Winner: Denzel Mims
Every draft season there are a number of prospects that simply ace the pre-draft cycle, boosting their stock as they run the gauntlet from the postseason circuit through the Combine.
Denzel Mims from Baylor is a candidate for such accolades.
The wide receiver turned heads down in Mobile during the Senior Bowl, when he demonstrated consistent prowess in the vertical passing game. Benjamin Solak, writing for The Draft Network, described one of Mims’ practice sessions this way:
What he has shown is separation ability over the last few days, and it’s been better than many experienced after viewing his tape. Mims wins on downfield routes because he has a clean release at the line of scrimmage, explosive first steps to generate a downfield stack and an inherent knack for ball-tracking early maintaining leverage. He knows just the right speed to finish his route so that he can stay between the corner and the football.
Now let’s look at what Mims accomplished in Indianapolis. He posted a 4.38 40-yard dash, the third-fastest time among wide receivers. His 38.5” vertical was tenth among wide receivers. His 10’11” broad jump was fourth-best among wide receivers, and to close things out his 6.66 three-cone time was the best for his position group. Scouts may have questions about his ability to separate based on his game film, but he started to answer those questions with a solid week at the Senior Bowl and when you factor in his testing, Mims is looking more like a first round target.
Loser: K.J. Hill
Similar to Mims, Hill was a player who flashed down in Mobile during Senior Bowl practices. Carter Donnick, who covers the draft for The Draft Network, used quite the lofty comparison when describing Hill’s production at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile:
He isn’t the biggest or the fastest, but Hill’s quickness, nuance and insane one-handed catches consistently put him on the highlight reel. Take it for what it is, but I had one name pop into my mind while watching Hill: Tyler Lockett.
Austin Gayle from Pro Football Focus, who was also in Mobile covering the Senior Bowl for PFF, was also impressed with the Ohio State wideout:
Ohio State's K.J. Hill has been phenomenal in one-on-ones in both North practices. He's moving up boards with his performance this week. pic.twitter.com/36ItEdgIoY
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) January 23, 2020
However, results from Indianapolis were a bit underwhelming. Size was going to be a factor when projecting his draft value, as he measured in at 5’11 and ⅞” and at 196 pounds, but the testing was also subpar given his size. Hill posted a 4.6 40-yard dash with an estimated 20-yard split of 2.67, which brings into question his usage out of the slot. He also underwhelmed with a vertical of 32.5” and a broad jump of 9’6”. Now, slot receivers are starters in the NFL, so even if he is pigeonholed into that role as a rookie he still brings value to a team, but those expecting him to perhaps crash the Day Two party are having second thoughts.