NFL Combine 2019 Results
The 2019 NFL Combine came and went. Players now begin the interview process as they do their best to meet with NFL clubs and sell their worth as potential top draft picks for the upcoming NFL draft. While most fans lean heavily on a players stats and film, the pro days and team visits with NFL general managers can be a grueling process. Top rookie prospects will live out of their backpacks and luggage as they hop on one plan to the next, interviewing with coaches to prove they have the personality type and composure teams are looking for.
The following is a complete recap of the 2019 NFL Combine along with some thoughts and insight from the Gridiron Experts staff that tuned in and closely watched the four-day event. For more Dynasty Football insight, check out our rookie player profiles and 2019 Dynasty Rankings:
- Dynasty QB Rankings
- Dynasty RB Rankings
- Dynasty WR Rankings
- Dynasty TE Rankings
- Dynasty Rookie Rankings
Which Dynasty Rookie Are You Moving Up Your Rankings Board After Seeing Their Combine Performance?
[avatar user=”Marc Mathyk” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Marc Mathyk @Masterjune70 – When I first saw Alex Barnes’ tape I was not all that impressed. I probably made the mistake of sandwiching him between smaller, more electric backs. However, after the 2019 NFL Combine, I decided to take another look. He’s really an underrated prospect. His 38.1% (86th-percentile) College Dominator is impressive for sure. He also was a versatile pass catcher who also lined up as a wide receiver, which also caught my attention. His worst athletic workout measurable is his speed. Although he only ran 4.59 at the Combine, remember he’s almost 6’1” tall, weighing in at 226 pounds. His height/weight adjusted Speed Score places him in the 69th-percentile.
His Burst Score, which is determined by combining his 38.5 Vertical Jump and 126.0 Broad Jump scores, puts him in the 89th-percentile, which tops this year’s running back class. He is also the most agile running back at this year’s Combine. He was second in the coveted 3-Cone Drill and was the best at the short shuttle. And let us not forget that he blew everyone away at the Bench Press workout, lifting the same number of reps (34) as the number on his back at college. Because of his size, athleticism, and productivity, Barnes has made the football community take notice. He has gone from an unknown name that was likely not going to be drafted to now being in the conversation of which round will he go? He has all the traits of being an every-down back in the NFL like David Montgomery accept he’s actually athletic.
Seth Keller @FFTheAtHomeDad – If you have been listening to me at all during the off-season you would have known that I have been all aboard the Miles Sanders hype train. The combine just confirmed even more why I love this guy coming into the 2019 season. PlayerProfiler.com has Miles Sanders in the 75 percentile in both speed and burst scores and in the 82nd percentile for agility. Miles Sanders is a premier early-down back and seeing these scores helps add to the narrative that he can be the elusive playmaker that is needed for sustained Fantasy Football production. It was also great to see Sanders’ route running, ball tracking and catching in the field drills. All of this should help push Sanders up not only in Fantasy Football but in the NFL draft as well.
[avatar user=”Skyler Ooyen” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Skyler Ooyen @DynastySkyler – One player that was not getting the attention he deserved but with his combine outing, he will, is Miles Sanders. After falling into Saquan’s shadows for his first two years in college, Sanders totaled over 1400 scrimmage yards and 9 touchdowns in his final season at Penn State. Sanders then, destroyed the combine, running a 4.49 forty yard dash, along with running the fastest 3 Cone Shuttle for running backs with a time of 6.89 seconds. Sanders all around had a stellar combine with finishing in the top seven for running backs in the Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, and 20-yard shuttle as well. Along with the metrics, however, Sanders excelled in all of the field drills, while he does not excel in run after catch, he showed the ability to run routes and catch the football which is very important in today’s NFL. Sanders has now entered my top 5 rookies running back rankings.
[avatar user=”Andrew Erickson” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Andrew Erickson @Andrewerickson_ – There are few wide receivers that really stood out to me at the NFL combine. But specifically, Emanuel Hall from Missouri stood out a ton for me. He performed very well in the 40-yard dash (4.39), the vertical jump (43.5), and the broad jump (141”). He was first in the vertical jump and first in the broad jump. Through these drills, he showed great traits of explosiveness. This matches his college production where via PlayerProfiler.com he ranked in the 97th percentile in yards/catch (22.4). That mark also ranks second in the draft class. Via Pro Football Focus Hall ranked only behind Darrius Shepard (4.22) from North Dakota State, and Andy Isabella from UMASS (4.15), in yards/route run last year in the NCAA (4.14). Hall’s yards/route run was higher than other speedy 2019 Draft Prospects that include Parris Campbell from Ohio State and Marquise Brown from Oklahoma. Additionally, when quarterback Drew Lock targeted Emmanuel Hall last season, he created a 141.8 quarterback rating. That was the second highest of any receiver targeted in the 2019 Draft Class behind Gary Jennings Jr. from West Virginia.
