Fran Duffy’s position-by-position NFL Scouting Combine preview: Offense

I find the NFL Scouting Combine to be a test of expectations. Fast players should look fast. Slow players should look slow. When the results don’t match the expectations, that is when more work must be done. 

Below you’ll find my expectations for all five position groups on offense this week. Who do I expect to stand out? Who does this week mean the most for? What are the drills I prioritize most? Here are my thoughts on all of that and more!

Click to skip to a specific position group or just keep on scrolling …

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Full Scouting Reports on all of these players can be found in the DieHard Draft Guide!

Quarterback

Workout Warriors

These are the players I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Taylen Green (Arkansas)

At 6-foot-6, 229 pounds with long limbs, Green is a physical specimen and when he hits the open field? Watch out. This kid is a strider who chews up grass in the open field and spits out explosive plays with his legs as well as anyone. If he works out I would expect him to run one of the fastest times we’ve seen of any quarterback in recent memory, especially for one as big as he is.

Jalon Daniels (Kansas)

Daniels is not as big as Green, but he’s plenty juicy as an athlete (76 explosive runs in his career point to that). Not only is he athletic, but Daniels snaps the ball off and, maybe more importantly, brings a ton of energy to the field as well. I expect him to make his presence felt in this workout. 

The Drill To Watch

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium – not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

For the quarterbacks, what we get to see on television ultimately comes down to their throwing session with the wide receivers in attendance. Overall, the quarterbacks will throw slant routes, out routes, curl routes, dig routes, post-corner routes, and deep go routes. Those last three routes call for the quarterback to push the ball down the field, and here are things you may notice on those passes.

• Velocity and Accuracy are important for any quarterback; see which passers are able to combine both elements on these throws. 

• It’s hard for quarterbacks to make these throws – which require a bit of timing with the receiver – to guys they’ve likely never worked with before. It’s always interesting to see which quarterbacks are just willing to cut it loose in this situation. Sometimes a pass is thrown right where it should be but it falls incomplete, it’s important to note that those missed connections are not always on the quarterback.

Here are the players who have a chance to shine in these drills.

Ty Simpson (Alabama)

Simpson would have likely been at the Senior Bowl if not for an injury suffered late in the season for the Tide, and now he’ll get to throw here in Indy to prove his wares. He doesn’t have a ton of horsepower in his arm, but he has a quick release and throws with good touch. The ball placement isn’t always great, particularly when he tries to drive throws, but I think in this environment he should look pretty good. 

Cole Payton (North Dakota State)

Like Simpson, Payton is a one-year starter (albeit at a lower level of competition), but this kid has tools to work with. An athlete who the Bison constantly worked in as a runner for his first few years on campus, Payton can put some mustard on throws and has already generated some buzz in the scouting community. We’ll see if that buzz continues to build through this week. He should test well athletically and look good tossing the rock around.

Trust The Tape

These are the players I don’t expect to test off the charts athletically … but don’t panic! The tape shows a prospect who is a better football player than he is an athlete. With that in mind, don’t drop him down the board with a subpar workout!

Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)

Mendoza announced a couple of weeks ago that he would not throw here at the Combine but that he would at the team’s Pro Day. So the Raiders will get a chance to see their likely top pick throw live in that environment. 

Carson Beck (Miami)

The quarterback Mendoza went toe-to-toe with in the National Championship game isn’t the most overwhelming arm talent in the world, but Beck is a heady passer who can manage an NFL offense and get the ball where it needs to be. Since we didn’t see him at an All-Star Game, teams will want to see him throw live before the draft at some point, whether it’s here or the Pro Day, but he’s put plenty on tape over his career to tell the story of who he is as a player. 

Most To Prove

Some players make this trip with a big question (or three!) at this stage of the process. How well does he run? Will he pass the medical check? What is he like off the field in the interview room? These are the prospects with the most notable question marks on their résumé at this stage of the process.

Garrett Nussmeier (LSU)

Last week in the ALL NFL Draft Newsletter I discussed the urgency in the orthopedic exam that every prospect goes through at this event and pointed to Nussmeier as a player who would face as much scrutiny as anyone, particularly with his knee. He was my QB1 entering the year and, despite the disappointing year, I’m leaving the light on for him as a future starter in the league. But teams want to feel good about the knee coming out of the pre-draft process. 

Drew Allar (Penn State)

Allar had an up-and-down career in Happy Valley. He looks the part, has traits for days, and the best stuff looks really good. He tore his ACL in October, so we won’t see him work out this week, obviously, but what can he show behind the scenes in meetings with teams? And what does the knee look like at this stage in his recovery? 

The Rest Of The Pack

Everyone else who will take part in the events in Indianapolis (in alphabetical order).

Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Joe Fagnano (UConn), Haynes King (Georgia Tech), Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Behren Morton (Texas Tech), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor)

Mr. Average

We get to read all about the measurements for all these players over the next few weeks … but wouldn’t it be nice to have some context? What is considered a ‘good’ 40-yard dash time for this position? What about arm length? The broad jump? Here’s what the average player drafted at each position has looked like over the last decade (by my records).

Height: 6026  (6’2 3/4’’’)

Weight: 218

Hand Size: 948 (9 1/2’’)

Arm Length: 3178 (31 7/8’’)

Wingspan: 7658 (76 5/8’’)

40-Time: 4.76

10-Yard Split: 1.63

3-Cone Drill: 7.09

Short Shuttle: 4.33

Broad Jump: 114’’

Vertical Jump: 32’’

Running back

Workout Warriors:

These are the players I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)

The ‘other’ Notre Dame running back in this draft is no slouch as a prospect, and he’s got dynamic qualities that teams are looking for. He’s equally explosive linearly as he is laterally with the ability to make cuts at high speed while still adding momentum. I expect Price to test well and he should also crush it in the position drills as well. 

Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest)

At this stage of the process, Claiborne is my top senior running back (behind just the two Notre Dame ball carriers in my stack). That said, it is a pretty tight cluster there. The diminutive but dynamic senior doesn’t profile as a starter, in my opinion, but I think he has a skillset reminiscent of Nyheim Hines when the latter came out of NC State some years back. Claiborne is quick and shifty with smooth lateral cuts, light feet and explosive short-area bursts. He has real straight-line juice with explosive ability as both a runner and receiver. I expect him to test well, as long as he can go (he missed Shrine Bowl practices due to injury). 

Robert Henry Jr. (UTSA)

Like Claiborne, Henry is on the smaller side at 5-foot-9, 197 pounds, but he does make up for it with juice to create explosive plays. I’ll admit that the instant speed didn’t jump out to me immediately upon first watch with him, but he can go. GPS numbers with him have consistently come back strong. I expect him to test well. 

Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)

Johnson is a junior who declared for the draft after finishing third in the country in rushing this year for the Huskers. Listed at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, he reminds me of Raheem Mostert, who went undrafted out of Purdue then turned into an explosive slasher across multiple teams in the NFL over the course of a long career. I would expect Johnson to look good in the 40-yard dash and in the jumps this week. 

Desmond Reid (Pitt)

Like Claiborne, Reid is on the smaller end of the spectrum but man, does this guy have juice. How small is he? We’ll get the official measurements this week. But this kid is quick as a hiccup, has impressive stop-start ability and when he gets out in the open field he is explosive. There were a lot of shades of Tarik Cohen when I studied him on tape. 

Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)

Washington is the biggest back in this grouping, but he has explosive traits that should stand out when you weight-adjust all of these numbers. The fifth-year senior, who began his career at Buffalo and then played at New Mexico State before transferring to the Razorbacks this year, is tall and long-limbed, and when he opens up in the open field he displays real giddy-up. He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl and I expect him to continue that positive momentum here. 

The Drill To Watch

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium – not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

In today’s game, running backs have to be able to impact the passing game if they’re going to be viewed as truly dynamic playmakers worthy of high draft choices. This week, we’ll watch these running backs run a series of routes at all three levels of the field. A couple of things you may notice on these routes:

• Are they natural at the catch point? Does he have the ability to adjust to the throw, pull in the reception, gather himself, and transition to a runner immediately to generate positive yardage upfield? 
• What level of receiver is he? Is he just a check-down option, can he work in the screen game, or can he be flexed out and run routes at a high level as if he were a receiver? 

Here are the players who have a chance to shine in these drills.

Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)

I expect that Love would test well, I just don’t know how much testing he’ll do. That’s why I have him grouped into this category. The junior has been a consistent producer as a pass catcher the last two seasons for the Irish, displaying soft hands and some flexibility to get moved around the formation. I didn’t see a ton of usage with him downfield on wheel routes, so getting a chance to see him haul in passes from distance will be a cherry on top of the evaluation for the top back in this draft. 

Eli Heidenreich (Navy)

Heidenreich played a bit of a hybrid role for the Midshipmen over the course of his four-year career, so much so that I actually have him graded as a receiver. He’s at this event as a running back, and practiced at the Shrine Bowl as a running back, but I think he grades out a bit more favorably in the slot. Regardless, you’re likely to use him in similar ways. He has great receiving chops and should look great in these drills.

Trust The Tape

These are the players I don’t expect to test off the charts athletically … but don’t panic! The tape shows a prospect who is a better football player than he is an athlete. With that in mind, don’t drop him down the board with a subpar workout!

Nicholas Singleton (Penn State)

Singleton likely would have been in the ‘Workout Warrior’ section had it not been for an injury suffered late in the week at the Senior Bowl. It is my understanding that he will not work out this week after suffering a broken bone in his foot in Mobile. With that, we’ll have to trust that the explosiveness and big-play potential we saw from him in his four years at Happy Valley would transition to a good athletic profile. Singleton is a big back, but I don’t think he’s a naturally instinctive runner. It’s a shame that he’ll miss this event, because I would have expected some impressive numbers. 

Kaytron Allen (Penn State)

Allen is basically the opposite of Singleton as a prospect, and it’s why those two meshed so well together after being a part of the same recruiting class with PSU. Allen is not an impressive athlete, but his toughness and instincts as a ball carrier have consistently stood out the last two seasons during film study. The player I compared him to, current LA Rams RB Kyren Williams, did not test well in Indianapolis, and I don’t expect Allen to. 

Le’Veon Moss (Texas A&M)

Moss is a bigger back at 6-foot, 210 pounds, and his game is predicated on strength, power and decisiveness. He’s a bit tight, laterally, and I think that shows up on tape. I don’t think he’ll ever be confused with a homerun hitter at the position. If he doesn’t test well, I’m not going to be dropping him down the board. 

Most To Prove

Some players make this trip with a big question (or three!) at this stage of the process. How well does he run? Will he pass the medical check? What is he like off the field in the interview room? These are the prospects with the most notable question marks on their résumé at this stage of the process.

