INDIANAPOLIS — Of course, the predictable answer to this headline is, “Duh… every draft prospect needs to stand out at the scouting combine!” And that is very true. But for these 12 players in various states of pre-draft unrest regarding their NFL potential, the combine may be more important for them than for others. Win this week, and it could change the perceptions of their talents entirely. Fail, and things could get dicey. It’s part of the combine drama every year, and here are 12 young men in the epicenter.
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Murray may very well be the best quarterback in this draft class, but there are a ton of questions NFL teams want answered before they’re going to be willing to take the plunge. First, he’s going to have to re-state his commitment to football over baseball, though he’s already done that. Second, his measurements will be among the most closely scrutinized in combine history. Murray’s unofficial height of 5’10’ weight of 195 pounds? Well, the tale of the tape and the scale will tell the true story. If Murray is actually more like 5’8” and 180 pounds, some teams may take him off their boards because he doesn’t fit their prototype. Of course, the real tale of the tape is the game tape, and there, Murray can stand on his own.
Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
Of all the quarterback prospects in this class, Lock probably has the best arm. He’s also able to make just about every throw convincingly on the move, which is not something Dwayne Haskins can claim. But the issue with Lock throughout his collegiate career is how well his natural physical traits align with his ability to make full-field reads and stay mechanically consistent from throw to throw. If he comes out in the Saturday throwing session and makes accurate and consistent throws, that should help him out. There will still be questions about his ability to succeed under defensive pressure that won’t be answered until he puts on an NFL uniform and faces defenses at the next level, but Lock needs to be bang-on during his session inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
Sadly, there will be no combine workout for Brown, one of the NCAA’s most electrifying receivers over the last two seasons. Brown caught passes from Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray and averaged 18.3 yard per catch on 132 receptions, but the Lisfranc injury he suffered most likely late in Oklahoma’s 2018 season will leave him off the field, and take him under serious scrutiny in medical tests. Lisfranc injuries aren’t necessarily consistent from a recovery perspective, but if Brown’s medicals come back solid, he may still have the look of a first-round pick.
Jeffery Simmons, DL, Mississippi State
Based on pure talent, there’s no question that Simmons is a top-10 pick—his tape brings Ndamukong Suh to mind at times. But he’ll have a couple of things to deal with when talking with teams—the 2016 video in which he was caught punching a woman multiple times during a fight, and the knee injury he suffered during workouts in January that may delay his ability to perform at any level in his rookie year. By all accounts, Simmons has been a model citizen since the 2016 incident, and NFL teams will overlook a lot when a player’s tape shows what Simmons’ has over the last three seasons.
Andy Isabella, WR, UMASS
Isabella wasn’t really on radars until he had a great Senior Bowl week, and that’s where he told reporters that he’s run his 40-yard dashes in the 4.26 region before. Isabella has been working with Randy Moss in preparation for his NFL career, his stats and tape are pretty sound given his level of competition, and if he’s able to back up what he’s said when he hits the track here in Indianapolis, he could raise his draft stock considerably. At the very least, it’d have teams looking back at his tape to see if he’s the ideal combination of speed and slot so crucial to many offenses in this era.
He’s certainly doing everything he can to prepare.
Justin Hollins, EDGE, Oregon
Of all the defensive linemen and linebackers in this draft class—and it’s the deepest defensive line class in recent memory—Hollins may be the most freakish athlete. At 6’5” and 245 pounds, Hollins has the athleticism to do everything from rushing the passer from the edge to covering receivers in the slot. Athletically, he brings former 49ers and Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson to mind. Hollins doesn’t always bring that athoeticism to the field in ways you’d want—he especially needs more and better moves as a pass-rusher—but if you’re looking for one guy to blow up the drills at his position, Hollins would be a good one to bet on.
Oshane Ximines, EDGE, Old Dominion
The transition from East-West Shrine Game to Senior Bowl to scouting combine means more to players from smaller schools, because for many of them, it’s the first time they’re able to show what they’re capable of against competition far beyond what they’ve seen before. Ximines put up 32.5 sacks and 51 tackles for loss over four seasons as an impact player, and he did face some good schools in Conference USA, but it’s the need to stand out here in Indianapolis that certainly registers. He was the man of the moment in Old Dominion’s September upset of Virginia Tech with seven tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles per loss, and the hope will be that his performance in the drills will supplement the opportunities he’s been given against opponents of more import.
Jazz Ferguson, WR, Northwestern State
The brother of Louisiana Tech edge-rusher Jaylon Ferguson, Jazz Ferguson has a fascinating story all his own—and one that will be of great interest to NFL teams. Ferguson left LSU before the 2017 following a failed drug test and academic issues and got himself together at the much smaller Northwestern State. There, he caught 66 passes for 1,117 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018, and decided to go pro. At 6’5” and 223 pounds, Ferguson certainly fits the physical prototype NFL teams want from bogger receivers, but he’ll now have to deal with questions about his past and the level of competition he faced.
Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU
Early in his collegiate career, Takitaki was suspended for his involvement in a dorm fight, suspended again for skipping a practice, and suspended again after allegedly stealing property while working as a campus custodian. He got married in 2016 and took time away from football to get his act together, and things have been smooth ever since. On the field, Takitaki looks like a better than average second-level linebacker with blitz capabilities. If he impresses in the drills and is able to quiet any concerns about his past, he could wind up going in the middle rounds and developing into a plus NFL player.
Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
The tape Baker put up as a member of the Bulldogs’ defense is undeniable. But he’ll hope to live up to his unofficial measurements of 5’11 and 180 pounds this week, or he may be relegated to sub-package duty in the minds of many NFL shot-callers, which could affect his draft stock precipitously. If he shows exceptional speed and agility in the combine drills (and there are those who wonder if he’s optimally prepared to do so), he could hang on to a first-round grade. If not, Baker could be on the outside looking in.
Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State
At 6’5” and 310 pounds, Dillard showed tremendous athleticism as a player and growth as an offensive lineman in Mike Leach’s offense. There will of course be concerns about his ability to transition to the NFL out of Leach’s exaggerated Air Raid concepts, but that’s not what might make Dillard a standout in Indianapolis. He’s expected to test extraordinarily well in his drills, which may have NFL teams thinking they can deal more easily with any schematic adjustments that need to be made.
Dexter Lawrence, DL, Clemson
Watch out when Lawrence starts rolling through the defensive line drills, because he could easily be one of the stars of the combine. Watch him play everything from nose tackle to big end for Clemson, and you see a guy who should not move as well as he does at his unofficial weight of 355 pounds. Memphis’ Dontari Poe shocked everyone at the 2012 combine with an official 4.98 40-yard dash at 6’3” and 346 pounds, and based on what he shows on the field, Lawrence may have similar potential. Poe’s combine performance got him selected 11th overall by the Chiefs. Lawrence would be in for a similar draft bump.
