2023 NFL Combine Standouts
The importance of the "Underwear Olympics" varies depending on who you ask but some guys made themselves some serious money over the weekend. Find out who below...
The NFL Combine is one of the biggest dates on the NFL offseason calendar. It’s a weekend that generates tons of noise for the NFL Draft and is the biggest job interview of a collegiate players life. Players look to show case their athleticism and possibly even show some skills that their college team may not have been able to properly show. Each of the four days had some stars who likely lined their pockets with great performances in Indianapolis.
Day 1 - IDL, EDGE, LB
Calijah Kancey - IDL - Pittsburgh
Kancey came into the combine as one of the most intriguing storylines of the combine. He was expected to be undersized yet uber athletic. Well he hit those marks to historical extremes at each end. Sub 31” arms was a tough start to his day (only 4 IDLs in the past 20 years have logged 600+ snaps with sub-31” arms), but Aaron Donald-esque testing not only redeemed his day but may have vaulted him into first round consideration.
Keeanu Benton - IDL - Wisconsin
Benton was one of the defensive standouts from the Senior Bowl back in January and he kept the ball rolling in Indy. Benton put together a complete performance on the field while checking every box in terms of measurables, which should make him a strong candidate to be a Top-50 pick.
Bryan Bresee - IDL - Clemson
Few prospects have had a harder time off the field than Bresee over the past couple years and it caused his production to fluctuate from game to game. He needed a strong combine performance to remind everyone that he is one of the most naturally gifted defenders in this class and he more than delivered.
Adetomiwa Adebawore - IDL - Northwestern
Adebawore is another Senior Bowl standout who made waves at the Combine. At 280 the interior defensive lineman got stuck testing with the defensive ends and blew them all out of the water (except one). Putting up numbers comparable to former first round picks Travon Walker and Rashan Gary is a great way to make yourself some money.
Nolan Smith - EDGE - Georgia
Nobody and I mean nobody had a better Thursday in Indy than Nolan Smith. Similar to Kancey his initial weight (238 lbs) was underwhelming before dominating the athletic testing. The Georgia EDGE tested out as a 95th+ percentile athlete in almost every category and bookended it with a sub-4.4 40 time that had the internet exploding.
Lukas Van Ness - EDGE - Iowa
In a deep and talented EDGE class a good combine performance can really set players apart. Van Ness is known as a long, physical defender who’s former hockey background shine through on tape. However his fluid movements in the position drills is what turned heads at the combine. A 7.03 3-Cone time certainly also helped support that.
Jack Campbell - LB - Iowa
In a weak off-ball linebacker class with no true No. 1 player the combine is huge. The splash headlines were made by Owen Pappoe and Trenton Simpson with their sub-4.5 40 times but Campbell checked more boxes in my eyes. Campbell has excellent tape at Iowa and needed to check some testing boxes in Indy. Elite size and explosion measurable to go with solid speed testing will more than get that done.
Day 2 - CB, SAF
Julius Brents - CB - Kansas State
Few players on Friday made themselves more money than Julius Brents. Brents paired excellent on field workouts with some of the best testing numbers of the day. Known for his long press man style his elite length and size was not a shock but coming in with 90th+ percentile numbers in terms of explosion and agility has him looking like a Top 50 player in this class.
Joey Porter Jr - CB - Penn State
Porter is another player who turned heads with his measurables on Friday. The best man coverage corner in this class checked in with 34” arms to top the class. Solid numbers in terms of speed and explosion with his tape and length gives him a solid shot at being a Top 10 pick.
Deonte Banks - CB - Maryland
Banks might have had some of the best testing numbers of any DB in the class on Friday. Known for being an athletic corner with excellent coverage skills on tape he backed that reputation up with room to spare. Checking in with elite grades for speed and explosion has him all but certain to hear his name called on Day 1 come April.
Christian Gonzalez - CB - Oregon
Nobody had a better day on the field in Indy then Christian Gonzalez. Like Banks he checked in with an relative athletic scores of 9.99/10 (that’s about as high as it goes). What sets him apart was also being the best mover in the on field drills. The top of the CB class looks to be between him and Devon Witherspoon, with Gonzalez’s performance in Indy he may just hold the crown now.
Sydney Brown - SAF - Illinois
Sydney Brown may be the lesser known of the two brothers (his brother Chase being a stand out running back in his own right) but he sure can play. In a safety class that was slower than usual, his 4.47 40 time and standout on field drills should have shot him up teams draft boards.
Jartavius Martin - SAF - Illinois
Browns teammate Martin also set himself apart with excellent testing and on field drills. When factoring in his versatility at both CB and SAF, his value in this draft has never been higher.
Day 3 - QB, WR, TE
Anthony Richardson - QB - Florida
Richardson lit up the internet with one of the best combine testing sessions of all time. He hit a perfect 10 RAS score and lined up with Cam Newton in terms of athleticism. That combined with a solid throwing session have his draft odds rising and make this QB class a lot more interesting than it was a month ago.
C.J. Stroud - QB - Ohio State
Speaking of this QB class, Stroud’s on field performance was nearly as good as Richardson testing. The best pure thrower of the football in this class, he had a near perfect session during the throwing drills. Literally 4 different QB’s could go #1 overall depending on the preference of the team picking there.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba - WR - Ohio State
JSN looked like a genius by not running the 40 in a slower WR class. He dominated every other drill with elite 3-Cone and Shuffle times and clocked in an excellent athletic score as a result. When combined with some of the best on field drills we have seen in a few years, nobody is going to care he didn’t run.
A.T. Perry - WR - Wake Forrest
AT Perry is one of the best jump ball players in a class that doesn’t have many. His biggest question was long speed so getting sub 4.5 on his 40 time is huge for him. His testing numbers with his tape has him creeping up into early Day 2 range at this rate.
Day 4 - OL, RB
Paris Johnson Jr. - OT - Ohio State
Johnson checked in as one of the most physically imposing offensive lineman at the combine. Given his size and length he should have no business looking as smooth on the field as he did. A raw player, Johnson showed on Sunday that his physical talent is the best of any lineman in this class.
Darnell Wright - OT - Tennessee
Wright is a player with tons of good tape and production in the SEC but questions about his functional athleticism knock down his grade. It was a pleasant surprise to see how well he moved at the combine in drills. A showing like that goes a long way to a potential first round selection.
Chase Brown - RB - Illinois
It was a great couple days in Indy for the Fighting Illini. Brown who has been kind of forgotten in this deep RB class after being one of the most productive college backs in 2022, reminded everyone how talented he is. Top numbers in broad jump and vertical to go with a 4.43 40 and rock solid on field drills made him one of the stand outs Sunday.
Roschon Johnson - RB - Texas
The “other” Texas back continues to impress me the more I watch him. A bigger back his 4.5 forty won’t turn heads but a Top-5 10 yard split (1.52) and smooth on field work certainly will. Being able to show above average skills in pass catching was a nice addition for a player who didn’t get the chance to do it much in college.