[avatar user=”Zack Patraw” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Zack Patraw @FFDynasty_ztp – It has to be Justice Hill for me. Originally I wrote him off for a few reasons. One, I’m not thrilled about his size. He stands under 5-feet 10-inches and was listed at 190 lbs. before the NFL Combine. Second, the large dip in workload. He went from receiving 474 carries between his freshman and sophomore year, to just 158 his junior year. Another concern was his lack of power. It appeared he was going to be too weak for the next level. All these and more seemed to be answered. He checked in at nearly 200 lbs. at the combine. He showed his explosiveness with a 130-inch broad jump and a 40 inch vertical. His bench press was also impressive as he repped 225 lbs. 21 times. During the 2018 season, Hill displayed his agility and foot quickness that I expect to see at the next level. He appeared to be a real fluid runner both in his cuts and his routes. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see that on display during the on-field drills as he injured his hamstring during his second 40 yard dash run. He may be in the middle of the second round of Gridiron Experts ADP, but I see him possibly landing in the late first round of some dynasty fantasy football rookie drafts.
What NFL Combine Drill Do You Like The Most Outside of the 40-Yard Dash?
[avatar user=”Seth Keller” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Seth Keller @FFTheAtHomeDad – I actually like the field drills the most and this is across all positions. Whether it’s watching a lineman backpedal and swivel his hips over 40 yards or a running back or wide receiver run a wheel or fly route and tracking the ball over his shoulder, these are the drills that let you see the most in a player. Some of these drills are not something a player will ever do in a real game but some directly mimic what these rookies will be able to do as soon as they get drafted. One of my favorite drills is watching the running backs take a handoff, high step over the bags and then break based on a coach’s decision. You can see the looseness of the hips, hopefully, a second gear out of the ladder, a relaxed smooth cut out of the break and a run toward daylight.
[avatar user=”Marc Mathyk” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Marc Mathyk @Masterjune70 – My favorite drill is the 3-Cone drill because it is a pivotal component for determining a running back’s agility and elusiveness. The 40-yard dash illustrates straight-line speed but in today’s NFL, being able to juke in and out of congested defense is marquee. It is important for the smaller scat backs but it also allows a larger plodder to separate himself from the rest of the pack. With regards to wideouts, we shall see if it is indeed D.K. Metcalf’s Achilles’ N’Keal.
[avatar user=”Andrew Erickson” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Andrew Erickson @Andrewerickson_ – I enjoy the gauntlet drill for receivers and tight ends. I want to see these players catch the ball, because for the most part that is going to primarily be their job. There’s really no excuse to drop passes because you know where they are coming from and I want to see who has hands and who doesn’t. For example, Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler had questions about their hands entering the combine. Isabella has been known to be a body-catcher and Butler has just overall struggled with drops. Isabella dropped a pass on the gauntlet and Butler missed catching a pass through some kind of mental lapse of not getting his hands up in time. Even though it’s just a smalls sample size, it just shows confirms that these players continue to have these cons and NFL teams and fantasy owners must recognize them. Butler also dropped a pass on the sideline drill, which I also like because it tests if players have made the mental change to not just getting one foot in bounds, but two feet as they must at the NFL level.
[avatar user=”Zack Patraw” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Zack Patraw @FFDynasty_ztp – I really enjoy watching the quarterbacks and receiver during the quick slants. I really get a general idea of how well a receiver can move and cut. I’m able to evaluate how loose his hips are and how well he catches balls coming at him fairly quick, like the gauntlet as well. You also get a good feel of how accurate a quarterback will be in the short areas of the field, which often can be most important. Their velocity and timing are key and are on full display during that drill.
What Dynasty Sleeper Were You Most Disappointed With At The NFL Combine?
[avatar user=”Marc Mathyk” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Marc Mathyk @Masterjune70 – Many will say Elijah Holyfield but I was not expecting that much from him, to be honest. I found his running to be very one-dimensional. The running back that I had high hopes for based on his stellar tape was Devin Singletary. I found him quick, elusive, and powerful. He failed to perform well on all facets and so this once highly-touted back from a small school now looks like a small fish in a big pond. I expect his draft stock to fall a round or two because of his poor performance at the Combine.
