Top Takeaways from the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine
INDIANAPOLIS — Here are former NFL defensive back Matt Bowen's top takeaways from the NFL Scouting Combine, which wrapped up Monday.
Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota Take Advantage of the Combine Stage
I hope future high-profile quarterbacks follow the lead of Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota at the combine. The top-ranked quarterbacks of this year's class came to Indianapolis to work out, throw and compete. Nothing to hide for these guys, as they answered the bell in front of league scouts, despite throwing to unfamiliar receivers in a high-pressure environment.
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Winston passed the test, in my opinion, as the top player at the position during the throwing drills. He's a classic, pro-style guy who can sling the ball and put the proper touch on his passes. His footwork was excellent, and the drills looked almost too easy. It was effortless at times for Winston to take his drop, set his feet and deliver the ball (with placement) inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Mariota showcased his "plus" athleticism with a 4.52 40 time and a 36" vertical jump. He brings an added dimension to the league that Winston can't match outside of the pocket. However, that was expected after watching him at Oregon.
The real question for Mariota was the footwork and mechanics when simulating a snap under center. He played in the gun during his entire career at Oregon, and scouts wanted to see him throw from three- and five-step positions. I thought Mariota looked clean setting the back foot and delivering the ball. A solid workout for the former Ducks quarterback.
With the draft still nine weeks away, there is a lot of work to be done on both Winston and Mariota. But after the combine, it's clear that Winston's skill set should easily transition to the pro game. He's the No. 1 quarterback.
Edge-Rushers Showcase Freakish Athletic Ability
How can you not get excited about the size, speed and functional strength of the edge-rushers in this year's class?
Clemson's Vic Beasley started it off with a 4.53 40 time, 35 reps on the bench press and change-of-direction times that are comparable to skill-position players at 246 pounds. What about Florida's Dante Fowler (4.60 40 at 261 lbs), Nebraska's Randy Gregory (4.64 40), Kentucky's Alvin "Bud" Dupree (4.56 40, 42" vertical jump, 11'6" broad jump) and UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa (4.62 40)?
These are crazy numbers for guys who have the athletic ability to rush off the edge and play in space. Plus, Mizzou's Shane Ray didn't work out. That's another name you can add to the list of potential first-round picks who can rush the passer.
Given the demand for edge speed in the NFL, I expect there to be an early run on defensive ends/outside linebackers in the draft. And there are a number of prospects in this class who will fit in the base front while showcasing their true ability in defensive sub-packages. Go get the quarterback. That's the drill with this year's class.
Another Loaded Class at Wide Receiver
The 2014 class headlined by Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans took the NFL by storm, so I'm not going to say this year's group has more talent, but it is definitely loaded with prospects who should have an immediate impact as rookies.
Kevin White's 4.35 40 time at 6'3", 215 pounds is ridiculous, Amari Cooper answered questions on his vertical speed (low 4.4s), and DeVante Parker checked in with a solid time in the 4.4 range. Dorial Green-Beckham wowed scouts with his 4.49 time at 6'5", 237 pounds, and Miami's Phillip Dorsett carried over his solid Senior Bowl performance by posting an official time of 4.33 seconds. He can flat out fly.
Plus, we can't forget about Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, Kansas State's Tyler Lockett, Auburn's Sammie Coates, Ohio State's Devin Smith…the list goes on. This class has size, speed, depth and the measurables to climb draft boards. For teams that need to upgrade the position, this is a good year to land a wideout.
Where is the Depth at the Safety Position?
Landon Collins passed the test Tuesday morning with a low 4.5 40 time at 228 pounds. That's what scouts wanted to see. The Alabama product might not be a top-10 guy, but he showed us that his workout matches the tape. He is a first-round talent who will bring a lot of versatility to a pro defensive scheme.
But after Collins, this class lacks depth and top-tier ability.
Samford strong safety Jaquiski Tartt had a great week at the Senior Bowl and ran in the 4.5s at 221 pounds. He's a thumper who can drive downhill on the ball. Looking at Arizona State's Damarious Randall, I see a free safety with range and speed (4.46 40) who should bump up to a third-round grade. And Penn State's Adrian Amos (who could play cornerback) ran an official 4.56 at 218 pounds.
However, with pre-combine riser Chris Hackett from TCU running in the 4.8 range and Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt having an average workout, we might not see a safety outside of Collins drafted in the first two rounds. Because of that, this is a great year to be a veteran free-agent safety. There will be a lot of demand for the position in March.
Pro Day "Rechecks" are a Must for These Prospects
The combine isn't a true judge of how a prospect will transition to the NFL level, as 40 times, change-of-direction drills, etc., in a controlled environment don't tell the entire story. The game tape is still the ultimate tool for grading a player.
