NFL Combine 2017: B/R Expert Predictions for Each Day
Are you ready for some football?
OK, so it isn't exactly football. It's hundreds of young players in workout gear participating in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in front of scouts, coaches, pundits and more than a few fans.
Still, the fact that the NFL Scouting Combine has become a weeklong media event attended by thousands of fans shows you just how badly people need any kind of football fix—less than a month after the Super Bowl.
Of course, the combine is much more than just a few days of televised content for NFL Network. It's an opportunity for NFL teams to get up close and personal with the young men who will soon join them. It's also a chance for those young players to improve their stock in the 2017 NFL draft.
This year's incoming class of rookies brings plenty of intriguing storylines. There's the fight to be the No. 1 quarterback in this year's draft between Clemson's Deshaun Watson, North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer. There's the tantalizing athleticism of Texas A&M edge-rusher Myles Garrett, whom many consider this year's top overall prospect.
Of course, there's the annual competition to be the combine's fastest man and take a run at the 40-yard-dash record Chris Johnson set back in 2008.
In advance of this year's festivities, the NFL writers here at Bleacher Report gathered to offer their takes on who will be Indy's winners and losers in 2017: the heaviest lifters, fastest runners, longest jumpers and biggest risers and fallers.
After offering up these predictions, they then hit the track for a three-cone drill.
It wasn't pretty.
Day 1: March 3 (PK, ST, OL, RB)
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The stars of the first day of workouts are the offensive linemen who open holes and the backs who explode through them.
Fastest 40-Yard Dash: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State (five votes)
Bleacher Report NFL Analyst Brad Gagnon was among those who think there will be some Cook-ing on the track at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"These things are tough to predict because we're talking about split seconds," he said. "Obviously Leonard Fournette could dominate here, and someone like Curtis Samuel or Christian McCaffrey could step up and post the top opening-day 40, but I'm in love with Cook's game speed. Call it denial, but I refuse to believe a 235-pound Fournette is going lower than the 213-pound Cook, who has a little more to prove. I get the feeling he'll find an extra gear in Indy."
Others receiving votes: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU (one vote); Curtis Samuel, RB/WR, Ohio State (one vote)
Most Bench Press Reps: Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky (four votes)
The bench press for each group is held the day before workouts, but in the interest of avoiding confusion, we'll list them with the other drills.
Lamp was a four-year starter for the Hilltoppers at tackle, although in the NFL he projects more as an interior lineman. One of the stars at the Senior Bowl, Lamp told Dane Brugler of CBS Sports he intends to show in Indianapolis that he's a small-school player with big-time ability.
"I want to show I can play against anyone," Lamp said.
Others receiving votes: Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana (two votes); Storm Norton, OT, Toledo (one vote)
Highest Vertical Jump: Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina (five votes)
Hood tore it up as a sophomore in Chapel Hill, piling up almost 1,500 rushing yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. Those numbers fell by almost half last year, however, as a medical condition limited Hood throughout the year and kept him out of the team's bowl game.
Given that red flag, the medical exams might well be the single most important aspect of the combine for Hood. But showing off his leg strength with a strong vertical isn't going to hurt his cause.
Others receiving votes: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (one vote); Curtis Samuel, RB/WR, Ohio State (one vote)
Longest Broad Jump: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU (four votes)
Fournette is believed by many to be the No. 1 running back in this year's class, a player who has drawn comparisons to Bo Jackson. Per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, many scouts believe this part of the draft process to be a formality for the 6'1", 235-pounder.
"I can't wait to see how the draft guys pick at Fournette and tell everyone what he doesn't do right," one NFC scouting director said. "He was healthy last year, and that is what you are going to get. Big, fast and dominant."
If Fournette dominates in drills, he's not going to be easy to nitpick.
Others receiving votes: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (two votes); Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee (one vote)
Biggest Winner: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah (three votes)
B/R NFL Analyst Brent Sobleski believes Bolles could vault to the top of the heap at his position with a strong showing in Indy.
