Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Combine: Risers & Fallers from On-Field Drills | WRs
The first official day of athletic testing at the NFL Combine has come and gone and with it, perhaps the most touted positional group — the wide receivers. As some like to call it ‘silly season’ where takes are developed based on players running drills in skintight suits and against air.
What truly matters, though, is the tape. While some scoff at the ‘Underwear Olympics’, the testing, on top of the medicals, measurements, and interviews, are all important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to evaluating draft prospects. However, they're just pieces that make up a much larger picture.
All that said, you bet we are going to overreact to the testing drills, especially as it relates to the WRs as the Denver Broncos have been connected to this individual position group more so than any other in the draft.
It just is too fun not to jump feet-first into the testing metrics this time of year and be blown away by athletic freaks doing freaky things on the field. However, for some prospects, the Combine can be make-or-break and cost them a good amount of money one way or another as different positions jockey to move up draft boards.
When it comes to the wide receiver position, who made themselves some cash at the Combine this week and who might have cost themselves some coin?
Riser
Denzel Mims, Baylor
After dominating the Senior Bowl, Mims’ Tour de Pre-Draft continued as he was far and away one of the biggest winners at another post-season event in the Combine.
Measuring in with great at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds with 9-3/8-inch hands, with arm length of just under 34 inches, and a 9-3/8-inch hand size, Mims first checked off the size metrics. His 16 bench reps considering that arm length are equally impressive.
Then Mims went out and ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash with a 1.52s 10-yard split on top of a 38.5-inch vertical, 131-inch broad jump and a 6.66-second 3-cone drill (which is bonkers).
Mims does not play with that agility on tape so it’s fair to question his testing somewhat, but the numbers are the numbers. Mims, who was thought of perhaps as a target in the middle of round two for Denver, will likely see himself drafted at the end of round one or perhaps one of the first picks off the board on day two. He helped himself a lot and everyone should know his name at this point.
Faller
Jalen Reagor, TCU
Perhaps no player disappointed me more on Thursday night than Reagor. As the player many thought could challenge Alabama's Henry Ruggs III with the fastest 40 time from the receivers, Reagor clocked in at 4.47-seconds. Not horrible, but not the sub 4.4s 40 many were projecting for him coming into Indianapolis.
Reagor's 40 time is not horrible considering he came in ‘thick’ at a very bulky 5-foot-11, 206 pounds with 31-3/8-inch arm length and 9.5-inch hand size. It wasn't all bad for him, as both his 42-inch vertical jump and 138-inch broad jump were extremely explosive for a player of his mass.
All of this was lining up extremely similar to that of Vikings' WR Stefon Diggs until the agility drills happened, where Reagor struggled and looked stiff with a 7.31s 3-cone and a 4.46s 20-yard shuttle. Perhaps Reagor received bad advice going into the Combine and would have been better off coming in around 195 pounds instead of 206, but a strong pro day is needed in the speed and agility sector to help salvage some of his stock.
Reagor was ‘fine’ in the field drills but nothing really stood out good or bad. A former late-first-round darling, Reagor looks more like a day two pick coming out of Indianapolis.
Static
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Only Ruggs could come out of the Combine with some disappointment after running a 4.27-second 40. While he did not beat John Ross’ Combine record, Ruggs flew and was far and away the fastest wide receiver at the Combine.
Measuring in at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds with 30.5-inch arm length as well as massive mitts (10-1/8-inche hand size). Ruggs is not ‘puny’ and has the frame to add some mass if a team deems it necessary.
Unfortunately for Ruggs (and everyone watching), he seemed to injure his quad coming out of the 40 and did not participate in the field or agility drills. He did though test very well in the vertical and broad jump with 42 inches on the vertical and 131 inches on the broad.
Ruggs came into Indianapolis as a top-15 pick at worst, and is leaving the same. He easily could be the first wide receiver off the board.
Riser
Justin Jefferson, LSU
With questions coming in regards to his overall speed and if he was more ‘slot limited’ in the NFL, as that was his primary position at LSU, Jefferson showed off surprising athleticism at the Combine. With solid size at just over 6-foot-1, 202 pounds with 33-inch arm length and 9-1/8-inch hand size, Jefferson is right in the middle of the bell curve for starting wide receivers.
However, no one expected a 4.43s 40 from Jefferson where many were questioning his deep speed entering the Combine. He also jumped extremely well with a 37.5-inch vertical and a 126-inch broad.
Jefferson did not participate in the agility drills, which perhaps would have raised some eyebrows, but he looked extremely smooth and one of the most natural in the gauntlet drill. Jefferson was thought of as ‘perhaps’ a late round one pick entering the Combine, but left with that status almost guaranteed and possibly the fourth wide receiver off the board.
Faller
Laviska Shenault, Colorado
Much to the disappointment of those in the NFL, as well as fans of the CU Buffs, Shenault was a letdown at the NFL Combine. While he did come in at an impressive 227 pounds, he measured just under 6-foot-1 with arm length just under 32-inch and 9-inch hands, a far cry from the 6-foot-3 tank Colorado listed him as in college.
Nursing a groin injury (which was said to not require surgery but perhaps may change), Shenault was set to run the 40-yard dash and do nothing else. With so many around the NFL claiming that he would ‘put on a show’ if given the chance at the Combine, his one chance at the 40 not only timed poor at 4.58s, but looked awkward and uncomfortable. Shenault just does not seem healthy.
