Where Texas WR Xavier Worthy lands in Charles Davis’ latest NFL mock draft

This would be an excellent landing spot for Worthy.

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy stole the show at the 2024 NFL Combine last weekend. Continue reading “Where Texas WR Xavier Worthy lands in Charles Davis’ latest NFL mock draft”

Texas WR Xavier Worthy’s speed and its impact on late-drafting teams

It’s going to be difficult to see 4.21 speed in addition to impressive route running and pass on Worthy.

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy is the fastest to run at the NFL combine. It’s going to be hard to ignore. One team in the first round might not be able to refrain from drafting him.

There’s a pattern of speedy players getting drafted early despite a pre-NFL combine consensus that there are better players available.

The Cincinnati Bengals once drafted 4.22 second 40-yard runner John Ross at the No. 9 pick. The now Las Vegas Raiders once drafted Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs over Dallas Cowboys standout CeeDee Lamb and Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson.

NFL franchises can look at those instances as ones that didn’t work out, but it’s human nature to see what Worthy did in Indianapolis and not be able to pass on the talented receiver.

For teams drafting in the late-first round, drafting the Longhorns receiver should be a no-brainer. You get a potential star in the back half of the first round. But even earlier drafting teams might have a discussion on their hands.

Worthy was a productive player on the gridiron despite being the focal point of game planning for opposing defenses in his senior season. His ability to get separation on routes in the red zone stood out early in his career. His toughness was evident in the way he battled through injury in his final season in Austin.

The Texas receiver is a good prospect, and he’s worthy of consideration late in the first round. But if past draft history is any indication, he could be drafted in the front half of the first round. All it takes for Worthy to get drafted early is one team willing to make the pick.

Outside consensus doesn’t matter. We’ll see which NFL team he lands with once the draft kicks off on April 25.

PODCAST: What did we learn at the NFL combine about offensive NFL draft prospects

Justin Higdon from the Original Draft Breakdown Podcast joins the show to discuss the offensive prospects at the 2024 NFL combine.

The NFL combine is over and it was time for our nearly shows about it and the NFL draft. Joining me and Seth Cox on the podcast is Seth’s Orginal Draft Breakdown Podcast cohost Justin Higdon to break down the performance of the offensive players at the 2024 NFL combine.

Sit back and enjoy this super-sized episode!


Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple PodcastsSpotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!


Times and topics:

(1:00) Quarterbacks 

(29:25) Running backs

(44:10) Receivers

(1:05:56) Tight ends

(1:17:48) Offensive line

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Rutgers football in the NFL: Max Melton gets praised for his NFL combine workout by CBS Sports

Max Melton is getting some national praise for his NFL combine showing.

Max Melton is generating some very good buzz following his performance last week at the NFL combine. The former Rutgers football defensive back certainly helped his draft stock.

His last season at Rutgers saw Melton finish with 32 total tackles, three interceptions and six passes defended. He was an All-Big Ten selection (honorable mention) as a senior.

Emory Hunt, one of the few people in the business who analyzes and doesn’t yell his opinion, praised Melton’s performance last week at the NFL combine.

In Indianapolis, he ran a 4.39 time (tied for sixth among all cornerbacks). His 11.4-inch broad jump was the longest among any cornerbacks.

“But it matches what he does on tape,” Hunt said yesterday on CBS Sports HQ.

“And I think Melton is someone who is active around the ball, has great ball skills, can quickly close and keep that space tight between him and the receiver. Definitely going to be someone who is going to go mid-round and be a starter by season’s end.”

It is solid praise from Hunt, who highlighted Melton as one of the players who made an impression during the NFL combine.

 

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With his performance at the NFL combine, Melton is likely a Day 2 pick or a very early Day 3 selection in April’s NFL draft.

Panthers mock draft roundup 2.0: Tracking the latest 2024 projections

Once again, there are plenty of wideouts to go around in the latest mock draft projections for the Panthers.

Now that the 2024 edition of the underwear olympics is completed, are the experts forecasting anything different for the Carolina Panthers in the upcoming draft?

Here are the latest, post-combine projections for the team’s first pick of the spring:

Panthers trade up to 1st round in The Athletic’s post-combine mock draft

Dane Brugler of The Athletic forecasts a jump up into the first round for the Panthers in his newest mock draft.

After trading the farm for last year’s No. 1 overall pick, are the Carolina Panthers really in a position to move up again this spring? One longtime draft expert believes so.

The Athletic NFL draft analyst Dane Brugler just rolled out his latest mock, straight off this past week’s trip to Indianapolis. He has the Panthers, whose opening pick currently sits atop the second round, leaping into the first in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens.

Brugler’s proposed swap nets Carolina the 30th overall selection in exchange for the 33rd and 141st selections. He then has them netting University of Georgia wideout Ladd McConkey:

The Panthers have to get better on the offensive line, but they also have to add weapons who can get open and give Bryce Young a target. McConkey, who can play both inside and outside, is arguably the best in this draft class at creating space with his crisp route running and electric speed/quickness.

In this scenario, Carolina doesn’t let the Chiefs snatch up McConkey. First-year general manager Dan Morgan moves up and gets his guy.

McConkey had one of the better combine performances at the receiver position. The two-time national champ clocked an impressive 40-yard dash at 4.39 seconds and proceeded to cut right through the gauntlet like a hot knife through butter.

But would he be worth a stab at the expense of Brandt Tilis’ old buddies?

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Texas WRs currently co-favorites for Panthers’ 33rd overall pick

Will the Panthers hook in a Texas WR with their first pick of the 2024 draft?

The Carolina Panthers might be looking deep in the heart of Texas with this year’s 33rd overall pick.

