Bump and Run: Who Won the Combine?

The NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis has come to a close. So what did we learn?

One thing we learned is that off-field incidents can come back to haunt you. Robert Nkemdiche found that out the hard way. The Ole Miss defensive tackle was suspended for the Sugar Bowl this past season after being charged with marijuana possession. Nkemdiche was arrested the same night he fell from a fourth-floor window at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. He addressed the incident at his press conference on Friday. The first-team All-SEC selection said he was drunk the night of his fall but was not under the influence of drugs. He also admitted to being lazy at times and not always finishing plays.

Some may have found his honesty refreshing, but overall, Nkemdiche’s first NFL impression was not a good one. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole said Nkemdiche was “unimpressive” during the interview process. One assistant coach told Cole, “He’s a very different kind of guy—the kind of guy that you want to be careful with and really just doesn’t get what it takes to be a pro.” That’s not exactly a rave review. Nkemdiche’s measurables were solid (4.87 forty time, 28 bench reps, 35-inch vertical) but his perceived immaturity may prevent him from being a day-one selection.

Noah Spence was another player who had to answer questions about his past. The outside linebacker began his career at Ohio State but was kicked off the team after testing positive for ecstasy on two separate occasions. He resurfaced at Eastern Kentucky where he led the Ohio Valley Conference in sacks this past season. Spence’s Combine performance was a mixed bag. He ran slower than expected in the forty (4.80) but made up for it with a solid broad jump (10 feet, 1 inch) and an equally stellar 35-inch vertical. Josh Norris had him at No. 10 on his latest Big Board.

One player who drew a ton of interest last week was Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa. One thing’s for sure—he doesn’t lack confidence. Bosa led off his press conference Friday by doing his best Kanye impression. “I do believe I’m the best player in the draft,” said Bosa. “There’s of course a lot of amazing players in the draft and it’s going to be up to Tennessee to make that decision.”

As good as he was last year, Bosa isn’t a slam-dunk for the No. 1 pick. Sunday’s Combine performance probably didn’t change that. Bosa clocked a 4.86 in the forty, which was slower than he was expecting. To put that in perspective, Jadeveon Clowney, who plays the same position and is almost the same size as Bosa (6’5/266 compared to 6’5/269 for Bosa), ran a 4.53 two years ago. Bosa’s 10-foot broad jump was fifth-best among defensive lineman and he showed some versatility by participating in linebacker drills. However, Bosa’s mediocre showing on the bench press (24 reps) might raise questions about his strength.

As Bosa alluded to in his press conference, the ball is in Tennessee’s court. There’s no obvious No. 1 this year but taking left tackle Laremy Tunsil first overall seems like the safe play. His measurables are ideal (310 pounds with 10-inch hands and 34 1/4 inch-arms) and he’s coming off a dominant year at Ole Miss. Marcus Mariota missed four games to injury last year behind a shaky offensive line. If the Titans want their franchise quarterback to stay healthy, Tunsil is the right choice.

Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry had plenty to prove at the Combine. Alabama running backs have been hit or miss in the NFL. Mark Ingram, Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson and T.J. Yeldon have all had their ups and downs. Plus Henry’s size (he’s a monstrous 6’3, 247 pounds) can be a bit of a double-edged sword. Sure he can push the pile but some of the lanes that smaller players can squeeze through aren’t available to Henry. Scouts have also shown concern over Henry’s lack of involvement in the passing game. He caught just 17 passes in his three years at Tuskaloosa.

Fortunately for Henry, he aced the Combine by running a 4.54 forty (faster than both Ingram and Lacy) with a 10-foot-10 broad jump and an excellent 37-inch vertical. Those are eye-popping numbers for a guy who only weighs three pounds less than Mike Tolbert. Henry’s only blemish was a subpar time in the three-cone drill (7.20, fourth-slowest among running backs). While Henry’s straight-line speed is impressive, his ability to stop and start could be an issue at the next level.

A lot can happen between now and draft night on April 28 but most signs point to Cleveland taking a quarterback with the No. 2 pick. That quarterback will probably be either Carson Wentz from North Dakota State or Cal-Berkeley’s Jared Goff. If the Browns base their decision solely on what transpired at the Combine (they shouldn’t), Wentz would be the obvious choice. Wentz posted a better forty time (4.77 to Goff’s 4.82), ran faster in the three-cone drill (6.86 to 7.17), outleaped him in the vertical (30.5 inches to 27.0) and was also the superior broad jumper (9-foot-10 for Wentz, 9-foot-2 for Goff). According to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, Wentz was also the better interviewer while measuring an inch taller and 22 pounds heavier than Goff. Going from FCS to the NFL is a big adjustment but Joe Flacco (Delaware) and Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois) made the leap without much trouble and so should Wentz.

