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The NFL is has become a true year-round event and the combine is a huge part of that. The first centralized combine was held in 1985 and has been in Indianapolis since 1987 and has been a true hub for learning about prospects and for teams to start having conversations about prospects and free agency coming up.
Over the history of the combine, there have been players that were testing wonders. The most famous of those was Boston College EDGE Mike Mamula was the ultimate workout warrior. In 1995, he was the first player to specifically train for the combine and he dominated the event. He performed so well that he ended up getting selected No. 7 overall by the Eagles when he was initially projected to be a mid-round selection. That performance revolutionized the way that players train for the event.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Mamula was a bust. He didn’t produce in the NFL and was overmatched as an undersized edge rusher. Since then, teams have learned a lot about how to best use the combine and prevent the mistake
Every year, we see players that rise because of their performance in testing. Some of those players showed a surprising level of athleticism while others met expectations by matching their testing to the film. In the first of this two-part series, I will be breaking down each position group by highlighting two players that stand the most to gain or lose from the combine.
Quarterback: Matt Corral, Malik Willis
One of the themes I heard down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl was how much Corral helped himself during the week for simply not being there. Outside of the traits popping off from Willis, none of the quarterbacks were all that impressive. Corral himself has the traits of a top quarterback but like the rest, he also comes with major question marks.
Throughout his career, Corral has had maturity and decision-making issues plague him, but this past year he showed growth in both areas. How the offense will translate is a big concern. 75 percent of his passes were within five yards of the line of scrimmage and most of his reads appear to encompass only half the field. Interviews will be massive for Corral, as teams will need to figure out how much of the offense was built for Corral versus Corral just running the offense he was given. He is firmly in contention to be the first quarterback off the board.
There isn’t a whole lot more that needs to be said about Willis. He possesses similar ridiculous traits to Josh Allen when he came out in 2018 and proved that at the Senior Bowl. He has a howitzer of an arm and is a dynamic play-maker.
MALIK WILLIS WHAT?!@LibertyFootball @malikwillis
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 5, 2022
📺: @seniorbowl on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/w3cRCSyjuE
He answered a lot of my questions at the Senior Bowl, a massively structured event, by going out and thriving within the constraints of practice. He still struggles to maintain a consistent base underneath him and needs to be more consistent in throwing with touch, but the raw ability is there. A good week throwing the football and matching his reported 4.38 40-yard dash could secure him as a top-10 selection come April.
Running Back: James Cook, Breece Hall
This running back class is a unique one. There isn’t a true standout at the position and nobody worthy of sneaking into the first round. The guys who get selected first will likely be more about preference than talent. The diversity of this class is vast and there will be players with skillsets for each style of running game.
Cook, unfortunately, missed the Senior Bowl, an event in which I expected him to thrive. Used mainly as a change of pace and third-down back in the Georgia committee, Cook displayed a real nuance with his route running.
Great fan video submitted by @WMeshad of James Cook’s 23-yard touchdown catch yesterday.
— Bulldawg Illustrated (@BD_illustrated) November 14, 2021
Cook finished the game with 147 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/ZgEVeyI97u
The Bulldogs would take advantage of his abilities by often splitting him out wide in the above clip and took advantage of Michigan in the semifinals where Cook torched them for 4-122-1 through the air. His play style is reminiscent of his brother Dalvin, but he doesn’t possess the same explosiveness and slipperiness that he does. A really good week could push Cook into the middle of day two for a team that runs wide zone.
Hall has been at the top of the college football landscape for the last two years but it certainly feels longer than that. Over his three seasons with the Cyclones, Hall has rushed for 3,941 yards and 50 touchdowns to pair with his 934 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Hall is a true home run threat but that element has harmed him in sustaining success play-in and play out. Too often he is looking for the home run and will miss an opportunity for a decent gain. Those plays end up in nominal gains of one or two yards. He also had a tendency to miss an open hole with his vision and doesn’t display a lot of power for his size and frame. Hall will need a good week of testing to show that he will be able to break away from defenders at the next level.