Seth McGowan (Kentucky)

McGowan had a pretty good year at Kentucky this year and carried that momentum to Mobile with a solid showing at the Senior Bowl. I think he’s one of the better seniors in this class at the position. That said, he had to take two years off in 2021 and 2022 after serving jail time due to an off-field incident at Oklahoma. McGowan will get grilled on this, obviously, by teams, and will have to prove that he can be trustworthy in the NFL.

Jonah Coleman (Washington)

I like Coleman on tape — he was my top senior running back entering the season despite having more of a backup grade over the summer. That said, I think his body composition and athletic testing will be fairly important for him. Listed a short 5-foot-9 but a thick 228 pounds, Coleman has been on the heavier side in the past. He was slated to go to the Senior Bowl but was the lone running back to pull out of the event late. I’m interested to see what kind of shape he’s in and then how he tests this weekend.

The Rest Of The Pack

Everyone else who will take part in the events in Indianapolis (in alphabetical order).

Max Bredeson (Michigan), CJ Donaldson (Ohio State), Rahsul Faison (South Carolina), Roman Hemby (Indiana), Jam Miller (Alabama), Adam Randall (Clemson), J’Mari Taylor (Virginia)

Mr. Average

We get to read all about the measurements for all these players over the next few weeks … but wouldn’t it be nice to have some context? What is considered a ‘good’ 40-yard dash time for this position? What about arm length? The broad jump? Here’s what the average player drafted at each position has looked like over the last decade (by my records).

Height: 5104 (5’10 1/2’’’)

Weight: 213

Hand Size: 928 (9 1/4’’)

Arm Length: 3078 (30 7/8’’)

Wingspan: 7458 (74 5/8’’)

40-Time: 4.50

10-Yard Split: 1.56

3-Cone Drill: 7.10

Short Shuttle: 4.30

Broad Jump: 121’’

Vertical Jump: 35’’

Wide receiver

Workout Warriors

These are the players I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Brenen Thompson (Mississippi State)

A former state champion track star in the state of Texas, Thompson is undersized but this kid can FLY. MSU utilized that speed by feeding him the football this year, allowing him to finish second in the SEC in yards. Watching him, it honestly could have been even more had he had league-average quarterback play. He should be the fastest man in Indianapolis this week. 

Zachariah Branch (Georgia)

Branch brings the juice. The son of a Hall of Fame wideout (Cliff), Zachariah is explosive both with and without the ball. He excelled as a horizontal stretch player and when they got him the rock. If he saw a crease he hit that hole HARD. A good return man thanks to that explosiveness, he brings value on special teams. I don’t see the round-one price tag some others seem to, but Branch can fly. He should look good here. 

Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee)

Sometimes it can be as simple as ‘that guy is really big and moves really fast.’ That’s the case with Brazzell, who has impressive straight-line speed for a tall wideout but also exhibits the ability to sink his hips and get in and out of breaks as well. There are other aspects of his profile that are questionable or concerning as he transitions to the league, but his athleticism is not that. This should be a good week for the junior declare.

Barion Brown (LSU)

A five-star high school recruit who won the state title in Louisiana in both the 100- and 200-meter for two straight years, this kid has scorching speed. The most polished receiver? No. But he can burn. He should excel in this event.

Chris Hilton (LSU)

Another LSU speedster, Hilton was also a track standout in high school as one of the top high-jumpers in the nation and a three-time state champ in that even while also winning the 400-meter in both the outdoor and indoor seasons. The son of two track athletes, he’s built for moments like this. 

Deion Burks (Oklahoma)

A Purdue transfer, Burks comes in compact packaging but he has speed to burn and has lightning-quick lateral agility as well. In college, that explosiveness allowed him to be an effective stretch player both vertically and horizontally in the offense. He looks like a guy who should be in the 4.3s in the 40-yard dash when you watch him on tape. 

Bryce Lance (North Dakota State)

Trey Lance’s younger brother is nothing if not explosive. Listed 6-foot-3 and nearly 210 pounds, he rolls out of his stance and gets to top speed quickly outside the numbers as a vertical deep threat. He’s not just a straight-line speed guy, however, because (like Brazzell) he can sink his hips and get in and out of cuts just as well. I’m not sure why there has not been more buzz about him, but I expect that to change after Saturday. 

Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana)

Just a one-year starter for the Hoosiers, the hometown Indianapolis native is a dense athlete with the suddenness and explosiveness to impact all three levels on the field. He’s got real juice and, as a former track athlete in high school, has the pedigree to excel in an environment like this one. I think more people will be buzzing about him after this weekend. 

The Drill To Watch

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium – not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

One of my favorite drills to watch over the course of the entire week is the Gauntlet Drill with the receivers. The prospect starts on one sideline and runs across the width of the field, catching footballs coming at him from both his left and his right in rapid-fire fashion before he reaches the other side, where he pulls in his final reception and sprints to the goal line. Some of the things you can notice when watching this drill:

• How cleanly the receiver catches the ball – look the pass in, secure it, and toss it aside while looking for the next throw

• Balance and body control while staying at near-top speed

• Battling through adversity – if they have a drop or a bad rep, do they have a short memory and finish the drill strong?

Here are the players who have a chance to shine in these drills.

Elijah Sarratt (Indiana)

Sarratt is not the athlete his teammate Cooper is. That said, he makes up for it with reliable hands, strength and competitiveness. I have questions about his ability to separate in the NFL, but in a drill like this? He should look good.

