Combine Takeaways

[Dantés]

I'm struck by how many guys chose not to do some key drills. So pro days will need to supple some missing data. However, there are some guys whose results popped for me, both good and bad. So this thread is a vehicle to discuss anyone that stood out for you.

The first one I'll mention is Courtland Sutton, who is a much better athlete than I anticipated. He still doesn't supply the deep threat skill set that I'd like in a WR, but his results were impressive nonetheless. Calvin Ridley, on the other hand, disappointed to a degree. His jumps and shuttles did not match expectations. As I've had a lot to say about both, I thought I should open with that.

 

[Dantés]

Von Miller:

• 6'3", 246, 33.5" arms
• 4.42 forty
• 37" vertical
• 126" broad
• 6.70 three cone
• 4.06 short shuttle

Vic Beasley:

• 6'3", 246, 32.5" arms
• 4.53 forty
• 41" vertical
• 130" broad
• 6.91 three cone
• 4.15 short shuttle

Harold Landry:

• 6'2", 252, 33" arms
• 4.64 forty
• 36" vertical
• 119" broad
• 6.88 three cone
• 4.19 short shuttle

Landry's workout was solidly in-line with the Miller/Beasley profile. This is exactly what I wanted to see to confirm his stock as the best pure edge rushing prospect in the class. His tape in 2017 was underwhelming. He was dealing with ankle injuries. However, based on a dominant 2016 season and these elite results, I think he should absolutely be in play at #14. Marcus Davenport seems to be getting more attention, and he certainly had a solid combine, but Landry's was on a different level.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

Leighton Vander Esch. This kid tested extremely well and the Packers have already been linked to him. People questioned his athleticism, but he proved at the combine that he's plenty agile and his tape is even better. I'd be happy with him right now.

 

[Dantés]

Jaire Alexander helped himself a lot. His three cone, forty, short shuttle, and broad jump were all between the 84th and 89th %.

Josh Jackson's was both good and bad. For being a bigger corner, his jumps and agility numbers were all good. His forty was on the slower end of acceptable at the position, but that can be overcome with good press technique. His upside is Marcus Peters.

Derwin James and Tremaine Edmunds are freaks among freaks, but I'm annoyed that neither did agility work. Leighton Vander Esch's workout is up there with them too, plus he did everything.

Roquan Smith weighing in at 236 was a positive. I think he was fixing to blow the whole thing out. It's too bad that he got nicked. Vea is another one that couldn't workout after his forty, and that was too bad. 5.1 at 347 lbs is just a small notch below when Dontari Poe pulled off a 4.96 at 346. Hopefully that put the comp to Danny Shelton to bed.

Sam Hubbard made himself some money.

Joseph Noteboom, OT from TCU, sticks out to me as a Packers "type" on the OL. He has the size and the agility numbers that they often target.

The D.J.'s-- Moore and Chark had great days as well.

 

[Dantés]

Leighton Vander Esch. This kid tested extremely well and the Packers have already been linked to him. People questioned his athleticism, but he proved at the combine that he's plenty agile and his tape is even better. I'd be happy with him right now.

If they think he can work on the edge as well as inside, that I'd be all for that. If they want a pure ILB, I hope it's Roquan.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

If they think he can work on the edge as well as inside, that I'd be all for that. If they want a pure ILB, I hope it's Roquan.

Roquan is more of 4-3 will. As a die-hard Georgia fan, I love him as a player, I just don't think he's the right fit for our defense. That also depends if Pettine changes his schemes. Roquan just got wash up in the second level quite a bit and LVE is an all-pro mike linebacker in the making. He has the best instincts among all linebackers and his 3-cone was awesome.

 

[Dantés]

Mike Gesicki, TE from PSU.... what a workout.

At 6'5" 247:

Forty: 4.54 (92%)
Broad: 129" (96%)
Vert: 41.5" (98%)
3C: 6.76 (98%)
SS: 4.1 (95%)
LS: 11.33 (96%)

That might be the best TE workout I've ever seen.

 

[Dantés]

Roquan is more of 4-3 will. As a die-hard Georgia fan, I love him as a player, I just don't think he's the right fit for our defense. That also depends if Pettine changes his schemes. Roquan just got wash up in the second level quite a bit and LVE is an all-pro mike linebacker in the making. He has the best instincts among all linebackers and his 3-cone was awesome.

