2019 NFL Combine: Players Who Hurt and Helped Themselves the Most
After three days of workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, teams must adjust their draft boards accordingly.
When breaking down draft classes, it's best to rely on collegiate tape—actual in-game situations—more than single-day workouts. However, players at the combine can show strengths or weaknesses overlooked on film and that they have worked on their shortcomings.
For front offices, it's an ongoing evaluation leading up to the draft. The combine provides another aspect to the big picture. While a handful of incoming rookies boosted their stocks, others disappointed in a televised job interview.
The list below focuses on those who potentially made significant moves up and down draft boards.
Perhaps a prospect underwhelmed on the 40-yard dash or during position drills like offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. last year. He dropped from a potential first-rounder to the Baltimore Ravens in the third round. DJ Moore ran a 4.42-second 40-yard time and his stock rose leading into the 2018 draft.
Will we see significant projection swings this year?
Helped: OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida
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A hamstring strain didn't stop offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor from boosting his stock. The Florida product sat out most of the workouts but pumped out 24 reps on a 225-pound bench press. During the broadcast, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah noted the junior tackle didn't look 100 percent.
Still, Taylor put himself in top-10 draft selection territory, per NFL.com's Gil Brandt. "Talking to several scouts after the OL workouts, player most mentioned was Jawaan Taylor of @GatorsFB. Top-10 pick."
Taylor flashed quality traits for an offensive tackle, particularly fluid movement. His feet moved without false steps, and he changed direction seamlessly in pass-protection drills.
There's no sympathy in football, but Taylor gutted out a solid performance and likely scored more points in the scouts' eyes because of his will to push through the day. Furthermore, he looked better than some of the prospects at 100 percent. The former Gator isn't a top-10 lock, but he's probably a first-rounder.
Hurt: RB Elijah Holyfield, Georgia
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Elijah Holyfield had a Friday to forget at Lucas Oil Stadium. He ran the second-slowest 40-yard dash time among running backs at 4.78—only faster than 242-pound fullback Alec Ingold. Based on his collegiate film, spectators should've known he wouldn't blaze a trail on the track, but the unimpressive time doesn't look good for a one-dimensional tailback.
Holyfield only caught seven passes for 63 yards in 27 collegiate games. He didn't look comfortable as a receiver on a catchable ball during a position drill. The Georgia product can improve his 40-yard time at the program's pro day, but the junior running back profiles as a physical ball-carrier equipped to run between the tackles—nothing more.
The limitations will hurt Holyfield in draft placement. At a time when more offenses are spreading defenses out, the 5'10", 217-pound running back isn't much of a threat in space. Scouts value versatility, but the former Bulldog doesn't check many asset boxes in the backfield.
Helped: OT Andre Dillard, Washington State
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Andre Dillard recorded the fourth-fastest 40-yard time (4.96) and the best broad jump (118 inches) among offensive linemen. The combination of speed and athleticism also carried over to the position drills.
The Washington State product slid his feet to show the ability to wall off potential defenders. Dillard's hips didn't lock up in the process, and the motion looked effortless. Spectators could probably imagine him on an island with an edge-rusher, sealing off the perimeter to protect the pocket.
Although he looked gassed in the mirror drill, Dillard kept his feet moving and hands up. Once again, he showed solid technique with fluid lower-body movement despite the fatigue.
Dillard added some fuel to his stock that initially rose after Senior Bowl week in January. He's firmly in the discussion as a first-round pick and could be the second or third offensive tackle taken in April's draft.
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Hurt: WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Texas
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Lil'Jordan Humphrey could've gained some ground on the top wide receiver prospects, but he might trend in the opposite direction after a lackluster presentation in Indianapolis.
Humphrey posted the slowest 40-yard time (4.75) among wideouts. He's a 6'4", 210-pounder and speed isn't his calling card, but the Texas product didn't show great strength either. The junior prospect pumped 13 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press.
Moving on to the field activities, Humphrey allowed multiple passes to slip through his hands during the gauntlet drill. His inability to secure receptions on short passes across a horizontal plane should raise concerns.
Scouts may wonder if Humphrey should've remained in school for another year rather than declare for the 2019 draft. The lack of speed for a larger wide receiver and questionable hands likely kill any buzz the former Longhorn had coming into the combine.
Helped: WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
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Deebo Samuel may have put himself in the conversation among the top prospects at wide receiver. More importantly, he demonstrated speed and agility, which is notable because he broke his leg three games into the 2017 term.
Samuel recorded a 4.48-second 40-yard time, a 4.14-second 20-yard shuttle and 39 inches on the vertical jump. None of those numbers led the position group, but the results quell concerns for teams that wonder if a significant past injury took away from his athleticism.
Going back to Senior Bowl week, Samuel dominated one-on-one drills, running crisp routes and plucking the ball out of the air, per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. He continued to show his best as a pass-catcher at the combine with great awareness and control of his body. The senior wideout didn't drop a ball during the gauntlet exercise.
The South Carolina product has some momentum in his favor and seems like a lock to come off the board within the top 50 selections.
Hurt: TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia
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Isaac Nauta may have dropped off draft boards following a disappointing Saturday morning. Because he lacked production coming out of Georgia's run-heavy offense, the junior tight end needed a solid day at the combine to convince clubs that his skill set will translate to pro production.
Nauta put up a decent number of repetitions on the bench press (19), but things then went downhill from there. He logged the third-slowest 40-yard time (4.91 seconds) among tight ends and didn't look like a natural receiver on the field. The 21-year-old didn't extend his hands with confidence during the pass-catching drills.
