It was quite a week in Indianapolis at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Over 200 players auditioned for their upcoming football fates in front of hundreds of media and all 32 NFL teams.
We also got to speak with most NFL coaches and GMs, including Detroit’s Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. But here, the focus is on the players.
From their athletic testing to their interviews, as well as how they played their respective positions in college, these players stood out amongst the Combine participants as players I strongly believe the Lions will rate highly coming out of Indianapolis.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell had a great quote about evaluating players at the NFL Scouting Combine
Not all of these players are first-rounders. Many are in the Day 2/early Day 3 range of talents. The purpose here isn’t to advocate for any of them, but to shed more light on players who possess the qualities that this Lions regime has said they look for in players, both in words and in their prior two draft histories.
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
The football world saw what kind of athlete Banks is during his workouts. At 6 feet tall and 197 well-toned pounds, Banks ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds. More impressively, Banks had a 10-yard split of just 1.49 seconds. He also posted a 42-inch vertical jump and a broad jump over 11 feet that ranks in the top three for his position in the last decade.
Those are all indicative of an explosively fast athlete at outside CB. Banks also checked the Lions’ boxes in his interview. Two quotes stood out as I stood in front of Banks,
“I impose my physical will on people” in man coverage.
“I’m positive energy. Always energy, always positive.”
Banks figures to be a prime contender for the Lions pick at No. 18 if they’re looking at CBs in that spot. He won’t last until their next pick.
Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
I wrote about Benton after his podium interview, when he cited the Lions’ buzzword of “grit” a few times.
A gritty interior lineman capable of playing the nose or the three-technique tackle, Benton then proved he’s a good athlete in the testing. Not the top of the heap athletically, but close enough to seriously interest the Lions on Day 2. The Lions met with Benton at the combine after also meeting with him at the Senior Bowl, where he was one of the top performers all week, too.
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Simpson repeatedly talked about his disciplined personality as well as his ability to play all over the second level of the defense. The son of an Army Ranger, Simpson measured in at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds — optimal size for a Lions LB.
Here’s what Simpson said about his interview with the Lions and Dan Campbell,
“Yeah, they asked a lot about my father and they have a lot of respect for my father, and I love that because I have a lot of respect for my father, as well. Being able to get that from the coaches and understanding what it takes to be a military guy, being away from your family, they had a lot of respect for that and I appreciate that.”
Simpson didn’t do the full athletic testing, but his 40-yard dash time of 4.43 seconds and a 10-yard split of 1.55 seconds both ranked near the top in the class. If the Lions are looking for an off-ball LB in the second round, Simpson should definitely be in the conversation.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Richardson rewrote the Scouting Combine record books for quarterbacks with his incredible athletic display. He’s the most athetically gifted QB in the history of the event.
Anthony Richardson RAS so far.
And there it is.https://t.co/g6dAq3ALm4 #RAS pic.twitter.com/p8isZWrHp4
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 4, 2023
While several other quarterbacks opted not to work out (C.J. Stroud) or throw (Bryce Young), Richardson enthusiastically did everything. Don’t think the Lions didn’t take note of that.
The 20-year-old acknowledged he’s got some room to grow as a passer. He was asked about it several times at his podium interview, and Richardson handled it very capably,
“I’m willing to bring anything and everything that they need from me. I’m going to work hard. I’m going to be dedicated to my craft. And I’m just going to be a leader in that organization. So just grow and continue to grow,” Richardson said.
After his freakshow performance, it’s an admittedly remote possibility that Richardson lasts on the board until Detroit’s first pick at No. 6 overall. But if he does, that figures to be a very difficult decision for Holmes & Co.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Gibbs had a very good Scouting Combine. He flashed the speed with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash that finished second amongst all RBs in Indianapolis. But something else stood out about Gibbs while watching the on-field workouts and athletic testing: his quiet but driven leadership and personality. He was a great teammate for guys he’s ostensibly competing against for draft attention.
Gibbs is also a very good receiver, a key attribute the Lions want in their RBs. He’s played wide receiver and it shows, including in the on-field combine workouts.
“Well throughout my life I played both positions, both running back and receiver, so it was pretty natural coming out the backfield running a couple of routes,” Gibbs said in his podium interview. “So I pretty much can run most of the routes out of the route trees.”
Gibbs might not last until the Lions’ first pick in the second round. He just might have the skill to coax the Lions–a team with a long history of taking RBs in the second round–to move up and secure his services.
Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
Pappoe had an outstanding workout:
Owen Pappoe NFL Combine ranking (LBs):
40 yard dash: #1 (4.39)
10 yard split: #1 (1.52)
Vertical jump: #5 (35.5”)
Broad Jump: #4 (10’5”)
Bench Press: #1 (29 reps)#TheFreak pic.twitter.com/DsyfT5o94I— Kyle (@AllAubarn) March 3, 2023
It helps ameliorate some fears about Pappoe’s lack of size (6 feet, 225 pounds). Pappoe talked about his instincts and quick reactions during his podium interview, two things that also stood out on his Auburn game tape.
One tidbit I learned from his interview: one career penalty.
If the Lions are okay with his size, and they overlooked a lack of length in Malcolm Rodriguez last year with good results, Pappoe sure fits nicely in the third round.
Kei'Trel Clark, CB, Lousiville
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsClark was a player who had the media area of Lucas Oil Field buzzing during his on-field workouts on Friday. His instant acceleration and ability to quickly judge the ball in the air really stood out.
A transfer from Liberty, Clark proved he could move inside to the slot during his final year at Louisville. He’s got the initial quickness, freakish acceleration (1.49 seconds in the 10-yard split) and physical toughness to thrive inside. That’s important because Clark is too small (5-10/181) to stick outside in the NFL
Clark exhibited the kind of “dawg” mentality the Lions covet during his podium interview.
“I’ve been the underdog since I came out of the womb, you feel me,” Clakr said with pride. “Since I was a young kid. I didn’t have any stars. I wasn’t the guy who had stars. I wasn’t a highly recruited guy. I’m really an underdog. I’m still an underdog til this day and even in this draft. That’s cool, because at the end of the day, it really don’t matter if I go first round or I go last. At the end of the day, I’m going to show them what I bring to the table.”
Clark projects as a Day 3 prospect.
Jarrett Patterson, OL, Notre Dame
Patterson is a player the Lions met with formally during the week in Indy, and it’s easy to see his appeal to Detroit. As he noted during his podium interview, Patterson can play any blocking scheme at any interior OL position,
“In 2020, outside zone was the main play we ran. This past year, a lot of inside zone and gap schemes. I’m comfortable in any scheme. It doesn’t matter.”
Patterson also talked about his willingness to grind and his coachability, two things that are scouting catnip for Detroit.
His athletic testing was decent enough for a player who projects as a top interior reserve, a position the Lions need with the free agent status of Evan Brown. Patterson should be in the mix for the Lions’ final pick of the draft.
