Looking Back at the Combine

A few weeks ago I wrote an article about positions I’d be watching during the Scouting Combine. With that event now in the books, I’ll review those position groups and their performances to look at some guys I think might be good fits for the Falcons.

Please keep in mind I’m looking at this only from the perspective of the prospects’ Combine performances, not their overall ratings.

Running Back

I’ve been wanting the Falcons to take a bigger back for a while now, just to have a legitimate short-yardage specialist on the roster. With the change from Kyle Shanahan to Steve Sarkisian and the loss of Patrick DiMarco in free agency, the team will now look to employ a more “athletic” (to use Thomas Dimitroff’s words) fullback.

To me the keys here are 40 time (especially the 10-yard splits to start the 40), vertical leap, and broad jump. The 40 is a decent measure of overall athleticism, the 10-yard split indicates acceleration to the hole, and the vertical leap and broad jump give a good idea of lower body power and explosion.

Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine had the best measurables of the bigger backs at the combine, with a 4.65 40 (no 10-yard split that I could find), 33″ vertical, and 9′ 8″ broad jump. Sam Rogers of Virginia Tech had a 32″ vertical and 9′ 6″ broad jump. His 40 was a disappointing 4.93, but with a 1.72 split. Florida State’s Freddie Stevenson had a 1.68 split with a 4.75 40, but only a 28″ vertical and a 9′ 3″ broad jump.

These are all prospects that should be available on Day Three. Perrine appears to be the best athlete of the group, but he was a tailback in college, so he would have to be willing to make a transition to FB in Atlanta. However, Rogers and Stevenson are true FBs.

Tight End

I’m not as interested in Atlanta drafting at this position as I was prior to the Combine, given that they’ve re-signed Levine Toilolo. However, if the right prospect fell to them at the right time, I wouldn’t mind.

In addition to the 40, 10*, vertical, and broad jump, I also wanted to see three-cone drill times and the shuttle times. Overall athleticism is what I was looking for here, not just a specific skill set like I had in mind for the backs.

(* – I was unable to find 10-yard split times for any of the TEs)

Ole Miss’ Evan Engram arguably had the best overall Combine performance with a 4.42 40, 6.92 3-cone, 36″ vertical, 10′ 5″ broad jump and 4.23 short (20 yard) shuttle. Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges had the best vertical and broad jump of the group at 39″ and 11′ 2″, respectively, while also clocking a 4.57 40. George Kittle from Iowa ran a 4.52 with a 35″ vertical and a 11′ even broad jump. The consensus best TE in the upcoming draft, Alabama’s O.J. Howard, ran a 4.51 and had the best short shuttle of the group at 4.16. Jonnu Smith of Florida International had a 4.18 short shuttle to go with a 4.62 40, 38″ vertical and 10′ 7″ broad jump. David Njoku of Miami (Fl) and South Alabama’s Gerald Everett also turned in solid Combines with (respectively) 4.64 and 4.62 40s, identical 37.5″ verticals, 11′ 1″ and 10′ 6″ broad jumps, and 4.34 and 4.33 short shuttles.

This is the deepest class of tight ends in years. Howard and Njoku are going to be off the board before Atlanta’s pick, and Engram might be as well. Besides, the Falcons are better off going guard or edge rusher in Round One. Hodges and Everett could be there in Round Two, though, and the others should still be on the board when Day Three rolls around.

Guard

I was looking at the same group of tests for the guards (or other o-linemen who could project to guard) as I was for tight ends. In the Falcons’ blocking scheme mobility and technique are more important than brute strength. TCU’s Aviante Collins posted an eye-opening 4.81 40 with a 1.69 split. Jessamen Dunker from Tennessee State ran a 4.98 with a 1.80 split, along with a 28.5″ vertical and a 9′ broad jump. Danny Isidora of Miami (Fl) had a 5.03 40 with a 1.73 split, an 8.13 three-cone, 4.90 short shuttle, 29″ vertical and 7′ 10″ broad jump. The top guard in this draft – Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp, ran a 5.00 40 with a 1.75 split, a 7.55 three-cone, 4.62 short shuttle, 27.5″ vertical and 9′ 3″ broad jump.