The former Bulldog can work on improving the perception on his slow foot speed during Georgia's pro day, but the visual of him catching with his body as opposed to snatching the football out of the air seems hard to shake off.
Nauta may carve out a role as a blocking tight end with an occasional reception, but he's limited on passing downs. The junior prospect may have to wait until post-draft free-agent signings to land a roster spot.
Helped: TE T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
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Noah Fant stole the spotlight during workouts, but he likely confirmed what some scouts saw on tape: a smooth athlete with reliable hands. Fellow Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson possibly made movement up boards.
Hockenson outperformed Fant and Irv Smith Jr. in blocking drills. He showed good driving power with his base through the hips and strong hands when pushing against the pads.
According to Aaron Nagler of Cheesehead TV, the 6'5", 251-pound prospect made it a point to highlight his willingness to block. Because Fant and Smith are more athletic, Hockenson needed to show off his physicality. In addition, he also flashed good hands in the pass-catching drills.
Hockenson ran through the gauntlet without an issue and caught everything headed his way on the first rep. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah (h/t Marc Morehouse of The Gazette) thought he came off as a more natural pass-catcher than Fant. "I think Hockenson has a little bit more natural hands," Jeremiah said. "With Fant, he's got a little bit of a habit; he's jumping for balls that are on his body."
Clubs looking for a well-rounded tight end who excels as an in-line blocker and receiver in the seam areas may consider Hockenson over Fant. That could elevate his projection into late first-round territory.
Hurt: DL Jalen Jelks, Oregon
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It's difficult to tell how Jalen Jelks' physical traits will translate to the NFL. He's 6'5", 256 pounds but lined up for three years on the inside at Oregon, tallying 12 sacks in that span. He then played outside linebacker as a senior.
Jelks worked out with the edge-rushers Sunday. At his size, he won't man an inside position in a base defense. It's possible he'll be inside in nickel packages, but the former Duck will need to add strength. His 19 reps on the bench press weren't ideal if he's to win matchups against interior offensive linemen.
Clubs that operate in a 3-4 alignment or 3-3-5 nickel package would likely consider Jelks a pure edge-rusher, but he doesn't offer much speed. The hybrid defensive lineman recorded a 4.92 40 and didn't show fluid hip movement in the position drills.
As a potential Day 3 prospect and hybrid defender, Jelks' late position switch on the collegiate level and unimpressive workouts at the combine sink his draft stock.
Helped: DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
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Montez Sweat's 40-yard dash time could push him into the top 10. He burned the track with a 4.41-second mark, which was the fastest of any defensive lineman since at least 2003.
To put Sweat's run into perspective, it topped all quarterbacks and all but one running back (Justice Hill at 4.4) in this year's class. He'll have the speed to chase down ball-carriers in the open field. Most signal-callers won't have a chance to evade him if the 6'6", 260-pounder beats his assignment on the end.
Sweat didn't look as smooth as Brian Burns during the position drills, but he displayed enough power and hit the bags with a good punch and enough quickness out of his stance to warrant praise.
The senior defensive end doesn't have natural lower-body bend, but he could take up yoga to add flex to his hip area. Sweat built upon his buzz from Senior Bowl week and stands firmly behind Nick Bosa and Josh Allen as a top pass-rusher in this group.
Hurt: EDGE Jachai Polite, Florida
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As one pass-rusher potentially raised his draft stock, another may see his projection plummet.
According to Bleacher Report's Ian Wharton, NFL scouts questioned Jachai Polite's mindset: "There was a lot of concern about Jachai Polite from scouts entering this weekend, and he wasn't able to put the worry about how seriously he takes football behind him. If he ever does, he's obviously talented. But he's one of the big letdowns for teams picking mid to late first."
Jon Ledyard of The Draft Network noted, "Jachai came in with a ton of added bad weight, looked sloppy, wasn't explosive (1.71 10-yard)."
Polite met with San Francisco 49ers brass and said of the interview, per Pewter Report's Trevor Sikkema: "They just bashed me the whole time."
Polite ran a 4.84 40-yard time, but a hamstring injury prevented him from participating in the position drills, per Kimberly Jones of NFL Network (via Ian Rapoport). Add it all up, and we could see the biggest stock fall of any potential first-round prospect in this class.
The Florida product logged 11 sacks during his final season with the Gators. As an edge-rusher—a premium position—he could've gone within the top 15. Unfortunately for him, poor optics and a rocky meeting with the 49ers may drop him into Day 2.
Helped: D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi
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D.K. Metcalf emerged as the star of the show Saturday. At 6'3", 228 pounds, he recorded 27 reps on the bench press, 40½ inches for the vertical jump and ran a 4.33 40, sending shockwaves through social media. Based on his physique, it's not a surprise to see him crush the combine workouts, and the Mississippi product could become a top pick in April.
Metcalf didn't just look impressive running and jumping in his workout gear; he hauled in a deep over-the-shoulder catch and secured every target on the gauntlet drill. Here's a quick checklist: strength, speed, hand-eye coordination and balance. The conglomerate of physical traits and skills are indicative of a high ceiling.
Barring late reports coming out of Indianapolis, Metcalf's medical checks came back without red flags. He suffered a season-ending neck injury in October, but if the hulking wideout stays healthy, there are few limitations to his game as a No. 1 option.
NFL Network's Bucky Brooks wrote, "Given the big-play ability he's previously shown on tape, Metcalf could be a top-10 pick." In that range, the New York Jets (No. 3), Oakland Raiders (No. 4) and Buffalo Bills (No. 9) could surprise some and choose a wide receiver early on Day 1.
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