Tag: 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

2023 NFL Combine Winners Day 1: Blazing-fast DTs give the Bears plenty to consider

DL Bryan Bresee looking so smooth headlines our highlights from Day 1 of the Combine.

With questions out of the way, Thursday was put up or shut-up time at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Day 1 of workouts featured the big boys on the front seven — defensive linemen and linebackers.

Hoo boy did it ever transcend past our initial expectations.

We had an EDGE player running faster than current star professional running backs. A defensive tackle surpassed Aaron Donald (yes, that Aaron Donald) on the 40-yard dash. Oh, and a potential first-round pick went all-in on his “toughness” rating — he tested and passed with flying colors just two days after a sky-high fever.

And that’s just the start.

All of this had to be music to the ears of teams looking for front-seven help near the top of the 2023 NFL Draft. The most noteworthy might be the Chicago Bears, who own the No. 1 overall pick, but likely won’t stay there for too long.

The league-worst Bears could use an infusion of talent essentially everywhere but quarterback. They’re, how do we put this: good with Justin Fields.

But for a team with the 29th-ranked defense by yardage and the 32nd-ranked unit by Football Outsiders’ DVOA — Chicago had to be salivating watching these larger defenders put on a show. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus know they can act as kingmakers of sorts this offseason. And whatever ransom of draft picks they get for the top pick could potentially be used on one of the names from our Day 1 winners of the 2023 Combine.

6 cornerbacks for the Commanders to watch at the NFL combine

Washington could use help at cornerback. Here are six corners to watch at the NFL combine.

It’s no secret that the Washington Commanders need help at cornerback. Washington returns its top cornerbacks from a year ago in 2023. Veteran Kendall Fuller is entering the final year of his contract but is a player who should receive an extension. Fuller played well in 2022.

Benjamin St-Juste had a bit of a breakout season in 2022, but an ankle injury robbed him of five of his final six games. St-Juste was having an excellent season before the injury. Now, that is the second time in two years he’s ended the season on injured reserve.

The third cornerback was supposed to be 2021 free-agent signee Willam Jackson III, but the Commanders paid a steep price to get rid of Jackson. Danny Johnson and Bobby McCain played well in their roles, but an upgrade is needed. McCain was cut earlier this week, and Johnson will never be counted upon as anything more than a key reserve.

Washington is looking hard at cornerbacks in the 2023 NFL draft. Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. acknowledged spending “a lot of time” with the Commanders at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Washington will likely meet with several others this week.

On Friday, the defensive backs will run and go through individual drills. We pick six cornerbacks for the Commanders to watch, mainly focusing on those who will be selected in the first or second round because Washington will likely pick one early.

Top cornerback prospect Joey Porter Jr. met with the Commanders at the combine

Porter is arguably the top cornerback prospect in the draft.

The Washington Commanders could go a few different directions with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Washington needs help on the offensive line, a cornerback; some even think the Commanders look at a tight end, which appears highly doubtful.

And there is always the quarterback position.

During this week’s NFL combine, Washington will meet with numerous players, not just first-round possibilities. The combine is the perfect place to have a few minutes of facetime with as many prospects as possible.

Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is arguably the top cornerback in the draft. It’s a deep class, but he’s one of three names you’ll frequently hear mentioned as the top corner.

Porter took the podium on Thursday and acknowledged meeting with the Commanders.

Porter didn’t just meet with Washington, but he “talked to them a lot.”

Porter couldn’t help but notice all of his former Penn State teammates on Washington’s roster: Jahan Dotson, Tariq Castro-Fields and Shaka Toney.

The Commanders will meet with other cornerbacks, too. But if Porter falls to No. 16, Washington should strongly consider him. He possesses excellent size, is physical and has plenty of experience. His father, Joey, is a former NFL star of 13 seasons with 98 career sacks.

What will be most interesting is if the Commanders have Porter in Ashburn for one of their top 30 visits.

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Draft prospect Will McDonald crushed it at the Combine 2 days after a reported 104-degree fever

The Flu … Combine?

As an elite first-round prospect with something to prove, former Iowa State DE Will McDonald likely wanted to pull out all the stops during testing at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Though, that fact probably doesn’t make McDonald unique alone. The combine is, in many ways, a job interview.

