Tag: 2024 NFL Combine

Texas players that improved their draft stock at NFL combine

Multiple Texas players improved their perception leading up to the NFL draft.

The NFL draft approaches as pro football franchises will have to make difficult decisions. Those decisions revolve around which players can bring their team closer to a championship.

The scouting process for NFL teams involves several steps including game film, character evaluation, interviews with their team among other steps. One of the final steps took place over the weekend at the NFL combine. Multiple Longhorns punctuated good film with impressive measurable testing times.

Most notably, Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy posted a 4.21 second 40-yard dash to break the NFL combine record set by fellow wide receiver John Ross (4.22). The sprint made waves among those involved with college football and the NFL.

Here’s a look at what Worthy and other Texas players accomplished over the weekend.

6 standouts from OL workouts at 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

Offensive linemen were in the spotlight on the last day of workouts at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

Testing offensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine can often feel like a silly exercise. How much does it actually matter if a team’s guard can run 40 yards in 4.9 seconds instead of 5.1?

But there’s also little doubt that the athleticism of NFL offensive linemen has continued to progress over the decades. It’s not a coincidence that Trent Williams has parlayed the freakish combo of size, speed, and strength that he showed off at the 2010 combine into 11 Pro Bowls.

With Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line coach Phil Rauscher on the field for drills, the next generation of linemen worked out at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

Here are the six players who stood out most on the final day of workouts:

Broncos met with OLB Mohamed Kamara at the NFL combine

Mohamed Kamara ran a 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds at the NFL combine last week.

Colorado State pass rusher Mohamed Kamara revealed at the NFL combine last week that he met with the Denver Broncos at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

The Broncos did not get enough production from their outside linebackers in 2023 and they are now looking to add some reinforcements.

Kamara was named as the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl. A sixth-year senior, Kamara played in 49 games with the Rams, starting 33 of them.

Thursday was the day for linebackers and defensive linemen to work out, and Kamara definitely raised significant interest with his performances. Kamara ran a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, which was the second-fastest time of the day behind only Penn State’s Chop Robinson (4.48). Kamara also had a 10-yard split of 1.58 seconds, a 34.5-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump.

The Broncos are no strangers to bringing homegrown talent to the team, with products such as Philip Lindsay (University of Colorado) and Jordan Jackson (Air Force) joining the club in recent offseasons.

Denver holds six picks, including 12th overall in the first round. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Broncos met with OLB Chris Braswell at the NFL combine

Broncos draft prospect Chris Braswell totaled eight sacks at Alabama last season.

As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2024 NFL draft, the team continues to meet with promising collegiate players. One of the players they met with was Alabama’s Chris Braswell, the linebacker confirmed during his media availability at the NFL combine last week.

In recent years, the Broncos have become enamored with players from the Crimson Tide, including cornerback Patrick Surtain and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy,

At Alabama, Braswell had 75 total tackles, 10.5 sacks and one interception in his three-year career.

Braswell is projected to be an eventual starter from his NFL combine profile. This means that Braswell may likely be a Day 2 or Day 3 pick. On Thursday, Braswell participated in several events in the combine, including the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump. Braswell ran a 4.6-second 40 and had a 33.5-inch vertical, and a 9-foot, 7-inch broad jump.

The Broncos are hoping to upgrade their pass-rush, which only totaled 42 sacks in 2023 (opponents totaled 52 sacks against the Broncos’ offense).

Denver holds six picks, including 12th overall in the first round. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Insider notes trade buzz around Bengals WR Tee Higgins at scouting combine

An insider talks about the trade buzz around Bengals WR Tee Higgins.

The Cincinnati Bengals applied the franchise tag to wide receiver Tee Higgins earlier than expected.

At the time, we noted that it might signal a trade could happen, strictly because the Bengals made sure to do it right before the scouting combine, where they would brush shoulders with 31 other teams that might have an interest.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, however, said that the quick tag was simply a result of the salary cap’s dramatic jump.

But ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler have noted that some of the buzz around the league at the combine is that the early tag means the Bengals are open for business:

A lot of people in Indy seemed to think the reason the Bengals franchised Tee Higgins as early as they did was so they could trade him. With a Ja’Marr Chase extension likely coming this offseason or next, Cincinnati might not be able to keep the band together around Joe Burrow much longer.

It’s important to note that the Bengals can likely afford to pay Higgins and Chase at the same time, especially as Joe Burrow’s deal will likely end up restructured in future years to save future cap space.

If a Higgins trade does happen, it will be more because they want something in return for losing him because a long-term deal isn’t feasible. With the way they’ve been active in free agency over the last few years, they probably won’t get a compensatory pick if they lose him in free agency — which is what happened with Jessie Bates.

The league is right to think the Bengals put this all on the table and made the tag official before the big gathering of teams — because why wouldn’t they? But the most likely scenario remains that Higgins will be in Cincinnati for at least one more year. The team and Higgins have a July 15 deadline to work out a long-term extension, or he will play next season on the tag.

