Category: 2023 scouting combine

All-22 from the scouting combine: Defensive linemen detail their favorite plays

Defensive linemen Bryan Bresee, Keeanu Benton, Keondre Coburn, Gervon Dexter, and Zacch Pickens describe their best college plays.

INDIANAPOLIS — What’s your one defining moment?

Every prospect at the scouting combine has that one play which defines them to a degree — the highlight shot they think about over and over when it’s time to think about their collegiate careers.

As the defensive linemen took the podiums in Indianapolis on Wednesday, I thought it would be interesting to ask a bunch of them for the one play they would show anybody if asked for the real highlight shot. Here are Clemson’s Bryan Bresee, Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton, Texas’ Keondre Coburn, Florida’s Gervon Dexter, and South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens describing the plays they most remember, with tape examples and further descriptions.

Six sleepers to watch during the 2023 scouting combine drills

When the scouting combine drills get going, here are six offensive players who could tear it up, and the tape is also intriguing.

INDIANAPOLIS — There are some draft prospects who look great on the field, and just don’t show up in the drills, whether it’s at the scouting combine or at their pro days. And there are those prospects who show up at events like this week’s combine ready to blow everyone away… and then, when you go back to their game tape, it’s a big ball of “meh.”

The obvious goal for NFL evaluators seated in the luxury boxes at Lucas Oil Stadium this week is to focus in on the players who look great during the workouts, and the tape matches up. Spinning that forward to the prospects who might be under the radar, if you get enough of those guys on your roster, you might just be on to something.

Here are six offensive skill position players whose tape stands out enough to bank on their athleticism on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and it’ll make them more than just workout warriors.

The 2023 scouting combine All-Name Team

Stetson Bennett, Juice Scruggs, Sidy Sow, DeMarvion Overshown, and Habakkuk Baldonado are all part of the 2023 scouting combine All-Name Team.

What’s in a name? Well, some people live up to their names, and others perhaps don’t. In football, you can look at tape of Bronko Nagurski or Mack Strong running the ball, and think that those two men could not have been named anything else. Then, there’s Richie Incognito, who was anything but in his NFL career.

The participating prospects at the 2023 scouting combine aren’t really here to make any sort of All-Name Team; they have bigger and better goals on their minds. But when we see Stetson Bennett, Juice Scruggs, Sidy Sow, DeMarvion Overshown, or Habakkuk Baldonado, we think it’s fun that these young men are about to join an all-time pro football fraternity that includes Fair Hooker, Buzz Nutter, Mac Speedie, Atari Bigby, and Bacarri Rambo.

So, here’s Touchdown Wire’s All-Name Team for the 2023 scouting combine.

C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson will throw at the combine, while Bryce Young won’t

C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson will throw at the scouting combine, while Bryce Young will wait until his pro day.

We now have a better idea of which star quarterback prospects will go through all the drills at the 2023 scouting combine.

Per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, both Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Florida’s Anthony Richardson will throw in the drills at Lucas Oil Stadium, and Richardson will also participate in all other drills like the 40-yard dash, while Alabama’s Bryce Young will wait until his pro day on March 23.

Young has little to nothing to prove as a thrower or as a runner after his incendiary collegiate career; he’s the consensus No. 1 prospect at the position. The only real question about Young can be answered at the combine: How tall is he officially, and what does he weigh? Young’s unofficial height of 6-foot-0 and unofficial weight of 194 both make him outliers in the modern NFL. If he measures in shorter and lighter than that… well, there will be conversations in NFL offices about that, though Young’s on-field performances should still win the day.

As for Stroud, he could benefit from the expansion of the perception of him as a do-it-all quarterback following his performance against Georgia in the College Football Semifinal. In that game, Stroud broke out of his history as a pure pocket quarterback, and made several amazing throws on the run. If he’s able to do all of that again without all those incredible defenders chasing him (the odds are good), Stroud could go into the rest of the draft process as a virtually ding-proof prospect. Stroud has an unofficial height of 6-foot-3 and a weight of 215, so there’s no problem there, and his ball placement, velocity, and field-reading put him on the same level as Young.

Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud gained as much as he lost in his final collegiate game

Richardson is the real wild-card here. We know about his amazing athleticism and fantastic deep arm; the question will be how well he does with the more nuanced throws after just one year as a college starter. Richardson showed a ton of improvement through the 2022 season, but there are still legitimate questions about his ability to make every throw at the NFL level. Of course, throwing at the combine won’t really answer those questions, but a high-level performance will really help, and had Richardson chosen to wait until his pro day, he probably never would have heard the end of it, so a wise decision there.

Anthony Richardson’s recent progress should have the NFL seeing him differently

Throwing at the scouting combine and at your pro day are two entirely different experiences. At the combine, you’re throwing to receivers you’ve never thrown to before, and the kinds of passes you’re asked to throw are part of a fixed set of drills. At your pro day, your performance coach is there, you’re throwing to receivers you’ve been throwing to for a long time, and you decide which kinds of throws will happen, though the script will be accentuated by the requests of NFL teams.