"In a poor offensive tackle class, multiple prospects continue to jockey for the top spot," he wrote. "Utah's Garett Bolles is the most likely to emerge as the No. 1 tackle after he displays his tremendous athleticism during workouts and answers questions about his background during team interviews. His age (24 years old) is still a concern, but he presents the best overall combination of traits to be the first blocker selected in April's draft."
In a weak class with no clear-cut front-runner, the combine is that much more important. Excel, and Bolles might be the No. 1 tackle. Fall flat, and it could be a million-dollar mistake.
Literally.
Others receiving votes: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU (two votes); Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (one vote); De'Veon Smith, RB, Michigan (one vote)
Biggest Loser: Zach Banner, OT, USC (five votes)
At 6'9" and 344 pounds, Banner is a mountain of an offensive lineman. Therein lies some of the problem.
In addition to the weight problems that caused Banner to balloon to 385 pounds at USC, he isn't the fleetest of foot in pass protection. That has led more than a few scouts to project Banner as a guard—where his height could be a hindrance.
Essentially, as impressive as his frame is at first glance, Banner might be too tall be an effective guard and too sluggish to be an effective tackle.
Others receiving votes: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama (two votes)
Day 2: March 4 (QB, TE, WR)
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The second day of workouts will all but surely be the most watched of the 2017 combine. Not only are the wide receivers arguably the most likely group to take a run at peeling off the best 40 time of the event, but Saturday also marks the day the quarterbacks hit the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It's a quarterbacks' world. The rest of us are just living in it.
Fastest 40-Yard Dash: John Ross, WR, Washington (five votes)
As Emily Kaplan of The MMQB wrote, former Huskies receivers coach Bush Hamdan insisted Ross is more than just a blazing speedster. "When I came [in 2015], the word around John was that he wasn't necessarily a complete wide receiver," Hamdan said. "From a perception standpoint, he was electric and extremely fast, but a speed guy. He just needed to hone his skills."
Those skills may be honed now, but if Ross' assertion he ran a 4.30 laser-timed 40 is proved correct at the combine, the buzz is going to once again focus on his wheels.
And Ross will quite likely solidify his status as a first-rounder in April's draft.
Others receiving votes: KD Cannon, WR, Baylor (one vote); Kermit Whitfield, WR, Florida State (one vote)
Most Bench Press Reps: Michael Roberts, TE, Toledo (four votes)
Per Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, Roberts said he's been told his game resembles that of Martellus Bennett of the New England Patriots. "Everyone always compares my game to—they call him my big brother—Martellus Bennett," Roberts said. "That comes up very often."
Roberts showed more than a little ability to stretch the field during his breakout 2016, but he's a work in progress as a blocker. A strong (so to speak) showing in the bench press could help demonstrate there's plenty of potential in that regard as well.
The combine is all about displaying potential.
Others receiving votes: David Njoku, TE, Miami (two votes); Jeremy Sprinkle, TE, Arkansas (one vote)
Highest Vertical Jump: Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky (five votes)
According to Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller, the drills at the combine are an ideal showcase for Taylor's athleticism.
"Back in the summer," Miller said, "Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports released his 'Freaks list.' On it, Taywan Taylor stood out as a special athlete. From Feldman's article, coaches at Western Kentucky measured Taylor's broad jump at 11'5" and his vertical at 39.5 inches in the spring of 2016 (along with a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash). Those numbers would certainly turn heads and could push the small-ish small-school wide receiver into the top 100 picks."
Others receiving votes: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan (two votes)
Longest Broad Jump: Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky (five votes)
Is there an echo in here?
Back in January, Taylor told Jaime Eisner of FanRag Sports he wanted to open eyes at the Senior Bowl. "I'm a playmaker, and I know that I can put pressure on defenses in many ways—stretching the field, [coming] out of the slot, playing outside, [coming] out of the backfield. I did a lot of that this year," he said.
Taylor accomplished that goal in Mobile. If our pundits are correct and Taylor is a human pogo stick in Indianapolis, the 6'1", 190-pounder will continue (and perhaps accelerate) his climb up draft boards in advance of his pro day.
