The 2023 Combine NFL has completed the defense drills, and on Saturday the offensive was on the field for televised drills. As is tradition, one group started with the 40-meter dash, then switched to positional exercises, while another group completed agility exercises and measured jumps.
So far we have profiled the following item groups:
The quarterbacks and wide receivers do their on-field drills together, and while the NFL is armed with amazing technology, they somehow lack the ability to identify both the quarterback and wide receiver on their broadcasts. And with the league’s focus on quarterbacks, it became very difficult to track receivers during practices using just their number to identify them during a replay.
With that in mind, I’m focusing on two things for this position review: the players I’ve been able to identify who have excelled, and picking receivers who have performed solidly in their measured practice.
While the Detroit Lions appear to favor receivers with speed, there is one commonality among receivers acquired by Brad Holmes during his tenure as Lions general manager: Most hit certain thresholds in vertical jump (VJ), long jump (BJ), and 3 -Cone (3C) scores.
The key numbers to look for are:
PY: 37′ or more
BJ: 10-foot-4 or more
3C: 6.9 seconds or less
Well, not all potential recipients were tested in every category, but if any of the 12 recipients selected as outstanding recipients met or exceeded a benchmark, their score was bolded for easy identification.
Let’s take a closer look at the wide receivers that have stood out.
WR-X
Quentin Johnston, TCU6-foot-3, 208
(No. 40 times), 40.5 (VJ), 11-ft-2 (BJ)
Johnston looks massive and when the ball comes within his reach he swallows it. He surpassed both vaulting benchmarks and the Lions reportedly had a meeting with him earlier in the week.
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee, 6-foot-3, 213
4.54 (40), 37′ (VJ), 10ft-8 (BJ)
Another WR-X with impressive size and movement skills, Tillman didn’t match Johnston’s numbers, but he doesn’t carry the same expensive price tag either.
Andrei Iosivas, Princeton, 6-foot-3, 205
4.43 (40), 39′ (VJ), 10ft-8 (BJ), 6.85 (3C)
Iosivas beat the benchmarks in all three categories and also ran a solid 40-yard dash time. He ran his routes smoothly in the Combine and showed solid hands. Princeton isn’t an NFL player production powerhouse, but he had some early Day 3 hype entering the Combine and has seen his stock rise with his readings.
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia, 6-foot-4, 221
4.38 (40), 41′ (VJ), 10ft-9 (BJ)6.97 (3C)
That Ford-Wheaton hit the marks he made at 6-foot-4 is terribly impressive, and in drills he was a little easier to identify due to his long wingspan. Originally identified as a late Day 3 prospect, its combination of size, speed, explosion, and agility usually pushes teams to play in the mid-rounds.
Grant Dubose, Charlotte, 6-foot-2, 201
4.57 (40), 35′ (yoy), 10-foot-5 (BJ), 6.89 (3C)
A raw vantage point with an impressive 3 cone at its size, there’s enough potential to keep an eye on late on Day 3.
Antione Green, North Carolina, 6-foot-2, 199
4.48 (40), 33.5′ (VJ), 10ft-3 (BJ), 6.99 (3C)
Green didn’t actually meet any of the previously identified benchmarks – although he came close in some – but after reports of him hitting the Lions in the Combine, I decided to keep looking for him. In the glove he swayed too much off the line for my liking, which indicated possible balance issues, but he attacked the ball in the air, which was promising. He’s a late day 3 developmental prospect to me, but I’ll go back to look at the notes on him.
WR-Z/slot
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, 6-foot-0, 176
4.4 (40), 40 (VJ), 11-foot-3 (BJ)
Hyatt becomes a WR-Z in the NFL and could be the first receiver off the board on draft day. He’s a cross country skier, clears quickly, gets in and out of his breaks with ease and had strong hands on the catch point. The jump points match the explosion you see in his feature film.
Jaxon Smith-Nigba, State of Ohio6-foot-1, 196
No. 40, 35′ (previous year), 10-foot-5 (BJ), 6.57 (3C)3.93 (SS)
Primarily a slot receiver in Ohio State, Smith-Nigba is not an exploder like the Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown, but a more traditional fast receiver that is difficult to manage when it cuts. His 6.57 3-cone score – which measures the ability to change direction at top speed – was easily the Combine’s best yet.
Josh Downs, North Carolina, 5-foot-9, 171
4.48 (40), 38.5 (VJ), 10-foot-11 (BJ)
Downs is another slot receiver who might not be a perfect fit in Detroit with St. Brown in that role, but he’s able to get time out (like St. Brown) and his yards on catch (YAC) are something special. In the combine, he displayed excellent body control at high speeds and the ability to make sharp cuts quickly.
Tyler Scott, Cincinnati, 5-ft-10, 177
4.44 (40), 39.5′ (VJ), 11ft-1 (BJ)
Scott fits the mold of Tyler Lockett as the WR-Z/Slot, sharing time in both roles but best suited as a field stretcher. He’s a more natural fit for St. Brown than Smith-Nigba and Downs, and he runs with speed and confidence. A currently underrated player.
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma, 5-ft-11, 183
4.38 (40), 39.5′ (VJ), 10ft-9 (BJ), 6.90 (3C)
Another athlete to have surpassed all three benchmarks. Mims can operate in the WR-Z and off-slot, and his ability to make big plays on both offense and the second leg will be appealing. He was lithe and controlled at the Combine, and his combination of skill and measurability could make him a bargain in the third round.
Ronnie Bell, Michigan, 6-foot-0, 191
4.54 (40), 38.5′ (PY)10-foot-0 (BJ), 6.98 (3C)
Bell looks like a Day 3 option that could evolve into a seed/WR-Z over time. He’s reliable and a bit unassuming, but he showed a nice explosion and change of direction on the combine. His impressive one-handed grab during a whip route stood out as one of the better catches of this year’s event.
Continue reading