And when it’s time to do things like run the 40-yard dash, you want to impress the people at your interview. From this perspective, the extreme lengths McDonald went to participate through Thursday’s testing period probably does separate him.

According to FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager, McDonald had a fever close to 104 degrees on Tuesday. Yet, despite his sickness, while losing some weight, McDonald ran through some drills at the combine anyway.

Unbelievable:

Did McDonald falter or fall short while likely still recovering from his fever? No, no, he did not.

He had a 36-inch vertical, which is top-notch for a defensive end weighing around 240 pounds:

And after showing he can jump over an SUV (oh, okay?), McDonald had an 11-foot broad jump.

1. Wow. 2. Stick with me here. 3. Wow.

McDonald’s 11-foot broad jump stands out in particular. That’s because it’s the third-longest by a DE since 2009. Fourteen years! After a high fever only two days ago!

Bonkers work, really.

If I’m being honest, McDonald probably should’ve just stayed home. The many executives and coaches on hand would’ve understood, and he could’ve tested at Iowa State’s eventual Pro Day.

Instead, knowing how Football Guys think, McDonald’s “Flu Combine” probably cemented him as a top pick in April’s draft.

Possible top-10 pick Tyree Wilson’s wingspan is unthinkably almost longer than Giannis Antetokounmpo’s

And Giannis already has an absurd wingspan!

Tyree Wilson entered the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine with top-10 pick hype. For someone who didn’t run the 40-yard dash during testing on Thursday, all the edge rusher likely had to do was show off some of his impressive physical tools. (And maybe it wasn’t a bad thing that he didn’t “crush” it.)

You better believe he didn’t disappoint.

When NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales asked the 6-foot-6 Texas Tech product to show off his wingspan at the podium Wednesday, Wilson stretched his arms out from end to end. And for a second, when you see the photo, it’s almost as if they keep going and going.

Officially, after measurements, Wilson has an 86-inch wingspan. Folks: that is the wingspan of an NBA player. Nay, that is the wingspan of an absurdly athletic NBA player:

Wait a minute. Wilson’s 86-inch wingspan seems ridiculously high compared to someone famous, right? That’s because it does. It’s actually almost higher than that of the NBA’s best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has an 87-inch wingspan.

There’s one crucial caveat. Antetokounmpo stands at 6-foot-11 — five inches taller than Wilson. Phew, boy. If I don’t know any better, Wilson’s basketball player arms will knock down a lot of passes at the line of scrimmage at the next level.

281-pound Calijah Kancey’s lightning-quick 40-yard dash surpassed Aaron Donald’s time

Someone this massive shouldn’t be able to move THIS fast!

If the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald ever retires, we might have gotten an early glimpse of who could actually emulate him. At least, in terms of athleticism.

Thursday saw the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine test interior defensive linemen in on-field drills. (Remember, not everyone who dominates goes on to great careers.) One of the more highly touted prospects was Pittsburgh product and 2022 Unanimous All-American Calijah Kancey.

At a listed 281 pounds, Kancey would be considered relatively “undersized” for an interior defensive lineman. But with 14.5 tackles-for-loss and 7.5 sacks in his final college campaign, scouts are excited by the young man’s possible ability to be a disruptor at the next level.

Boy, did Kancey show off his potential when it came time to run the 40-yard dash:

Oh … oh my goodness?

Again, I know Kancey is “undersized” for his position, but that’s still a very large human being. I’d say I’m shocked it’s the fastest time by a DT in 23 years — even faster than Donald’s time of 4.68 at the 2014 combine — but now I’m not so sure.

What Kancey lacks in size he certainly makes up for with speed. (Also, look at former Chicago Bears DT Tommie Harris!)

If Kancey can move like that, all bets are off for him as a coveted prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. No one will dare overlook Kancey for his size if his athleticism is, quite literally, off the charts.

Rutgers P Adam Korsak excited by former teammate Isiah Pacheco’s NFL success

Rutgers P Adam Korsak told @EdEastonJr that seeing Isiah Pacheco’s success with the #Chiefs in the NFL has provided inspiration for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers punter Adam Korsak is arguably the greatest punter in school history, setting multiple records in his five years in Piscataway, New Jersey. The Australian native was honored with the 2022 Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate punter.

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Korsak about his respect for former Rutgers teammate Isiah Pacheco. He also discussed adjusting to the NFL style of punting.

