2024 NFL Draft: Prospects with Most to Gain at Scouting Combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is often described as the biggest interview of an aspiring football player's life. Just like any other interview, an individual can impress during the process or bomb a section, with lasting repercussions in either scenario.
While general managers practically plead publicly that film is the primary decision-maker regarding evaluations, everyone sees how the week in Indianapolis affects an individual's draft status.
Byron Jones leapt into first-round status with the longest broad jump in the event's history. John Ross III sizzled his way into the top 10 after running a blistering 40-yard dash. Two years ago, Travon Walker ultimately secured No. 1 overall pick status with a mind-boggling workout.
Those are recent on-field examples. They don't even take into account the importance of medical evaluations and nightly meetings that occur throughout the event. Those can be significantly impactful as well.
Bleacher Report targeted those individuals with significant questions regarding their current status that will be answered at some point over the next 10 days. Eight prospects came to the forefront, whether their potential issues involve upcoming on-field workouts, medical evaluations or specific measurements that will weigh heavily in their evaluations.
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
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Two concerns in Michael Penix Jr.'s evaluation can be assuaged during his week in Indianapolis.
First, the medical portion of Penix's stay could be as important as that of any other prospect in this year's class.
The Heisman Trophy finalist spent four seasons as part of the Indiana Hoosiers football program. He never played in more than seven games during a season. Why? An extensive injury history.
"In 2018, it was an ACL tear in his right knee," Saturday Out West's Derek Peterson noted. "In 2019, he dislocated the sternoclavicular joint in his right arm. In 2020, he tore the same ACL again in his right knee. Then in 2021, he separated his shoulder at his AC joint."
Said Penix, "There were times where, in the 2021 season, day of the game, I'd wake up and I'd wait until my roommates leave and I'd just lay on the floor and I'd just cry to God."
The soon-to-be 24-year-old prospect started all 28 games after transferring to the Washington Huskies. During that span, the reigning Maxwell Award winner threw for a nation-leading 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns.
But those earlier concerns don't disappear for NFL teams looking to make a significant investment at the game's most important position. Penix can expect a thorough evaluation of his knee and shoulders. Depending on whether doctors flag anything as possibly degenerative, his status, even as a quarterback, could change drastically.
A clean bill of health may be enough to push Penix back into the first-round mix.
To a lesser degree, the Pac-12 Conference's last great quarterback can also show how he's progressed from a mechanical standpoint.
Penix developed a few bad habits over time that can be improved, particularly how he fails to regularly transfer his weight through his throwing motion. Certain inconsistencies continued to show up at the Senior Bowl. A concerted effort on footwork and little technique improvements will show how he'll take to coaching to become a more consistent thrower at the next level.
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
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Like Penix, a pair of factors could greatly enhance J.J. McCarthy's status.
Currently, McCarthy is viewed as a prospect all alone among the class' second tier of quarterbacks. North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels are the favorites to hear their names called with the first, second and third draft picks (in some order).
Then, the reigning national champion is next. How high McCarthy actually goes is up for debate. Two aspects play strongly in the Michigan man's favor. First, McCarthy is considered a highly intelligent signal-caller.
"NFL evaluators have described McCarthy's processing as 'elite' in my conversations with them," NFL Network's Lance Zierlein wrote.
Once head coaches, offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches get the 21-year-old prospect on the white board and breaking down film, a wow factor could realistically emerge. How a prospect absorbs, interprets and translates information onto the football field is an important aspect of an evaluation, particularly at the quarterback position.
Second, McCarthy is a highly athletic prospect, with the potential to add a different dimension to some offenses. Granted, he does need to mature physically after Michigan listed him at 202 pounds. If McCarthy shows up at Indianapolis at a solid 210 and still tests well, his value will only increase.
"When people get a load of J.J. and how he can throw the ball, how he spins it, his athleticism, his intelligence," former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said during an interview on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "You talk about 'it factor'—he's got it."
The biggest drawback in McCarthy's evaluation is a lack of opportunity.
The argument is less about what he can do since instances of outstanding throws, decisions and plays can be found throughout his film. It's more about not getting enough reps, particularly in late-game situations, because he played in a run-first offense on a highly successful team.
Those questions won't be answered in Indianapolis, though. How he responds when grilled during interviews and how well he tests can be, which could push him all the way into the top 10.
