Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We’re looking at ten takeaways from the top running back, wide receiver and quarterback performances at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
Saturday marked the third day of on-field events and the fourth day of prospect press conferences at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Running backs, quarterbacks, and wide receivers worked out while offensive linemen stepped up to the podiums ahead of Sunday’s final day.
Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy won the day, setting an NFL combine record with a 4.21 40-yard dash.
Here are the top takeaways from Saturday night’s outstanding showing.
Recapping the noteworthy combine performances from a fantasy football perspective.
Historically, this article would have been deemed “winners and losers” of the NFL Scouting Combine, because teams placed more emphasis on whether players participated in workouts and the like. In recent years, none of that has made any significant impact on draft placement nor a team’s willingness to throw a rookie into the fire.
Case in point: Last year, reports about C.J. Stroud scoring poorly on an intellectual evaluation created raucous reactions among the pundit class that didn’t translate to his placement or ability to dominate in his inaugural season.
Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to accurately gauge a prospect’s rookie fantasy football value without knowing where he will land. Nevertheless, we’ll recap the key performances from this year’s scouting combine to see what we can learn.
We’re looking at Eric DeCosta and the national reaction to Xavier Worthy running a 4.21 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine
The NFL Combine always produces a star or a fast riser on team draft boards, and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy is that man after posting a 4.21 40-yard dash on Saturday.
The moment Xavier Worthy tied the unofficial record for the 40-yard dash with a 4.22u.
It doesn't get any better than this.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dHLz27yhWV— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2024
An elite deep threat that can replace that can open up the Baltimore passing game; Worthy needs to improve against press coverage.
Worthy was outstanding for Texas in 2023, logging 75 receptions for 1,014 yards (13.5 yards AVG) and five touchdowns.
Eric DeCosta after Xavier Worthy’s 40 yard dash pic.twitter.com/EJJ46TAcbz
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) March 2, 2024
Social media reacts to everything, and Ravens GM Eric DeCosta even got in on the madness.
Texas WR Xavier Worthy is officially the fastest NFL draft prospect ever after breaking the NFL Scouting Combine record in the 40-yard dash
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new combine speed champion!
Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy blazed his name into the NFL Scouting Combine record books on Saturday. Worthy ran the fastest 40-yard dash in the event’s history, flying over 40 yards in just 4.21 seconds.
After initially being clocked at a record-tying 4.22 seconds, the official adjustment shaved off .01 of a second, giving Worthy the record all by himself. He edges out wideout John Ross, who ran a 4.22 back in 2017.
4.22u
XAVIER WORTHY.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/IrXf3WyemB— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2024
Could the Steelers take Georgia offensive tackles in back-to-back drafts?
Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a bold move in the 2023 NFL draft to go up and get former Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. By the end of the season, Jones was the team’s starting right tackle and just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
Now we are at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine and the Steelers are once again taking a look at a former Georgia offensive tackle. Amarius Mims was Jones teammate and was the Bulldog’s starting right tackle in 2023.
Mims noted when he spoke to the media at the combine that he had a formal meeting with the Steelers, which gives hope that Pittsburgh might continue the Georgia pipeline and end up with bookend tackles.
As a prospect, Mims is all about future projection. He didn’t become the starting right tackle until last season and spent part of that dealing with an ankle injury and tightrope surgery. Nevertheless, his physical tools and stature alone mean he is not making it out of the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell alluded to otherse tampering with quarterback Kirk Cousins when he joined NFL Network
Free agency is going to determine a lot about the Minnesota Vikings future, specifically at the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins has been a major discussion topic during the entirety of the NFL Scouting Combine, including the press conferences of head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
During the first group of wide receivers, O’Connell joined NFL Network’s broadcast with Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah and was inevitably asked the question about Cousins’ future.
“I know Kirk is going to go through a full process. He’s a process guy. And hopefully we continue to be a strong part in that process and we figure out a way to keep him a Minnesota Viking.”
What does this mean? Well, you can find just about any narrative you want in the comments. What his comments said to me here this: I want Cousins back but he’s going to test free agency and he could very well be gone.
He did make a comment alluding to some potential tampering going on, which is a well-known “secret” to occur during the week.
“The combine gave everybody else an opportunity, whether they’re supposed to be or not, to maybe have some conversations.”
Read into things however you want but it sure was interesting how much things had changed from his comments during his press conference.
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The Steelers are in the market for an offensive tackle, but just how high they’ll take one is anybody’s guess.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for an offensive tackle, but just how high they’ll take one is anybody’s guess.
They met with a mix of early and later-round offensive tackle prospects at the NFL scouting combine on Saturday: J.C. Latham (Alabama), Amarius Mims (Georgia), Graham Barton (Duke), Troy Fautanu (Washington) and Blake Fisher (Notre Dame).
“There’s a great vibe,” Fisher said from the podium at the NFL Combine. “You know, Coach Tomlin and everybody else in there and Omar Khan GM. Really, it was really a really good interview in there. Felt really good coming out of there as well.”
Projected to go in the fourth round (where Moore was selected), Fisher, 20, is a project who isn’t seen as an immediate starter in most scouting circles. But he has the promise to develop into one down the road.
“Overall, Fisher is a young, long and powerful blocker with good athletic ability who can be an asset in the zone run game at tackle,” Bleacher Report NFL scout Brandon Thorn noted. “He has more of a boom-or-bust element to his game as a pass protector that will require a plan for development before becoming a consistent starter, but he has the runway and traits for that to happen within his rookie contract.”
Blake Fisher @NDFootball OT had formal with Steelers, "There's a great vibe. You know, Coach Tomlin and everybody else in there and Omar Khan GM. Really, it was really a really good interview in there. Felt really good coming out of there as well," Fisher said. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/1b47jzWRAv
— Bo Marchionte (@BoMarchionte) March 2, 2024
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We’re looking at ten running backs for the Baltimore Ravens to watch during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
Running back depth is a massive priority for the Ravens, and that’ll be the position to watch on Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Eric DeCosta is looking to retool the roster following Baltimore’s heartbreaking AFC Championship loss to Kansas City.
Baltimore has three free-agent running backs, and Keaton Mitchell rehabbing a torn ACL.
With Day 3 of on-field workouts set to begin, we’re looking at ten running backs for the Ravens to watch.
The Steelers got a show from the top cornerbacks and put in a lot of time into scouting top wide receivers as well.
The NFL Scouting Combine has once again been and exciting and illuminating exercise for all 32 NFL franchises as well as the dozens of top prospects in attendance. The Pittsburgh Steelers have stayed busy this week and here are our Steelers takeaways from Day Three.
The Baltimore Ravens held a formal meeting with Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
The Ravens face tough decisions at the offensive tackle spot entering free agency, with Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses potentially salary cap casualties.
Baltimore is always ahead of the curve at retooling the roster, and they’ve started to assess elite talent like Tyler Guyton.
The Oklahoma All-American offensive tackle confirmed a formal meeting with Ravens brass at the combine on Friday.
Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton told me that he has formally met with the Ravens. Added that he’s been in touch with a few ex-Sooners who are now in the NFL, including Mark Andrews.
— Nikhil Mehta (@nmehtaUR2022) March 2, 2024
At 6-7, 328 with 34 1/4-inch arms, Guyton’s frame and movement skills are elite, and he’s stout enough to anchor down against an elite power rusher.
Guyton already got Lane Johnson’s approval for the first round and could lead Baltimore into another Super Bowl window.
