2019 NFL Combine Recap
The 2019 NFL Combine which is held annually at Lucas Oil Field Stadium is complete. College football players have an opportunity to showcase themselves through physical and mental drills in front of coaches, general managers, scouts, and the media. A player’s performance will positively or negatively impact their draft position, salary, and the trajectory of their career. The combine is one way to evaluate a player for fantasy football purposes along with game film and collegiate production. This article will share eight takeaways from the combine that you should know about.
The Cardinals will select Kyler Murray No. 1 Overall in the NFL Draft
Sunday Combine Notes: Kliff Kingsbury telling people it’s a “done deal” the Cardinals will select Kyler Murray with the first pick of the draft. Plenty more here -> https://t.co/Tke8GyScfm pic.twitter.com/MqVy9MpTUt
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 3, 2019
NFL Draft Analyst and insider Tony Pauline reported on his blog that the Cardinals will draft Kyler Murray No. 1 overall and trade last year’s No. 10 overall pick quarterback Josh Rosen. This narrative continues to escalate quickly. Murray’s time at Lucas Oil Field Stadium was spent in the background casually chatting with NFL coaches and others as a spectator. His official measurements were 5’10 1/8, 207 pounds, and a hand size of 9 1/2. These measurements were positive for Murray. The Heisman trophy winner will run the forty-yard dash and participate in throwing drills at the Oklahoma Sooners’ Pro Day on March 13.
Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim’s recent comments have also raised eyebrows. He referred to Rosen as the team’s QB “right now, for sure” at the NFL Combine last Wednesday. A few months ago a video resurfaced from October in which new Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was discussing Murray. At that time he still at Texas Tech, but he praised Murray saying:
I’ve never seen him have a poor outing. Not one. Which at quarterback, it’s impossible to do, but he’s done it. I would take him with the first pick of the draft if I could.
Kingsbury is now in a position where he could do just that. You may be wondering what would the fantasy impact be if this comes to fruition? Murray’s athletic ability to extend and create plays is a great fit for Kingsbury Air Raid offense. It would also help cover up the protection issues of the Cardinals offensive line considering they finished the season with an Adjusted Sack Rate of 9.1 according to Football Outsiders. Rosen would be a better fit under center with the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, or New England Patriots.
The Air Raid offensive scheme prioritizes passing plays with run plays typically being called when there is a clear and obvious advantage in the box. Kingsbury’s collegiate teams have shown a tendency to operate out of the Shotgun on nearly every snap while switching up the personnel on every play. The inclusion of no-huddle is also important. It allows the QB to diagnose what the defense is showing, limit their ability to substitute players or adjust, and tire them out.
Forrest Long of @TheHuddleReport has been the most accurate NFL Mock Drafter on record over the last 5 years. His first 2019 mock has Kyler Murray going 1 to #Cardinals & Dwayne Haskins 4 to #Raiders: pic.twitter.com/Ihtk5aP70q
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) March 3, 2019
Murray passed for 4,361 yards in Lincoln Riley’s variation of the Air Raid last season and rushed for another 1,001 while scoring 54 total touchdowns. Kingsbury will place him in a position to be successful during the 2019 season if drafted by Arizona. Murray would find himself on the streaming radar as a high-end QB2 with QB1 upside given his rushing ability.
D.K. Metcalf Silences The Doubters
D.K. Metcalf’s physique has been discussed for weeks leading up the NFL Combine. Is he too muscular? Will he lack speed? Is he agile enough? Metcalf silenced the haters as quickly as Thanos dispatched the Hulk at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War. He broke social media on Saturday with a 4.33 forty-yard dash which is inhuman considering Metcalf is 6’3 and 228 pounds. He matched N’Keal Harry with 27 reps on the bench press. Metcalf also looked stellar operating in the receiving drills. He finished in the top-10 percentile scores with his jumps and forty-yard dash, but not in the three-cone and shuttle drills. Did you know Metcalf finished in the bottom five percentile among WRs according to MockDraftable.com? His combine performance was strong enough that he’ll be the first WR taken in the draft, but where would be Metcalf’s best landing spot from a fantasy perspective?
