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NFL Combine Day 2: Winners & Losers from Weigh-ins, Measurements | OL & RBs
The NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, IN. Day one featured the measurements for the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. I've shared with you my takeaways from that group.
Day two of the Combine saw the offensive linemen and running backs get put under the microscope and all of their measurements taken. Who were the winners and losers of this group?
The Denver Broncos were playing close attention to some of these measurements.
Offensive Line
Winner: Tremayne Anchrum, Clemson
The former Tiger was never going to be a tackle in the NFL. It was always the plan to move him inside to guard or even center based around his 6-foot-1 height. His arm length came in at 33-5/8 inches, which is really good for interior offensive line.
Loser: Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas
Unlike Anchrum, Adeniji had some thinking he could be an NFL tackle but it all came down to his length. There is a minimum threshold for NFL teams when it comes to tackles arm length at 34 inches and Adeniji came in just under that at 33-6/8, but there are a few teams that have gone to 33 inches as the minimum. So Adeniji has hope for playing tackle depending on the team that takes him.
Winner: Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU
When it comes to Cushenberry, he is one of the best centers in the class. An interior player with tackle length, he is cementing himself at the top with arms of 34-1/8 inches.
Loser: Ben Bredeson, Michigan
For interior offensive linemen, teams have a loose threshold of 32 inches, but 31 inches is the hard threshold. Bredeson doesn’t meet the 32 and barely met the based requirement with 31-1/8-inch arms.
Winner: Yasir Durant, Missouri
There was a lot of chatter about a lack of length with Durant and moving him to guard as a result. While he still may be moved, it isn’t for the lack of length after measuring with 34-6/8-inch arms.
Loser: Jack Driscoll, Auburn
Driscoll cemented himself moving to guard for the NFL after measuring with 33-inch arms. There are a lot of questions about his play at tackle where the lack of length can really hurt him.
Winner: Austin Jackson, USC
There were concerns that Jackson would come in under 310 pounds, which is a loose threshold for weight with most teams. Jackson checked in at a nice weight of 322, but now the question is, how does he move at that weight?
Loser: Justin Herron, Wake Forest
There are two ways that Herron confirmed a move to the inside is probable in the NFL. He didn’t check the height box for tackles with a 6-foot-3-5/8 height, nor the arm box with 33-4/8-inch arms.
Winner: Damien Lewis, LSU
There is something about the LSU offensive lineman and Lewis checked off some boxes with his size and length. At 327 pounds and 33-inch arms, he is a natural size for the guard position.
Loser: John Molchon, Boise State
This offensive linemen might be limited to playing center at the NFL level. With his lack of length, the odds of that increase. He barely met the threshold for interior linemen with 31-1/8-inch arms.
Winner: Michael Onwenu, Michigan
This big guard prospect really caught attention with the vines he has for arms. His 34-3/8-inch arms are above even the tackle threshold. Onwenu is also the first of multiple Michigan offensive linemen to make this list.
Loser: Danny Pinter, Ball State
Pinter converted to tackle from tight end, but he is going to need to keep moving inside with 31-7/8-inch arms. The concern isn’t just the length, but the requirement to learn a second new position in three years.
Winner: Matthew Peart, UConn
Peart is rather unnoticed in the offensive tackle class, but his 36-5/8-inch arms are going to really get him noticed.
Loser: Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
The former Oregon tackle is going to be moving inside for the NFL. His arms measured at 32.5 inches, well below the tackle threshold, but just over the interior threshold.
Winner: Andrew Thomas, Georgia
I never got the question of length about Thomas after he measured with 35-inch arms entering Georgia. However, he confirmed he has NFL tackle length with 36-1/8-inch arms.
Loser: Jon Runyan, Michigan
The second Michigan offensive lineman on the list, and only loser of the bunch. Runyan was getting talked about as moving the guard, and with 33-2/8-inch arms, that move is pretty much cemented.
Winner: Cesar Ruiz, Michigan
A top center in the class, Ruiz showed up with 33-1/8-inch arms, which is a great length for an NFL center.
Loser: Netane Muti, Fresno State
On top of many medical concerns, Muti checked in with 31-6/8-inch arms which is under the 32-inch threshold.
Winner: Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
The big tackle prospect weighed in at 350 pounds and with 35.5-inch arms. Word is he played about 5-10 pounds heavier at Georgia and moved very well at that weight.
Loser: Solomon Kindley, Georgia
The Georgia guard barely met the threshold of 32-inch arms for interior linemen with only 32-2/8-inch arms.
Winner: Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
There was a big question with Wirfs and his length and if he would meet the 34-inch threshold and he did just that right on the dot.
Loser: Nick Harris, Washington
Once a top center, and likely the top center for zone blocking schemes, Harris had his stock hurt again after having it hurt at the Senior Bowl. Length matters for zone blocking schemes and Harris barely met the threshold with 32-1/8-inch arms.
Running Backs
Winner: Salvon Ahmed, Washington
The Washington running back had many thinking he would check in closer to 190 pounds, but at 197 pounds, Ahmed is going to have teams watching how he tests.
Loser: Raymon Calais, Louisiana
Calais is expected to be one of the fastest players at the Combine. He checked in at 188 pounds, but teams wanted to see him over 190. Not too far off from what teams wanted though.
Winner: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
The LSU running back weighed 207 pounds at 5-foot-7 which is a very small but compact size for the back.
Loser: A.J. Dillon, Boston College
Teams were really hoping Dillon would work to shed 10-plus pounds for the Combine, but after weighing 247 pounds, that wasn’t the case.
Winner: JaMycal Hasty, Baylor
Hasty has a lot of quickness to his game and there was a fear he would be under 200 pounds. Instead, he checked in at 205 pounds, which many draftniks were very happy with.
Loser: Tony Jones, Notre Dame
Jones and the next player are almost opposites. Word was Jones played closer to 210 pounds, which teams wanted to see him at, but he checked in at 220 pounds.
Winner: James Robinson, Illinois State
Word was Robinson played closer to 225 last year, but he checked in at 219 pounds for the Combine. The word going around also is that many feel his best weight for the NFL would be 215 pounds.
Loser: Sewo Olonilua, TCU
The other TCU back is being looked at as an NFL fullback, and teams wanted him to check in at a lighter weight to better his running back chances. Instead, he checked in at 232 which was heavier than hoped for.
Winner: D’Andre Swift, Georgia
There was concern that Swift would come in closer to 200 pounds to run faster and test better, but at 212 pounds, there are many happy folks.
Loser: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Based on the conversations I had, the hope was Taylor would be closer to 220 for the Combine, but 226 is a bit heavier than teams hoped.
Winner: Benny LeMay, Charlotte
LeMay is a physical runner that has good speed for the NFL. Teams wanted him to stay at his play weight around 220 pounds to see how he tests, and he came in at 221.
Loser: Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
The Vanderbilt product added about nine pounds after the Senior Bowl, and the word I got was displeasure from people in the NFL who suggested he dropped about five pounds instead of gaining to get up to 214 because of his style of play.
Winner and a Loser: J.J. Taylor, Arizona State
Taylor is both a winner and a loser. He is a winner for weighing 185 pounds, which is up from under 180 during the season. He loses with his 5-foot-5 height, which has seen very few players be successful in the NFL.
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