The NFL combine is a huge part of how scout teams around the league assess draft prospects. The combine is not just about 40-yard dashes and vertical jumps, but also about the time for teams and coaches to interview players and get a glimpse of their character and personalities. Though I do not have insider info on how teams felt about specific interviews, I can give you the rundown of the combine. Here are the post-NFL-combine draft risers:
Risers:
Eli Stowers – TE – Vanderbilt
Photo via usatoday.com.
Stowers set a new vertical jump record at this year’s combine, with a 45.5-inch vertical. For context, Stowers can jump higher than Vince Carter, Ja Morant, and Cristiano Ronaldo. In addition to setting a combine record, Stowers also set a new Broad jump record for tight ends by jumping 11 feet and 3 inches. Besides his record-setting numbers, Stowers also clocked a 4.51 40-time, which ranked 2nd amongst all tight ends, and is an elite time for a man of his size. Before the combine, the Vanderbilt prospect was projected as a possible late-day 2 pick, but was more of a day 3 selection. Now, after testing off the charts, there is a high chance he ends up going on day 2, in the second round.
Taylen Green – QB – Arkansas
Photo via nypost.com.
The Arkansas quarterback, who has not been touted as a top prospect to this point, just put up the best testing numbers that we have seen from any quarterback at the combine. Starting with the 40-yard dash, Green ran a 4.36. A 4.36 is what you expect from top-end running backs and wide receivers – not quarterbacks. Green’s 40 time is the second-best all-time for a QB at the combine. Green set a new combine record for quarterbacks in both vertical and broad jumps with a 43.5-inch jump and an 11″ 2 broad. Again, I must reiterate that these numbers are unheard of for QBs; it is also important to note that he put up these numbers as a 6’6″, 230-pound man. While he tested well, the Arkansas signal caller’s footwork and throwing mechanics have been questioned by scouts and analysts, and he is viewed as a developmental quarterback. That said, Green has just made himself a lot of money, and his draft stock has certainly gone up.
Sonny Styles – LB – Ohio State
Photo via theathletic.com.
Styles entered the combine as the #2 linebacker on most expert boards. Arvell Reese held the top spot as the top-ranked linebacker, and though Styles has not necessarily leapfrogged.
Reese, there is a realistic possibility that he is the first linebacker off the board. Here is where styles ranked among linebackers in testing: 40 yd dash – 1st. Vertical – 1st. Broad – 1st. 3 cone – 6th. Shuttle – 5th. Styles has been gaining popularity as the off-season has progressed, and his draft stock is going to continue rising after testing as well. I would not be shocked if he went in the top 5 picks.
Deion Burks – WR – Oklahoma
Photo via tech.yahoo.com.
Burks put up good numbers in Oklahoma and would be ranked much higher as a prospect if it were not for his size. Burks, who is listed at 5’9 “and 180, is not the frame GMs are looking for. However, his combined numbers have alleviated much of the worry about his small stature. Burks had an athleticism score of 93, which ranks second among all receivers in the draft. He highlighted this past weekend by putting up the 2nd best bench press by a receiver in combine history, notching 26 reps. On top of this incredible show of strength, the Oklahoma wide receiver ran a 4.3 40 – 3rd best of receivers; best among receivers in the vertical jump – 42.5 inches; and 4th best among his position in the broad jump. Burks’ draft stock has risen significantly, and we may now see him go on day 2 of the draft.
