Tag: 2024 scouting combine

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: What does the scouting combine really mean?

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into what the scouting combine really means for NFL teams and top draft prospects.

Once the scouting combine is over every year — and this year’s version concluded last week — NFL scouts, coaches and personnel executives are left with reams of new information to deal with, and to add to their previous evaluations.

So, what does that really mean? And what can a great combine performance really do for a draft prospect? For example, Texas receiver Xavier Worthy broke the combine record with a 4.1-second 40-yard dash. If he already plays extremely fast on the field, what does that add to his evaluation? Or if a player like Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu aces all his drills and crushes it in the meeting rooms with NFL teams, how does he really come out the other side in the minds of the people who are set to select him in the 2024 NFL draft?

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into what the scouting combine really means, their individual experiences at this year’s event, and how drill work really matches up to game tape and NFL transitions for multiple top prospects.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Post-combine mock draft: Raiders trade up, Pats trade out, Justin Fields to Washington

In this post-combine mock draft, the Raiders and Patriots make a trade, Justin Fields goes to Washington, and the Broncos work a huge move.

INDIANAPOLIS — Now that the 2024 scouting combine is in the proverbial barn, those NFL personnel people who are still here (not to mention those who didn’t even come in the first place) will both confirm their priors about all the draft prospects in Indy, and take the new information they’ve gleaned to redefine their boards to whatever degree.

There’s also time and room here to discuss impending free agents with the new league year just 10 days away…

…NOT THAT ANY NFL TEAMS IN THE FINE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS ARE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL TAMPERING BECAUSE THAT NEVER HAPPENS…

…in an entirely hypothetical sense, of course.

The point is, a lot of things change after this week, and all boards and mocks should reflect that in some form or fashion. In this post-combine mock, we have some stuff based on things we’ve heard, and stuff we’re just spitballing because it would be cool if it happened.

  • The Commanders trade with the Bears for Justin Fields, and decide in the shocker of the draft to take LSU receiver Malik Nabers over Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. as the first receiver. Harrison goes to the Cardinals with the fourth overall pick, and with the Bears taking Brian Thomas Jr. ninth overall, that’s quite a day for LSU!
  • The Raiders move up with the Patriots and take LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the third overall pick. The Patriots still get their next franchise quarterback a bit later with Michael Penix Jr.
  • With Fields in the nation’s capital, the Broncos trade for Sam Howell, and go EDGE with their 12th overall pick after designating Russell Wilson as a post-June 1 cut to manage his massive dead cap hit.
  • Yes, Texas’ Xavier Worthy broke the combine scouting record with a 4.21 40-yard dash, and yes, it shows up on tape, but focus drops are a problem, so I don’t think this elevates him as much as people may think — especially in a receiver class that is absolutely prosperously deep.

With all that out of the way, here’s my two-round post-combine mock draft, published just in time to head to the airport.

Multiple Longhorns among prospects Cowboys interviewed who combine shined on Day 3

Check out @Larimore_Ben’s film evaluation thoughts on several of the skill position prospects who shined at the combine on Saturday, including Xavier Worthy and Trey Benson.

Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine workouts have come and gone. Saturday’s itinerary involved offensive skill positions; quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. The jersey sellers showed up and showed out in a big way, including one record breaking performance.

The Dallas Cowboys have now concluded their interviews of  prospects, which they have done in formal and informal capacities. Here’s a continuously updated tracker of who the Cowboys are meeting with.

Formal interviews conducted by the Cowboys aligned with just two prospects that participated in workouts on Day 2, but Day 3 offered more looks on that front with a number of stellar performances.

Formal and informal interview count for prospects included in Day 3 position groups:

QB (formal/informal) 0 interviews conducted
RB (formal) 5/5 worked out
RB (informal) 6/7 worked out
WR (formal) 7/7 worked out
WR (informal) 2/2 worked out

Who were the best performers on the list? Let’s dig in.

2024 Scouting Combine: Nine receiver prospects detail their favorite college plays

The 2024 scouting combine was the right place to ask nine receiver prospects for their favorite college plays, and what they will mean in the NFL.

INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.

Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.

We’ve already done this with five quarterbacks, six tight ends and seven cornerbacks here at the combine, and now, it’s time to get into the favorite plays of nine receiver prospects of all shapes, sizes, and talents.