Wide Receiver: Treylon Burks, Calvin Austin III
These two, while incredibly different, have something in common: their college teams manufactured touches for them. Getting the ball in their hands was one thing that both the Razorbacks and Tigers prioritized getting their playmaker the football and letting him do damage. With the rise of Deebo Samuel, teams will be looking to find the next guy that they can use as a creative hybrid type. While they share that in common, that’s about all they do.
For Burks, he comes in at about 6’3’ tall and 225 pounds and was a menace for Arkansas. They would get the ball in his hands in just about any way they could. Burks caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns along with 14 rushes for 112 yards and a 49-yard touchdown. He is a true dynamo in every sense of the word, but he needs some refining with his route running. Burks isn’t a technician at this point in his development and needs work with his breaks, cuts, and releases. With how he currently wins, he won’t need to be great at those elements yet. He can win with screens, crossers, slants, jet sweeps, and even runs out of the backfield while he develops as a true receiver.
Where Burks needs a great week is with testing. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands, but it is unknown how good of an athlete he is. If he can impress with a great week in drills and with testing, Burks could easily be the first receiver off the board, potentially to the Jets at pick number 10.
For Austin III, combine success will look a little bit different. He dominated the Senior Bowl where he was arguably the best offensive player in Mobile. Austin III showed a level of dynamic speed, diverse release package, a larger than expected catch radius, and defined route-running ability. If Austin can go to Indianapolis, verify his measurements, and test as explosive as he looked, there is a real shot that he can sneak into the top-50. If Tutu Atwell can go at 56 overall, Austin III can go higher.
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Tight End: Charlie Kolar, Jeremy Ruckert
This is one of the deepest tight end groups in recent memory. While there is no Kyle Pitts type impact player, there are numerous day one starters and early contributors. Day two is going to be a real sweet spot for the position and these two players have a chance to go there with a good combine.
Kolar had a lot of production with the Cyclones and looked dominant at times. One of his biggest issues is the perceived lack of athleticism. When Kolar runs, he can look as stiff as a board. He isn’t the fastest player but he can move up the seam. With a really good group of at his position, a poor day of testing could end up costing in a round or two, whereas showing he is a capable athlete could cement him on day two.
Ruckert was a standout in Mobile before leaving after day two with an undisclosed injury. He displayed really nice route running ability with separation, soft and strong hands, and nice ball skills. That display seemed to answer the question about whether Ruckert’s usage was due to the myriad of weapons available to the Buckeyes or if it was a lack of talent. It also emphasized that Ruckert’s performance in last year’s playoff wasn’t a fluke. As it currently stands, Ruckert is a fringe top-100 selection, but a great week in Indianapolis could elevate him to a much higher selection.
Offensive Line: Trevor Penning, Daniel Faalele
After the Senior Bowl, these two were the most intriguing tackles for different reasons. Penning has an old-school nastiness to his game, so much so that he almost took out Desmond Ridder’s legs during practice.
Trevor Penning violently throws Isaiah Thomas into Desmond Ridder’s legs #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/uWFLozP53d
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) February 1, 2022
Penning is a mauler in the running game and has the prototypical size at 6066 and 330lbs that you want, especially in a man/gap/power scheme Mock drafts have already been putting him as the third tackle taken over Charles Cross and with great testing numbers that could become a reality.
Faalele is one of the biggest outliers in this draft class. A mammoth of a man at 6081 and 387lbs, he struggled with balance and using his length in Mobile which matched the tape. With Faalele, these are workable issues. Once he gets into an NFL environment, he will get coached up on how to best use that to his advantage. What you can’t teach is how great his movement skills are for his size. Faalele can move in space way better than you would expect at a slim 387lbs and once he gets his hands on you, it’s over. A week of testing showing that he is a capable athlete should springboard him into the top 50 conversation.