Others receiving votes: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan (two votes)
Biggest Winner: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (three votes)
Bleacher Report NFL National Lead Writer Mike Tanier singled out Tennessee signal-caller Josh Dobbs as Saturday's big winner.
"Dobbs is going to interview extremely well with both teams and the media," Tanier said. "He'll then post a solid overall workout, and there won't be anything wrong with him throwing against air. The interviews will solidify Dobbs as an early Day 3 pick for teams. Meanwhile, the national desire to crown a Next Dak Prescott will lead to lots of features on Dobbs. And hey, maybe the Falcons draft Dobbs in the fifth round, Matt Ryan suffers a bizarre gardening accident and Dobbs really does become the next Dak!"
However, three voters went with Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes, the big-armed passer who threw for over 5,000 yards in 2016. If they prove correct, the top three under center could become the top four—adding even more intrigue to the most intriguing position in the NFL draft.
As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote, that's what Mahomes plans to do.
I feel like I have a lot to offer, and I feel like if I do well at the combine and at pro day, I will be up there with them,'' he said. "It's always the dream to get drafted No. 1 overall."
Party crasher!
Others receiving votes: Josh Dobbs, QB, Tennessee (two votes); Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky (two votes)
Biggest Loser: Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU (four votes)
At 6'4", Dupre has the size NFL teams covet at receiver, but one NFC personnel director told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com Dupre made a mistake entering the draft this year.
"I was asked by someone at the school about where he would be drafted if he came out, and I told them on the third day," he said. "I recommended he go back to school. His size is interesting, but I don't see a fast player."
There's been nothing on tape to indicate that Dupre will run well in Indianapolis. Add to that his pedestrian production (41/593/3) in Baton Rouge last year, and the stage is set for that scout to be proved right.
Others receiving votes: Ricky Seals-Jones, WR, Texas A&M (one vote); JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC (one vote); Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (one vote)
Day 3: March 5 (DL, LB)
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March 5 brings with it a switch to the defensive side of the ball, as consensus top overall prospect Myles Garrett of Texas A&M and the other front-seven prospects will be put through their paces.
Fastest 40-Yard Dash: Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan (seven votes)
We have our first unanimous vote.
Jabrill Peppers may have an NFL future as a safety or "hybrid" defender, but the Michigan star will work out with the linebackers at the combine. If what former coach Jim Harbaugh told the Detroit News (via Chase Goodbread of NFL.com) comes to pass, Peppers is going to run a 40 that will be hard to top.
"I've seen it at practice so many times, a 'Whoa, that is so fast,'" Harbaugh said. "Someday he'll go to the combine and run a 40 time, and it will be so interesting to see what he runs. That's going to be in the 4.3s somewhere."
In 2016, Darron Lee of Ohio State ran the fastest 40 among all linebackers—at 4.47 seconds.
If Peppers bests that by a tenth of a second, jaws are going to hit the ground.
Most Bench Press Reps: Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M (four votes)
As Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller wrote not long ago, one NFL general manager compared Garrett to Andrew Luck back in 2012—a player who is head and shoulders better than every other youngster in the class.
A director of pro player personnel one-upped that comparison. "Passing on Garrett is like passing on a young Bruce Smith," he told Miller. "You don't pass on a kid like that."
There have been more than a few comparisons between Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, who was one of the stars of the 2014 combine en route to being selected No. 1 overall.
If Garrett performs as expected, the odds he'll follow Clowney's lead are only going to increase.
Others receiving votes: Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan (one vote); Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, DT, USC (one vote); Eddie Vanderdoes, DT, UCLA (one vote)
Highest Vertical Jump: Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (four votes)
An AFC scouting director told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com he thinks Bowser may be something of a hidden gem in the class of 2017.
"His tape from last year and this year are way different," he said. "He's getting better. There will be some teams who miss him because their scouts are too lazy to keep an open mind that they will have written him off. He will be an early NFL starter. Watch."