The full lineup:

  • Washington’s Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk
  • Alabama’s Jermaine Burton
  • Tulane’s Jha’Quan Jackson
  • Florida State’s Johnny Wilson
  • Pitt’s Bub Means
  • Michigan’s Roman Wilson
  • South Carolina’s Xavier Legette
  • Texas’ Jordan Whittington

Texas WR Xavier Worthy sets scouting combine record with 4.21-second 40-yard dash

Texas receiver Xavier Worthy set the all-time scouting combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash.

INDIANAPOLIS — Texas receiver Xavier Worthy was fast on the field for the Longhorns, and he was even faster on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium at the scouting combine. Worthy ran a 4.25-second 40-yard dash on his first try, and then, on his second rep, Worthy put up an unofficial 4.22-second 40 — which was then bumped up to a 4.21… and that is the all-time combine record, breaking the 4.22 mark set by Washington receiver John Ross in 2017.

Early scouting reports on 5 DBs Cowboys interviewed at 2024 combine

The Cowboys got an introduction to several defensive backs in Indy, but not all of them completed testing; all for various reasons. | From @Larimore_Ben

Day 2 of the NFL Scouting Combine workouts are in the books. Friday’s participating NFL hopefuls included defensive backs and tight ends. This concluded testing for all defensive positions, officially turning the on-field focus of the upcoming final two days towards offensive position groups.

The Dallas Cowboys continue to interview players of interest in formal and informal capacities, which was explained in review of Day 1 workouts. Here’s a continuously updated tracker of who the Cowboys are meeting with.

The Cowboys completed four formal interviews with players among the three position groups, cornerback, safety and tight ends, who were set to showcase their skills on Friday. However, only two of of those four prospects worked out.

Here’s a closer look at them and why they may not have been on the field.

2024 Scouting Combine: Five quarterbacks detail their favorite college plays

The 2024 scouting combine was the place to ask five quarterback prospects for the best plays of their collegiate careers.

INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.

Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.

We’ve already done this with six tight ends and seven cornerbacks here at the combine, and now, it’s time to get into the favorite plays of five quarterback prospects — Oregon’s Bo Nix, Kentucky’s Devin Leary, Florida State’s Jordan Travis, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, and Tulane’s Michael Pratt.

2024 Scouting Combine: Seven cornerbacks detail their favorite college plays

At the 2024 scouting combine, we asked seven different cornerbacks for their favorite NCAA plays, and got some great answers.

INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.

Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.

On Thursday, we asked seven different cornerback prospects — Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, Kentucky’s Andru Phillips, Wake Forest’s Caelen Carson, Pitt’s M.J. Devonshire, Oregon’s Khyree Jackson, and Ole Miss’s Deantre Prince — for their favorite collegiate plays. These are the ones they’d like to show to NFL teams this week as indicators of their finest work.

Here’s how 5 of the Cowboys DT, LB interviewees did at the combine

Here’s a closer look at how several of the DTs and LBs the Cowboys met with performed in their testing at Thursday’s combine. | From @Larimore_Ben

The NFL Scouting Combine workouts are officially underway for 321 college football invitees at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The first wave of prospects, defensive linemen and linebackers, took the field for testing and drills on Thursday giving scouts and front office personnel a good look at who these players are as athletes on an even testing platform.

This however, was not the first opportunity to study these prospects. Teams, including the Dallas Cowboys’ contingent, have been conducting both formal and informal interviews with players of interest since the first wave of players arrived on Monday. Here’s a continuously updated tracker of who the Cowboys are meeting with.

A formal interview, of which teams are limited to 45 across the week-long event, is scheduled and takes place in an official meeting room with personnel staff, while informal interviews can happen at any time, anywhere.

The Cowboys had eight formal interviews prior to Thursday’s workouts. Five of them were defensive tackles, and three were linebackers.

Here’s a closer look at some of Thursday’s best performers the Cowboys have formally met with, and one they probably should after today’s results. Note, two of the three linebackers formally interviewed by the Cowboys did not workout; Michigan LB Junior Colson and Missouri LB Ty’Ron Hopper.

2024 Scouting Combine: Six tight end prospects detail their favorite college plays

We asked six big-time tight end prospects for their favorite college plays, and we have the All-22 to go with all of them.

INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.

Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.

Today, we asked six tight end prospects — Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders, Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott, TCU’s Jared Wiley, Washington’s Jack Westover, Minnesota’s Brevyn Spann-Ford, and Penn State’s Theo Johnson for their favorite college plays. We’ve included the All-22 for all examples, and we hope you find their answers as enlightening as we did.