However, pro scouts want times to add to the scouting report. And when a prospect runs slowly or fails to show the expected athleticism during positional drills, there will be questions. That's why the pro day offers some guys another chance to improve their testing numbers.
Looking at this year's class, I would put TCU linebacker Paul Dawson (4.93 40) in that group along with Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder (4.56 40), Michigan wideout Devin Funchess (4.70 40), Miami cornerback Ladarius Gunter (4.69 40) and Hackett from TCU (4.81 40). All five of these prospects were very productive players at the college level, but the testing numbers don't match up.
With a much more comfortable and familiar environment on campus, the numbers should improve for these prospects at their respective pro days. And if they don't, then we will find out how much stock is put into the tape.
Melvin Gordon Turns in a 1st-Round Workout
With Georgia's Todd Gurley still recovering from an ACL injury, the stage was set for Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon to lock in that first-round grade at the combine during his workout.
Gordon ran a very good 4.52 40 and backed that up with solid numbers in his testing. He posted a 35" vertical jump and 10'6" broad jump to go along with a 4.07 short shuttle and 7.04 three-cone time. Those numbers match Gordon's tape and speak to his ability at the position.
I do think this running back class has plenty of depth for teams looking to grab a player in Rounds 2-4 (Duke Johnson, Ameer Abdullah, David Cobb, David Johnson), but in my opinion, Gordon and Gurley will be the only backs to carry a late first-round grade.
Leonard Williams Could be the Top Prospect in the 2015 Class
Washington's Danny Shelton is going to eat up the middle of the offensive line for a 3-4 team at 339 pounds and should come off the board early given the demand for nose tackles. And I would take a hard look at Oklahoma's Jordan Phillips. However, after watching USC's Leonard Williams on Sunday during workouts, there is no question he is the top defensive line prospect in this draft.
Williams has the versatility to play multiple spots on the defensive line, and he moved with ease during positional drills for guy who weighed in at 6'5", 302 pounds. He also posted a 1.72 10-yard split in the 40 and has 34.625" arms. Burst plus length; that's what scouts want on the defensive front.
The defensive tackle isn't a finished product, and he can develop much more at the NFL level. But with his measurables, he could be the top prospect in this class.
Trae Waynes and the Cornerbacks Move Up the Draft Board
After running an official 4.31 40, Michigan State's Trae Waynes is going to jump to the top of plenty of teams' draft boards at the cornerback position. Waynes has the size NFL clubs want outside of the numbers (6'0", 186 lbs), and he can play press. A well-coached cornerback, he earned some good money during the Monday workouts.
In addition to Waynes, Washington's Marcus Peters showed some speed (4.53) to go along with his press-man skill set, Florida State's Ronald Darby posted a blistering 4.38 40, LSU's Jalen Collins dropped a 4.48, Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson ran a 4.52, and Connecticut's Byron Jones created a major buzz at the combine with a 44.5" vertical jump and a record-breaking broad jump of 12'3". That's just awesome.
The point here is that cornerback is a position of need for every club in the league when looking at sub-packages (nickel, dime) and special teams. Expect this group to rise up the draft board as we get closer to April.
Don't Forget About the O-Line
The 40-yard dash isn't going to tell us much about offensive line prospects, but I did get a good feel for some guys based on their movement skills during positional drills.
LSU's La'el Collins might have had the best workout of the group, and Ali Marpet of Hobart College continued his rise at the combine after a solid week of practice at the Senior Bowl. I would also add Stanford's Andrus Peat to the list of offensive linemen who helped themselves with solid workouts on the field.
I still see Iowa's Brandon Scherff, who didn't finish drills due to a hamstring injury, as the top prospect in this group, but the combine did give us a chance to watch some offensive linemen showcase their athleticism and quickness.
More Questions for the Tight End Class
After the Senior Bowl, I was excited to watch Miami's Clive Walford test at the combine, but he didn't take advantage of the opportunity to display his athletic ability in a weak class.
Although Walford (6'4", 250 lbs) recorded a 35" vertical jump, he ran an average 4.79 40 time and didn't look as smooth as I expected during drills.
Minnesota's Maxx Williams (6'4", 249 lbs) will likely be the first tight end to come off the board. He is your classic on-the-line "Y" tight end who can block in the run game while using his size/frame to shield defenders from the ball in the route tree. But just like Walford, Williams' time of 4.78 in the 40 isn't going to create a ton of buzz.
One prospect to do some work on: Southern Illinois' MyCole Pruitt. The FCS tight end ran a 4.58 40 and recorded a 38" vertical jump. He could be a sleeper in a class that lacks a true matchup player at the position.
Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.
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