One note: Prospects are assigned to their positional drills alphabetically, so Stroud will likely throw right after Richardson. Get your popcorn ready for that one.

VIDEO: Which draft prospect will amaze the most in scouting combine drills?

Which draft prospect will amaze the most in scouting combine drills? Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling have likely candidates.

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. It’s all about draft prospects with the scouting combine getting started this week, so Doug and Luke get into a bunch of questions about all the draft prospects looking to raise their games in Indianapolis — both on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and in private interviews and medical checks with NFL teams.

Which draft prospect, regardless of his need to be great at the combine, is absolutely going to turn the event into a freakshow? 

Doug: I don’t know what drills Tennessee receiver Jalin Hyatt plans to run, but based on his tape alone, I’m expecting him to run in the 4.4s at worst in the 40, and his 10-yard and 20-yard splits should be equally incendiary. He’s a better catcher of the ball than a lot of people think, which makes me think he’ll be great in the gauntlet drill. The knock on Hyatt is that he’s not running a bunch of routes, but the routes he runs? Yikes. Last season, he caught 14 passes of 20 or more air yards on 24 targets for 677 yards and eight touchdowns. For those scoring at home, that’s 48.4 yards per deep reception, which is pretty nuts. I think Hyatt will take all that explosive athleticism to the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and it’ll make him a late first-round pick.

Luke: Texas Tech edge defender Tyree Wilson. He’s a massive, dominant force on the field, and he’ll be one of the big-ticket performers this weekend. Guys at his size just shouldn’t be able to move like he does, and if he performs as well as we’re expecting, don’t be surprised if the debate between him and Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. starts getting more competitive.

[mm-video type=video id=01gt72rgj2zvdmk010gg playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt72rgj2zvdmk010gg/01gt72rgj2zvdmk010gg-772217121fb60a19d9d87731f61aaec2.jpg]

VIDEO: Which top prospects need positive medical reports at the scouting combine?

Which top draft prospects are most in need of positive medical reports at the upcoming scouting combine?

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. It’s all about draft prospects with the scouting combine getting started this week, so Doug and Luke get into a bunch of questions about all the draft prospects looking to raise their games in Indianapolis — both on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and in private interviews with NFL teams.

Which prospects need the medicals to work their way to cement their standing in this class based on their tape? 

Doug: Georgia edge-rusher Nolan Smith comes to mind, but I have to go with Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. Before Hooker suffered a torn ACL in November, he was my QB3 in this class behind Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Nothing has moved for me in that regard as long as Hooker is well on his way to recovery. You will wonder if Hooker can run as well post-injury as mobility is a big part of his game, but ACL recoveries aren’t what they used to be, in a good way.

If Hooker checks out medically, I think he’s a second-round pick, and has a bright future as a potential franchise quarterback. As far as the “he benefited from the spread offense” stuff, that’s true to a point, but a lot of NFL teams look to spread defenses out as well, and Hooker does enough with tight-window throws and throwing receivers open to make me think it won’t be a huge problem over time.

Luke: Yeah, you nailed it. I agree with everything you said about Hooker, and the fact that he’ll be a 25-year-old rookie puts even more pressure on him to check out medically if he wants to be drafted early. Before his injury, Smith was looking like a dominant force for the Bulldogs. If he checks out, he could easily put himself back in the first-round conversation, even in a deep class of edge defenders. 

[mm-video type=video id=01gt72nhvfs1mtzs4ssv playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt72nhvfs1mtzs4ssv/01gt72nhvfs1mtzs4ssv-9ff29c116fe3bb9d082fe0b383bd5f78.jpg]

VIDEO: Which under-the-radar prospects will be household names after the scouting combine?

Which relatively unknown draft prospects will be household names after their performances at the scouting combine? 

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. It’s all about draft prospects with the scouting combine getting started this week, so Doug and Luke get into a bunch of questions about all the draft prospects looking to raise their games in Indianapolis — both on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and in private interviews with NFL teams.

Which relatively unknown draft prospects will be household names after their performances at the scouting combine? 

Doug: Pitt defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, who excelled in college at 6-foot-0 and 280 pounds (unofficial). The Pitt connection and the fact that he’s undersized have people comparing him to Aaron Donald, and I’m not willing to go that far, he reminds me a ton of Grady Jarrett, which isn’t bad, either. Kancey is a defender with an assassin’s mentality, which makes me think he’s going to be really violent in the bag drills, and I think he’s quick and agile enough to ace the 40 (specifically the 10- and 20-yard splits), and all the movement exercises, as well. I don’t know if anything will push him into the first round, because some teams will have no idea what to do with him at that size, but as they say, all it takes is one team to make that a reality. 