Germie Bernard (Alabama)

I’m not sure that Bernard has one elite trait, but his hands and body control at the catch point are close. He’s a bit of a linear athlete, but in a drill like this that won’t hurt him. I think he’s tailor-made to excel in the gauntlet. I still see him as more of an ideal backup in the league as opposed to a sure-fire starter.

Kendrick Law (Kentucky)

Law has one of those ‘wide receiver who is built like a running back’ frames, and his usage fit that description, as he was oft-targeted at, behind, or close to the line of scrimmage and allowed to create with the ball in his hands. He’s forceful through contact and rarely puts the ball on the ground. A drill like this is right in his wheelhouse. 

Trust The Tape

These are the players whom I don’t expect to test off the charts athletically, but don’t panic! The tape shows a prospect who is a better football player than he is an athlete. With that in mind, don’t drop him down the board with a subpar workout!

Carnell Tate (Ohio State)

Tate is a pretty easy eval, and of the top names in this class he’s the one I feel best about as far as hitting their ceiling in the NFL. Is the ceiling that of a player we typically see in the Top 10? No. I’m not sure that he’ll ever be a yearly Pro Bowl-level receiver. That said, he checks a ton of boxes and has a skillset that translates well in the league. I don’t think he’ll blow the doors off the combine from a testing perspective, but that’s okay. I’m not expecting him to.

Malachi Fields (Notre Dame)

Fields has great size at a legitimate 6-foot-4 and nearly 220 pounds. He’s played a ton of ball, first at Virginia and then at Notre Dame, after arriving in college as a former high school quarterback. His intangibles are high. He had a good week at the Senior Bowl. There’s a lot of positive momentum here. There’s reports that he could test pretty well, especially for a guy his size, but even if he falls short of some of those expected numbers, I’m not going to ding him too much. He’s got a lot going for him regardless, and I don’t think he has a game that is predicated on top-shelf athleticism. 

De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss)

Like Fields, Stribling’s game is not based on speed and quickness. The seasoned sixth-year senior is not a great athlete on tape and lacks explosiveness off the ball. He makes up for that with a natural feel for playing in traffic, reliable hands and tenacious blocking. He probably settles in with a ceiling as a No. 3 pass target, but I feel good about his chances to get there (or close to it). 

Most To Prove

Some players make this trip with a big question (or three!) at this stage of the process. How well does he run? Will he pass the medical check? What is he like off the field in the interview room? These are the prospects with the most notable question marks on their resume at this stage of the process.

Makai Lemon (USC)

The Biletnikoff Award winner as the top receiver in the country this year, Lemon is listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, but teams want verified size on him, because the film does not show a superior athlete. He can find soft spots in zone coverage but is not an elite separator when left one-on-one. His toughness is outstanding. He catches the ball. He plays through contact. There are things to like. But if if he’s going to go Top 20? He has to test well at his size. It’s a tough sell if he doesn’t. 

Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)

Our friend Dane Brugler at the Athletic broke the news on Monday evening that Tyson would not be participating in drills at the Combine as he continues to work back to 100 percent after a late-season hamstring injury. That is not great news, as this is the biggest issue in Tyson’s profile. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2022 that cost him most of the 2023 season, did not finish the 2024 campaign due to a collarbone injury, and then dealt with the hammy as the first frost started to set in at the end of the fall. For a player who I don’t believe has overwhelming physical traits and has had historical issues with drops, it’s just not a great red mark on the profile.

Denzel Boston (Washington)

With Boston, the big question is his overall athletic profile. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, he’s a big-bodied pass catcher who profiles as a pure ball winner outside the numbers. Separation? Not necessarily his bag. He’s a guy who may need to get schemed open and in whom quarterbacks will ultimately just have to have faith to go and win in tight quarters. Testing better than expected could make teams feel a bit better about his potential.

KC Concepcion (Texas A&M)

Concepcion is listed at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds by A&M. Teams are inquisitive about the real measurements there and, after that, how he tests at that size. Perhaps more than any of the other top receivers, teams will be laser focused on how he does in position drills as well. One of the knocks on Concepcion has been the frustrating focus drops on tape, if he can get through the workout without putting too many targets on the Lucas Oil turf, that will quell some of those concerns. 

Ted Hurst (Georgia State)

Hurst is a proven commodity on jump balls, and at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds with 33-inch arms, it’s a skill that should continue to provide value in the league. Can he be more than that? Can he break 4.50 in the 40-yard dash? Can he look sharper as a route runner? Can he ace the positional work? Those are things that will go a long way for a small school receiver from a bad team looking to get into the Day 2 conversation. 

Skyler Bell (UConn)

Bell had a ton of production this year for the Huskies but I’m not sure if he has the physical tools to offset some of the weaknesses of his profile. He has mediocre size at just over 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. He’s not the best route runner you’ll find. I worry about his ability to play through contact. He’s not a great blocker. He doesn’t play special teams. To me, he has to test well this week if he’s going to go as early as Day 2, which is where some have him pegged at this point in the process. I’m not sold. 

Chris Bell (Louisville)

This one is purely on the medical side of things, as Bell tore his ACL in late November at the end of the regular season. Teams won’t put his knee through the ringer, but imaging will likely get done just to check the status and stability of the surgically repaired ligament as teams try to get the best intel on his progress coming back from the injury.

The Rest Of The Pack

Everyone else who will take part in the events in Indianapolis (in alphabetical order).

