What are the big things that matter from Day 4 of the 2019 NFL Combine, the defensive backs.
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The 2019 NFL Combine finished up with the defensive backs. They could all move, and a few were impressive, but it was a rocky day for the corners.
5. Bench, Schmench
The bench press of 220 pounds at the Combine sort of matters a wee bit for the safeties, and only shows a little bit for the corners – it really doesn’t matter as much as it does for the interior linemen. But overall, this was one of the stronger groups of DBs to ever hit Indianapolis.
Now, this isn’t always a good thing. Ohio State’s Kendall Sheffield was expected to be 4.3ish fast on the 40 and challenge to be the speediest guy in Indy, but he tore a pec muscle on the bench.
In all, 13 defensive backs – with some corners like Temple’s Rock Ya-Sin thrown into the mix – were able to pump up 18 reps or more. 11 hit that mark in last year’s Combine, 12 did that in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and eight got there in 2013.
But it’s the strength to go along with the overall explosion and athleticism that made the difference.
There have been waves of defensive backs in combines who could get the job done on the bench – the 2011 group, for example, was fantastic with 15 corner cranking up 18 – but that didn’t always match the rest of the tools.
Considering the defensive backs lifted as well – or close to it – as the tight ends and easily matched the receivers, it was the basics are there.
NEXT: The Defensive Backs Could Jump
4. The Defensive Backs Could Jump
Why does it matter if the safeties can jump? It’s all about the explosion, as well as being able to high-point the ball and make up for the lack of height against the taller more athletic receivers.
Overall, this was a fast group – more on that in a moment – but the most impressive aspect was the way the defensive backs got off the ground.
Virginia’s Juan Thornhill came into the Combine as a likely third round pick. And then he cranked up a 44″ vertical and an amazing 11’9″ broad jump.
But he wasn’t alone. In all, ten prospects jumped for 10’10” or more, and six jumped up 40″ or more in the vertical. The same number hit the 40″ vertical last year, but just three got there in 2017, three got up that high in 2016, and 14 got there in the five years from 2011 to 2015.
Also in that five-year span, 15 broad jumped to the 10’10” mark, Just four got there in 2016, seven in 2017, and seven more blasted that in 2018.
So yes, this was the greatest-leaping defensive backs ever for a Combine, and …
NEXT: The Safeties Could Move
3. The Safeties Could Move
The idea of what a safety should be has changed. The days of the thumping tone-setting hitters are still here, but more and more, the corners are rocking up and moving to safety, and more and more, the guys can fly.
The 2009 group of safeties came up with just four players who ran a 4.5 or better. From 2010 to 2015, only ten prospects got there or better over those six seasons.
Just three did that in 2016, and five ran well – including Budda Baker – in 2017. And then everything started to change with last year’s class.
Florida State’s Derwin James and Virginia Tech’s Terrell Edmunds ripped off 4.47s, and in all, nine safeties ran 4.5 or better.
Ole Miss safety Zedrick Woods – who came into the 2019 Combine as a project and a likely free agent, or late round pick at best, ran a 4.29.
In all, 11 safeties hit the 4.5 mark, and 14 got under the more-than-good-enough-for-a-safety 4.6.
Overall, it’s just an okay class of safeties. At most, two should slide into the first round – Alabama’s Deionte Thompson will go in the first, and Washington’s Taylor Rapp, Delaware’s Nasir Adderley, Florida’s Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Mississippi State’s Johnathan Abram should all be locks for the top 50 overall – but there’s plenty of value now.
At least when it comes to the speed.
NEXT: Deandre Baker Was Just Fine, But …
2. Deandre Baker Was Just Fine, But …
The Georgia Bulldog who won the Thorpe as the nation’s top defensive back was too slow.
Deandre Baker was okay-sized at 5-11 and 193 pounds at the weigh-in, but there was no explosion with a mediocre-for-a-defensive-back broad jump of 9’8″, and then there was the 40.
He was 19th among the corners.
While Greedy Williams was ripping through a 4.37 40, and Auburn’s Jamel Dean ran a 4.3, Baker lumbered through a rough 4.52, and his second run was a disastrous 4.63.
That’s not the end of the world, considering fellow first round prospect Washington’s Taylor Rapp came up with a 4.55 – but he jumped out of the stadium. Temple’s Rock Ya-Sin is also projected to go in the top 32, but he came up with an almost 40″ vertical and ten feet on the broad jump.
Fortunately for Baker, he looked much better in the ball drills and showed off enough smoothness to be just fine. It also helped that he was one of the few defensive backs who wasn’t a disaster at this …
There wasn’t the raw speed or explosion, but at absolute worse, that 4.52 might knock him down a few spots in the middle of the first round.
It wasn’t the WOW workout that demanded a top 15 overall selection, but it wasn’t a killer considering …
NEXT: The Corners Looked Awful
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1. The Corners Looked Awful
Yes, the cornerbacks at the Combine ran well.
They jumped extremely well, were strong, and were rocked up and as central casting-well as possible.
But too many biffed and whiffed through the main drills.
LSU’s Greedy Williams tore off a fantastic 4.37 in the 40, but he was a hot mess on his technique, like this one …
Worst of all, the best corner on many boards had to tap out because of cramps. But he was hardly alone when it came to the issues.
As a group, the corners weren’t smooth, they couldn’t seem to catch anything on a consistent basis, and they didn’t stand out as must-have stars to gush all over. It was a chance for someone to stand out from the pack, and a few did help themselves.
Penn State’s Amani Oruwariye had a strong overall day, and Auburn’s Jamel Dean moved up into a possible top 50 overall pick, but it was a rough, rough day.
Even if you think some of the ball drills are unnecessary, they did show off that many of the corners weren’t prepared well enough for the specific drills. Does that matter? Absolutely not.
There could be four corners going in the first round, and Williams and Deandre Baker will be just fine. It just wasn’t a good way to end a fantastic all-around 2019 NFL Combine.
