2023 NFL Scouting Combine Takeaways: Bijan Robinson Delivers & More on RB, OL Groups
The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine finished its on-field workouts on Sunday. The final round featured offensive linemen and running backs, two very important pieces of any NFL offense.
Anyone who enjoys watching big, athletic linemen moving quickly had an enjoyable early portion of the day. Prospects like Georgia's Broderick Jones and Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. showed why they could be long-term anchors at the next level—and did little to create clarity on which lineman would go first.
This year's crop of running backs was equally impressive. However, there are far fewer questions about who the top running back is on most draft boards.
As one might expect from an event where all 32 teams are gathered, there was plenty of information circulating through the rumor mill as well. It was a fun and fitting way to wrap up this year's combine workouts, and we're here to examine the latest buzz and our biggest takeaways from Sunday.
Broderick Jones Can Move
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Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones has a chance to be the first offensive lineman off the board in April. He's the third-ranked tackle on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's draft board but is tabbed as the best zone-blocker.
Jones may need some coaching early in his NFL career, but his physical toolbox is impressive.
"He needs considerable refinement in his use of hands, posture/hat placement and overall ability to stay attached to blocks, making him a potential impact player as a rookie with the physical traits to develop into a plus starter within his first contract," Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.
On Sunday, Jones showed just how impressive his physical traits are.
Jones logged a 30-inch vertical and a 108-inch broad jump, great numbers for a 6'5", 311-pound prospect. Jones also recorded a 4.97-second 40-yard dash with a 1.74-second 10-yard split.
Not only can Jones move quickly, but he can do it fluidly.
Jones' explosiveness can allow him to burst off the line and engage defenders with power. His movement skills can allow him to mirror speedy edge-rushers or get out in space as a run-blocker.
Technique can be coached, but Jones' rare blend of size and athleticism cannot. For franchises higher on upside than pro-readiness, Jones may have just moved to the top of the tackle board.
Blake Freeland Doesn't Disappoint
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Brent Sobleski of the B/R Scouting Department predicted that BYU offensive tackle Blake Freeland would be one of the athletic standouts of the weekend.
"Leverage and core strength can be an issue because of Freeland's height, but he moves well with excellent overall agility," Sobleski wrote last month. "The multi-sport standout should piece together an outstanding workout to show he's a potential future starter on some quarterback's blindside."
The former high school quarterback, tight end and track and field athlete met expectations wonderfully. He measured in at 6'8" and 302 pounds, logged a 37-inch vertical and posted a 120-inch broad jump.
With his vertical, Freeland became the latest player at this year's combine to post a historic number.
Like Broderick Jones, Freeland moved effortlessly during positional drills, and he logged an impressive 4.98-second 40-yard dash with a 1.68-second 10-yard split.
Freeland is not largely viewed as a premier prospect. He didn't crack the top 150 players on the Bleacher Report post-Senior Bowl draft board—though he was ranked 141st in early January. However, he probably jumped and ran his way onto a lot of teams' radars on Sunday.
Size and length are important at the tackle position, and Freeland has that. He showed on Sunday that he also has the movement skills needed to pass protect and to be a big asset on pulling blocks.
Freeland has the potential to be a true middle-round gem next month.
Questions Remain About Peter Skoronski's Best Fit
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Northwestern's Peter Skoronski is the top-ranked offensive lineman on the B/R board, and he did some solid work in Indianapolis on Sunday.
The 6'4", 313-pound prospect produced a 34.5-inch vertical and a 115-inch broad jump. His 5.16 40-yard dash wasn't as impressive—at least his 1.75-second 10-yard split was respectable—but he moved extremely well during positional drills.
Skoronski has the combination of athleticism and skill to be one of the best players in this draft class. For him, the question has been about arm length and whether he will be best utilized as a guard or a tackle at the pro level.