Aaron Anderson (LSU), Vinny Anthony (Wisconsin), Dillon Bell (Georgia), Malik Benson (Oregon), Jeff Caldwell (Cincinnati), Josh Cameron (Baylor), Kevin Coleman JR (Missouri), CJ Daniels (Miami), Caleb Douglas (Texas Tech), Emmanuel Henderson (Memphis), Jordan Hudson (SMU), Caullin Lacy (Louisville), Ja’Kobi Lane (USC), Eric McAlister (TCU), Donaven McCulley (Michigan), Eric Rivers (Georgia Tech), Chase Roberts (BYU), J. Michael Sturdivant (Florida), Zavion Thomas (LSU), Reggie Virgil (Texas Tech), Harrison Wallace III (Ole Miss), Jalen Walthall (Incarnate Word), Kaden Wetjen (Iowa), Antonio Williams (Clemson), Colbie Young (Georgia)

Mr. Average

We get to read all about the measurements for all these players over the next few weeks … but wouldn’t it be nice to have some context? What is considered a ‘good’ 40-yard dash time for this position? What about arm length? The broad jump? Here’s what the average player drafted at each position has looked like over the last decade (by my records).

Height: 6006  (6’0 3/4’’’)

Weight: 201

Hand Size: 938 (9 3/8’’)

Arm Length: 3168 (31 3/4’’)

Wingspan: 7638 (76 3/8’’)

40-Time: 4.46

10-Yard Split: 1.55

3-Cone Drill: 6.96

Short Shuttle: 4.25

Broad Jump: 124’’

Vertical Jump: 36.0’’

Tight end

I find the NFL Scouting Combine to be a test of expectations. Fast players should look fast. Slow players should look slow. When the results don’t match the expectations, that is when more work must be done. 

Below you’ll find my expectations for this position group this week in Indianapolis. Who do I expect to stand out? Who does this week mean the most for? What are the drills I prioritize most? Here are my thoughts on all of that and more!

Full Scouting Reports on all of these players can be found in the DieHard Draft Guide!

Workout Warriors

These are the players I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon)

Sadiq is the clear-cut top tight end in this draft, in my opinion, and his athleticism is certainly one of the big reasons why. If he tests this week, I expect him to ace all of those drills and look strong across the board with his speed, quickness and leaping ability. This is an easy one.

John Michael Gyllenborg (Wyoming)

Gyllenborg stands 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, so he looks like your typical in-line tight end. That said, he’s also a really graceful athlete with explosiveness to stretch the seams downfield. A long strider with ability to threaten safeties, he eats up grass when he has free access to the second level both in the slot and tight to the formation. I expect him to test well in this environment. 

Justin Joly (NC State)

Joly isn’t as tall as Gyllenborg (coming in at an even 6-foot-3), but he’s also 251 pounds. A former high school receiver who has consistently been his team’s No. 1 pass threat going back to his days at UConn, he’s my second-favorite tight end in this draft because of what he does as a pass catcher. A fluid athlete who is smooth in and out of cuts, he has the juice to change gears and threaten the seam vertically. I’m excited to see him this week. 

Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M)

Joly was productive for all four seasons of his college career, whereas Boerkircher didn’t really put up any numbers until his sixth and final season on campus (he played five years at Nebraska before joining the Aggies last spring). That said … I like this kid. He has pretty good size across the board, is a better blocker than the other two seniors I’ve already mentioned, and he plays like a good athlete. He’s got an extra gear when he reaches the second level and he’s really smooth and fluid out of breaks. It would not shock me if he became a starter down the road. 

Marlin Klein (Michigan)

A redshirt junior who was born in Germany, Klein moved to America with the sole purpose of playing high school football and to try and play the sport professionally. Athletically, I would expect him to test pretty well across the board, but I’ll say that on film he looks more smooth and fluid than explosive in a straight line. We’ll see if the testing bears that out, but I do expect his profile to look pretty good across the board. 

The Drill To Watch

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium – not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

These position drills are meant to make these players uncomfortable, and for a lot of these players, blocking is not something they’re used to doing. Here are some things to take note of in these bag drills on the field:

• When these tight ends strike the bags, look for explosiveness out of their stance, some knockback on the bag, and finally some violence through contact. Ideally, if the microphones are turned up on the field, you should be able to hear the ‘thud’ on contact! 

Here are the players who have a chance to shine in these drills.

Will Kacmarek (Ohio State)

A fifth-year senior who began his career as a receiving threat with Ohio University, Kacmarek transferred to the Buckeyes two seasons ago and has become a blocking specialist. He’s a really effective in-line presence who can turn DEs out with good strength, technique and effort. They often left him one-on-one with bigger bodies on the edge and he has the ability to create knockback on first contact. Those bags will never know what hit ‘em.

Sam Roush (Stanford)

Roush has good size at over 6-foot-5 and nearly 260 pounds. I don’t think he’s overly dynamic as an athlete, but he has reliable hands as a receiver and stands out as a blocker. He’s technically sound, has a good base and he can create some knockback. He’s a well-rounded player who profiles well as a future backup.

Dallen Bentley (Utah)

Bentley is short at just over 6-foot-3, but he’s a dense 262 pounds, and he’ll show the pop on contact that teams are looking for. Seeing him in person at the Shrine Bowl a few weeks ago, he has some explosive traits. It goes back to that simple equation we all learned in school: force equals mass times acceleration. A big, heavy tight end who can move quickly is going to generate movement. He should impress here. 