BetCarolina.com released a fresh set of odds for the team’s first selection of the 2024 NFL draft. Sharing the top spot are University of Texas wideouts Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, who were also two of the brightest stars of the scouting combine.

Analyst Steve Bittenbender wrties:

It would likely be an upset if the Panthers did not pick a receiver when they kick off the second round of the NFL Draft. Who that receiver will be is more uncertain, although Xavier Worthy might have just secured a first-round draft slot after his record-setting 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. If Adonai Mitchell is still available, he’ll likely be the favorite, with Ladd McConkey a potential fallback pick.

Worthy came away with, perhaps, the biggest win of the weekend—posting a record-breaking 40-yard dash of 4.21 seconds. Mitchell wasn’t far behind, clocking his at a blazing 4.34 seconds.

Their complete odds for the 33rd pick are as follows:

  • Mitchell/Worthy: +600 (14.3-percent chance)
  • McConkey: +900 (10 percent)
  • West Virginia C Zach Frazier: +900 (10 percent)
  • Oregon WR Troy Franklin: +1200 (7.7 percent)
  • Washington WR Ja’Lynn Polk: +1200 (7.7 percent)
  • Other: +175 (36.4 percent)

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Analyzing Ricky Pearsall’s scouting combine performance

Two former Florida Gators were at the 2024 NFL scouting combine over the weekend, and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall performed very well.

Former Florida wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] and center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] participated in the 2024 NFL draft combine over the weekend, and Pearsall was one of the biggest standouts of the entire event

Pearsall finished with a 40-yard dash time of 4.41 seconds, putting him in a three-way tie for the 21st-best time of all combine participants and a tie for ninth-best among receivers.

His 10-yard split was the fourth-worst of any receiver at 1.57 seconds, which means he’s a player who needs to hit his stride to reach top speed. Pearsall made up for that poor showing with a 42-inch vertical, the third-best number among receivers and sixth-best overall. His broad jump of 10 feet 9 inches is in a three-way tie for the seventh-best figure among receivers.

The former Gator finished second overall in the 3-cone drill with a time of 6.64 seconds. Only Georgia cornerback Kamari Lassiter beat him (6.62 seconds). He also finished sixth in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.05 seconds.

The only combine event former Florida center Kingsley Eguakun participated in was the bench press. His 26 reps are good for a three-way share of the 12th-best number among offensive linemen. Pearsall’s 17 reps were tied for seventh-best among receivers.

There should be little doubt left among NFL scouts that Pearsall has some of the best feet and change of direction in the draft pool. NextGen Stats ranked him eighth among wide receivers at the 2024 combine. His total score of 77 was 17th among receivers.

NFL.com gives Pearsall a prospect grade of 6.26, which translates to “will eventually be an average starter,” on a scale where 8.0 is “the perfect prospect.”

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

ESPN describes Ladd McConkey’s NFL combine performance as flawless

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey put on a show at the 2024 NFL combine.

Former Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey is gaining steam as a potential first-round selection after an impressive performance at the 2024 NFL combine last week.

Often underestimated during his career at UGA, McConkey hasn’t had that issue when it comes to pre-NFL draft evaluations from experts. His combine performance added to the hype.

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid had this to say when sharing his takeaways from Indianapolis.

“Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey was nearly flawless during positional drills. His trademark start-stop quickness and explosive footwork allowed him to easily move in and out of each route. McConkey is a finished product as a route runner and adds burst with 4.39-second speed on a 6-foot, 186-pound frame. He entered the combine as my No. 36 overall player, but his pro readiness and fluid speed have me thinking he’s a top-32 prospect and Round 1 target.”

McConkey’s draft stock has been on the rise since his performance at this year’s Senior Bowl. While he routinely draws the lazy Julian Edelman comparison, McConkey proved further at the combine that he should be in first-round talks. His skills are reminiscent of All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown and rookie Pro Bowler Puka Nacua.

McConkey measured taller than previously thought, coming in at 5 feet, 11 5/8 inches and 186 pounds. However, McConkey’s arm length and wingspan are among the smallest of wide receiver prospects, 30 1/4 and 72 inches, respectively. His 8 5/8 inch hands match the second-smallest among those going through the process.

McConkey has never been an imposing physical threat. He wins against defenders with speed, acceleration, elite route-running and sure hands.

We received a glimpse of some of those skills in the gauntlet drill:

McConkey’s 4.39 official 40-yard dash time tied for the sixth-best time among all receiver prospects, burying any doubts about his breakaway speed. McConkey’s athleticism was also on display in the vertical (36 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches).

McConkey has an opportunity to bolster his draft stock further when UGA hosts its pro day on March 13. The 2024 NFL draft will be held from April 25-27 in Detroit.

 

Broncos met with OLB Jared Verse at the NFL combine

Jared Verse is considered one of the top pass rushers in the NFL draft and he might be available when the Broncos pick at No. 12 in April.

The Denver Broncos met with FSU’s Jared Verse at the NFL combine last week, the pass rusher confirmed during his media availability on Feb. 28.

Verse (6-4, 254 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds 31 times at the combine. He was a defensive lineman for the Seminoles, but Verse would likely transition to outside linebacker if picked by a team that runs a 3-4 defense like the Broncos.

Verse played one year at Albany (FCS) before transferring to FSU ahead of his sophomore season. In two years (25 games) with the Seminoles, Verse totaled 89 tackles (29.5 behind the line of scrimmage), 18 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Before the combine, Draft Wire did not have Verse ranked among the top five pass rushers in this year’s class, but that will likely change when the rankings are updated. Verse could be an option for Denver at No. 12 overall.

The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27. The Broncos currently hold six picks, but they could acquire more through trades.

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