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Live from Indy, Jeff Risdon lays out what he’s seen and heard from a Lions perspective at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine rolls into the weekend with the on-field workouts half done and many of the interviews in the books already.
Here’s some of what I saw, heard and observed in the first few days of the combine in Indianapolis from a Lions perspective.
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Clemson CB Nate Wiggins will test the Lions draft scouting priorities with his very interesting Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine
Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins had a very interesting Friday in Indianapolis at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. How the Detroit Lions react to Wiggins’ experience in Indy might say a lot about where GM Brad Holmes and the team are at in their evaluation process.
Wiggins is a prospect generally projected as one of the top Lions considerations for their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Some projections have Wiggins coming off the draft board in the late teens, but he’s typically available in the picks nearing Detroit’s slot at No. 29.
Wiggins officially measured in at almost 6-foot-2, a great length for an outside corner. But he is a rail-thin 173 pounds, some 15 pounds less than Clemson listed him. His arm length of 30.5 inches is the same as Lions starting CB Cam Sutton, who is a little over two inches shorter.
That lack of mass and weird, short-armed build are flags. Whether they are yellow flags or red flags is up to each team, including the Lions. Whichever primary color of the orange the Lions lead likely got shaded by his on-field workout.
Wiggins was the fastest man in Indy. He blazed the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds, faster than any other player who has completed the athletic testing thus far. The incredible display of speed came at a cost, alas.
Wiggins suffered a hip flexor injury at the end of the run, ending his workout. He was on the sidelines with a bulky ice bag on his hip while everyone else completed the athletic testing drills.
The 10-yard split for Wiggins was also unusually slow for that fast of a run. He traversed the first 10 yards in 1.59 seconds, a really slow start. For comparison, Sutton had a 10-yard split of 1.52 in his Scouting Combine 40-yard dash, which he completed in 2017 in a total of 4.52 seconds.
Detroit has typically leaned more on GPS timing than 40 times. Those figures are not immediately available, but finishing in 4.28 after that relatively sluggish start means Wiggins was certainly guilty of a speeding ticket in a school zone. That’s amazing recovery speed on the outside, something the Lions secondary lacked more than anything else in 2023. Wiggins proved he’s got the speed to get back into the play if he misses his jam or gets beat off the release.
The speed certainly showed on Wiggins’ Clemson game film. So did the confidence in playing man coverage on an island, something Wiggins intelligently and enthusiastically talked about in his combine podium interview.
Alas, the lack of mass and oddly short arms also show on his Tigers tape. Wiggins is not a good tackler and tends to get pushed around in the run game by wide receivers. Stronger wideouts can overpower him in close quarters and on contested catches. Wiggins is more willing than capable in that regard.
We might never learn how the Lions wind up summarizing Wiggins as a prospect. He could be drafted before Detroit ever picks. But his wondrous Friday in Indianapolis could also be an interesting litmus test for just how much the Lions value different traits.
JJ McCarthy has dreamed of playing for his hometown Bears – or against them.
The Chicago Bears have an important decision to make at quarterback this offseason where choosing between keeping Justin Fields or drafting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick will define general manager Ryan Poles’ tenure.
This is a deep quarterback class, where some even believe four quarterbacks could go in the top 13. While Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels headline the group, there could be some wild cards in the mix.
That includes Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, who welcomed the idea of playing for his hometown Bears.
“It’s been one of my dreams,” he said at the NFL Scouting Combine, “whether that’s playing for the Bears or against them.”
“It’s been one of my dreams”
JJ McCarthy on playing for the Bears after growing up in LaGrange Park. pic.twitter.com/GB2zhhZd7Q
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) March 1, 2024
McCarthy, who confirmed he met with the Bears at the combine, grew up in LaGrange Park, Ill. He acknowledged that it would be special to play at Soldier Field, where he grew up going to games, whether it was as a Bear or an opposing player. That makes sense for any kid coming from the Chicagoland area.
But it’s unlikely that the Bears select him. Chicago will likely choose between the big three in Williams, Maye or Daniels. But there will be quarterback-needy teams who could turn to McCarthy in the first round. Chicago will likely choose between the big three in Williams, Maye or Daniels.
McCarthy has proven that he can win on the big stage. He led Michigan to a National Championship this season, but the NFL is an entirely different animal. He’s going to have to prove that he can be an impactful player. And some team will take a chance on him. Just probably not the Bears.
Ossenfort was caught by a camera awed by Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner’s 40 time.
The Arizona Cardinals have the fourth pick in the 2024 NFL and could go a number of directions with the selection. They could take a top receiver, a top tackle or top edge defender.