Josh Cuevas (Alabama)

Cuevas is built a bit like a fullback or H-back with a lean towards run-game value as opposed to pass catching in the NFL. He was able to consistently block linebackers and safeties out in space and he had some really good reps pinning down defensive ends on perimeter run plays. I think he’ll look pretty good in these sled drills.

Riley Nowakowski (Indiana)

Nowakowski was one of the unsung heroes for the National Champion Hoosiers as a dirty-work player who did a little bit of everything in Curt Cignetti’s offense. At 6-foot-2, 239 pounds, he profiles as one of the true fullbacks in this class and should look good in this scenario.

Trust The Tape

These are the players I don’t expect to test off the charts athletically … but don’t panic! The tape shows a prospect who is a better football player than he is an athlete. With that in mind, don’t drop him down the board with a subpar workout!

Max Klare (Ohio State)

An Indiana native who began his career at Purdue, Klare moved on to Ohio State last offseason and went on to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors after leading the Boilermakers in receiving the year before. Klare is a fine combo tight end, but I don’t see the most dynamic athlete on tape and I don’t see the most forceful blocker in the run game. Still, he’s good enough in both areas to compete as a No. 2 guy on the depth chart. I don’t have high expectations for his testing, so I don’t think I’ll be sliding him down the board if he just tests like a solid athlete instead of a ‘good’ one.

Joe Royer (Cincinnati)

Royer is cut from the same cloth as Klare, in that I think he’s a well-rounded prospect and checks plenty of boxes but isn’t a needle mover in any one area. He has really soft hands and looks natural as a receiver but isn’t the sharpest route runner and is more smooth than explosive as an athlete. 

Jack Endries (Texas)

Endries is another tight end in this group that is uber-reliable at the catch point and is a willing blocker but not all the way there yet. When he gets bigger and stronger, I think there is something to work with, but that will likely come in a slight downtick in his athleticism (which is already just average in terms of explosiveness). I’m not expecting outstanding test results from him this week.

Lake McRee (USC)

I’d put McRee in the same bucket as a few of these guys, though I think he may have a bit more upside as a blocker than them. McRee is a decent but not overly impressive athlete, and the Trojans felt okay leaving him 1-on-1 against defensive ends at the point of attack and he can hold his own. I’d be shocked if he impressed as a tester. 

Most To Prove

Some players make this trip with a big question (or three!) at this stage of the process. How well does he run? Will he pass the medical check? What is he like off the field in the interview room? These are the prospects with the most notable question marks on their resume at this stage of the process.

Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt)

The reason I have Stowers in this group is that I think he NEEDS to test well. Listed 6-foot-4, 239 pounds, the former quarterback does not bring much as a blocker. As an older fifth-year senior who moved to tight end three seasons ago, he doesn’t have a ton of experience. So his selling point is that he’s a dynamic athlete. He has to cement that assertion this week. 

Jaren Kanak (Oklahoma)

Kanak was a linebacker for his first three seasons on campus and moved to tight end last offseason. He’s undersized across the board and is built more like a fullback than tight end. He’ll have to make it on special teams and I think he can do it, but testing like a freak athlete will dictate whether he gets drafted or not in this deep tight end class. 

Michael Trigg (Baylor)

Trigg is a former big-time recruit out of high school who played at USC and then Ole MIss before settling in at Baylor. He’s not the most inspirational blocker, but he has phenomenal hands and ballskills. He’s like a basketball player on grass. So he has to lean into that with a high-end athletic profile. It’s also been a bit of a messy journey for him, which is something he’ll have to talk about with teams. 

The Rest Of The Pack

Everyone else who will take part in the events in Indianapolis (in alphabetical order).

Oscar Delp (Georgia), Khalil Dinkins (Penn State), Matthew Hibner (SMU), Miles Kitselman (Tennessee), Tanner Koziol (Houston), Eli Raridon (Notre Dame), DJ Rogers (TCU), Bauer Sharp (LSU), Dae’Quan Wright (Ole Miss)

Mr. Average

We get to read all about the measurements for all these players over the next few weeks…but wouldn’t it be nice to have some context? What is considered a ‘good’ 40-yard dash time for this position? What about arm length? The broad jump? Here’s what the average player drafted at each position has looked like over the last decade (by my records).

Height: 6045  (6’4 5/8’’’)

Weight: 250

Hand Size: 968 (9 3/4’’)

Arm Length: 3278 (32 7/8’’)

Wingspan: 7878 (78 7/8’’)

40-Time: 4.68

10-Yard Split: 1.61

3-Cone Drill: 7.12

Short Shuttle: 4.34

Broad Jump: 120’’

Vertical Jump: 34.5’’

Offensive line

Workout Warriors

These are the players I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Monroe Freeling (Georgia)

Just a one-year starter at left tackle for the Bulldogs, Freeling is an explosive athlete. There’s very little wasted movement from him on the run. He’s got light feet in pass protection, especially for a guy listed at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds. There are impressive flashes of lower body flexibility to sink his hips into and through contact for a guy that tall as well. I think he’s one of the best natural athletes in this class. 

Max Iheanachor (Arizona State)

One of the reasons why I was bullish on Iheanachor going back to my summer film study was because of his physical traits. Despite a short resume in terms of playing experience, there just are not many guys that are just under 6-foot-6, 325 pounds that move the way he does. The film is (understandably) a bit volatile, as he didn’t start playing football until junior college in 2021, but he had a good week at the Senior Bowl and that positive momentum is only going to snowball here at this event. He’s built for this.

