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Cody Manning

6 takeaways from Day 2 of the NFL Combine

Quinyon Mitchell Max Melton NFL Chris Ballard Cole Bishop nflnetwork NFLPlus USA TODAY Sports Charles Robinson Kent Lee Platte

The NFL Scouting Combine continued with defensive backs and tight ends taking the field in Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The importance of the combine is more for the medicals and team interviews but the testing does help confirm what you see on tape or it may force you to go back to take a look because a prospect performed better than expected or fell short of expectations.

The secondary will be the focus for Chris Ballard with it being a weak point on the roster heading into the offseason. For the tight ends, it is a crowded room for the Indianapolis Colts, but that didn’t stop Ballard from selecting Will Mallory last year, and this class does include the potential playmaker in Brock Bowers who can help elevate the group.

Here are the six biggest takeaways from Day 2 of the NFL combine:

1
Quinyon Mitchell continues draft process hot streak

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The buzz surrounding Quinyon Mitchell picked up with his performance at the Senior Bowl and has skyrocketed after his week at the combine. His measurables came in for what you would like for a boundary corner on your roster.

Mitchell was viewed as a first-round prospect entering the weekend but after his blazing 4.33 40-yard time, he may have solidified himself as a top 15 pick.

He didn’t just show off his speed in a straight line. Mitchell showcased that it translates to what he will do on the field during the drills.

According to Next Gen Stats, Mitchell’s athleticism score is comparable to Marshon Lattimore’s.

His RAS score ranks 56th among cornerbacks since 1987.

For the Colts, he checks the boxes as a Senior Bowl player and has the athleticism that Ballard seeks in his prospects. If Indianapolis doesn’t acquire a top corner in free agency or via a trade, Mitchell is on top of the list I can see getting selected by Indy.

That, of course, if he lasts to the No. 15 pick.

2
Blazing crop of cornerbacks

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Quinyon Mitchell wasn’t the only cornerback prospect that lit the field on fire with his 40-yard dash. He was one of nine corners that ran in the 4.3s or better on Friday afternoon.

Here are the players that hit that mark:

  • Nate Wiggins (Clemson):  4.28
  • Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo): 4.33
  • Decamerion Richardson (Mississippi State): 4.34
  • Nehemiah Pritchett (Auburn): 4.36
  • Jarrian Jones (Florida State): 4.38
  • Daequan Hardy (Penn State): 4.38
  • Deantre Prince (Mississippi): 4.38
  • Max Melton (Rutgers): 4.39

Elijah Jones (Boston College) ran a 4.44 but managed the fifth-fastest MPH time in the 40-yard dash.

Renardo Green (Florida State), Ryan Watts (Texas), Terrion Arnold (Alabama), and Myles Harden (South Dakota) all didn’t run in the 4.3s but were in the top five fastest MPH at the 10-yard split.

The heaviest corner of this class, Ryan Watts (Texas), had the fastest time during the gauntlet drill.

If speed is what Chris Ballard wants in his cornerbacks in this class, he does have plenty of options for him to have on his radar come late April.

3
Max Melton raises stock

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Max Melton took advantage of the combine week with his performance and has solidified himself as a Day 2 pick and a possible top 50 selection. His measurables tell you that he might be best served as a nickel at the next level coming in at five-foot-11 and 187 pounds.

The positive is that Melton has experience on the boundary but his 32 1/8-inch arm length gives him a chance to compete outside. It should be notable that Kenny Moore II had 32 5/8-inch arm length when he entered the NFL.

In a response to a question to the media on Thursday, Melton didn’t shy away from playing inside.

“Man, I look at that inside position, it’s a fun position,” Melton said. “You get to blitz, you get to be in coverage, man, zone. You get to do a lot more on the inside, so I look at it as an opportunity. That’s a fun position to play.”

Melton’s testing got kicked off with an impressive 11’4″ broad jump.

As mentioned, Melton was one of eight cornerback prospects who ran in the 4.3s or better in his 40-yard dash.

Melton displayed his hip fluidity during the drills.

His RAS score ranks 79th among cornerbacks since 1987.

For the Colts, the need for a nickel corner comes down to whether Kenny Moore II is re-signed. If he isn’t, it becomes a pressing need. If he is, I believe there needs to be depth beyond him and a player to develop for the future.

Melton falls in line with the prospects that test well and attended the Senior Bowl which tends to catch Chris Ballard’s eye.

4
Cole Bishop caught my eye

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The one safety prospect that caught my eye on Friday was Utah’s Cole Bishop. Here is where his measurables came in.

As far as testing, it was his 4.45 40-yard time that backed up the explosiveness that is on his tape.

He also impressed during the drills. Here is how Bishop looked during the gauntlet.

His RAS score ranks 19th among free safeties since 1987.

For the Colts, safety is a priority position group that Chris Ballard has to figure out this offseason. Julian Blackmon is a free agent and without him on the roster, there isn’t a proven guy. Nick Cross offers promise but if Blackmon isn’t re-signed or a veteran isn’t signed in free agency, then it will turn into a major need for Indianapolis.

Bishop is another prospect that performed well at the Senior Bowl and combine so I would expect he will be on Ballard’s radar during the NFL draft.

5
Theo Johnson shines

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

A tight end with size and athleticism that fits what Chris Ballard likes in the position that had a great day is Theo Johnson. His measurables are ideal for what teams want at tight end.

His testing started strong with a 39.5-inch vertical jump and a 10’5″ broad jump to showcase his explosiveness. Johnson kept his day rolling with a 4.58 40-yard dash.

His RAS score was perfect and would rank first among tight ends since 1987 but the creator of the metric, Kent Lee Platte, did note that it might not stand because of math but expects it to be second or third all-time.

This is notable for the Colts because this was the RAS score that Jelani Woods had a couple of years ago.

Outside of his impressive RAS score, Johnson is the only TE since 1987 to weigh over 255 pounds and to post the 40-yard time and vertical jump he had.

For the Colts, as I alluded to, the tight end room is crowded at the moment but they could create room and cap space if Chris Ballard moves on from Mo Alie-Cox. Additionally, Drew Ogletree’s future is up in the air after he was arrested on domestic battery charges during the season.

With Johnson being a standout Senior Bowl player who tested out of this world, he joins the group of players I see being on Ballard’s radar during the draft process.

6
Brock Bowers weighs in, doesn't test

Syndication: Online Athens

One of the biggest storylines at the combine revolved around Bowers and his weight. He wound up measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds.

It was encouraging to see Bowers hit that weight considering that was one of his question marks. However, he opted out of participating in the drills so there won’t be any numbers to put to his tape at this point in the draft process.

He’s still likely very high on the Colts’ draft board, though, and they had a formal meeting with the top tight end prospect at the combine this week.

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