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Studs and duds of the 2019 NFL Combine

The NFL Combine measures the mentality and athletic abilities of collegiate prospects entering the NFL Draft. While it doesn’t tell everything in a prospect, it can give scouts a general idea of the player’s capabilities. Below are prospects that did well or flopped during the 2019 NFL Combine, but that doesn’t mean they will/won’t become a great NFL player.

Offensive Linemen:

Stud: Washington State OT Andre Dillard

Dillard may have solidified himself as a first round prospect with his Combine results. He clocked in at 4.96 seconds in the 40-yard dash and his footwork impressed many. Teams desire a big man with great footwork on the next level. This 6’5” behemoth may have gone in the second round at one point, but now he’s climbing draft boards. I think he’s likely out of the Rams’ reach at this point.

Dud: Ole Miss OT Greg Little

Not too long ago Little was predicted to be the top tackle in this draft class. Time hasn’t been kind to Little. Slowly he’s plummeted down draft boards and his name no longer carries any merit. This blue-chip star out of high school didn’t quite live up to expectations at Ole Miss. He benefits primarily from his size and not much else. He skipped the Senior Bowl and needed to put up some impressive numbers at the Combine. That didn’t happen, clocking in at an unimpressive 5.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash. It wouldn’t surprise me if he fell out of the first and possibly second round.

Stud: Texas A&M C/G Erik McCoy

It’s not unheard of to hear McCoy in conversations of being a top five center prospect. That said, McCoy made a statement to scouts and analysts everywhere that he’s worth investing in. McCoy is versatile enough to play guard, is built like an ideal NFL center and has the Combine numbers to back him. Completing the 40-yard dash in just 4.89 seconds is stunning a man that size. McCoy is a Day 2 prospect at minimum, but it wouldn’t shock me to see him sneak into the first round.

Dud:  Alabama OT Jonah Williams

Wait a second, Williams must be a top three tackle in this draft class right? Possibly, but that doesn’t mean much since this draft class isn’t the strongest. The NFL Combine must be taken with a grain of salt though. Combine specialists don’t always translate into NFL legends, the Rams know all about that. Think back to guys like Greg Robinson and Jason Smith, these are players we’d like to forget but they did well at the Combine. Williams didn’t improve his stock at all by clocking in at 5.12 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That in mind, I do expect Williams to stay in the first round.

Inside linebackers:

Stud: LSU ILB Devin White

White already possesses a reputation for being a top talent in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Combine proves that this man is an athletic machine. He put on some weight, now weighing in at 237 pounds. That didn’t stop him from running the 40-yard dash in just 4.42 seconds. Completing the three cone drill in 7.07 seconds is also an impressive feat. It’s obvious he’s a Day 1 prospect, but these results can possibly land him in the top 10.

Dud: Duke ILB Joe Giles-Harris

This may not come as a surprise to many that are familiar with Giles-Harris’s game. From a Combine perspective, he did terrible after running the 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds. He isn’t known for being athletic, and one of the reasons he’s an intriguing prospect is because of his film. He plays intelligently and is a textbook inside linebacker. Giles-Harris is a safe pick that could turn out to be a steal in the second or third round.

Stud: North Carolina State ILB Germaine Pratt

Before it’s pointed out that others recorded better numbers than Pratt, hear me out. Pratt is a hybrid linebacker that’s raw at the position. He does have a ton of potential, especially after clocking in at 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also did 24 reps on bench press, which isn’t bad for a guy that’s built like a safety. I do expect him to be a Day 2 prospect still, but maybe a team may take a chance on him late in the second round.

Dud: Notre Dame ILB Te’Von Coney

Hold on, why is Coney a dud when he didn’t participate in the measurable section of the NFL Combine? He gets a pass if he’s suffering from an injury, but he attended and participated in field drills. However, he plans to display his measurable stats at Notre Dame’s Pro Day. The reason for this is because Coney already known for underachieving in the athleticism department.

Edge rushers:

Stud: Mississippi State Edge Montez Sweat

King of the 2019 NFL Combine goes to Montez. No joke, this guy put up ridiculous numbers for 6’6″ edge rusher. Running the 40-yard dash in just 4.41 seconds. Some receivers don’t run that fast. Unfortunately, Sweat will be way out of the Rams’ range even before the NFL Combine. He may be a top five pick after this performance. Some will say WR D.K. Metcalf won the Combine, but I believe Sweat stole the show.

Dud: Boston College DE Zach Allen

Okay, Allen didn’t have the worst Combine performance. That said, he didn’t exactly separate himself from the pack. Running a mediocre time of 5 seconds for the 40-yard dash is disappointing from a guy like Allen. His three cone drill wasn’t any better, finishing at 7.34 seconds. This is another case of where the Combine doesn’t tell the entire story. I believe Allen will still be a first rounder because the film doesn’t lie. We can probably expect him to not climb draft boards though.

Stud: FSU Edge Brian Burns

Burns’s undeniable athleticism is now proven at the NFL Combine. Running the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds, doing a vertical jump at 36 inches and completing the three cone drill in 7.01 seconds proves this. This is exactly what teams desire in an edge rusher, so Burns may for surely be out of the Rams’ reach now. For more details, our Martin Cruz did a nice write up of him in a draft profile.

Dud: Florida Edge Jachai Polite

Reports of Polite struggling in interviews isn’t a good sign. Having a terrible time on his 40-yard attempt is disheartening. But, to blame it on a hamstring injury and then not participate in the rest of the measurables is embarrassing. He will need to have a better Pro Day after running the 40-yard dash in 4.84 seconds. True, not the worst time but Polite is known for being an athletic edge rusher.

Safeties:

Stud: Virginia S Juan Thornhill

Personally, I am a fan of Thornhill. I’ve been an advocate of potentially drafting him 31st overall. Thornhill nearly broke a Combine record with his 44″ vertical jump. His 40-yard dash time was also impressive, clocking in at 4.42 seconds. Perhaps it is false hope to begin with that he might slide down to the second round, but I’m confident he won’t make it 31st overall. Read my draft profile on him for more details.

Dud: Fresno State S Mike Bell

Coming from a smaller school like Fresno State, Bell needed a dynamite performance at the Combine. Well he crashed, burned, rolled over and fell off a cliff. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.83 seconds, 30″ only on his vertical leap and did only 10 reps at bench press. These are terrible stats for a safety. Expect Bell to potentially fall into Day 3 territory.

Stud: Maryland S Darnell Savage Jr.

Savage’s numbers were certainly “savage” during the Combine. Forgive my pun, but running a 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds is impressive. This is a player that’s teetering on being considered a Day 2 or 3 prospect. His film is solid, his Combine stats are great and adding an amazing Pro Day may land him on Day 2.

Dud: Wisconsin S D’Cota Dixon

This isn’t a huge surprise. Dixon’s non-athletic reputation is something scouts have known about since high school. It’s not a surprise that the Combine didn’t do him an favors for the NFL Draft. But, it’s unforgivable to post 4.81 second for a 40 time. Still, this is another prospect to take Combine results with a grain of salt. His tape with the Badgers is intriguing enough to keep scouts watching.

Source: Sports-reference.com

You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.

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