Caleb Lomu (Utah)

Listed by the Utes at 6-foot-6, 304 pounds, Lomu is a two-year starter at left tackle and, like Iheanachor, he’s a great athlete. He’s explosive. He’s light on his feet and can run the hoop with ease. He’s flexible in his lower half (which is important), giving him the ability to recover and work himself out of trouble. He covers a ton of ground on the move. This is an event where he should really shine.

Logan Jones (Iowa)

I have a starting grade on Jones and view him as one of the more underrated offensive linemen in the class at this stage of the process. We’ll see if that buzz starts to build after this weekend, because on tape? He’s a standout athlete. His snap-to-block play speed is really impressive. His balance and ability to get his feet up and down in traffic are impressive, he should look outstanding in the field work and I expect him to be one of the top testers in attendance.

Vega Ioane (Penn State)

If you have any questions about how athletic the 6-foot-4, 330 pound guard is, check out some of the highlights from him that have gone viral the last two seasons. It’s not often you can say that about offensive linemen! Penn State often put Ioane into the slot or on the wing as a tight end, using him as a lead blocker coming across the formation and delivering a whooping on unsuspecting defenders. He’s flexible, twitchy, explosive and they weaponized his movement skills in that scheme. 

Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M)

Bisontis is put together, listed at 6-foot-6, 320 pounds; he has great size for a guard, but he’s not just some slug off the ball. He’s a good athlete. He’s always under control and never looks panicked. He’s got light feet for a big man (which should show up in these drills), redirects well and can mirror well against interior rushers. It’s rare to see him on the ground. His combination of quickness, balance, explosiveness and body control should all result in him being one of the best testers in this group.

Jalen Farmer (Kentucky)

I didn’t get a chance to study Farmer before the Senior Bowl, but he impressed me in person and I was excited to dive into the tape upon my return home. He’s a bit tight when he has to unlock his hips and open up as a puller, but in terms of just going from Point A to Point B? He’s explosive. That should show up in the form of impressive jumps and 10-yard split times. 

Jaeden Roberts (Alabama)

Like Farmer, Roberts is another explosive linear athlete. For a guy who is 335 pounds, you’ll need to keep the weight-adjusted context in mind, but this guy can move weight in a hurry. He’s body beautiful at just under 6-foot-5 with over 33.5-inch arms. Inconsistency has plagued him, and he’s gotten dinged up with injuries here and there, but the physical tools are undeniable.

Aamil Wagner (Notre Dame)

Seeing Wagner up close at the Shrine Bowl, you can see he just LOOKS like an athlete. Watching him on film beforehand only confirmed it. I think he’ll test well here. He’s got pretty good feet and has some really good flashes on the move against smaller defenders. I don’t think he’s elite like some of the other guys on this list, but when you get to day three, I think he’s an intriguing developmental project because of his tools.

The Drill To Watch

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium – not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

Coaches are looking to put stress on these big-bodied blockers, and one of the best ways to do that is to get them on the move. One of the best drills to accomplish that is the ‘Wave’ drill, which is done not only with the offensive linemen, but with the defensive linemen as well. Players will start laying on their stomachs before popping up and taking direction from a coach on moving forward, backward, left or right as quickly as possible before finishing through the goal line in a sprint. Some things to watch during these drills:

• Players will try to get away with guessing when the coach is about to give the next direction, so expect to see the coach yell at a couple of the first prospects in line to not guess and to wait on their commands. 
• This drill is great at pointing out players with great reaction quickness and twitch. How fast do the players respond and is there any wasted movement when they change direction? Then look for a strong, urgent finish to close out the rep! 

Here are the players who have a chance to shine in these drills.

Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern)

A 4-year starter at tackle (he’s played both sides), Tiernan is a really efficient athlete out of his stance with explosive bursts that show up on tape. I think he tests a bit better than people think, but I also expect him to look pretty good in the field work as well. He’s got light feet and can run the arc. He looks good out in space. On drills like these I think he’ll do well.

Drew Shelton (Penn State)

Shelton is a bit scheme-specific because he’s a smaller tackle, but his athleticism and ease of movement stood out to me whenever watching him on tape. He’s very calm and collected. He’s got great feet with range to reach the corner. In a drill like this I think his lateral quickness and change of direction will shine. 

Sam Hecht (Kansas State)

Hecht is a lighter center (he came in under 300 pounds at the Senior Bowl), so he *should* look good in these kinds of drills. That said, he surpassed my expectations when I saw him in person in Mobile, enough to ascertain that I need to make more passes through his tape. He’s got foot speed to cover ground in pass pro, and that should come to the forefront here on the turf at Lucas Oil.

Parker Brailsford (Alabama)

Like Hecht, Brailsford is a smaller center and makes his hay with his fluid athleticism and athletic profile. He’s explosive off the ball and gets into blockers fast. He’s got light feet and smooth hips in transition. Drills like this one should let him show that off. 

Trust The Tape

These are the players I don’t expect to test off the charts athletically, but don’t panic! The tape shows a prospect who is a better football player than he is an athlete. With that in mind, don’t drop him down the board with a subpar workout!

Spencer Fano (Utah)

Fano is currently my top tackle, but it’s one big cluster between him, Mauigoa, Proctor and Freeling. All four have very similar grades for me. It’s important to get the real measurements on him (he’s listed at 6-foot-6, 302 pounds), because what the school has provided is small for a tackle. Does he come in at that size? How does he test at that size? I think what is important here is that he (along with these other guys) check the necessary boxes. As long as he isn’t a huge negative outlier from an arm length or athleticism standpoint, I don’t think anything earth shattering should happen to his stock. That said, because the margins are so slim in this group, they will get nitpicked. 

