NFL Combine 2017: Winners and Losers from Saturday's Workouts
While the NFL community converges on the city of Indianapolis for nine days to attend the scouting combine, Saturday's events drew the most interest.
Quarterbacks threw and wide receivers ran the 40-yard dash. One of the most talented tight-end classes in recent memory took the field, too. No one came away disappointed with the talent as a whole.
"That is the fastest tight end group I have ever seen," a veteran scout told NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, which he relayed during the telecast.
These groups were so good, it became difficult to narrow down the top performances.
North Carolina's Mitchell Trubisky, Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes, Ohio State's Curtis Samuel, Alabama's O.J. Howard and many more deserve to be mentioned, yet a few elite efforts gained an edge.
Chris Johnson's fabled 4.24-second 40-yard dash even fell to a potential first-round wide receiver. His newfound legendary status tops Bleacher Report's winners and losers from Saturday's festivities.
Loser: Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
1 of 10
Cooper Kupp's performance at the NFL combine developed into a mixed bag, and it showed how important a 40-yard dash can be for certain prospects.
The Eastern Washington product dominated at the FCS level. He left as college football's all-time leader with 6,464 receiving yards. He was also awarded the Walter Payton Award in 2015 as the FCS' most outstanding offensive player.
Kupp went to the Reese's Senior Bowl and proved he can get open against the best defensive backs college football has to offer. But will he be able to do the same against professional cornerbacks?
The question will be raised after he ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash. Kupp's separation and route running never proved problematic against previous opposition, yet scouts won't like the fact he ran so poorly.
The 6'2", 204-pound receiver won't be considered explosive enough to be an outside receiver. Instead, he'll be projected as a slot receiver. His 4.08-second short shuttle—which indicates short-area quickness—ranked among the top-five receivers and further cemented his status.
Kupp can be the next in line among the golden age of slot receivers, but the perception does limit his overall value.
Winner: Zay Jones, East Carolina
2 of 10
More often than not, prospects set out to prove they're not deficient in certain areas as they've been labeled throughout the NFL draft process.
For East Carolina's Zay Jones, his speed was questioned.
"I think a lot of people are questioning my speed, and I get to prove tomorrow that I can run," Jones said during his media session Friday, per Hoist the Colours' Stephen Igoe. "It's just another opportunity for me to silence what people say I can't do and just go out and do my thing.”
He did, too.
Jones posted a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. This is important since he was rarely asked to be a vertical threat in the Pirates passing game. Instead, he relied heavily on underneath routes on his way to setting an FBS record with 158 receptions during the 2016 campaign and 399 career receptions.
His 40 speed wasn't even the most impressive portion of his workout. Jones finished top five among receivers in broad jump (11'1"), short shuttle (4.01 seconds) and 60-yard shuttle (11.17 seconds).
While the previously mentioned Cooper Kupp may be viewed purely as a slot receiver, Jones' combination of size (6'2" and 201 pounds), deep speed and short-area quickness make him a viable option as both an outside receiver or slot target.
Loser: Sefo Liufau, Colorado
3 of 10
Colorado's Sefo Liufau has every intangible coaches want in a quarterback. He's a leader, tough as nails and does everything possible to help his team win.
However, he falls short in regards to some of the necessary traits to succeed at the position. Liufau knew it, too.
"I think the biggest question coming in—and honestly one of my weaknesses—is being able to be consistently accurate," Liufau said Friday, per Ben Swanson of the Denver Broncos' official site. "I think that's really big for me and showing teams that I can go out there and I can throw the ball [with] great consistency."
Instead, he sprayed passes all over the field with some of the worst ball placement among the quarterbacks in Indianapolis.
No one expects a quarterback to complete every pass or throw a perfect ball every time considering the extenuating circumstances. Some consistency should develop throughout the workout, though. It never appeared for Liufau.
The quarterback resuscitated the Colorado Buffaloes football program and set 98 school records before his time in Boulder ended. Unfortunately, a great collegiate career doesn't automatically translate to the professional ranks.
After a poor Reese's Senior Bowl performance and combine workout, Liufau may not even be drafted.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Winner: Chris Godwin, Penn State
4 of 10
Penn State's Chris Godwin claimed Saturday's award for the prospect to have improved his status the most due to his combine performance.
The fact he wasn't valued as high as he should been in the first place is likely a mistake by those making evaluations and nothing the young man did.
First and foremost, questions regarding his long speed were put to rest when Godwin posted a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. Godwin is already a dynamic vertical threat with his ability to make contested catches.
But the speed he flashed shows he can create separation, too.
While his time in the 40-yard dash surprised many, the rest of his workout was just as good. Godwin finished among the top-five receivers in bench press and posted the top short shuttle at four seconds flat.
More importantly, his strong hands were on display. They appeared to be made of Velcro when he worked his way through the gauntlet, per the NFL's Twitter feed.
Two years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars spent a second-round pick on another Penn State product, who proved to be quite successful. Allen Robinson is a little bigger while Godwin is a little faster, but everything else is quite similar.
Loser: Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
5 of 10
Bucky Hodges' appearance among Saturday's losers may come as a bit of a surprise.
After all, he broke the record for tight ends with a 11'2" broad jump. He also finished among the top five at his position with a 39-inch vertical jump and a 4.57-second 40-yard dash. As NFL Research noted, Hodges' physical tools are eerily similar to Jimmy Graham's.
Hodges has something else in common with Graham; they're both allergic to blocking.
Blocking in today's NFL isn't a prerequisite for a tight end. However, a tight end should display the willingness to be physical against defenders even if he's not interested in being anything more than a human shield.
During his time at Virginia Tech, the coaching staff didn't ask Hodges to be an inline blocker. He served as a wide receiver even at 6'6" and 257 pounds. His size made him a mismatch on the outside. As such, he never got into a three-point stance.