One of the best pass-rushing prospects in the draft is Alabama’s Dallas Turner. Turner caught the attention of Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort.
Turner, who measured 6-foot-3 and weighed in at 247 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, blew Ossenfort away with his time in the 40-yard dash.
The unofficial time was 4.49 seconds and Ossenfort, caught by NFL Network cameras watching from a suite, reacted as if he got the chills. He smiled and laughed. Some say it was a little dance. It was a reaction in awe for sure.
Here is the clip:
Monti's reaction to Turner's 40 lol pic.twitter.com/SctKnjT78q
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 1, 2024
The Cardinals passed on another extremely talented Alabama pass rusher last year in Will Anderson, electing to trade back from the third pick before trading back up to get tackle Paris Johnson. Anderson went on to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Houston Texans, while Johnson played every snap on offense at right tackle for the Cardinals.
Turner’s official 40 time was 4.46 seconds.
An athletic performance like that will make the Cardinals think about whether he is worth the fourth overall pick, especially since Turner also had on-field production, getting 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2023 for the Crimson Tide.
Regardless of whether Turner ends up going to the Cardinals, the Internet now has a clip of Ossenfort that is sure to be a meme for years to come.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Caleb Williams met with the Bears brass on Wednesday at the combine and he’s sharing what went down when he talked with them.
The Chicago Bears were only able to spend around 15-20 minutes with prospects at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, so there’s not much time to dive deep into what makes them tick, their characteristics, or how they will fit into a team’s offense or defense. But in Caleb Williams’ case, the Bears made sure to use their meeting time to work on recollection and see how he did memorizing NFL plays.
Williams spoke with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero about his experience at the combine and what it would mean to him to be picked first overall. The conversation then turned to his time with the Bears brass, who currently hold the No. 1 overall pick. Williams was pleased with their conversation and peeled back the curtain on what they did. “It was good, everybody was cool…it was really nice,” Williams said. “They were mainly testing me on my mentals and seeing how I would handle things and putting up a play on the board and 10 minutes later, 15 minutes later, asking me to recall it, things like that.”
What team does Caleb Williams want to end up with in next month’s NFL Draft?
“It’s been a dream of mine to go first, and so whoever picks first — can’t wait.”
I spoke with the presumptive No. 1 pick about his #Bears interview and more for @gmfb @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/F4ld2YOk14
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 1, 2024
Hearing Poles and the Bears front office quiz Williams during their brief time together isn’t surprising. The general manager did a similar test with last year’s first-round pick, Darnell Wright, and lauded the tackle’s mental recall ability. Quarterback is arguably the hardest position to play in sports. The ability to memorize and have quick mental recall is imperative when playing the position at the highest levels. Williams didn’t reveal how he did with the quiz, but the fact that he said things went well during the meeting should be viewed as a positive.
The former Heisman Trophy winner has been the talk of the combine and left a positive impression on Friday, even after he declined to partake in the medical exams. The Bears are doing their homework on him and could be closer to making a decision about whether to draft Williams, someone else, or stick with Justin Fields.
Rome Odunze loves the idea of being paired with Caleb Williams in Chicago.
The Chicago Bears could very well have a lot of good options with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
They could pass rusher, offensive lineman or wide receiver if one of the big three falls to them there. One of those elite wideouts is Washington’s Rome Odunze, who touched on the potential of playing for the Bears.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Odunze was asked about potentially playing with Caleb Williams in the pros. The Bears are expected to select the USC star QB with the first overall pick. That means that Odunze would be catching his passes if they were both drafted by Chicago.
“I got to see Caleb first hand,” Odunze said. “I got to see his talents and abilities.”
Odunze went on to say that being paired with Williams would be “something special.”
Washington WR Rome Odunze, a potential Bears target at #9, on possibly playing with Caleb Williams:
“I got to see Caleb first hand. I got to see his talents and abilities…” Being paired with him would be “something special.” @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/kKeAXaPcPW
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) March 1, 2024
It is good to know that he would enjoy playing with Williams. There needs to be chemistry if things are going to work. With guys like DJ Moore and Cole Kmet already in the mix, the Bears could have a breakout offense.
Odunze is right there with Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU’s Malik Nabers at the top of the receiver class. As confident as Odunze is in Williams, he is in himself. Odunze believes that he is the best receiver in the class despite being the third-ranked one on most people’s boards.
“Me… I’ve shown the skills that can transfer to the NFL,” he said, via Matt Zahn.
If the Bears decide to draft both of these guys, they can only hope that the confidence spills onto the football field. Williams playing well would impact the career of Odunze if they were paired together. If he is as good of a wide receiver as he claims, that could be a lethal combo for years to come.
