NFL Scouting Combine Invites Revealed: Jets' Targets Make Cut?
Welcome to the NFL offseason.
With the conclusion of Sunday’s Super Bowl, crowning the Kansas City Chiefs champions, each team will have the time to step back and reassess, some with new decision-makers in the fold. The road to the 2024 NFL Draft is a long one, with stops at the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency, and numerous pro days on the way.
On Tuesday, the full list of invitees to the NFL Scouting Combine was released, giving the football world a brief glimpse at how the league values certain prospects and setting the expectations for the event, which takes place in Indianapolis between Feb. 26 and March 4.
Mar 3, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson (WO39) runs the 40-yard dash during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Of course, the New York Jets will be in attendance, looking for extra information for the pivotal 10th pick and its smattering of late-round selections. Thanks to the Aaron Rodgers trade, their second-round pick (41st overall) belongs to the Green Bay Packers.
Of the 321 prospects invited, fans can safely assume New York will have a keen eye on the 39 receivers and 70 offensive linemen en route to Indianapolis. While some will opt out of testing or are dealing with injuries, the vast majority will be subject to numerous athletic drills and interviews.
One name that fans can expect to test is LSU receiver Malik Nabers. Seemingly sandwiched between Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze, Nabers is incentivized to run the 40-yard dash. Speed is tantalizing, and when one has it in spades, it has a way of boosting draft stocks.
Some less notable targets may also pop up on the Jets’ radar with a strong Combine if they haven’t already. Arizona’s Jacob Cowing is a speedster with stature questions, UCF’s Javon Baker has been rising up draft boards, and Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley is an after-the-catch threat commonly mocked to New York. On Day 3, Rice receiver Luke McCaffrey, Louisville’s Jamari Thrash, and Alabma’s Jermaine Burton could raise some eyebrows.
Georgia tight end Brock Powers will have a lot riding on his measurements. A strong time – with enough weight to separate himself from receivers – could make or break his chances at cracking the top 10.
For those who prefer to watch the big men rumble, the Combine should have no shortage of linemen testing. As Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt attempt to edge each other out for the top lineman drafted come April, Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga will look to maintain his trajectory. Few, if any, or more frequently mocked to the Jets than Fuaga.
Other offensive linemen could vault themselves toward New York with a strong showing. If Fuaga gets jumped by a fellow lineman (or taken before the No. 10 pick), general manager Joe Douglas may be scrambling for a tackle prospect.
This draft is full of offensive linemen. Alabama’s JC Latham and Georgia’s Amarius Mims are maulers, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton’s ceiling is lucrative, and Houston’s Patrick Paul has seen his stock skyrocket. Elsewhere, names like Washington’s Roger Rosengarten, Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer, and Kansas’ Dominick Puni may be alternatives if the Jets take a pass catcher in the first round.
As stocks fluctuate with each official time and errant press conference, few weeks are as impactful as the Scouting Combine. You can find the full list of participants here.
