Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine was a very good day for teams that need a wide receiver. Several of the top pass-catchers tested well in both the 40-yard dash and the vertical and broad jumps. (Note: three-cone and shuttle times weren’t released until late Thursday night.)
The Green Bay Packers are one of the many teams that need a wide receiver.
Here’s a look at the receivers that shined during Thursday night’s on-field workouts in Indianapolis:
Denzel Mims, Baylor: One of the biggest winners of Thursday night. Mims, at 6-3 and 207, blazed through the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, the third-fastest time among receivers. He looked fast on tape, but few expected him to run under 4.4. He also hit 38.5″ on the vertical leap and 10-11 on the broad jump. Mims made easy work of the Senior Bowl and is now eating up the combine. The Packers getting him at No. 62 would have been incredible. Now. expect to see him going to the Packers at No. 30 in mocks.
Justin Jefferson, LSU: Like Mims, Jefferson is checking all the boxes. He has the incredible college production. He has NFL-ready size. Now, he has the testing numbers to back up his athleticism. Jefferson finished the 40 in 4.43 seconds, hit 37.5″ in the vertical and managed 10-6 in the broad. He should be a lock for the first round. But will he last to 30? That’s in serious doubt now.
Jalen Reagor, TCU: It’ll be easy to be disappointed in Reagor not running a sub-4.4 in the 40. He officially clocked in at 4.47, a slower time than most were expecting. But he’s still fast, and more importantly, he’s certifiably fast on tape. The rest of the numbers from Reagor’s Thursday night were really good. He hit 42″ in the vertical and 11-6 in the broad jump. He weighed in at rock-solid 205 pounds, which might have hurt his top speed. The Packers wouldn’t mind if he dropped to 30.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Michigan: The Packers love toolsy prospects from Michigan, and DPJ is nothing if not toolsy. The 6-2, 212-pounder led all receivers in the vertical jump (44.5″) and broad jump (11-7) and ran the 40 in under 4.5 (4.48). He’s a freaky mix of size and explosive low body power. He also looked like a natural catching passes in the gauntlet drills.
Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State: The Sun Devils star combined his 81″ wingspan with a 40″ vertical leap. Not many passes are going to be out of his catching radius. He also hit 10-8 in the broad jump. He’s explosive. His 4.5 time in the 40 isn’t going to catch eyes, but it’s a fine number at 205 pounds.
Clase Claypool, Notre Dame: There’s talk of teams interested in moving Claypool (6-4, 238) to tight end. Turns out, he tested like a top athlete as a receiver. He finished the 40 in 4.42 seconds, hit 40.5″ in the vertical and 10-6 in the broad and caught everything in sight during on-field drills.
Dezmon Patmon, Washington State: He’s 6-4 and 225 but still ran under 4.5 (4.48) and produced good numbers in the vertical (36″) and broad (11-0). He was also impressive catching the football. His stock improved.
Devin Duvernay, Texas: He was a Texas state champion in the 100-meter dash, so it came as no surprise that he finished the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds.
Henry Ruggs, Alabama: The Packers almost certainly have no chance to get Ruggs at No. 30, but his workout is still worth noting here. He ran a receiver-best 4.27 in the 40 and hit 40″ in the vertical leap and 10-11 in the broad jump. He’s an alien.