Devin Culp was half of the elite tight end combo that Washington relied on this past season. With he and Jack Westover at the combine this week, it was an opportunity to show what they could do in front of NFL teams, however, Westover was unable to test due to a recent surgery.
Culp was always known as an ultra-athletic player during his time at Washington but was never able to consistently display his skills. He struggled with drops and mental lapses at time that made it hard to keep him on the field consistently.
However, during the Huskies’ run to the national championship game, Culp played an integral role and finally was able to find that consistency he and the coaching staff had been searching for with a senior season that saw him total 16 catches for 208 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Many expected Culp to shine at the combine due to his impressive athletic profile and he took full advantage of his opportunity. Culp posted a 4.47 40-yard dash that was best among tight end participant this year and put him among elite company, as that was the fourth-fastest time recorded by a tight end since 2003.
4.47u for a tight end is no joke. 😳@_DevinCulp_ | @UW_Football
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/CARgMwxwRH— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2024
Culp also hit a whopping 23.25 miles per hour on his runs, which was significantly faster than any other tight end at this year’s event.
Devin Culp (@UW_Football) reached a top speed of 23.25 mph during his forty, nearly a full mile per hour faster than any other tight end in this year’s class.
Culp recorded an official 4.47-second 40-yard dash, the 4th-fastest among tight ends at the NFL Combine since 2003. pic.twitter.com/7t0agsMgRv
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 2, 2024
After posting his impressive time, Culp declined to do other drills and let his jaw-dropping time do the talking. As for his future in the NFL and where he ends up getting selected, the 40-yard dash will definitely help his stock but he still likely profiles as a day three pick.
He is on the smaller side for a tight end but does fit the move tight end profile that some teams will be looking for. His struggles as a blocker will make it difficult to get on the field early in his career but teams that utilize their tight ends as pure pass-catchers or are willing to be patient as he works to improve as a blocker could fall in love with him as a prospect.