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
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For Wisconsin's Braelon Allen, his 2023 campaign didn't go quite as planned. After back-to-back 1,200-yard campaigns, he found himself sharing the Badgers' backfield and essentially serving as the team's backup, until Chez Mellusi suffered a season-ending leg injury.
Starting with Mellusi's final appearance through the end of the regular season, Allen gained 729 yards over an eight-game span.
This isn't a case of another productive runner bouncing back and getting himself into the mix to become a top-five prospect at his position. Excitement originally built around Allen because he took the collegiate game by storm as a 17-year-old phenom with a 6'2", 235-pound build.
Allen wasn't old enough to vote, yet he ran for over 1,200 yards against Big Ten competition. His weight-room accomplishments bordered on legendary. He posted a 405-pound power clean before he ever stepped onto a collegiate field. Those exploits only grew over time.
According to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, Allen completed a 365-pound bench and a 610-pound squat, with a 1.49-second 10-yard split, before his sophomore campaign. This past offseason, the running back neared 250 pounds.
"I'm bigger, but I am leaner now," Allen told Feldman. "I went from 11 percent body fat to 8 percent this offseason. I'm definitely faster now."
Needless to say, the three-time second-team All-Big Ten selection is expected to blow the doors off Lucas Oil Stadium during his combine workout and remind everyone how special of a talent he really is.
Considering the state of the incoming running back class, a near-250-pound ball-carrier with off-the-charts athleticism and explosivity could very well place Allen in the mix as RB1. Currently, Florida State's Trey Benson holds that designation from the Bleacher Report Scouting Department, though he's far from a lock as a projected second-round pick.
WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
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Olympic trials are all about peaking at the right time. The same applies to the NFL draft.
As stated earlier, the scouting combine is one big interview. Every prospect wants to put their best foot forward to impress one team and maximize their draft status, thus their future earning power.
Roman Wilson led the national champion Michigan Wolverines this past season with 48 receptions and 789 receiving yards.
The 4-star recruit from Hawaii improved each year in Ann Arbor. By Wilson's senior year, he became the primary threat in the Wolverines' passing game and graded higher than he did throughout his collegiate career, finishing second in the Big Ten Conference only behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., per Pro Football Focus.
Along with his on-campus improvement, the second-team All-Big Ten performer showed out at this year's Senior Bowl. Wilson's explosive movements made him nearly impossible to cover during the practice week.
Wilson's short-area burst coupled with legitimate long speed project him as a big-time play-maker at the professional level. Those two traits should both be on display in Indianapolis.
According to Feldman, Wilson ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash this past spring out of a two-point stance. The receiver combined that number with a 6.20-second three-cone drill and 3.77-second short shuttle.
For comparison, the final two numbers would be scouting combine records if Wilson can duplicate his previous efforts. His lateral quickness will be unchallenged, which is vital for a 5'10", 186-pound target who will be asked to work from the slot, run crossers and create separation in short areas, as well as challenge defenses outside the numbers with his deep speed.
These type of numbers could easily place Wilson in the first-round conversation after doing everything to show he's an ascending prospect who isn't expected to plateau anytime soon.
OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
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BYU's Kingsley Suamataia has yet to fully establish himself despite entering the collegiate ranks as a 5-star recruit. However, a strong showing at the combine will go a long way to defining what he'll be at the next level.
Suamataia originally committed to the Oregon Ducks. He redshirted as a freshman before transferring to BYU. As a member of the Cougars, Suamataia initially played right tackle, with the experienced Blake Freeland on the blind side. After Freeland's departure this year, Suamataia switched to left tackle, where he struggled initially before settling into the position as the season progressed.
"There's not much of a difference for me at left tackle because I was a left tackle growing up," he told Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick prior to the start of the 2023 campaign. "Right tackle was different for me. I can play anywhere, honestly. Throw me at guard. Throw me at center."
Basically, the 21-year-old hasn't quite settled into one spot, at least from an evaluation standpoint. Even at the Senior Bowl, he played both sides and some guard. But his athleticism will be on display in Indianapolis, which is more than enough to intrigue NFL teams.
"Kingsley Suamataia is the most athletic and violent OL I've ever coached," Cougars offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told Feldman. "More athletic than Garett Bolles when I was at Utah. More athletic than Blake Freeland."
Let's place the previous statement into context.
Freeland is one of the most athletic offensive tackle prospects to ever attend the combine. The 6'8", 302-pound blocker posted a 4.98-second 40-yard dash (with a 1.68-second 10-yard split), 37-inch vertical, 10-foot broad jump, 7.46-second three-cone and 4.71-second short shuttle.