What Bowser lacks in size and production he more than makes up for in athleticism and potential, especially for teams looking for outside linebacker help. He's a model example of the type of player whose skills lend well to the sort of combine that opens eyes and sends scouts scrambling back to look through tape.
Others receiving votes: Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan (three votes)
Longest Broad Jump: Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan (three votes)
Given how many times I've written his name, it would appear our experts think Mr. Peppers is going to have a day Sunday. In fact, B/R National Lead Writer Mike Freeman cast a vote for the speedy "tweener" in every category save one:
Biggest Loser.
He'll all but surely be one of the more talked-about players during Sunday's telecast. It's not that anyone doubts his quickness or athleticism. It would be something of an upset if he doesn't finish at or near the top of the heap in most linebacker drills.
But is Peppers a linebacker at all? At less than 210 pounds, he would be really small for the position. However, players such as Mark Barron and Deone Bucannon have shown the ability to play linebacker despite a lack of mass, and Peppers looks to be more than adept in pass coverage.
In any event, if Peppers blows up the drills like we expect, more than a few NFL teams are going to think hard about how and where they can fit him into their defense.
Others receiving votes: Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (two votes); Jarrad Davis, OLB, Florida (two votes)
Biggest Winner: Jabrill Peppers, OLB, Michigan (three votes)
As Bucky Brooks of NFL.com wrote, there may not be a more polarizing player in the 2017 draft class than Peppers. He has plenty of supporters, with one NFC executive calling him a "bigger, more explosive version of Tyrann Mathieu." (You know, the player who was the NFL's highest-paid safety in 2016.)
However, there are also skeptics. "He is a box safety or nickel linebacker," one AFC scouting director said. "He doesn't play well in the back end and is just OK in man coverage."
It's players like Peppers—players about whom opinions are all over the proverbial map—who have the most to gain (or lose) in Indianapolis. How they perform will either embolden their supporters or reinforce the doubts surrounding them.
According to our panel, Peppers is going to do the former.
Others receiving votes: Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (one vote); Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M (one vote); Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple (one vote); Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford (one vote)
Biggest Loser: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennesee (three votes)
Two writers, including NFL National Lead Writer Mike Freeman, believe Garrett could have a "disappointing" combine, at least relative to the lofty expectations surrounding him.
"I know, Myles Garrett is a strange pick for biggest loser, and this is what I mean," Freeman wrote. "I think Jabrill Peppers is going to blow the combine away and will do so at the expense of Garrett. Not necessarily with just workouts, but with his football acumen and his personality. I think he's the best football player in the draft because he's among the smartest."
However, Garrett isn't the only defensive end coming into Indy with buzz surrounding him. In fact, some have even called Tennessee's Derek Barnett a better pass-rushing prospect than Garrett this year.
The problem is that where Garrett wins at the point of attack with speed and pure athletic ability, Barnett is more about technique—a more "traditional" end. His pass-rush moves and football acumen served him well in Nashville, and they probably will in the NFL as well.
But Barnett's skill set doesn't appear well-suited to ace the drills at the combine, which could lead to a "down" outing, hushed whispers and talk of a draft-day slide.
Others receiving votes: Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M (two votes); Taco Charlton, OLB, Michigan (one vote); DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State (one vote)
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Day 4: March 6 (DB)
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The final day of workouts at the combine brings with it some of the leading candidates to be the fastest man at the event, with the nation's top cornerbacks and safeties getting their run on.
Fastest 40-Yard Dash: Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC (six votes)
A number of cornerbacks could easily win this "race," including Clemson's Cordrea Tankersley and Marlon Humphrey of Alabama.
However, with one exception, all of the NFL writers who participated here, including NFL Analyst Sean Tomlinson, feel USC's Adoree' Jackson will burn brightest on the track at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"Jackson is one of the draft's most athletically gifted defensive backs," he said, "and should be an immediate starter. But if he needs a bit of time to settle in at the next level, Jackson can still make a significant contribution with his speed as a returner, which will be showcased at the combine. He averaged 29.5 yards per kick return in 2016 and scored four return touchdowns."
