2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Top Draft Takeaways from QB, WR and RB On-Field Workouts
The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine will be long remembered because of Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
The reverberation throughout Lucas Oil Stadium could be felt around the country when Worthy broke the combine record with an official 4.21-second 40-yard dash. John Ross III's previous mark of 4.22 stood for seven years before finally falling Saturday.
The air in the facility itself was electric. The highlight will be replayed ad infinitum. The instantly iconic run already defined this year's combine with one more day of workouts to go.
Worthy literally stole the show from a ultra-impressive group of wide receivers that didn't even include workouts from Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. or LSU's Malik Nabers.
The top three quarterbacks in this year's draft class—USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels—also didn't participate in drills. Their absence allowed others to shine, particularly Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Tennessee's Joe Milton III.
Meanwhile, this year's running back crop has been overlooked throughout the entire predraft process. The same could be said of Saturday's performance, though it shouldn't be entirely.
The Bleacher Report Scouting Department was in the building, with Derrik Klassen evaluating all of the running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers. He broke down each of those positions by identifying which prospects deserve praise or pessimism for their performances on Saturday.
Wide Receivers
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Keon Coleman, Florida State
Coleman's 4.62-second 40-yard-dash time was disappointing. There's no way around that number, especially compared to the other top receivers in this year's draft class.
Coleman raced through all of the drills, though, and NFL Next Gen Stats backed that up. He ranked among the top four in top speed during a number of different routes in his group, including second on go-balls.
That's a testament to Coleman's game speed over his tested speed.
Xavier Legette, South Carolina
Legette crushed every portion of the NFL combine.
In addition to a 40-inch vertical jump, Legette ran a blistering 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 221 pounds. The effort was one of the best times this year period, never mind that Legette is significantly heavier than almost everyone else in that range.
Legette was good in the route drills as well. He's a smooth, powerful mover who looked comfortable bringing in almost every throw.
Troy Franklin, Oregon
Franklin tested fairly well across the board. His 4.41-second 40-yard dash was sweet, and he should be happy with his jumps.
However, Franklin had a rough day when it came to running routes. He ended up on the ground at least four times during positional drills.
Sometimes it was a sloppy route break. Other times, he lost his footing trying to concentrate for the catch. To that point, Franklin also struggled catching the ball cleanly and consistently compared to his peers.
Overall, Franklin looked like the least natural player on the field despite his quality testing numbers.
Xavier Worthy, Texas
A new combine legend emerged Saturday.
Worthy ran a record-setting 4.21-second 40-yard dash, breaking the 4.22-second mark that John Ross III previously set in 2017. He erupted out of his stance with a 1.49-second 10-yard split and continued to accelerate into hyperspeed.
Even heading into the combine, Worthy's speed was obvious on film. But there's a different level of appreciation when a player makes history.
What makes it even better is that Worthy broke the record with his second run, not his first. He hit 4.25 on his first run—a stellar time on its own—but ran again in an attempt to break Ross' record. We're all glad he did, too.
Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
It's hard to live up to Worthy's record-breaking 40-yard dash, but Thomas tried his hardest.
The 6'3", 209-pound Thomas torched the 40-yard dash with a 4.34-second effort. Given that Thomas has four inches and 44 pounds on Worthy, being within around a tenth of a second of the record is outrageous.
That isn't where it stops with Thomas, either. His 38.5" vertical and 10'6" broad jumps both ranked near the top of the wide receiver class. Thomas also looked snappy and powerful during the on-field drills, just as he did at LSU.
Quarterbacks
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J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
McCarthy didn't do any of the testing, but he did sling it around in throwing drills. His accuracy came and went depending on the route.
On out-route throws to his left and go-balls down the field, McCarthy struggled. He regularly zipped throws past receivers with minimal touch.
McCarthy was clean as can be elsewhere, though. All of his in-breakers and stop routes looked crisp, and McCarthy's out-route issue even went away when throwing to his route.
All of that tracks with how McCarthy plays on tape, which is to say Saturday was a fine day at the office for him.
Joe Milton III, Tennessee
Milton threw exactly the way everyone expected.
On everything but go-balls, Milton was a roller-coaster. There were a few clean reps sprinkled around a largely unimpressive and inaccurate showing.
Milton let it loose during the go-ball period, though. After nailing his first two throws, Milton took an extra hitch on the third and uncorked a throw that traveled nearly 70 yards.
If nothing else, the man can put on a show.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington
The competition was not as stiff in the second group as it was in the first, but Michael Penix Jr. was comfortably the best quarterback during throwing drills.
Penix nailed most of the routes he threw. Short or deep, inside or outside, it didn't really matter; Penix put it on his man.
Granted, it helps that a handful of his throws were to former teammates Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk. But Penix was still slinging it around to everyone else, too.
Penix's throwing motion was even more important than his accuracy. Whereas Penix can look like he's straining on film, his throwing motion looked nice and easy in person. That's going to help in his evaluation.
Running Backs
3 of 3
Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
Guerendo's track background sure did help him at the NFL combine.
Guerendo shined during the speed and explosion drills. The 6'0", 221-pounder cooked in the 40-yard dash with a 4.33-second effort. That much was expected.
Where Guerendo really popped was with a 41.5-inch vertical and a 10'9" broad jump. That ranked best and second-best in the running back class, respectively.
As a Wisconsin transfer, where he was stuck behind multiple other ball-carriers, and committee back at Louisville, Guerendo needed this kind of performance to prove to teams that he's worth an actual draft investment.
Audric Estime, Notre Dame
Estime is this year's "don't believe the 40-yard dash" running back.
At 5'11" and 221 pounds, Estime wasn't expected to fly. Still, he finished with a disappointing 4.71 time. That's not how Estime runs on film, though. There were plenty of instances of him pulling away at the second and third levels, especially compared to most backs his size.
Estime's entire combine workout wasn't all bad, either. He ranked fourth in both jumps, hitting 38" in the vertical and 10'5" in the broad. Those drills better showcase Estime's explosiveness.
With all of that said, a 4.71-second 40-time will probably sink Estime's draft stock a little, regardless of whether or not it should.
Trey Benson, Florida State
Benson is the premier explosive-play threat among this year's running back class. His effort in Indianapolis backed up what was already evident on film.
The 6'0", 216-pound ball-carrier blazed a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. New York Jets running back Breece Hall hit the same exact time with similar measurables two years ago. The same goes for Joseph Addai over a decade ago, when he hit 4.40 at 5'11" and 214 pounds.
It's not always as simple as "big man run fast." Other times, it is.
Blake Corum, Michigan
Long speed has been the big question with Corum all year long. There's zero doubt about his vision, quickness or toughness, but he doesn't have many breakaway moments on film.
At the very least, Corum proved he has that speed in him somewhere when he clocked in at 4.53 in the 40-yard dash. Nobody will mistake him for former NFL running back Chris Johnson, but a run in the low 4.5s is a huge win for someone who had a legitimate chance to end up in the 4.6 range.
Corum placed the cherry on top of his workout with smooth, quick movement in all of the drill sessions. Everything he put on tape became clear during those particular moments.
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