“So excited for Isiah. He is such a tremendous person,” said Korsak. “We enrolled together in January 2018. And seeing him progress as a player and as a person off the field was great. You know, (he’s) such a great dude. So excited for him, and he deserves it. Yeah, I saw him at the basketball game the other night at Rutgers, and always great to catch up with him. So yeah, you know, it gives us inspiration. And again, he’s just such a tremendous person.”

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Korsak is one of many Australian-style punters who have worked their way to the NFL. Since 2020, Korsak has served as a captain of the Scarlet Knights, which is a rare accomplishment for a punter. He shared the captain role with Pacheco during his tenure.

“Yeah, so obviously, I bring that Australian skill set, and I’ve got to try to showcase what I can do with the American foundational stuff this Friday, and (I’m) very excited to do that,” said Korsak. “It’s something I’ve done for a long time. I just haven’t been able to show it from what we’ve done in our scheme, but now if you look in the NFL, the Australians that are utilized in the NFL do a good mix of both, and you know, I think I think it can be very effective. Again, I’m excited to show it, work with some teams over the next couple of months before the draft, and get some exposure.”

 

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3 linebackers to watch for Chiefs at 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

Here are three linebacker prospects the #Chiefs should be keeping an eye on when on-field drills and testing kicks off on Thursday.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is well underway, but prospects will take the field for the first time on Thursday for on-field drills and workouts. You can watch the edge rushers, interior defensive linemen and linebackers workout from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a number of young contributors to the team via the draft just a season ago. Several of those players posted impressive performances at the combine. The team will look to follow up its standout 2022 draft class by adding even more instant-impact players in 2023.

Keep an eye on the following three linebackers working out on Thursday. A head-turning performance could put any number of the players squarely on the radar for Brett Veach and company.

Purdue LB Jalen Graham proud of former teammate Chiefs DE George Karlaftis

Jalen Graham told @EdEastonJr that he’s proud of former teammate George Karlaftis winning the Super Bowl with the #Chiefs and spoke about changing the perception of Purdue football.

The top football prospects are getting their chance to show what they are made of to potential teams. The annual NFL scouting combine has taken over Indianapolis, with players attempting to increase their value with a hopefully impressive performance this weekend.

Purdue University linebacker Jalen Graham is one of the 300-plus hopefuls showcasing his raw talent this week. Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Graham about his reaction to former teammate George Karlaftis playing in Super Bowl LVII and the mission to garner more respect for Purdue football.

“Great, and I was rooting for the Chiefs to win,” said Graham. “So it was just great to see him out there to compete and actually make an impact on the game.”

Graham smiled proudly while discussing his thoughts on Karlaftis winning a Super Bowl title in his rookie season. He said that he reached out to congratulate him after the game.

“Just DM (Direct Message),” said Graham. “Just let him know congratulations, everybody (is) proud of him. He knows. So, (I’m) just proud he did a good job.”

The support for Karlaftis is only part of the mission to uplift Purdue football, according to Graham. He would go on to share his passion for the program while addressing everyone around his podium.

“Going all the way back to high school as part of the mindset of my classes coming in and wanting to kind of change things and narrative about Purdue football and that we are able to compete at a high level,” Graham explained. “I think by the end of my time; we’re just getting to the Big 10 championship. I think we were able to at least change it a little bit. And we got, I think, four other of my teammates here as well. So it’s just exciting to see all of us get a chance to compete.”

Graham played in nine games last year for the Boilermakers, finishing the year with 52 total tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble, five passes defended and an interception. He served as a leader on the defense in his final season at Purdue and looks to carry that over into the NFL.

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3 interior defensive linemen to watch for Chiefs at 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

Here are three interior defensive line prospects the #Chiefs should be keeping an eye on when on-field drills and testing kicks off on Thursday.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is well underway, but prospects will take the field for the first time on Thursday for on-field drills and workouts. You can watch the edge rushers, interior defensive linemen and linebackers workout from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a number of young contributors to the team via the draft just a season ago. Several of those players posted impressive performances at the combine. The team will look to follow up its standout 2022 draft class by adding even more instant-impact players in 2023.

Keep an eye on the following three interior defensive linemen working out on Thursday. A head-turning performance could put any number of the players squarely on the radar for Brett Veach and company.