The 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is around the corner and players from all around the country are heading to Indianapolis to participate.
They’ll be showing off their athleticism to NFL coaches, general managers, scouts, media members, and fans. After the event, teams like the Chiefs will have better insight with which they can begin to assemble a draft board that will dictate their direction for the 2019 NFL draft.
For the prospects, the combine is really about managing expectations. Every team has an idea of how each player will perform in drills and in the interview process beforehand. The prospects’ job is to exceed those expectations and in turn get a better draft grade from each team.
The Chiefs can go a variety of different directions in the 2019 draft.
The current roster breakdown on offense is as follows:
QB: 4
RB: 3
FB: 0
WR: 7
TE: 3
OT: 4
OG: 5
C: 3
The Chiefs have a total of 57 players under contract and need to add 33 more to meet the 90-man roster for offseason workouts and training camp. The team still have the free agency period and potential trades to round out the roster before the 2019 NFL draft.
Let’s take a look at who you should watch during the 2019 Combine.
Kyler Murray QB Oklahoma
The Chiefs obviously aren’t in the market for a quarterback, and they’re definitely not drafting Kyler Murray. However, the performance and measurements of Murray at the Combine could have a significant impact on the first round of the 2019 draft. He could even help the Chiefs in several ways. If everything check out for Murray it’s just another quarterback going in the first round.
If Murray measures in under his listed height and weight, which is 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, evaluators might be scared off to take him early in the first round. It may not stop a team from trading into the first round to secure Murray and get a fifth year option on his initial contract. K.C. is in a great spot for a team looking to trade in at the end of round one and secure a quarterback with that option year.
Darrell Henderson RB Memphis
After the midseason release of star RB Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs likely have this position earmarked in the upcoming draft. Darrell Henderson is a player often mocked to the Chiefs in the second or third round of the draft. Depending on how fast he runs at the NFL Combine he could be drafted right around that area, or shoot up draft boards quickly.
The big goal for Henderson should be to weigh in above 200 pounds and run a low 4.4 40-yard dash. In 2014, he reportedly ran a hand-timed 4.29 40-yard dash at the Southern Elite Combine in 2014. He weighed about 25 pounds less back then though. How fast will Henderson be and will it help or hurt the Chiefs’ chances of acquiring him? Remember, Hunt only ran a 4.62 at the Combine.
Ryquell Armstead RB Temple
At the Senior Bowl, Ryquell Armstead weighed in at 5-foot-11 and 223 pounds. He was one of the standouts during the Senior Bowl week. His tape flashes great vision, burst, and contact balance.
At the Combine, Armstead will want to prove to NFL teams that he can be a feature back and contribute in every facet of the game. He plays special teams and he’s even played defense before too. At Temple he started a game defensive end against Tulsa, while also playing running back. He notched a sack and rushed for 108 yards during that game. I think he’s got a good argument for being able to contribute.
The big thing that the Chiefs will want to see from Armstead at the Combine is on-field drills related to blocking and catching the ball. He wasn’t utilized much in the passing game for Temple’s offense. That’s a huge part of what the Chiefs do now with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Will Armstead be a natural catching the football?
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Justice Hill RB Oklahoma State
I’m curious to see where Justice Hill measures. He’s listed at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, but will he show up to the Combine at that size? With time to prepare will he be able to add some weight to his frame? Right now many teams, including the Chiefs, would consider that undersized.
The word that best describes Hill’s game is explosive. He can turn a simple RB dive into a 93-yard touchdown run. He’s got burst, toughness, contact balance, and vision. He broke out during his Sophomore season, and has NFL caliber production and film. At the Combine teams will be looking to see where he lands as an athlete.
Elijah Holyfield RB Georgia
Elijah Holyfield fits the Chiefs’ size profile at the running back position. He’s listed at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, and the guy is built like a rock. It wouldn’t take you a minute to pick him out of a lineup as the son of a famed boxer. The Combine will likely be the type of space where Holyfield can thrive, especially during strength and agility drills, given his athleticism.
The Chiefs will likely be looking at a few things in particular with Holyfield. Those are his route tree, pass catching, and pass protection. He only caught seven passes during his career at Georgia, and he wasn’t on the field often for pass protection. Those are all big needs in the Chiefs offense.
Alec Ingold FB Wisconsin
Anthony Sherman is a pending free agent for the Chiefs. After a Pro Bowl season, I’m not sure they can afford to keep him on. So they’ll likely be looking at fullbacks in the 2019 NFL draft. Wisconsin’s Alec Ingold separated himself as the top fullback in the 2019 draft class at the Senior Bowl.