Others receiving votes: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama (one vote)
Most Bench Press Reps: Nathan Gerry, S, Nebraska (four votes)
Of all the drills the defensive backs will do Monday, the bench press is perhaps the least important. Upper body strength isn't a huge priority in the secondary.
But if you've seen much of Nate Gerry in action for the Cornhuskers, you know why the 214-pounder earned the nod here. Gerry's muscles have muscles. He appears to be chiseled from a slab of granite.
However, faring well in the bench press won't help Gerry's draft stock much. It just confirms what we already know. He's a "throwback" type—a prototypical strong safety at his best when playing downhill.
For Gerry to help himself in Indianapolis, he needs to run well and post solid efforts in the agility and position drills. In essence, he must buck the perception that he's a prototypical "thumper" who could struggle backing up in coverage at the NFL level.
Others receiving votes: Jamal Adams, S, LSU (two votes); Desmond King, CB, Iowa (one vote)
Highest Vertical Jump: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama (six votes)
At 6'1" and 196 pounds, Humphrey has the height and size NFL teams covet at cornerback. And the Alabama program has produced its fair share of pros at the position over the last decade.
Many of those Crimson Tide corners have struggled as professionals, and one AFC scouting director told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein he fears Humphrey won't be any different.
"There are some things on tape that really worry you," he said. "If he has trouble playing the long ball, it is going to be bombs away against him, and his team might have to change how they cover because of that. Those issues usually don't go away."
It's the great cautionary tale of the scouting combine. Running fast and jumping high are all well and good. The latter helps when high-pointing passes.
But the tape does not lie. Ever.
Others receiving votes: Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut (one vote)
Longest Broad Jump: Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M (four votes)
Evans isn't lacking either athleticism or confidence. After former Aggies teammate Mike Evans (no relation) tweeted last month that (Justin) Evans should be a first-round pick, he didn't hesitate when Luke Easterling of USA Today asked him about it.
"I agree with him," Justin said.
On paper, Evans appears to have everything an NFL team could want from the safety position, from the strength to help in run support to the speed and agility to excel in coverage.
A player who entered A&M as a heralded football and baseball prospect, Evans is an athlete in the truest sense of the word. Given that, there's a good chance his name will be a fixture on the top performers board at safety in Indy.
Others receiving votes: Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar (two votes); Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama (one vote)
Biggest Winner: Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar (three votes)
Langley's collegiate career had more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan flick: from cornerback at Georgia to wide receiver for the Bulldogs and then back to cornerback at tiny Lamar University.
Still, as Tomlinson wrote, there's a lot to like about the small-school star. "He's still raw in many ways," Tomlinson said, "which should be expected for a prospect who hasn't logged much starting time yet at his position. That leaves Langley's canvas relatively blank, though—an inviting prospect for the right position coach to mold to their liking."
Langley is a 6'0", 199-pounder who has the sort of size and speed that NFL clubs drool over, and his time at receiver would suggest he has better hands than many defensive backs.
If Langley wows in workouts at the combine as expected, that blank canvas of his is going to look all the more appealing to defensive coaches across the NFL.
Others receiving votes: Budda Baker, S, Washington (two votes); Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut (two votes)
Biggest Loser: Chuck Clark, S, Virginia Tech (five votes)
Clark was a three-year starter for the Hokies, so there's no shortage of tape available on him. As one NFC personnel director told Zierlein, that's the problem.
"I think he's JAG (just a guy)," he said. "He's instinctive, but what else? I don't see anything special. To me, he's a backup who will always be looking over his shoulder for his roster spot."
The combine is perhaps the most important week of Clark's career. How he does in Indy could make the difference between being drafted in the fifth round versus not being drafted at all. Any guaranteed contract money could be riding on how he performs in drills.
That's unfortunate, because there's nothing to indicate he'll shine. Clark is a decent young safety, but that's all he is. He isn't especially fast, strong or agile.
In Indianapolis, being "just a guy" isn't going to cut it.
Others receiving votes: Teez Tabor, CB, Florida (two votes)
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