His stance at the combine was borderline comical. Hodges isn't going to be an NFL wide receiver, and his next team will want him to play near the line of scrimmage. His camp must have known this and should have been preparing him for typical tight end drills. Yet he looked completely out of place when asked to do so.
Virginia Tech played its last game on Dec. 29. The fact Hodges hasn't concentrated on these areas and can't get into a three-point stance is embarrassing.
Winner: Evan Engram, Ole Miss
6 of 10
The NFL continues to evolve. Teams no longer search for 250-plus-pound tight ends who are equal parts blocker to receiver.
Yes, Rob Gronkowski is the ideal. He's also a unicorn. His combination of size, athleticism, skill and blocking prowess make him the exception to the rule.
Instead, teams continue to search for tight ends who create mismatches in the passing game. Enter Ole Miss' Evan Engram.
The 234-pound tight end blew the doors off of Lucas Oil Stadium with his workout. Engram blazed a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. According to NFL Research, only two other tight ends recorded faster times since the NFL started to keep track.
In fact, only two running backs and four wide receivers recorded faster times this year. None of them weighed more than 210 pounds.
A great time or workout doesn't always translate to the field. It did for Engram. He snatched every ball out of the air and didn't let a single one drop. He looked fluid and natural running the gauntlet, too.
Alabama's O.J. Howard and Miami's David Njoku entered Saturday as the top tight ends and surefire first-round picks. That didn't change. But Engram also entered the first-round conversation as a move tight end who can be absolutely deadly in a passing game.
Loser: Darrell Daniels, Washington
7 of 10
When an individual proclaims he's the fastest player among his position group, he better deliver.
In January, Washington's Darrell Daniels proclaimed on Twitter he would be the fastest tight end in Indianapolis. According to the Bear Report's Jeremy Stoltz, the former wide receiver believed he could dip into the 4.37-second range.
He didn't come close.
Instead, he posted a 4.55-second 40-yard dash. It's a solid number for a 247-pound target and ranked fourth overall among his contemporaries. In a position class absolutely loaded with talent, though, he didn't stand out with his time or his workout.
Daniels slowed through his some of his routes and didn't appear explosive during drills.
This year's tight class is viewed as the best in recent memory. Daniels falls short of the top prospects. He's still an intriguing option later in the draft as a potential mismatch, but he didn't live up to expectations with his combine performance.
Winner: Deshaun Watson, Clemson
8 of 10
Clemson's Deshaun Watson made his case to be QB1 during his NFL combine workout. According to USA Today's Tom Pelissero, a consensus formed among teams that Watson's performance "won the day."
Watson doesn't have the size of Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer or the arm strength of North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky and Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes, but the reigning national champion looked as calm, smooth and mechanically sound as anyone on the field Saturday.
Even in a scenario where quarterbacks aren't expected to be the most accurate and ball placement is more important, Watson displayed uncanny accuracy and continued to connect with his target. When the Georgia native gets into a rhythm, his touch is the best in the class. It showed during throwing sessions.
The quarterback received praise off the field, too. When Alabama's Jonathan Allen—a potential top-10 pick—was asked about the best player he faced, the defensive lineman named Watson, per CBS Chicago's Chris Emma.
"We were trying to crush him [in the national championship game]," Allen said. "Every time he came back tougher."
In reality, Watson could only do so much to improve his draft value. Questions about how he'll handle an NFL system can't be answered in Indianapolis. Even so, Watson did everything in his power to establish himself as a top prospect.
Loser: DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
9 of 10
Four quarterbacks entered the field Saturday as potential first-round picks. Three impressed, while one didn't.
Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer left Indianapolis with an unfulfilled promise. Kizer was honest by stating he's not where he needs to be as a quarterback, per USA Today's Lorenzo Reyes.
He added: "As of now, I think it has done really well for me, and I need to continue to push forward in developing my game."
The Ohio native didn't push forward in his development during his workout. While others looked far more comfortable and precise during their performances, Kizer faltered.
Every step, throw and mannerism is evaluated as soon as a quarterback arrives at the combine. Kizer "blew the doors off" his interview with the San Francisco 49ers, according to general manager John Lynch (via Reyes). But everything went downhill from that point.
Kizer's workout numbers were average compared to the rest of the class, but real struggles manifested during his throwing session.
One thing NFL decision-makers watch closely during a quarterback's workout is his demeanor. Kizer was clearly rattled and disappointed with many of his throws. His poor ball placement originated from inconsistent footwork.
Kizer still presents plenty of potential, but multiple quarterbacks performed much better on a big stage.
Winner: John Ross, Washington
10 of 10
Washington's John Ross became a legend in 4.22 seconds.
Ross bested Chris Johnson's 40-yard dash mark, originally set in 2008, according to the NFL's Twitter account. The wide receiver now finds himself on an island as the fastest man in combine history.
Amazingly, Ross experienced cramps in his calves as he sped down the sideline.
"I feel like I could have ran faster just because I cramped up at the end," he told NFL Network's Michael Irvin after his record-setting run. "I'm thankful. I'm in a good position, because it was a good time."
Due to cramps, Ross didn't complete his workout. He didn't need to do so. His run toward history had those inside and outside the league buzzing.
What makes the run even more impressive is Ross' medical history. The California native required surgery in January of 2015 to repair two meniscus tears in his right knee. He injured the knee again the following summer and missed his entire junior campaign, per the Seattle Times' Adam Jude.
Ross also competed at the combine with a torn labrum in his shoulder. He's schedule to have surgery on March 14, per Bleacher Report's Jason Cole.
Fast guys run fast times. The concept is so simple yet rings true. Ross is fast, and speed kills at the NFL level.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