"Marginal arm length allows defenders to establish first meaningful contact, gain easy access into his frame and keep him at their fingertips," Thorn wrote. "... His best long-term fit as a pro remains a question, but there is no doubt that he has the physical traits, makeup and skill set to be an immediate starter at all five positions."
Skoronski's arms measured 32¼ inches. That's just a shade shorter than what NFL teams typically want at the tackle position. For example, Ikem Ekwonu, the first lineman off the board in 2022, came to the combine with 34-inch arms. Perennial Pro Bowler Orlando Brown Jr. measured with 35-inch arms.
Now, not every team will dismiss Skoronski as a tackle because some linemen with less-than-ideal arm length have had fantastic careers. Newly-minted Hall of Famer Joe Thomas measured in with 33¾-inch arms back in 2007.
Skoronski would be an outlier as a left tackle, though, which is why the debate about where he can play will likely rage throughout the predraft process. What's clear, however, is that he has the athletic upside and the refined technique needed to be a Pro Bowler in whichever role he ultimately fills.
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Paris Johnson Jr. Likely Solidified His First-Round Status
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Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. is the second-ranked offensive lineman on the B/R board. Unlike Peter Skoronski, Johnson carries no questions about arm length, and he had an impressive all-around showing on Sunday.
Johnson measured in at 6'6" and 313 pounds with 36⅛-inch arms. He's also an outlier on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to arm length.
While Johnson chose not to run the 40-yard dash or record a vertical, he did log a 110-inch vertical. More importantly, he took part in positional drills and, like Jones, operated with a lot of quickness and fluidity.
Johnson's outing confirmed what he has put on film.
"Johnson is an extremely athletic, coordinated mover with the movement skills and body control to play on an island in pass-protection while being an asset in the zone run game, working combo blocks and tracking targets on the move," Thorn wrote.
While teams may want to see Johnson run the 40 at Ohio State's pro day—scheduled for March 22—he likely showed enough in Indianapolis to solidify his status as a first-round pick. The big question now may be whether he or Jones is the first true tackle off the board next month.
Bijan Robinson Checks All the Boxes
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While there's a little uncertainty surrounding the top of the offensive-line pool this year, there are no questions about which running back is the headliner.
Texas' Bijan Robinson, the fourth overall prospect on the B/R board, is widely viewed as the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley.
"Robinson is a three-down back with excellent size, vision and burst. On inside runs, he is aggressive to press the hole before lowering his pads and exploding through contact," NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote in January. "... Overall, Robinson has all of the tools to quickly emerge as a top-tier RB in the NFL."
This past season, Robinson logged 1,580 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 314 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Robinson had little to prove in Indianapolis, but he showed up to check the proverbial boxes. The 5'11", 215-pound prospect did exactly that, showing great speed and explosiveness.
Robinson produced a 37-inch vertical and a 124-inch broad jump. Though he wasn't the fastest running back to run the 40-yard dash, his official 4.46-second time was plenty impressive for a back his size.
Robinson's proven production and game film should be enough for him to be the first running back off the board. While there wasn't much room for his stock to rise any further, his combine performance was strong enough to prevent it from falling at all.
There's a very good chance that Robinson goes early in Round 1, and there's an even better chance that he's an immediate star at the next level.
Devon Achane Is One Speedy Back
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Texas A&M running back Devon Achane might not be an archetypal every-down running back. However, the 39th-ranked prospect on the B/R board is a tremendous dual threat who is still likely to go early in the draft.
"Achane is the ultimate change-of-pace and third-down back. It's hard to imagine he can be a true lead back in the traditional sense because of his size and strength issues, but he has elite athletic ability, a smart running style and a complete profile as a third-down back," Derrik Klassen of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote.
Measuring in at just 5'8½" and 188 pounds, Achane has to win at the next level with elusiveness, agility and speed. On Sunday, he showed that he should be able to use these traits to his advantage.
Achane logged a 33-inch vertical jump and ran the 40-yard dash in an official 4.32 seconds.