Francis Mauigoa (Miami)

Many analysts think Mauigoa HAS to move to guard to play his best football, and I don’t believe that to be the case. Like Fano, we’ll get his real measurements this week (he’s listed 6-foot-6, 315 pounds by the Hurricanes), but I think he will test better than people think in Indy and I think he’ll check the box in terms of arm length. Like Fano, as long as there are no cratering test scores along with that, he should be in good shape and projects as one of the Top 12 picks of this class. 

Dametrious Crownover (Texas A&M)

Crownover’s tape is not the smoothest, but he’s tall (nearly 6-foot-7), long (nearly 36-inch arms) and both strong and powerful. I think he’ll test better than most guys his size do at this event, but even if he falls short of those expectations this is a guy whose game is built more on strength and nastiness than it is on being fleet of foot. I’m not sliding him down the board this week. 

Markel Bell (Miami)

The same goes for Bell. He’s a one-year starter at left tackle but this guy is a behemoth. Standing nearly 6-foot-9 and 358 pounds, Bell is not an explosive athlete, but he’s fluid and he’s smooth. He may run a 5.45 in the 40-yard dash … I honestly couldn’t care less. 

Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech)

Rutledge is a pure guard and his game is predicated on being the biggest bully on the block. He’s a physical player who will scrap and spar as soon as possible and is always looking to finish the rep. He flashes explosive traits but I don’t think he’s going to test like a freaky athlete this week. If he does, that will be awesome for his stock, but I don’t think it’s a requirement. 

Most To Prove

Some players make this trip with a big question (or three!) at this stage of the process. How well does he run? Will he pass the medical check? What is he like off the field in the interview room? These are the prospects with the most notable question marks on their resume at this stage of the process.

Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)

Proctor was listed by Alabama at 360 pounds, but he’s played much bigger than that throughout his career as he has faced struggles with his weight. He’ll have to talk through that with teams and discuss what his plan is for managing that in the future. But what does he weigh in this week and how does he test at that weight? He’s capable of putting up some insane numbers at his size, but I think everyone expects that. It’s how his meetings go with teams that will really determine his overall draft slot, in my opinion.

Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon)

With Ioane and Bisontis both coming in with the ‘Workout Warrior’ label and Rutledge being a guy who could shock, I think it’ll be up to Pregnon to see if he can pull his weight (literally) in athletic testing. On tape, I’m not sure I saw even an average athlete by NFL standards, but if he can climb closer to that tier then I think his stock won’t / shouldn’t take a hit. If he’s well below that? Then he could potentially drop a bit further than he should based off his film.

Connor Lew (Auburn)

Lew was in my Top 50 coming into the season, and the athletic junior is still there despite tearing his ACL back in October. What does the knee look like and what’s his road to recovery? How soon will he get back on the field? The feedback from his medical exam will be big for his stock. Had he been healthy, he would have been a Workout Warrior here in Indy.

The Rest Of The Pack

Everyone else who will take part in the events in Indianapolis (in alphabetical order).

Chris Adams (Memphis), Austin Barber (Florida), Evan Beernsten (Northwestern), Jude Bowry (Boston College), Joshua Braun (Kentucky), Travis Burke (Memphis), Jager Burton (Kentucky), DJ Campbell (Texas), Fernando Carmona (Arkansas), Kage Casey (Boise State), Pat Coogan (Indiana), Anez Cooper (Miami), Enrique Cruz (Kansas), JC Davis (Illinois), Garrett DiGiorgio (UCLA), Gennings Dunker (Iowa), Fa’alili Fa’amoe (Wake Forest), Matt Gulbin (Michigan State), Alex Harkey (Oregon), Alan Herron (Maryland), Blake Miller (Clemson), Micah Morris (Georgia), Febechi Nwaiwu (Oklahoma), Brian Parker (Duke), Diego Pounds (Ole Miss), Ar’maj Reed-Adams (Texas A&M), Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame), Jake Slaughter (Florida), Beau Stephens (Iowa), Logan Taylor (Boston College), Keagen Trost (Missouri), Dillon Wade (Auburn), Carver Willis (Washington), Isaiah World (Oregon), Jeremiah Wright (Auburn), Trey Zuhn (Texas A&M)

Mr. Average

We get to read all about the measurements for all these players over the next few weeks…but wouldn’t it be nice to have some context? What is considered a ‘good’ 40-yard dash time for this position? What about arm length? The broad jump? Here’s what the average player drafted at each position has looked like over the last decade (by my records).

TACKLE/GUARDS:

Height: 6053 (6’5 3/8’’’)

Weight: 312

Hand Size: 1000 (10’’)

Arm Length: 3400 (34’’)

Wingspan: 8168 (81 3/4’’)

40-Time: 5.15

10-Yard Split: 1.77

3-Cone Drill: 7.77

Short Shuttle: 4.72

Broad Jump: 108’’

Vertical Jump: 29.0’’

GUARD/CENTERS:

Height: 6037 (6’3 7/8’’’)

Weight: 308

Hand Size: 1000 (10’’)

Arm Length: 3268 (32 3/4’’)

Wingspan: 7918 (79 1/8’’)

40-Time: 5.15

10-Yard Split: 1.77

3-Cone Drill: 7.69

Short Shuttle: 4.69

Broad Jump: 107’’

Vertical Jump: 29.0’’

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