NFL COMBINE: Day 3 Takeaways

INDIANAPOLIS — Running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers took the field today at Lucas Oil Stadium for the third day of the NFL Combine. Let’s take a look back at today’s best and worst performances and what they mean for draft boards across the league.

DAY 3 MVP: WR Xavier Worthy, Texas, 5-11 1/4, 165 lbs

Although Worthy did not participate in any field drills, his 40-yard dash alone made him the talk of Indianapolis on Day 3. Worthy’s official time of 4.21 seconds made him the new fastest man in the history of the Combine, inching out John Ross’ 2017 record by one-hundredth of a second. Worthy also had the third-highest vertical (41 inches) and fifth-longest broad jump (10-foot-11) among receivers.

The fastest man in the draft drew attention on social media from a number of NFL stars, including Super Bowl LVIII MVP Patrick Mahomes, who responded to Worthy’s unofficial times of 4.25 and 4.22 on Twitter.

The prospect of dropping Worthy in the Chiefs’ system is downright scary, but it’s hard to imagine Worthy lasting until the end of the first round after his record-breaking performance. Once Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Washington’s Rome Odunze are off the board, many would’ve expected someone like LSU’s Malik Nabers or Oregon’s Troy Franklin to be the next receiver selected. And hey, some teams don’t pay much mind to the 40, so maybe that will still be the case, but it’s hard to imagine the many receiver-needy teams in this draft passing on a guy with record-breaking speed.

HONORABLE MENTION: QB Michael Penix, Washington, 6-2 1/4, 216 lbs

Analysts and scouts across the country had plenty of different takes on today’s throwing drills. Mine is the following: while every single quarterback had at least a few poor throws, Penix seemed polished and demonstrated the arm power and accuracy to succeed at the next level.

Penix looked noticeably more polished on the out-breaking routes than other quarterbacks, hitting his targets in stride with tight, fast spirals. Two of his three end zone fades were accurate, including a beautifully-placed ball to former Washington teammate Rome Odunze.

Penix missed on a few throws, including a post-corner on which he led his receiver a bit too far outside. But just about every quarterback that threw on Saturday had a whiff or two on the deep balls, and while Penix’s workout wasn’t perfect, it was free from any horrendous misses, which couldn’t be said for other top prospects (more on that later).

It’s also worth noting that on a good number of his throws, Penix could be seen shifting his body and eyes upfield as if looking off his receivers just like he would in a game. This might seem like a small detail, but a major necessity of translating good quarterback play to the NFL is the ability to make accurate throws without staring down your target.

The league’s top safeties are adept at reading a quarterback’s eyes and posture to determine where the ball is going, so a quarterback who keeps his eyes on his target as he moves downfield is more likely to be intercepted. Even in drills, Penix showed the habit of looking off his receivers as if looking at a checkdown before quickly turning his head and getting rid of the ball, a trait NFL coaches and scouts will surely be happy to see.

BIGGEST RISER: RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville, 6-0, 221 lbs

The running back group still stands as the most wide-open class in the draft. Pretty much every other group has that top guy or two that most analysts agree is the best at his position—Marvin Harrison Jr. for receivers, Joe Alt for offensive linemen, Brock Bowers for tight ends.

Guerendo certainly made his case to enter the conversation for that spot in the running back class with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, a wicked speed for his 221-pound frame. He also had the highest vertical of any running back by an inch and a half at 41.5 inches, and displayed good speed and running form in field drills. Guerendo looked to be a 4th-round prospect coming into the NFL Combine, but makes his case for a Day 2 pick with an excellent showing of athleticism.

MOST UNDERWHELMING: QB JJ McCarthy, Michigan, 6-2 1/2, 219 lbs

From the media section at Lucas Oil Stadium, one could hear audible groans from the few dozen reporters present for throwing drills after more than half of McCarthy’s throws. His dig routes were mostly thrown behind or low, including one rep that made Alabama wide receiver Trey Burton fully stop in his tracks to catch the ball when he didn’t even look to be running full speed.

McCarthy only threw one accurate go ball, with his first two landing wide out of bounds and eliciting gasps from fans in attendance. His timing on short game throws was consistently bad, and while some of that can be chalked up to a lack of chemistry with new receivers, you’d expect a lot more from a quarterback rumored to be a top-three prospect at the position.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (6-2 7/8, 209) ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash for receivers behind Worthy with a 4.33, and as Rich Eisen pointed out during his NFL Network broadcast, he ran that time 44 pounds heavier than Worthy. His jumps (38.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-6 broad) were middle-of-the-pack but respectable nonetheless among a stacked group of receivers.

Thomas Jr. also showed great ball skills and footwork in the gauntlet drill. The performance confirmed Thomas Jr.’s most obvious strength on tape: his insane speed and mobility for his frame.

BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis (6-2 1/2, 223) showed flashes of the high-level quarterback play he displayed at USC before transferring away after Jaxson Dart took over while he was injured. Many quarterbacks elected not to run the 40, but Slovis was not one of them, recording the fastest time of the four that participated with a 4.55.

His throws were far from perfect, but for the most part, he showed consistent footwork and accuracy. It’s doubtful teams in need of a Year 1 starter will look to Slovis, but a team in the transition phase or in need of a backup with future upside could look to draft him in the mid-to-late rounds.