The NFL combine is over and the more than 300 draft prospects who participated have been weighed, measured, tested and interviewed. Some players really helped themselves.
Who are some of the players who helped themselves the most?
Here are some of those players and why.
Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons
Simmons was seen as a possible top-10 pick entering the combine. His sub-4.4 time in the 40 combined with his size might have pushed him into the top five.
Louisville OT Mekhi Becton
Any concerns about his size and athleticism? There are none now after running a 5.10-second 40 at 364 pounds and having only 17% body fat.
Iowa OL Tristan Wirfs
Even more impressive than Becton’s performance was the overall athletic showing of Wirfs. He ran the 40 in 4.85 seconds at 320 pounds and also showed off a 36.5-inch vertical leap, which was even better than top receivers Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb.
Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool
How about a 4.42-second 40 at 238 pounds? No one his size has run a time under 4.45 since Calvin Johnson. If you didn’t know about Claypool before, you do now.
Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor
Taylor had the size and production in college. When he clocked in with a 4.39-second 40, he hit the trifecta. That combination made Saquon Barkley a top-five pick. Taylor might have punched his ticket for the first round, even with the supposed devaluation of running backs.
Alabama WR Henry Ruggs
The speed was expected and he put up the fastest 40 time of the combine. He also showed off a 42-in vertical leap and then very large hands. Some believe he might even get some love as the first receiver off the board.
Florida CB CJ Henderson
Henderson, at 204 pounds, which is bigger for a cornerback, ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds and was very smooth in positional drills.
Oklahoma DL Neville Gallimore
How about a 4.79-second 40 at 304 pounds? That will catch the eyes of teams and force another look at his play on the field. While Auburn’s Derrick Brown didn’t test well, Gallimore helped himself a lot.
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