Drills at the 2022 NFL combine began on Thursday in Indianapolis, with the top quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends in the 2022 NFL draft class showcasing their skills in front of all 32 teams.
The opening night was all about speed, with a record-setting night for the receivers in the 40-yard dash. Baylor wideout Tyquan Thornton ran a 4.28, and nine receivers broke 4.4 — more than in any other year since 2006. Meanwhile, the quarterbacks and tight ends battled to separate themselves from the pack, with Malik Willis showing off his great arm strength. The offensive linemen and running backs work out on Friday, the defensive linemen and linebackers follow on Saturday, and the combine ends with the defensive backs going Sunday.
Who ran well in the 40-yard dash, and who dominated in the rest of the on-field work? ESPN NFL draft experts Jordan Reid, Matt Miller and Todd McShay recap Days 1-4 of the combine, evaluating the top performances from each position, picking prospects who are rising (and potentially falling) and breaking down notable under-the-radar performances. Let’s get started with the first day of action at Lucas Oil Stadium.
DAY 1: QUARTERBACKS, WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS
What’s your biggest takeaway from Thursday’s workouts?
McShay: At least six Day 2 receivers helped themselves a great deal on Thursday night. Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore was the highlight for me, turning in a 4.41-second 40-yard dash and putting on a show all night long. But Memphis’ Calvin Austin III, Tennessee’s Velus Jones Jr., North Dakota State’s Christian Watson, Boise State’s Khalil Shakir and Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce all turned in top-notch performances. Pierce not only ran a 4.33 in the 40 but also had a 40.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-9 broad jump.
Miller: The 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals had a saying: “That’s what speed do!” The 2022 combine should adopt it, too. This is a blazing-fast class of wide receivers, tight ends and even quarterbacks. For all the talk about the ’22 draft class being weak, it proved tonight to be a very fast and very explosive group — and not just on Day 1.
Reid: This group of wide receivers was labeled as not having a top-end talent like we saw a year ago, but the speed that they displayed during both groups was record-setting. Ohio State receiver Chris Olave‘s unofficial 4.39 time in the 40-yard dash was the talk inside of Lucas Oil Stadium, but only for a brief moment, as Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton turned in a 4.28 shortly after. It was a fast group overall, and plenty of prospects were able to answer some of the lingering speed questions about their games.
Biggest risers from Day 1
Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA: For months it seemed like Colorado State tight end Trey McBride was a lock to be the top tight end in the class. But Dulcich has an argument to join him in that conversation after his performance on the Lucas Oil turf. Dulcich ran a 4.70 in the 40-yard dash but also showed off impressive hands and overall high-end traits in the field drills. With more teams eyeing tight ends, Dulcich’s rise up boards firmly places him in the TE1 conversation. — Miller
Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan: Moore was the most impressive from start to finish, and his 4.41-second 40 time quieted some speed concerns about his game. A natural route runner with plenty of quickness, he was consistent throughout the on-field workout. He proved to have consistent hands and a wide catch radius, plucking the ball out of the air consistently. Coming into the combine, he straddled the line between third- or fourth-round pick, but now it would be surprising to see Moore get outside of the second round. Moore also stayed after the workout concluded, looking comfortable catching punts. — Reid
How other top prospects fared on Day 1
Malik Willis, QB, Liberty: Similar to practices at the Senior Bowl, Willis showed off his arm strength at the combine. He had lots of velocity behind his throws and accuracy over the middle, and he even connected on some deep shots. His best throw of the evening was on a go ball to Garrett Wilson down the left sideline, putting enough touch on it so that the Ohio State receiver could run under it. But Willis still must continue to work on his consistency, as he tends to sail passes in all directions. He is still learning ball speeds and why it leads to a lot of his inaccurate tosses, but he has continued to show progress over the past two months. Willis currently stands as my QB1, and because of his tools and potential, I still believe that he will be a top-10 selection. — Reid
Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh: The talk surrounding Pickett’s hand measurement — a historically low 8½ inches — dominated the early conversation, but once he was on the field throwing, those comments seemed to be forgotten. Speaking with NFL scouts and decision-makers, they quickly dismissed concerns surrounding Pickett’s hand size. Throwing to unfamiliar wide receivers in position drills, Pickett showed polished ball control and anticipation. He did leave a few deep throws hanging, but we’ve seen on tape and in person before that he has the arm strength to push the ball vertically. Now, he doesn’t have the arm strength of Willis, and he can’t change that, but Pickett makes up for it with catchability, accuracy and consistency. For teams eyeing a “win-now” approach, Pickett is still the best quarterback in the 2022 class for them. Interviews will ultimately be more important than the on-field work we saw Thursday night, but by all appearances, Pickett is still very much a Round 1 talent and candidate to start Week 1. — Miller
Sam Howell, QB, UNC: I thought the ball jumped off Howell’s hand consistently. Deep accuracy is the top trait of his game, and the on-field workout allowed him to show off that attribute frequently. Howell spun the ball well and accurately to his targets on vertical patterns, showing beautiful touch throws. The part that remains a constant challenge for Howell is taking snaps from under center. He has minimal experience with the pre-snap mechanics there. But based on what evaluators have told me, I’m still of the belief that Howell will be a first-round pick in April. — Reid
Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati: Our eyes generally float to the throwing drills when it comes to quarterbacks, but Ridder running a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash has reignited conversations about his ability to step in as a rookie starter in a creative scheme. Yes, there are accuracy issues on tape, but those can be corrected with improved mechanics. What can’t be coached is that kind of speed. With the quarterback talent pool expected to dry out in the first 20 selections, we might have another passer arriving on the Round 1 stage. — Miller
Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: Wilson answered every question that existed from his game tape when he turned in a 4.38 40-yard dash time. Wilson’s route running and his ability after the catch already placed him in the running for WR1, but with a jaw-dropping run in the 40, he has a legitimate chance to be the first receiver off the board. — Miller
Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: A strong argument could be made that Olave had the best workout of any wide receiver outside of Skyy Moore. With plenty of speed to burn, he showed off his downfield capabilities, and his ability to track the ball is what makes him so dangerous. He displayed fluidity in and out of breaks during intermediate routes and showed that he’s not just a third-level threat. A 4.39 time in the 40 was the highlight of his workout, but Olave exhibited why he’s projected to be a first-round pick. He helped himself a lot after a strong workout. — Reid
Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: Running a 4.55 earned him mixed reviews from evaluators, but it was in the neighborhood of what most expected from him. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he’s a rock-solid threat who possesses build-up speed. Once he got comfortable, he gained momentum, and his speed appeared to pick up. The biggest question surrounding Burks is his route-running ability, and on vertical routes, he showed straight-line speed. But the raw aspect of his game was clear when he was asked to run the out and corner routes. The details of route running will likely be a challenge for him during the early portions of his career, and it’s a large reason he must be paired with a creative offensive coordinator in order to utilize all the departments of his skill set. — Reid
Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State: On a night that saw many receivers run blazing times in the 40-yard dash, Dotson failed to move the needle with a 4.43 run at 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds. Dotson was billed as a burner, but his timed speed failed to match his tape, which showed a vertical route runner with over-the-top speed. His overall workout will send scouts back to reevaluate his tape. — Miller
Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis: It took only one run of the 40-yard dash for Austin to cement himself as one of the biggest winners from the combine so far. Austin’s 4.32-second run had the crowd in awe at Lucas Oil Stadium, but his 39-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-3 broad jump are even more impressive for the 5-foot-8, 170-pound receiver. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, just two players since 2006 have posted marks that strong in all three of those drills: Denzel Ward (2018) and Parris Campbell (2019). Austin might not be a Round 1 lock, but he’s at least moving into the early-Round 2 range. — Miller
Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State: A TE1 candidate, McBride caught the ball well, which is at the top of the positive column on his scouting report. A compact-built tight end, he provides value in the running game as an in-line blocker, but the bulk of his success has come as a pass-catcher. During the gauntlet portion of the on-field workout, he displayed strong hands, adequate speed and the ability to turn up the field in order to gain yards after the catch. In a tight end class lacking a true first-round lock, McBride is a candidate to be the top player selected. — Reid
More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw from Day 1 of workouts
Miller:
- This is an incredibly deep class of wide receivers, but a few stood out during workouts on Thursday night. North Dakota State’s Christian Watson, Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore and Memphis’ Calvin Austin III all made money while improving their draft stock.
- Can I call Watson my favorite non-first-rounder? The North Dakota State product already had phenomenal game film and a great week at the Senior Bowl. But his overall performance in Indianapolis was legendary. Watson has a rare size-to-quickness ratio to go along with some of the most versatile wide receiver tape in the draft.
- There is a reason Alec Pierce was the go-to target for Cincinnati. We saw it on Thursday with a 4.33 time from a 6-foot-3, 211-pound frame. Teams looking for a vertical stretch receiver outside of the top two rounds should be all over his tape.
- Welcome back, George Pickens! The Georgia receiver crashed back onto the scene during the Bulldogs’ national title run following an ACL tear. He did his part on the field during the season and then put an exclamation point on his scouting report with a 4.47 40 time. That’s moving for the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder.
Reid:
- I came away impressed with Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson. He reminds me a lot of Emmanuel Sanders, with a similar build, strong hands and a wide catch radius. Dotson projects best as a high-end No. 2 receiver who can be a solid complement to a top option.
- Garrett Wilson strengthened his case to be the top WR in this draft class. My current WR1, he has a lot of parallels to Stefon Diggs when he was coming out of Maryland — though Wilson will obviously be drafted higher than Diggs (fifth round in 2015).
- I was impressed with Virginia tight end Jelani Woods during the week of practices at the East-West Shrine Bowl, and he continued to show signs of growth on Thursday. At 6-foot-7 and 253 pounds, his 24 reps in the bench press were the best among all tight ends who participated, and he caught the ball well during the on-field portion of the workout. Woods originally started his career at Oklahoma State but transferred and played one season with the Cavaliers. He was projected as an early Day 3 selection, but after his combine performance, he could be a third-round target for teams in need of a versatile big threat in the passing game.
- A name that I immediately wrote down after watching the tight ends perform the on-field workout was Maryland’s Chigoziem Okonkwo. He measured at 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, and his 4.52 40 time was the fastest among all tight ends. He has experience with playing multiple roles, including tight end, H-back and some reps as a fullback. He’s a late-round name to file away after a strong combine performance.
McShay:
- We’ve mentioned this at length, but I want to drive home the theme of the night: These receivers are F-A-S-T. Per ESPN Stats & Information research, the most receivers in a single combine to turn in a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash was eight in 2007. On Thursday night, we saw nine of them. If you want a burner, you’ll have options.
- Of the next tier of quarterbacks, Cole Kelley (SE Louisiana) stood out on Thursday night. He is an efficient passer with a big arm and some good mobility. I want to dig in a little more on the 6-foot-7, 249-pound quarterback’s tape.
Credit: Source link