DK Metcalf’s percentile rankings from the combine are hilarious. He’s the greatest athletic freak on earth….as long as he doesn’t have to change direction. pic.twitter.com/oIw7Upd7o1
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) March 3, 2019
The Ravens would be an excellent landing spot for Metcalf. He would immediately enter the fray as the team’s No. 1 receiver. The Ravens recently released Michael Crabtree and John Brown is a free agent. The team will be looking to surround quarterback Lamar Jackson with playmakers as the offense continues to evolve. Injury concerns are a risk that fantasy players should be aware of. Metcalf has been hurt in two of his three seasons at Ole Miss. He broke his foot
Miles Boykins’ Stock is Trending Up
Miles Boykins had many people reenacting the Guy Looking Back meme as he racked up these combine numbers:
- 43.5-inch Vertical
- 11’8” Broad Jump
- 6.77 Three- cone
- 4.07 Shuttle
- 4.42 Forty-yard dash
Many questioned whether the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish receiver could make it as an NFL WR and wondered if he should become a tight end.
Miles Boykin was privately telling anybody who would listen that he was going to kill it at the combine.
He was right. https://t.co/tohLqAzlHP
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) March 2, 2019
Boykins’ performance altered his NFL Draft trajectory. He originally carried a late round projection, but now Boykins could be drafted as early as the second round thanks for his combine results. He was Notre Dame’s best receiver last season finishing with 59 receptions, 872 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. The Bills desperately need a deep threat, but it would not be the best use of resources to address that in the first round of the NFL Draft. The team has a void in the middle of its defensive line due to the retirement of Kyle Williams. The Bills could draft Houston’s Ed Oliver at No. 9 overall and follow that up with Boykins in the second round. Quarterback Josh Allen needs a receiver that has the play speed to threaten defenses vertically which Boykins could do. Zay Jones, Robert Foster, Isaiah McKenzie, Ray-Ray McCloud, Victor Bolden, and Camp Phillips will return in 2019. Did you know that this group of WRs combined for only 1,417 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season?
Garrett Bradbury Could Be Drafted in the First Round
Garrett Bradbury performed well at the Senior Bowl and the positive momentum continues at the combine. The 6-foot-3, 306-pound center posted a forty-yard dash time of 4.92, completed 34 bench press reps, and displayed excellent agility during the field drills. No other linemen had a better three-cone-drill than Bradbury’s 7.41. He had a phenomenal combine and could be drafted in the top-20 overall.
Garrett Bradbury may have just punched a ticket to first round with a sub-5 40 st 306 lbs. I had him at 4.97. Had 34 bench reps yesterday. Plug and play at center for a decade. #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/YMewjwWjuH
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 1, 2019
Bradbury is one of the best interior linemen in the 2019 class. The Vikings could select him at No. 18 overall. The team’s interior offensive line struggled. Mike Remmers and Tom Compton finished with overall grades of 58.9 (50th among guards), and 60.2 (47th) according to Pro Football Focus. The Vikings offensive line ranked 23rd in Adjusted Line Yards according to Football Outsiders. The running backs finished ninth in Open Field Yards. This is notable because a team with a low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a high ranking in Open Field Yards is heavily dependent on it’s RB breaking long runs to make the running game work. Bradbury would make an immediate impact on the Vikings running game and in protecting quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Buzz Continues Around Hakeem Butler
Hakeem Butler is one of the biggest receivers of the 2019 class at 6-foot-5, 227 pounds. The former Iowa State receiver with the ridiculous catch radius also happens to be one of the biggest winners of the combine. Butler has the size to win jump balls against defensive backs. His official forty-yard dash time was 4.48 which is impressive for a player of Butler’s size. Butler finished his collegiate career with 110 receptions, 2,149 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns. That included 60 receptions, 1,318 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns last season. Did you know only two other receivers had higher yards per reception than Butler (22.0)? He also had 10 receptions of 40 yards or more. Butler’s had experience lining up on the outside and the slot. He’s also being mentored by Calvin Johnson and Anquan Boldin.