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Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 2024 NFL combine results

Analyst, results from Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint’s day at the NFL combine. The former Georgia WR did not run a 40-yard dash

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint put together a solid showing at the 2024 NFL combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rosemy-Jacksaint is not an elite athlete per NFL standards, but he does several things that coaches love. Rosemy-Jacksaint consistently catches the ball, is a physical blocker and is willing to play special teams.

Rosemy-Jacksaint projects as a possession wide receiver that excels in the intermediate passing game in the NFL. The former Georgia standout has good size and is projected to be a middle- or late-round draft pick.

How did Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint perform at the 2024 NFL combine?

Bengals prospects meeting tracker from 2024 NFL combine

Tracking which prospects the Bengals “met” with at the scouting combine.

Like every team, the Cincinnati Bengals put in some work at the NFL’s scouting combine in recent days.

And like every year, those in attendance kept track of who the Bengals “formally” met with from the large group of prospects.

The Bengals haven’t been shy about just how important it is to get those one-on-one chats with prospects at events like the Senior Bowl and scouting combine. Even then, the connection between meetings and actual draft picks has been fleeting at best.

Still, it’s interesting to see where and how Duke Tobin have been doing their due diligence at the biggest draft pitstop of the year, so here’s a meetings tracker.

Analyst makes case for Brock Bowers to Bengals with comparison to NFL superstar

The Bengals might want to take Brock Bowers if he ends up like this comparison.

Chalk up another Brock Bowers-Cincinnati Bengals take ahead of the 2024 NFL draft — this time from the combine itself.

There, NFL Network’s Chase Daniel explained on a broadcast why he wants to see the Bengals take Bowers at No. 18 if the Georgia star falls.

He also added a comparison Bengals fans will love, stating that Bowers has a “rare blend of speed, agility, acceleartion, body control. Has a lean frame, he can actually add some weight…he reminds me, catching the football and after the catch, of George Kittle.”

Kittle, of course, is one of the game’s best tight ends down in San Francisco and has 37 touchdowns and 6,000-plus yards since 2017 while averaging better than 13 yards per catch.

As for Bowers, there’s no question he’s the top tight end in the class, though he turned some heads at the combine by opting not to work out, instead waiting until his pro day.

Either way, the Bengals have no tight ends on the roster and sound tired of stopgap solutions there, so Bowers will likely be in play if he indeed falls to their pick in the opening round.

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Bengals met with Xavier Worthy, who just made 40-yard dash history at combine

The Bengals met with the new record-holder.

The Cincinnati Bengals met with the new owner of the 40-yard dash history at the NFL combine.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Bengals formally met with Texas’ Xavier Worthy, the wideout who just ran a 4.21 40-yard dash over the weekend.

Funnily enough, that’s the first time to surpass John Ross’ 4.22 record sprint from the 2017 combine.

Projected as a mid-round pick, Worthy is just 5’11” and 165 pounds, so like other teams, the Bengals will have to debate if the speed is worth the tradeoff.

Last year, it didn’t stop Worthy from going over the 1,000-yard mark with five scores while scoring one touchdown on returns.

The Bengals drafted two wideouts last year, but with one to two starters potentially leaving, Worthy could be a guy they eyeball in those mid-rounds.

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Report: NFL execs believe Commanders ‘are high on’ Drake Maye

Could Drake Maye be Washington’s top-ranked QB?

We’ve seen a lot of opinions on North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye over the past few weeks. One former NFL player said he’s not a first-round talent. Some believe Maye is better than Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Maye is certainly the most polarizing quarterback in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

At the 2024 NFL combine, none of the top three quarterbacks participated in throwing sessions or on-field drills. That’s not unexpected, as they’ll all wait to throw in front of NFL teams at their individual pro days on campus.

There have been a lot of rumors that the Washington Commanders love Williams. He’s a Washington native. But the Commanders may not have a chance to select him. Many believe he will go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, leaving Washington to choose between Maye and Daniels at No. 2 overall.

That’s not a bad place to be for the Commanders. Many draft analysts have stated that in other drafts, Maye and Daniels could easily be the No. 1 passer. There are some who like Maye and/or Daniels over Williams, but most have Williams atop the list.

What about Washington? Well, no one knows who Adam Peters has atop his board. However, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, there is chatter at the combine that the Commanders “are high on Maye.”

There’s belief by rival team executives the Washington Commanders are high on Maye and that he should remain the favorite as the second pick.

From Howe, one executive said of Maye: “He can throw the [expletive] out of the ball.”

Maye’s time at North Carolina mirrored current Washington quarterback Sam Howell’s over the final two seasons. Howell was phenomenal in 2019 and 2020, but lost several starters in 2021 and his play took a step back. He eventually went in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft to Washington.

Maye’s 2022 film is elite. However, he also took a step back in 2023. Maye doesn’t have to worry about falling out of the top five. He has elite traits. Howell’s size was an issue for him, among other things.

This report doesn’t mean any of the executives heard from Washington that they prefer Maye. Williams could be the preference, but he likely isn’t an option. Daniels could be the Commanders’ favorite. No one knows but Peters and those close to him.