Ideal Landing Spots for the Stars of the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
We can debate the importance of the NFL Scouting Combine all we want, but some prospects come to Indianapolis and boost their stock every year. The 2024 version of the event was no exception.
From the fastest 40 time in the history of the event to an astonishing tight end performance, several players showed up and showed out with incredibly athletic testing.
Some players were already well-known, but others may be hitting fans' radars for the first time since the draft process started. Now the question becomes where these players would best fit in the NFL.
Jaw-dropping athleticism is only part of the picture. A player's success in the league also depends on the team that chooses them in the draft.
Based on a team's situation, scheme and needs, here are a handful of ideal landing spots for the 2024 NFL combine's biggest stars.
DT Braden Fiske, Florida State
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Ideal Landing Spots: San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals
Braden Fiske came into the weekend as the 82nd-ranked overall prospect and the 11th-ranked defensive tackle on the B/R NFL Scouting Department's big board. B/R scout Matt Holder praised his raw traits but had concerns about his hand placement and technique.
At the combine, he confirmed that his athletic traits will make him worth the gamble for some NFL team.
Fiske did well for himself by placing first at his position in the 40 (4.78 seconds), vertical (33.5") and broad jump (9'9"). He also showed off some bend and quickness in position drills:
As Holder noted in Fiske's scouting report, it would behoove him to go to a team with a good defensive line coach. He needs to refine his game and play with lower pads to get the most out of his athleticism.
The San Fransisco 49ers spring to mind. Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has developed a good reputation, and the Niners have a need for more depth on the interior. The Cleveland Browns also have multiple defensive tackles heading into free agency, and the Cincinnati Bengals are in a similar boat with D.J. Reader and Josh Tupou's deals set to expire.
TE Theo Johnson, Penn State
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Ideal Landing Spots: Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants
The biggest winners of the combine are the ones that will make evaluators go back and watch their film again. That's especially true if a prospect was not able to show his full skill set in college.
That could be the case for Penn State tight end Theo Johnson. While fellow tight ends Brock Bowers, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Ben Sinnott were featured parts of their respective offenses, Johnson had only 34 receptions for 341 yards and seven touchdowns for the Nittany Lions.
Johnson earned his role at Penn State with strong run blocking and good enough pass protection. However, he wasn't used as much as a pass-catcher.
He showed at the combine that he has the traits to make an impact as a receiver, too. As NFL analyst Warren Sharp noted, Johnson is the first tight end since 1987 to weigh over 255 pounds, run a 40-yard dash under 4.6 seconds (4.57) and go over 39 inches (39.5") in the vertical jump.
Johnson would make sense for any run-heavy team that's looking to add a developmental player with high upside. He can contribute early on with his ability to block and could become a vertical weapon based on his athleticism and size (6'6", 259 pounds).
The Eagles could use an upgrade over Jack Stoll as their second tight end. The Dolphins are a run-heavy team that could be looking to add someone beside Durham Smythe, while the Giants can't rely on 31-year-old Darren Waller to be their long-term solution at tight end.
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
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Ideal Landing Spots: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars
If anyone was unfamiliar with Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell going into the combine, they got a good introduction in Indianapolis. He took flight with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, which was the second-fastest mark of any cornerback in this year's draft class.
His 90 score from Next Gen Stats was the highest among cornerbacks and the fourth-highest in the entire draft class. Mitchell showed he has adequate size (he measured in at 6'0", 195 pounds), speed and hops (38-inch vertical) to be an elite cornerback in the NFL.
Coming out of Toledo, a prospect like Mitchell has to fight off some presumptions about the level of competition he faced in college. But a strong Senior Bowl showing combined with his performance at the combine should bring more legitimacy to his CB1 case.
B/R scout Cory Giddings noted that Mitchell can play both man and zone schemes in his scouting report but said he would be best "in a zone scheme, where he can play from off coverage and see the routes develop in front of him."
The Broncos could use a young cover man across from star cornerback Patrick Surtain II. The Colts were No. 1 in zone usage last season and need a corner, while the Jaguars pick at No. 17 overall and have a big need at cornerback, particularly after releasing Darious Williams for cap reasons.
At this point, it would be surprising to see Mitchell fall outside of the top 20 now that he's proven his athletic bonafides.
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EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
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Ideal Landing Spots: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams
This year's class of edge-rushers might not have any top-of-the-draft talents, but Jared Verse, Laiatu Latu and Dallas Turner were ranked in our top 15 going into the event. All three tested well, but Chop Robinson drew plenty of eyeballs and proved he belongs in the conversation as well.
Robinson measured in on the small side at 6'3" and 254 pounds, but he set the combine ablaze with a 4.48-second 40-yard dash that included a 1.54 projected 10-yard split. It confirmed the lightning-quick first step that's evident on film.
B/R scout Matt Holder expressed belief in Robinson's upside in his scouting report, but he had reservations about his down-to-down consistency.
"The Penn State product also has a lot more traits than production right now, making him more of a project," Holder wrote. "He has made a handful of impactful plays via sacks and tackles for loss, but the consistency play in and play out just isn't there right now.
