they get drafted in April. But performing well in drills like the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump, or the bench press can convince a team there’s more untapped potential. Conversely, a poor performance, an injury, or any other red flag can sink a prospect’s draft stock.
Right here, we’ll be tracking the most (and least) impressive showings at the 2020 NFL Combine:
Winner: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Breaking just about every record for your position group makes you as big of an NFL Combine winner as it gets.
Wirfs is now the all-time leader among offensive linemen in both the vertical jump and broad jump. His 40-yard dash was a record for players weighing in at least 320 pounds.
How ridiculous was his 36.5-inch vertical? Just look at it compared to some of the best receivers both in the NFL and the 2020 NFL Draft class:
Notable Vertical Jumps at #NFLCombine
Last 10 Years• OL Tristan Wirfs – 36.5”
• WR DeAndre Hopkins – 36”
• WR Jerry Jeudy – 35”
• WR CeeDee Lamb – 34.5”
• WR A.J. Green – 34.5”
• WR Amari Cooper – 33”@HawkeyeFootball @TristanWirfs74— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) February 29, 2020
Wirfs is projected by Dan Kadar to be a top-10 draft pick this April. Etching his name into the combine record books only solidified his stock.
Winner: Michael Turk, P, Arizona State
It’s almost weird that punters, kickers, and long snappers even participate in the NFL Combine. Those positions typically don’t require much speed, strength, or athleticism.
But Turk managed to show all three in a combine performance that would’ve been impressive for any position. First, he cranked out 25 reps on the bench press:
That’s more combine reps than Rob Gronkowski (23), Chandler Jones (22), and Jadeveon Clowney (21). And Turk wasn’t done there. He also showed off his speed and explosiveness.
Whichever team winds up with him may need to figure out a way to unleash Turk’s athleticism in more ways than just punting.
Loser: Mitchell Wilcox, TE, South Florida
Wilcox is fighting to be a late-round draft pick in April, so it wasn’t too surprising that his numbers didn’t really stand out. His 4.88-second 40-yard dash and 31-inch vertical were among the worst marks for tight ends.
Even worse, the most memorable part of his performance in Indianapolis was when he got blasted in the face by a pass.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the shot to the face burst a blood vessel in Wilcox’s eye. Yikes. Sorry Mitchell, landing on the NFL Combine blooper reel is a one-way trip to the loser column.
Winner: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Becton is a giant. At 6’7, 364 pounds, the Louisville lineman was the largest prospect in Indianapolis.
But it was what he did with all that size that wowed at the NFL Combine. The gigantic tackle ran the 40-yard dash in 5.11 seconds, possibly the fastest time ever for a player over 350 pounds (combine records get a little shaky before 2006).
While it doesn’t matter much how fast an offensive lineman can run 40 yards, it was important for a player as large as Becton to show he’s not a statue. He passed that test with flying colors and could be a top-10 pick in April.
Winner: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
The only two running backs in the last four combines to finish the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds are Taylor and Colts running back Nyheim Hines. Oddsmakers predicted a 4.51-second finish for Taylor, but by finishing in 4.39 seconds, he displayed elite speed. That could be enough to push him into the first round.
There’s a crowded field of running backs vying to be the first off the board. Taylor may have the edge now after his performance.
Winner: Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri
Even worse than the running back logjam is the 2020 tight end class. Not only is it unlikely that a player from that position will go in the first round, even the second round could be tight end-free.
But that lackluster group left room for unheralded players to shine, and Okwuegbunam took advantage. His 4.49-second 40-yard dash (at 258 pounds!) was one of the fastest times ever for a tight end.
Okwuegbunam wasn’t very productive in the Missouri offense, but his size and speed in Indianapolis could easily convince a team he’s capable of much more.
Loser: Colleen Wolfe’s assignment for NFL Network
St. John’s offensive lineman Ben Bartch earned attention for revealing an interesting weight-gain strategy: A disgusting smoothie with scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, Gatorade, and other ingredients. Surely there are better ways to put on pounds.
Unfortunately for NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe, she drew the assignment to go smoothie tasting with Bartch on the sideline.
Wolfe says it’s not bad. I don’t believe her.
Winner: A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College
Two years ago, Dillon tweeted that he’d show up at the NFL Combine at 245 pounds and steal the show.
30 reps of 225 lbs
4.47 in the 40
41” vert
At 245 lbs
•Save this tweet•— AJ “The Sauce” Dillon (@ajdillon7) March 4, 2018
His prediction came awfully close.
Dillon weighed in at 247 pounds and perfectly nailed his goal of a 41-inch vertical. While his 4.53-second 40-yard dash and 23 bench reps came up short, it was still a stellar showing for a running back of his size.
Winner: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Everyone already knew Ruggs was fast. He verified that by putting down one of the five fastest times since 2006. Ruggs made history thanks to that sprint coupled with his 42-inch vertical jump:
Henry Ruggs III officially ran a 4.27 40, tied with Marquise Goodwin in 2013 for the 4th fastest at the NFL Combine since 2006.
Ruggs III also had a 42-inch vertical jump. Since 2006, no player at the NFL Combine has produced both a sub-4.3 40 and a vertical jump of 40 inches. pic.twitter.com/5rVR8yoJs1
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 28, 2020
The success rate of 40-yard dash speedsters hasn’t been great in the NFL. Ruggs has more than enough tools to buck that trend, though.
Loser: The old NFL Combine format
If the NFL has a chance to turn something into a primetime event, the league will always take the opportunity. It decided to move the combine workouts from an event that started in the morning (usually 9 a.m. ET) to one that didn’t get started in the afternoon (4 p.m. ET).
It’s probably safe to assume the change is here to stay.
According to Pro Football Talk, the first night of coverage averaged 322,000 viewers, a 119 percent increase from the 2019 NFL Combine’s viewership. It peaked at just over a half-million tuning in just after 9 p.m.
The caveat is that the first day in 2019 was offensive linemen, while 2020 was quarterbacks. But the significant increase means the primetime NFL Combine isn’t going anywhere.
Winner: Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
It’s probably a good sign when the NFL posts a graphic that puts you across from Calvin Johnson:
Only two wideouts to measure 6’4” & 235 pounds or bigger have run a sub-4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine since 2003:
One is known as “Megatron” (Calvin Johnson). The other?
Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool at the 2020 Combine.@NDFootball @ChaseClaypool pic.twitter.com/iHByYLhnp1
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) February 28, 2020
Claypool is a huge wide receiver, but was far from lumbering in his combine showing. The Notre Dame product blazed down the track in 4.42 seconds and had a 40.5-inch vertical.
The depth of the 2020 receiver class will likely push Claypool to the middle rounds in April. His combine performance will make sure he doesn’t have to wait too long to get scooped up, though.
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