Again, I love the athleticism that LVE showed to match his production, but we know need to be nearly so particular about positions. Smith won't be a thumping block eater in any scheme, but he can certainly play WILL in a 3-4 base and, far more importantly, is the ideal sub package linebacker for today's NFL (which is the real base defense now). In any 3-4, you generally have an ILB who thumps and one who flies. He would be the latter, and that's a role that's a bigger need on our team right now IMO. Happy with either though. But I wouldn't be able to pass on Smith's stellar tape, especially at that level.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

Again, I love the athleticism that LVE showed to match his production, but we know need to be nearly so particular about positions. Smith won't be a thumping block eater in any scheme, but he can certainly play WILL in a 3-4 base and, far more importantly, is the ideal sub package linebacker for today's NFL (which is the real base defense now). In any 3-4, you generally have an ILB who thumps and one who flies. He would be the latter, and that's a role that's a bigger need on our team right now IMO. Happy with either though. But I wouldn't be able to pass on Smith's stellar tape, especially at that level.

To me, we have a similar player to Roquan in Josh Jones. Martinez is the only one somewhat similar to LVE and it's not even close imho. To me, I'd rather build a defense around an Urlacher type player than a Deion Jones type player.

 

[Dantés]

To me, we have a similar player to Roquan in Josh Jones. Martinez is the only one somewhat similar to LVE and it's not even close imho. To me, I'd rather build a defense around an Urlacher type player than a Deion Jones type player.

Hard to know if they plan for Jones to play a WILL role or to replace Burnett. Their internal plans for him will make an impact on who they target.

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

Hard to know if they plan for Jones to play a WILL role or to replace Burnett. Their internal plans for him will make an impact on who they target.

Absolutely, we could easily take someone like Derwin James if he's available. Who knows.

 

[PackFan2]

To me, we have a similar player to Roquan in Josh Jones. Martinez is the only one somewhat similar to LVE and it's not even close imho. To me, I'd rather build a defense around an Urlacher type player than a Deion Jones type player.

Josh Jones is very similar to Roquan, but i'm not sure if the mentality is there to take on blockers. In college tapes, Roquan often got engulfed by linemen but he has the linebacker mentality to take on blocks. Josh Jones needs to develop that. Everyone would love to have an Urlacher on their team

 

[Dantés]

Roquan also came in 16 lbs heavier than Jones did last year.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Very impressed with Josh Allen's arm strength. Kid seems to have in his prime Brett Favre arm strength and THEN some! Right now on the QB board he and Mason Rudolph are 1. and 1a.

 

[Mondio]

Remember when Kyle Boeller thru a ball a mile from his knees? He was Brett Favre too, until he wasnt

 

[GleefulGary]

Very impressed with Josh Allen's arm strength. Kid seems to have in his prime Brett Favre arm strength and THEN some! Right now on the QB board he and Mason Rudolph are 1. and 1a.

Rosen is easily the #1 imo. Rudolph isn't close to the top pack.

Darnold, Baker, Allen and arguably Jackson are all close.

 

[FL-PACKERfan]

All of the top QBs have weaknesses. Rosen is not very good outside of the pocket. Darnold turns it over at a high rate. Allen has accuracy questions and Baker is small.

IMO Baker is my #1 QB in this draft and then Rosen and Allen 2a and 2b and then Darnold and Jackson below them.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I'd have Rosen as a top 3 QB as well but he has injury issues, and to the person who mentioned Jackson, I've heard talk he'll be a WR in the NFL so I can't take a WR seriously as a QB.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

To me, we have a similar player to Roquan in Josh Jones. Martinez is the only one somewhat similar to LVE and it's not even close imho. To me, I'd rather build a defense around an Urlacher type player than a Deion Jones type player.

Roquan Smith and Josh Jones are similar type of players but the former Bulldogs linebacker is definitely way more talented. I wouldn't mind the Packers drafting him at #14 although I hope that an impact edge rusher like Landry is still on the board.

 

[Dantés]

For me, only a few things changed at the combine as far as #14 is concerned.

Guys that fell out of consideration:

• Calvin Ridley: I still think he's going to be good (an Amari Cooper lite), but I'm not spending the 14th pick on a guy with those results at that size. This is especially true when you consider that the Packers have been great at finding receivers in the 2nd, and that there is good depth at the position.
• Rashaan Evans: Given his pass rush production in college, I was interested to see if Evans might have the size to be a consideration as an edge who can also play WILL. But he came in at 232 lbs, so I think that idea is dead.

Guys that rose into consideration:

• Jaire Alexander: While shorter than ideal (just over 5'10"), Alexander came in at a strong 196 lbs and tested very well nearly across the board. His tape is among the best in this class.
• Leighton Vander Esch: He blew up the combine. 6'4" 256 lbs. For me, it comes down to whether or not he can work on the edge and generate some pass rush production. Zierlein seems to think he has that ability on tape, though it's not his forte. But he's certainly interesting.

Aside from that, Harold Landry did what I needed him to do to solidify his status as a guy I'd take at #14. His elite testing numbers are an indication that his stellar 2016 season was closer to the real version, and that 2017 was mostly about nagging injuries.