Luke: Man, I’ve gotta cheat here. There are a few guys I think fall into this category, and I’m excited to watch them all. Kansas State CB Julius Brents is a legit 6-3, 200-plus, with length for days. If he runs fast and looks good in the cone drills, he could fly up the board. Arkansas LB Drew Sanders was a 5-star recruit to Alabama, and has a great blend of size, length, athleticism and versatility that teams should fall in love with in Indy. Georgia Tech’s Keion White is the last guy, again because of size, athleticism, and versatility. All of these guys should be household names after the combine.

[mm-video type=video id=01gt72kdmtx84yk87148 playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt72kdmtx84yk87148/01gt72kdmtx84yk87148-226a8ab8ba099c34af0bc8f20056cf8f.jpg]

VIDEO: Which top prospects need the best performances at the scouting combine?

Which top draft prospects need to show out to solidify their stock at the scouting combine? Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling have thoughts.

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. It’s all about draft prospects with the scouting combine getting started this week, so Doug and Luke get into a bunch of questions about all the draft prospects looking to raise their games in Indianapolis — both on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and in private interviews with NFL teams.

Which top-tier prospect most needs a great combine performance?

Doug: I think Kentucky quarterback Will Levis is going to have to really impress in the interview rooms. If he throws during the drills, he’ll look great, because he has all the tools – that’s where all the Josh Allen comps come from. But when he sits down with GMs and coaches in those 15-minute interviews, they’re going to ask him about a series of decisions on the field that have ranged from weird to completely head-scratching. Levis didn’t have the best supporting cast in 2022, and I’m not implying that he’ll blame anybody else for the hiccups in Kentucky’s passing game, but it will be absolutely crucial for Levis to not only explain what went wrong in all those plays, but to also get into how he’s working on all that stuff in the offseason. 

Will Levis might be the next Josh Allen. He might also be the next Tim Tebow.

Luke: I think Levis is a great pick, but for the sake of debate, I’m gonna take TCU WR Quentin Johnston. We know he still needs some polish, but the allure with him is the size/speed/athleticism combo, and he’s got to show that off in a big way this week. If he doesn’t impress enough with those testing numbers, there are too many other receivers who could end up leapfrogging him when draft day rolls around because they bring similar explosiveness, but are more pro-ready, even if they don’t have his massive frame.

[mm-video type=video id=01gt71m12e46kzb8y1da playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt71m12e46kzb8y1da/01gt71m12e46kzb8y1da-041c62bf1cd6249631e6825d8f62c9b3.jpg]

4-Down Territory: 2023 scouting combine preview

It’s scouting combine time! Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling are here to ask answer all the questions about this year’s prominent draft event.

Every week in “4-Down Territory,” Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling of Bucs Wire and Draft Wire go over the things you need to know about, and the things you need to watch, in the NFL right now. It’s all about draft prospects with the scouting combine getting started this week, so Doug and Luke get into a bunch of questions about all the draft prospects looking to raise their games in Indianapolis — both on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, and in private interviews with NFL teams.

This week’s pressing questions:

1. Which top-tier prospect most needs a great combine performance?

2. Who among the lesser-known prospects could see their stock rise in Indianapolis?

3. Which prospects will be most reliant on positive medical reports?

4. Finally, which prospect are you most looking forward to seeing in the on-field drills?

You can watch this week’s episode of “4-Down Territory” right here!

[mm-video type=video id=01gt70yraf4xs1bbx15z playlist_id=01f09m93q11d4tbgfy player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt70yraf4xs1bbx15z/01gt70yraf4xs1bbx15z-879d527182e284b75cb30072b2decf8e.jpg]

2023 NFL Draft: Three-round mock projections, and one big trade

With the scouting combine just around the corner, it’s time for Doug Farrar’s first three-round mock draft of 2023.

In less than a week, the entire NFL and the whole of the 2023 draft class will converge upon Indianapolis for the scouting combine — an opportunity for NFL talent evaluators, scouts, and coaches to get a much better idea of the quality of this class both in on-field drills, and meetings with those prospects.

With that in mind, it’s time to expand our mock draft projections here at Touchdown Wire to the first three rounds, and the first 102 picks, in the 2023 NFL draft. There will be more trades in future mock drafts, but outside of the deal that gives the Indianapolis Colts the first overall pick, and the Chicago Bears with multiple picks in the next two years in return, we’re staying put in this one.

Here’s one version of how the first three round of the 2023 draft might just go.

(Note: The Miami Dolphins, who would have had the 21st pick in the first round, forfeited that pick as punishment from the NFL for tampering). 

[mm-video type=video id=01gstca7830sh8hqgbse playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gstca7830sh8hqgbse/01gstca7830sh8hqgbse-26d978d82126ef645d23f7aecbedf740.jpg]