The Combine is usually all business but Mississippi State defensive tackle Chris Jones gave some levity to this year’s proceedings by literally running out of his shorts. Jones had a wardrobe malfunction during the 40-yard dash and somehow made it worse by belly flopping at the end of his run. Let’s hope Jones ends up having a great career so we won’t have to talk about his blooper reel Combine moment for the rest of his life.

Quick Hits: Tuesday is the last day teams can assign the franchise tag but the Bears tagged Alshon Jeffery a day early. The Jets have also used their franchise tag, placing it on Muhammad Wilkerson. Jeffery will earn $14.6 million next season while Wilkerson’s salary for 2016 is set at $15.7 million … The Saints released Marques Colston on Monday. Colston is the team’s all-time leader in receiving yards (9,759), catches (711) and touchdowns (72). Not bad for a kid out of Hofstra … The Saints will meet with James Laurinaitis on Tuesday. Because he was cut (the Rams dumped him a week ago), he won’t have to wait until March 9 to sign like other free agents … Cameron Jordan is recovering from lower back surgery. He’s questionable for the start of OTAs … The Patriots signed Tom Brady to a two-year extension on Monday. He’ll be 42 when his contract expires … In other Tom Brady news, the NFL’s appeal of Judge Richard Berman’s Deflategate ruling will be heard Thursday in New York City. Also, he got a puppy … The Eagles have increased their offer to Sam Bradford. According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, the new offer is “at the top of his expected range on the open market” … Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is confident the team will find another running back to pair with Darren McFadden. The 1,089 yards McFadden rushed for last year were his most since 2010 … Tony Romo is expected to have surgery on his left collarbone (the same one he broke twice during the regular season) in the next two weeks. He should be ready for OTAs … The Falcons have their eyes on free agent linebacker Danny Trevathan. Atlanta will also be in the mix for Mohamed Sanu, who got engaged over the weekend … Malik Jackson and the Broncos are “far apart” in contract negotiations, according to beat reporter Mike Klis. He reportedly wants a $14 million annual salary … Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports expects the Texans to be a player for Brock Osweiler if he doesn’t re-sign with Denver. Of course, the expectation is that he stays put … Jaelen Strong was arrested for marijuana possession Sunday night in Arizona. Strong produced 161 yards on 14 catches as a rookie last season … NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport named the Browns and Texans as two teams that could have interest in Colin Kaepernick though beat reporters from both teams say that isn’t the case. It looks like teams are waiting to see if the 49ers cut Kaepernick before his salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1 … The Ravens are expected to finalize an extension with Joe Flacco by the end of the week. Baltimore is looking to reduce Flacco’s $28.55 million cap hit for next season … Roy Helu had surgery on both hips earlier this offseason. He averaged a disappointing 2.3 yards per carry in his first year with Oakland …  The Redskins have gotten a couple nibbles on Robert Griffin III, though it’s going to be hard to trade him because he’d have to agree to a new contract. The more likely scenario is that the Redskins cut him next week … The Lions are planning to target George Iloka during free agency. The 25-year-old can play either safety position … According to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson, Calvin Johnson’s retirement talk has nothing to do with wanting more money. A formal announcement from Johnson isn’t expected for several more weeks … The Jaguars are still deciding whether to pick up Luke Joeckel’s fifth-year option. Joeckel finished 52nd out of 76 qualifiers in PFF’s year-end tackle grades … The Giants are hoping to re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul before the legal tampering period for free agents begins on March 7. Pierre-Paul wants a long-term deal while the Giants would prefer to give him a one-year “prove-it” contract. The Giants offered Pierre-Paul a $60 million extension last offseason but withdrew it after his fireworks accident … Eric Berry slimmed down to his college weight of 210 pounds in 2015 and was so pleased with the results that he plans to stay at that weight going forward. Berry was a first-team All-Pro selection at safety … Janoris Jenkins received a five-year, $45 million offer from the Rams but he already turned it down. Word at the Combine was that he’s looking for a $12 million annual salary … The Chargers are open to trading the No. 3 overall pick. San Diego previously traded the No. 1 pick to Atlanta in 2001 and swapped Eli Manning on draft day in 2004 … The NFL competition committee has discussed reducing the number of preseason games from four to three. “You’re giving up some revenue, but it’s one of the worst things we do,” said Packers president Mark Murphy … James Harrison was aboard the “Legends of Pittsburgh” cruise this past weekend. It was mostly a normal trip—except for the part where they rescued 16 migrants in the Gulf of Mexico. Harrison shared a photo on his Instagram.

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