[avatar user=”Skyler Ooyen” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Skyler Ooyen @DynastySkyler – One of my favorite sleepers pre-combine was KeeSean Johnson. I saw myself constantly taking him in the late 2nd/early 3rd of rookie mock drafts. While I didn’t believe he would be one to exceed at the combine, his numbers were disappointing. Johnson was one of the slowest out of the wide receivers in the 40-yard dash running a 4.60, as well as having the slowest 3 cone drill and worst vertical jump out of any of the wideouts.
[avatar user=”Andrew Erickson” size=”70″ align=”left” /]
Andrew Erickson @Andrewerickson_ – Diontae Johnson from Toledo was a prospect I was very interested in targeting later in my drafts. I really liked him on tape, but at the combine, he did not do much to stand out. He’s considered a speed receiver, but from the drills, there were a number of guys who fit that profile better. Essentially he has fallen farther down in my pecking order of rookie wide receivers I’ll be targeting in fantasy rookie drafts.
Zack Patraw @FFDynasty_ztp – I expected a lot more from Elijah Holyfield. His tape never showed the most dynamic runner, but he did show flashes of his raw power and his agility which I was hoping he would put the question marks aside. What I also wanted to see was his ability to pass catch. Unfortunately, he majorly underwhelmed in that department too. Even the agility drills he looked stiff and didn’t show the movement I expected he would put on display. He had great potential to separate himself from the doubt, but he sure didn’t do that at the combine.
Who Had One of the Best Under the Radar NFL Combine Performances?
[avatar user=”Marc Mathyk” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Marc Mathyk @Masterjune70 – Dexter Williams is a running back who did not garner much attention before the NFL Combine. He was one of those running backs who was lost in the middle of the running backpack and most likely would remain undrafted unless he had a strong showing at the NFL Combine. Williams was able to be one of the more consistent athletes in a class that pales in comparison to most years. However, he was able to match if not beat one of the top prospects, Damien Harris, from Alabama. Williams proved to be very agile and showed a great burst. Because of Alex Barnes, Miles Sanders, and Justin Hill, Williams’ performance has gone for the most part unnoticed. However, the Notre Dame prospect has the requisite size and athleticism to get drafted on the third day of the draft, and with an efficient 6.3 yards per carry (77th-percentile) he could be a bargain at the end of dynasty drafts. He did this with 106th best offensive line blocking for him according to Pro Football Focus. Harris, who averaged only 5.8 yards per carry, ran behind the second best run blocking unit in the country.
[avatar user=”Seth Keller” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Seth Keller @FFTheAtHomeDad -I had to go back and start searching for game footage of Travis Homer after his day on Friday at the Combine. He had the 5th best 40 time among RBs. He had the 2nd best vertical Jump. He was part of the three-way tie for first in the broad jump. He had the 6th fastest 3-cone drill. He was the second in NFL’s advanced metrics which combines 40 time, broad jump and weight. According to playerprofilier.com, he is in the 94th percentile in burst core. More important than these numbers was the fluidity that he ran through all of the field drills. He showed good hand and tracking while running routes. And he showed no wasted movements when making cuts off the coaches bag.
[avatar user=”Andrew Erickson” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Andrew Erickson @Andrewerickson_ – Another wide receiver that had the best under the radar performance had to have been Miles Boykin from Notre Dame. He ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash, had the highest vertical jump (43.5) tied with Emanuel Hall, and had the second highest broad jump (140”). Unlike Hall, though Boykin also participated in the 3-cone drill (6.77) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.07). He ranked second and third in those drills respectively. And quickly to add I was actually disappointed that Mecole Hardman performed so well. I was hoping he would just do okay so that my Patriots would be able to draft him. But after running a 4.33, I feel like that will raise his stock.
[avatar user=”Zack Patraw” size=”70″ align=”left” /]Zack Patraw @FFDynasty_ztp – Parris Campbell had one of the best combine performances of the year. He measured out to nearly 6-foot tall and 205 lbs. which is right around the average for wide receivers between 2010 to 2017. He ran a combine best 40 yard dash time for wide receivers at 4.31. We knew he had wheels, but a 40 time that quick is fantastic. His 40-inch vertical jump was unbelievable considering he stands under 6-foot with a 75 5/8 wingspan. Even his explosiveness was on full display. His broad jump was third in the wide receiver class with a 135-inch jump. He showed quick feet and loose hips to get in and out of his breaks. His ball tracking looked very good as well. His hands in the gauntlet appeared to be very strong. Currently, Campbell is sitting around the middle of the third round for ADP of rookie drafts, but he should see a big jump up draft boards after this stellar performance.
Thanks for Reading
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