NFL teams covet speed on offense, and Achane has it. It's not just track speed either, as Achane regularly showed in college that he could turn the corner, make defenders miss and run to daylight.
In 2022, he logged 1,102 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He also caught 36 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns and averaged 28.4 yards per kickoff return.
Achane has the potential to be a Jerick McKinnon-type runner/receiver who can also provide explosive plays on special teams. A bell-cow back, he is not, but teams seeking a high-end speed complement in the backfield should be very intrigued by what Achane can offer.
The Running Back Class Is Extremely Deep
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Bijan Robinson likely cemented his spot as the top starting back in this year's draft, but he's far from the only one. While Devon Achane is more of a complementary back—albeit an extremely gifted one—he and Robinson won't be the only running backs selected early.
Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs probably clinched his spot as a potential first-round pick on Sunday. The 5'9", 199-pound prospect had a tremendous workout, logging a 33.5-inch vertical and a fast 4.36-second 40-yard dash.
Gibbs is the 28th-ranked prospect on the B/R board.
UCLA's Zach Charbonnet, the 56th-ranked prospect on the B/R board, also had a strong day. He had a 37-inch vertical, a 122-inch broad jump and a 4.53-second 40-yard dash. Those are incredible numbers for a 6'0", 214-pound ball-carrier.
Utah's Tavion Thomas wasn't as fast as some of the other backs—though his 4.74-second time isn't bad for a big man—but the 6'0", 237-pound bruiser had a 30-inch vertical and a 118-inch broad jump.
Tyjae Spears of Tulane didn't run the 40, but the 5'10", 201-pounder logged a 39-inch vertical and a 125-inch broad jump and shined during positional drills. He might only be the 88th-ranked prospect on the B/R board, but he has NFL starting potential.
Overall, there was a ton of athletic ability, skill and speed on display on Sunday.
This didn't come as a surprise, as this is expected to be one of the deeper running back classes we've seen recently. Of the Bleacher Reporting Scouting Department's top 150 prospects, 15 are running backs.
The 2023 draft class features numerous options at the position. While teams will have to flip the switch early for players like Robinson and Gibbs, teams will be able to find quality backs late in and perhaps even after the draft.
Free-Agency Buzz Overshadowed Some of the On-Field Activity
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While the combine is meant to help teams with the scouting process, it also provides the league's 32 teams with an opportunity to meet, talk and share information. Naturally, non-draft-related rumors often leak in Indianapolis.
A lot of the buzz over the weekend had little to do with the draft and more to do with free agency, which begins on March 15. The New York Giants, for example, reportedly are not close to getting a deal done with quarterback Daniel Jones.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Jones' agents and the Giants met several times in Indianapolis but are expected to leave with no contract resolution imminent. This could lead to New York giving Jones the franchise tag before Tuesday's deadline.
If the Giants do tag Jones, they won't be able to tag running back Saquon Barkley—which the team is considering.
"I'm also hearing that the Giants will franchise-tag Barkley at $10.1 million should they reach a long-term deal with Jones," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens have a decision to make with impending free-agent quarterback Lamar Jackson. They could end up giving him the non-exclusive franchise tag, which would allow other teams to sign Jackson to an offer sheet.
"Several people around the league believe the Baltimore Ravens have strongly considered using the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson, which would deepen the intrigue on his future in a major way," Fowler wrote.
With the non-exclusive tag, a quarterback-needy team could sign Jackson to an offer that Baltimore isn't willing to match and acquire him at the cost of two first-round picks.
The Las Vegas Raiders appear interested in addressing their quarterback opening via trade or on the open market, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano. Per Graziano, Las Vegas is "a team to watch" in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes and could pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo if Rodgers can't be had.
"A lot of people in Indianapolis this week expect McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler to pursue free agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whom they know from his time in New England early in his career," Graziano wrote.
If Las Vegas does find a signal-caller in the coming weeks, the Raiders could be out of the quarterback mix with the seventh overall pick in Round 1.
*College statistics from Sports Reference
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