Ingold’s run-blocking is superb, he can run the ball and catch the ball with success. I think teams still want to see the type of athlete that he is and that’s where the Combine comes into play. As a fullback in today’s NFL, you need to make an impact on special teams, which means you’ve got to be able to run and change direction quickly. Keep an eye on this players 40-yard dash time and agility scores.
Hakeem Butler WR Iowa State
The Chiefs had one of the top offenses in the NFL in 2019. While the focus seems to be rebuilding the defense, the prospect of adding more weapons for Patrick Mahomes may be too intriguing to pass up.
Hakeem Butler is one of the longest receivers in the 2019 draft class. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. He’s shown great hands and physicality. He has plenty of tape blocking in the run game, which the Chiefs love. What teams want to know with Butler is how fast is he? At his size if he runs somewhere between the 4.5 and 4.6 range he’ll shoot up draft boards. Additionally if he tests well in agility and change of direction drills, you can pencil him in as an early winner of the Combine.
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J.J. Arcega-Whiteside WR Stanford
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is another one of the bigger bodies at the WR position in this draft class. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds he’s got a huge catch radius and a skill set to thrive in the red zone. Arcega-Whiteside has experience playing on the perimeter or the interior out of the slot when he was a tight end.
The big question for Arcega-Whiteside is going to come down to how fast he is and whether he has elite change in direction abilities. Everyone expects him to test well in the vertical jump, but how will he do in the 40-yard dash and 3-cone? Is he an explosive athlete or simply a big target?
Greg Dortch WR Wake Forest
Greg Dortch has a lot to prove at the Combine. In 2017 this kid led the ACC in receiving touchdowns despite his small frame, all while being a stud special teamer. He built on that performance in 2018, but doing it in the NFL is a whole different story.
Dortch is already considered a great route runner with top notch ball skills. Teams will want to see the type of athlete that Dortch is. At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, the expectation will be that he can run fast. I’m thinking his agility drills will be the most impressive part of his workout because he’s such a strong route runner and creates separation that way.
If the Chiefs are looking for a slot receiver who can contribute on special teams, they should be all over this player.
Dawson Knox TE Ole Miss
There is no tight end the Combine will be more important for than Dawson Knox. With just 39 receptions in his career and no touchdowns, Knox needs to pass through drills and on-field testing with flying colors.
He has flashes of elite athleticism on tape, but will that translate to these drills at the Combine? I think he’ll run fast and have top tier scores among his position group. Maybe he’ll even get a jump up some draft boards because of it.
Additionally the interview process is going to be very important to this player. Is he going to blame someone for his lack of production? Will he say that he simply did what was asked of him in the offense without complaint? How he responds to questions about his production will be just as important as the athletic testing portion of the Combine.
Isaac Nauta TE Georgia
Isaac Nauta wasn’t given a whole lot of opportunities in the offense during his career at Georgia. He still managed to come out of the other end of it as one of the most well-rounded tight ends in this draft class.
He’s a great receiving threat across the middle of the field and down the sidelines. He lined up all over the place for Georgia. Run-blocking is something that seems natural to him, both in-line and in space. If Nauta has a good Combine that showcases above average athleticism, it’ll only help to cement him among the top players at the tight end position this year.
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Mitch Hyatt OL Clemson
Mitch Hyatt was heralded as a top prospect following the 2017 season. In 2018 his play fell off a bit, especially against top competition. Now evaluators are struggling to decide if he’s best suited to play tackle or an interior offensive line position.
The Combine is admittedly not a great place to evaluate offensive lineman. The most important drill is the 10-yard split, which can measure burst off the snap. Others will point to 3-cone and bench press as important measures of food speed and strength. A good athletic showing from Hyatt at the Combine could help teams determine a fit for him, and some believe that fit is as a center at the next level.
Ben Powers OG Oklahoma
Ben Powers is a kid from Kansas with a dream. He’ll be one step closer to achieving that dream when he heads to compete at the Combine. At the Senior Bowl he had an impressive week of practice, locking people up in the pass game and putting them on their backs in the run game.
He looked quite athletic pulling and moving in space at the Senior Bowl. I’m curious to see how he compares to some of the other interior offensive linemen in this class. With a good performance he could establish himself as a priority pick on the second day of the draft.
Alex Bars OG Notre Dame
Alex Bars was a staple along the Notre Dame offensive line for the past four seasons. He started a total of 32 games at three different positions and excelled. Five games into the 2018 season Bars suffered a significant knee injury, tearing both the MCL and ACL in his left knee.
Medical evaluations at the Combine are extremely important, especially with players who have an injury history. Bars also suffered an ankle injury during his sophomore season. If everything checks out for Bars, and his knee is healing properly, the Chiefs could consider him late on day two or early during day three of the NFL draft.
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