If Suamataia can replicate or better those numbers, while weighing 27 more pounds, he'll cement his status as a first-round pick and future NFL left tackle.
DL T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
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A weighty question lingers for Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.
The Longhorns listed the reigning Outland Trophy winner at 6'4" and 362 pounds. Interestingly, Sweat was the only player in attendance at this year's Senior Bowl to not weigh in for scouts.
Considering the defensive tackle's size, questions will haunt him until the number becomes official. Anytime concerns over weight follow a player, he must show that he's capable of putting in the work without it becoming a problem.
Sweat did get off to a slow start in Mobile, Alabama. But his performance picked up during Day 2, where his power was on display. Traditional nose tackles are nowhere near as valuable as they once were. So it's important for him to show he can be more than an early-down run defender.
Against fellow all-stars, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year employed a dominant bull rush. He needs to be more explosive and develop a wider repertoire, though. Sweat can play at a lower weight, improve on his quickness and still be very effective at the point of attack.
If some think this is an over-exaggeration toward a talented prospect, keep in mind that Sweat isn't even the highest-rated defensive tackle from Texas during this cycle. Byron Murphy II is.
Murphy is the more explosive athlete and pass-rusher of the two. NFL teams are looking for disruptive defenders, particularly those who can harass opposing quarterbacks. Obviously, Sweat and Murphy provided complementary skill sets to one another. But the way they're viewed entering the professional ranks contrasts.
By showing up to the combine in the best shape of his life, Sweat can quell any concerns involving work ethic and effectiveness.
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
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The leg injury that Cooper DeJean suffered during his final season on campus remains one of the biggest mysteries of the 2024 draft class.
DeJean suffered a season-ending lower-leg injury during a Nov. 15 practice. The nature of his injury has yet to be revealed publicly three months later.
Instead, the issue will prevent him from working out at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler.
The fact DeJean won't be working out doesn't provide a clue of what the injury may be since he missed vital prep time for the event and may be more comfortable and further along at Iowa's pro day.
The nature of the injury is vital in the defensive back's assessment. A ruptured Achilles tendon is different from a broken fibula, which is different from a high ankle sprain, as examples.
If the unanimous All-American suffered a significant tendon issue, he'll likely fall out of the first round. If DeJean is simply being cautious with something less serious, he could easily land in the opening frame. Medical evaluations at an Indianapolis hospital will shed greater light on the situation for NFL teams.
Sadly, a healthy DeJean would have been one of the stars during combine workouts. The 6'1", 207-pound athlete lettered three times in basketball, baseball and track at the high school level. He also became a Class 2A state champion in the long jump and 100-meter dash. Hopefully he'll be able to work out prior to this year's draft.
S Tyler Owens, Texas Tech
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If there's a prospect with the most to gain from the events and on-field workouts, Texas Tech safety Tyler Owens is that individual.
Owens isn't considered an early-round option at the moment. That could change by showing off his ample physical traits.
The fifth-year senior always had the natural tools to thrive. The 6'2", 210-pound defensive back originally signed with the Texas Longhorns as a 5-star recruit. Owens wasn't just an outstanding high school football player; he excelled in track as well. He very well may be the fastest man at this year's NFL combine.
According to Tracking Football, Owens ran the fastest 100-meter dash (10.29 seconds) at the prep level among all of this year's incoming prospects. According to Feldman, the defensive back also registered a 40-plus-inch vertical last summer.
The closing speed does translate to the football field. Feldman also noted that Owens previously eclipsed the 23 mph mark during a contest. For comparison, DK Metcalf posted the fastest time this past NFL season at 22.23 mph, per Musket Fire's Rhys Knott.
Having a class' top 40 time doesn't necessarily equate to being a high draft pick. Previous speedsters such as Kalon Barnes, Zedrick Woods and Keith Marshall can attest. But it creates intrigue.
Owens showed what he could do in his final season on campus. Of course, the safety prospect has tremendous sideline-to-sideline speed and can be used as a single-high sweeper. But he also played down in the box at times. When he triggers, he flies to the ball. The defensive back even used his explosiveness to cover targets in the slot.
A combine workout won't answer any questions about late reads or missteps in coverage. However, Owens' athletic profile combined with the 5-star potential that's followed him through two stops could be enough for an interested team to draft the safety much sooner than expected.
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