Lamp certainly seems to be the guy Atlanta wants the most in this draft. They spent time with him at the Senior Bowl and the Combine, and are bringing him in for a private workout. However, they may have to trade up if they really want him, as Miami, Seattle, and Green Bay have all been linked to him, too.

Edge

This draft is loaded with edge rushers, which suits the Falcons perfectly, as that is arguably their biggest need to fill. I wanted to see the 40 times and 10-yard splits as an indication of closing speed to the quarterback and acceleration off the snap. The three-cone drill and the shuttles were also of interest, as projections of a prospect’s ability to redirect when chasing down the ball carrier.

Consensus top pick Myles Garrett confirmed that status with a 4.64 40 with a 1.63 split (not to mention a 41″ vertical). Only three edge prospects had faster 40s – Kansas State’s Jordan Willis (4.53), UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley (4.59), and Youngstown’s Derek Rivers (4.61). Illinois’ Carroll Phillips equalled Garrett’s time, and Florida Atlantic’s Trey Hendrickson (4.65), Auburn’s Carl Lawson (4.67), and Alabama’s Tim Williams (4.68) also broke the 4.70 barrier.

Willis had the best split at 1.54. Hendrickson had a 1.59. Lawson clocked a 1.60. Three prospects had a 1.61 – Rivers, McKinley, and Ohio’s Tarell Basham.

Only four players broke the 7.00 mark in the three-cone drill – Willis at 6.85, Rivers at 6.94, Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt at 6.79, and Tennessee’s Derek Barnett at 6.96. BYU’s Harvey Langi clocked a 7.00.

Defensive Tackle

As with tight end, I’m no longer really interested in the Falcons drafting a big run-stuffing tackle due to moves made in free agency. Yes, Jonathan Babineaux was allowed to leave in free agency and Tyson Jackson was cut, but Courtney Upshaw was re-signed and, most importantly, Dontari Poe was added from Kansas City.

The drills I was most interested in for this group were the bench press, vertical leap, and broad jump.

Elijah Qualls of Washington pumped out 33 reps to go with a 31.5″ vertical and a 8′ 9″ broad jump. Stevie Tu’Ikolovatu of USC did 28 reps, but had only a 7′ 7″ broad jump and a 24.5″ vertical.

Linebacker

This is also a very good draft for all-around linebackers. I’m looking for the Falcons to build depth behind Deion Jones, De’vondre Campbell, and Vic Beasley (our starters in a base 4-3 set) with guys who can really run and cover.

I was looking at the 40 times for pure speed and the three-cone drills and shuttle times for change-of-direction ability. I also looked at the vertical leap as some indication of an ability to out-jump receivers for the ball.

Temple’s Haason Reddick paced this group with a 4.52 40. Duke Riley of LSU was the only other linebacker to break the 4.60 mark with a 4.58. Several players were between 4.60 and 4.65 – Alex Anzalone of Florida (4.63), Tyus Bowser of Houston (4.65), Blair Brown of Ohio (4.65), Raekwon McMillan of Ohio State (4.61), and Anthony Walker of Northwestern (4.65).

Bowser had a 37.5″ vertical. Brown had 37″. Reddick hit 36.5″. Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham and Boston College’s Matt Milano had 35″ leaps. Riley hit 34.5″.

Seven linebackers broke the 7.00 mark for the three cone-drill, with Bowser’s 6.75 being the best. The others were Anzalone (6.88), Wisconsin’s Vince Biegel (6.92), Brown (6.92), Arkansas’ Brooks Ellis (6.80), Michigan’s Ben Gedeon (6.98), and Riley (6.89).

Only a couple of prospects from this position group ran the 60-yard shuttle, but virtually all of them did the 20-yarder. The best time was Brown’s at 4.18. Next came Riley at 4.21. Anzalone did a 4.25, followed by Cunningham at 4.29 and then Biegel at 4.30.

(hat tip to Walter Football and NFL.com for the workout results)