The testing would have been nice to match and compare to his 2018 tape when he was healthy, but overall the biggest thing is that bill of health and only running the 40 once and doing nothing else did not help him in the slightest. Unfortunately, the stock surrounding Shenault leaving Indianapolis is more cloudy than it was entering the Combine and could see him falling out of the first round of the draft.
Static
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Thought of by many as the best WR in the class entering last season, perhaps it's fair to say Jeudy’s stock has slipped some. However, easily a top-10-15 pick entering and leaving the Combine and one of further entrenched ‘Big Three’ at WR, he did nothing to hurt his stock in Indianapolis (depending on your opinion of his interview on his ‘Star of David’ necklace.
Jeudy ran a very good 40 at 4.45s and had ‘fine’ jumps with a 35-inch vertical and 120-inch broad, but those did not answer questions about concerns regarding his ability to play ‘above the rim’. He did not do the 3-cone drill (which is somewhat surprising) and his 4.53s shuttle was surprisingly slow for his size (6-foot-1, 193 with 32.5-inch arm length and 9.5-inch hand size) as well as freaky flashes on tape.
Jeudy looked smooth and in control in the field drills as was to be expected. He could be the first receiver off the board in April and did nothing to hurt his stock, a win for him entering Indy this week.
Riser
Donovon Peoples-Jones, Michigan
“I believe I can fly… I believe I can touch the sky.” Speaking of Jeudy’s questions in regards to his ‘hops’, there is a strong chance Peoples-Jones has yet to land from his leaps at the Combine. Measuring in well at just under 6-foot-2 and at 212 pounds with 33.5-inch arm length and 10-1/8-inch hand size, Peoples-Jones essentially ‘jumped out of the gym’ posting an insane 44.5-inch vertical and 139-inch broad jump.
If football doesn’t work out, Peoples-Jones should perhaps compete to make the Olympic team as a jumper. As our Lance Sanderson reported earlier, Peoples-Jones did not dominate the 40-yard dash, but put up a solid 4.48s 40 which is really solid considering his size.
He is a long strider that can cover ground vertically quickly. Questionable, and perhaps the start of a trend at the Combine, Peoples-Jones did not participate in any agility drills. Perhaps the D.K. Metcalf fall from ‘best athlete ever’ to ‘can’t turn without falling’ after doing his agility last year has scared some receivers.
Either way, Peoples-Jones tested as he needed to and reminded folks that despite his low-level quarterback play (and a somewhat antiquated offense) at Michigan, he is a freak athlete with upside. Do not be surprised if he ends up in the top-50 come April.
Faller
Tee Higgins, Clemson
Telling the media that you are going to run a 4.4s 40 only to pull out of the athletic testing and field drills to me only says one thing, you were not going to test well and you knew it. While posting very good size at 6-foot-3-1/3 and 216 pounds with arm length over 34 inches and 9.5-inch hands, Higgins called it ‘good’ on his testing at Indianapolis.
His pro day will be absolutely huge, but as all pro days the numbers at the event will needed to be taken with a massive grain of salt as they tend to reflect favorably on their own players. Higgins had questions coming into the Combine surrounding his agility on top of his overall athleticism that he could have answered, but instead, he did not test which means teams are left to fill in the blank and speculate as to ‘why’ he did not take the field.
The ‘needing rest’ excuse from his camp shouldn’t cut it either. With other players such as Jefferson and Mims moving up, Higgins not testing and leaving doubt must move down and could easily fall out of the first round.
Static
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Having a better athletic showing than I thought he would, Lamb is right in the race for ‘the first receiver off the board’ with Ruggs and Jeudy. That did not change coming out of Indianapolis as while none of his metrics were ‘outstanding’ none were poor to the point that would prop questions surrounding his outstanding film.
With solid measurables at 6-foot-1-1/2, 198 pounds with 32-1/4-inch arm length and 9-1/4-inch hands, Lamb ran a 4.5s 40 while posting a 34.5-inch vertical and 124-inch broad. The 11 bench press reps were not great but not horrifying. In the field drills, Lamb showed off solid hands, skying for a poorly thrown ball and coming down with it to a chorus of ‘ooohhs’ and showing soft hands and great feet.
Again, like Jeudy and Ruggs, Lamb came to Indy with his stock in check as one of the best receivers in this class and solidified on ‘tier one’. With all three different in style, whoever comes off the board first and where each lands will likely depend as much as what ‘flavor’ a team likes, wants, or needs rather than one being better than the other.
It’s a deep class, but those three stand alone in the strong 2020 receiving class and handled their business this week in Indianapolis.
Honorable Mentions
Stock Up: Michael Pittman, Jr., USC, Antonio Gibson, Memphis, John Hightower, Boise State, Chase Claypool (WR/TE), Notre Dame, Quez Watkins Southern Mississippi.
Stock Down: Jauan Jennings, Tennessee, Quintez Cephus, Wisconsin, K.J. Hill, Ohio State.
Stock Static: Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State, Devin Duvernay, Texas, Quartney Davis, Texas A&M, Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty.
Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKendellMHH and @MileHighHuddle.