I’m pretty locked into these four as the top-4 WRs in the class (not in order):
D.K. Metcelf
N’Keal Harry
Hakeem Butler
A.J. Brown
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 2, 2019
Butler should be on the Steelers radar in the second round as general manager Kevin Colbert and his staff plan for life without Antonio Brown. He could be a nice complement to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Steelers draft position will change depending on the parameters around the inevitable trade of their outspoken receiver. It’s possible that the team trades Brown for an early second or a late first round pick and select Butler.
Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson Did Not Disappoint
Noah Fant’s finished the combine with a forty-yard dash of 4.5, a vertical leap of 39.5 inches. a broad jump of 10 feet and seven inches, and bench-pressed 225 pounds 20 times. His play speed and leaping ability are eerily similar to the top wide receivers. The six-foot-four, 249
George Kittle: 6-4, 247lbs, 4.52 forty-yard dash (96th percentile weight-adjusted speed)
Noah Fant: 6-5, 243lbs, 4.51 forty-yard dash (96th percentile)
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) March 2, 2019
Hockenson could be selected No. 8 overall by the Lions. The irony is that the team drafted Eric Ebron in 2014 and cut him loose after a few seasons only to see him thrive in 2018 with the Colts. It would be wise for the Lions to not make the same mistake again. Quarterback Matthew Stafford needs all the receiving weapons he can get. Fant would be a great target to be selected 30th overall by the Packers who are in need of a tight end. They acquired this pick from the Saints. Did you know that Fant had a faster forty-yard dash time than Davante Adams posted at the combine back in 2014?
Justice Hill Put on a Show
Justice Hill’s combine appearance was cut short after pulling up lame on his second forty-yard dash, but he didn’t disappoint. He ran a 4.4. forty-yard
Oklahoma State’s RB, Justice Hill, joined @saquon as the only RBs to record a 4.40-or-faster 40-yd dash and 40+ inch vertical at the combine since 2003.
(H/T @NFLResearch) pic.twitter.com/hKsbWNGBQM
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) March 1, 2019
It remains to be seen if Hill will be healthy enough to impress during his Pro Day on March 12th at Oklahoma State University. Hill rushed for 930 yards and scored nine touchdowns in 10 games last season. He also had 13 receptions for 68 receiving yards. Hill missed the last two regular season games due to bruised ribs. He is the ranked seventh in school history for career rushing yards with 3,539 yards and eighth in rushing touchdowns with 30. Hill’s catching ability is limited, but a great landing spot for him would be the Texans to compete with Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue. He is not a first-round
Opportunity Knocked and Travis Homer Answered the Door
Travis Homer finished the combine near the top of many testing categories including the forty-yard dash, vertical leap, and broad jump. He never topped 1,000 yards in a collegiate season, but this combine performance helped Homer gain the attention of NFL teams.
Top official 40 times for running backs at #NFLCombine:
1. Justice Hill, @CowboyFB, 4.40
2. Ryquell Armstead, @Temple_FB, 4.45
t3. Jordan Scarlett, @GatorsFB, 4.47
t3. Mike Weber, @OhioStateFB, 4.47
5. Travis Homer, @CanesFootball, 4.48— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) March 1, 2019
Homer is likely to get selected anywhere from the fourth to the sixth round of the draft. He is NFL ready and could find immediate success on a team with an RB situation like the Raiders. Wherever Homer lands it is only a matter time before he carves out a role for himself.
Conclusion
The 2019 NFL Combine had a number of winners and losers. Athletes with superior measurables and physical attributes don’t always make the best NFL players. It is good to know which players have elite agility and athleticism, but even better to know which one has the game film and statistical body of work to be successful at the next level. This article highlights those type of players for you to keep on your radar as we head into the NFL Draft and into the summer.
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