The Bears are in the market for a new safety. Could hometown product Tyler Nubin be a fit?
The Chicago Bears are looking to make their team better ahead of the 2024 season. They went 7-10 in 2023, which was a great improvement over the 3-14 season that they had in 2022. If Chicago has a good draft and is smart in free agency, they should be in a position to compete for a playoff spot in 2024.
One player who has noticed what they are building is Minnesota safety Tyler Nubin. He’s a safety who should be drafted within the first couple of rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Nubin talked about potentially being a Chicago Bear.
Nubin, a self-described “Chicago boy,” would love to play for his hometown team. Out of all the teams he interviewed with, he said that the Bears stuck out for him. Being from St. Charles, Ill., he loved this team growing up and would enjoy the chance to play for them.
If being a Bear is his “dream,” they should consider it if he is available at a time when they are on the clock. After all, we know how general manager Ryan Poles loves local products and Chicago has a pressing need at safety following Eddie Jackson’s release.
Nubin also fits what they’re doing with Matt Eberflus’ defense so it makes sense from a tactical standpoint. It might be something to consider from that perspective.
The fact that players want to play for the Bears these days is refreshing. Hopefully, that trend continues through the draft and with future free agents.
We’re looking at ten defensive backs for the Baltimore Ravens to watch during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
The Ravens are in Indianapolis for the NFL combine, and GM Eric DeCosta will be front and center to watch the defensive backs and tight ends work out.
Cornerback depth will be a massive priority for Baltimore, and there will be changes this offseason with Ronald Darby, Arthur Maulet, and Rock-Ya-Sin all pending free agents.
With Day 2 of on-field workouts set to begin, we’re looking at ten defensive backs for the Ravens to watch.
The year’s NFL combine has a much different narrative for the Cardinals at quarterback than what was expected a year ago.
INDIANAPOLIS – It’s somehow fitting and perhaps contradictory that this year’s NFL combine is sponsored by NOBULL.
After all, so much of what is said and written about the draft process and, for that matter, the league, in general, is TOTAL BULL.
Consider that last year at this time and throughout the offseason, the consistent narrative was that the Cardinals would likely earn the first pick in the 2024 draft so they could select USC quarterback Caleb Williams and move on from the then-injured and rehabbing Kyler Murray.
The Cardinals’ brain trust never wavered on Murray, who embraced the fresh approach of new head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort, while responding with a relentless rehab and production in the final eight games of the 2023 season that has entrenched him as the guy for at least this season and likely beyond.
Meanwhile, the top of this year’s draft will be highlighted by a group of quarterbacks that are pushed too high because they are the best of the class, when it’s likely some will never reach the heights of expectations.
That includes Williams, who brings with him an entitled demeanor and family baggage, while putting several teams in a precarious position because he refused to be medically tested in Indianapolis.
When Ossenfort was asked this week how much he likes not searching for a franchise quarterback, he said, “Yeah, I think it’s a good position to be in. The way Kyler came back at the end of the year, he gave us all a lot of confidence (because of) the way the offense hit their stride both running the football, throwing the football, and just getting Kyler’s health back to a point where he could use his legs, use his arm, do the things we’re accustomed to seeing.
“I think as always we’re going to evaluate every position that comes in the draft, but knowing Kyler is where he’s at and not only where he’s at but getting better and seeing him work and progress the way he has, I think it’s an exciting spot to be in.”
Noting that Murray has been in the facility “every day” since the end of the season, Gannon is enthused that he will be healthy this offseason.
“I know he’s excited to go through OTAs, training camp, preseason,” Gannon said. “I think you saw late in the year kind of where we evolved to, and we’ll pick up where we left off and continue to expand for him what he’s comfortable with. The game will go through (No.) 1.”
As for Murray’s next step, Gannon said simply, “Just reps, time on task with him. I think he can do it all, but I think just his comfort level of operating at a really high level, which he showed obviously during the year that he can do. I don’t think you’ve seen his best ball, either. I’m very confident in that because he’s a guy that attacks getting better every day.
“It was a new system for him and I thought he handled it extremely well and I think the sky is the limit for the guy.”
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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We’re looking at ten defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
Defensive back depth is a massive priority for the Eagles, and that’ll be the position to watch on Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Howie Roseman is looking to retool the roster following Philadelphia’s historic collapse, finishing the season 1-6 after a 10-1 start.
There could be decisions on cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry in the coming days, while the Eagles only have two safeties on the roster after releasing Kevin Byard.
With Day 2 of on-field workouts set to begin, we’re looking at ten defensive backs for Philadelphia to watch.