Holder added that Robinson would best serve as an outside linebacker for a team that uses a lot of odd fronts. The Jaguars might be the earliest team in the draft that fits that description. General manager Trent Baalke loves uber-athletic pass-rushers, and Robinson would be a logical long-term replacement for Josh Allen if the Jags can't re-sign him.
The Bucs released Shaq Barrett, so they could also be in the market for a pass-rush specialist. Meanwhile, the Rams could use Robinson to continue building a young pass-rushing unit around Aaron Donald.
WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
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Ideal Landing Spots: Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills
Xavier Worthy made headlines for his record-breaking 4.21-second 40-yard dash, but Brian Thomas Jr. ran only 0.12 seconds slower (4.33) while coming in at 6'3" and 209 pounds. Thomas registered a relative athletic score of 9.97 at the combine, the 10th-highest among receivers since 1987, per Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network.
Thomas' game at LSU was built on speed. His testing times confirmed that he is an elite athlete with a prototypical frame for an outside deep threat. Thomas can also work from the slot, so he isn't just a one-trick pony.
He does need to develop a more complex route tree. However, as B/R scout Derrik Klassen noted in his scouting report, "it's hard to find players with his size, speed and instant burst."
Thomas will need to land in an offense that can use him as a vertical threat while he develops into a more complete receiver. The Bengals could be a team to watch as the Tee Higgins franchise-tag situation develops, as he would be a logical heir to Higgins' role opposite Ja'Marr Chase.
The rest of the league shouldn't let Thomas fall to the Chiefs at No. 32, but Kansas City's front office should be giddy if he does. Meanwhile, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has the arm to get the ball to Thomas downfield as a replacement for impending free agent Gabe Davis.
LB Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
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Ideal Landing Spots: Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers
Payton Wilson faces an uphill battle with his draft stock.
His injury history includes a knee injury in high school that forced him to miss his first season at NC State, a shoulder injury that cost him all but two games of his 2021 season and other minor injuries that forced him to miss two games in 2022. Add in the fact that he'll be 24 during his rookie year, and some teams will likely either move Wilson down their board or take him off completely.
With his age and injury history working against him, he had to prove that he's worth the risk at the combine. Mission accomplished on that front.
Wilson was one of the most athletic off-ball linebackers in Indianapolis. His 81 athleticism score from Next Gen Stats was second only to Edgerrin Cooper, who is our top-ranked linebacker in the class.
The 6'4", 233-pound Wilson showcased his straight-line speed with a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and showed some explosion with a 34.5" vertical and 9'11" broad jump.
Wilson would benefit from going to a team that accepts the risk that comes with his injury history and allows him to be a sideline-to-sideline defender. The Cowboys should be on the lookout for linebackers at the draft since Leighton Vander Esch is a free agent and they had to move Markquese Bell from safety to linebacker last season due to their lack of depth.
The Seahawks could be replacing Jordyn Brooks, and new head coach Mike Macdonald did a good job of utilizing athletic linebacker Patrick Queen in Baltimore last season. The Packers are always a good bet to take a chance on an athletic defender in the draft, too.
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
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Ideal Landing Spots: Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals
Xavier Worthy became a combine legend as soon as he crossed the finish line on his record-setting 40-yard dash.
He knew it right away:
That was the fastest 40 in combine history, edging out John Ross III by a hundredth of a second. Ross became a top-10 pick after running his 4.22 in the event, but he had only 62 receptions for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns during his five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants.
Worthy's blazing-fast time might not push him into the top 10, but it likely will earn him some first-round consideration. There's more to his game than just straight-line speed, though.
"Worthy is a weapon at the line of scrimmage as well," B/R scout Derrik Klassen wrote in his scouting report for Worthy. "Not only is he super quick and shifty as a screen option, but he is an extremely effective player to use in motion. The raw speed and twitchiness he brings can be a nightmare for defenses to react to and keep up with."
It would behoove Worthy to land in an offense where he can be used as a high-end No. 2 option with manufactured touches. Finding a home in Kansas City as Rashee Rice's sidekick with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes at the controls would be ideal.
He could also be what the Cardinals were hoping to get when they drafted Rondale Moore or an integral part of the passing attack that the Panthers hope to build around 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.
RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
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Ideal Landing Spots: Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants
This year's running back class isn't viewed as particularly strong, so the combine took on more importance at the position than usual. Watching the backs unleash their athleticism might reveal a little more upside and help elevate their draft stock.
If that's the case, then Jaylen Wright likely forced teams to go back and reevaluate what they saw on film.
Wright at least caught the eye of ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. He called Wright one of the biggest risers from the combine.
"(Wright) is now firmly in the mix to be the top back off the board in April's draft," Kiper wrote after the combine. "I have a third-round grade on him."
The Tennessee running back came in at 5'11" and 210 pounds and ripped off a 4.38-second 40, a 38" vertical and a 11'2" broad jump.
This running back class could be all over the board come draft time, but Wright would make sense for a team looking for a fast change-of-pace back.
Both the Chargers and Giants could be looking to remodel their backfields with Austin Ekeler and Saquon Barkley set to hit free agency. The Packers also might need a new sidekick for Aaron Jones since AJ Dillon is a free agent as well.
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