The NFL Combine is one of the most exciting times of the year for avid football fans. After watching this year’s combine, I found three things to take away heading into the Draft.
1. There is no shortage of talent at receiver. Speed, power and an insane amount of overall athleticism describes these players perfectly. Headlining this talented group is Alabama’s Amari Cooper. Cooper is, for lack of a better term, a man-child. He was able to absolutely embarrass defensive opponents in one of the most competitive conferences in football. His route running during his combine workout was downright graceful and he is sure to land as a top five pick. One of the best stories coming out of the receivers is University of Alabama-Birmingham’s JJ Nelson. Nelson had the fastest 40-yard dash of any position, running a 4.28. What’s crazy is that he may be the last player ever drafted from the school, which terminated its football program after this past season.
2. Winston vs. Mariota. Between these guys you have two Heisman winners, two very talented players, but only one top quarterback. Mariota is a great “character” guy and throws with immense accuracy, but I feel like Winston is the obvious No. 1 pick. Winston has elite arm strength and beautiful foot work, which he showed off during his drills. Mariota is a system guy who can become a great NFL quarterback in time, but Winston is NFL ready and has a hunger to prove himself.
3. The Defensive Line is stacked. Much like the receivers, the defensive line class has great potential. In the interior you have the University of Southern California’s Leonard Williams and Washington’s Danny Shelton. These two guys are tremendous run stoppers and can move the line of scrimmage. One guy who really impressed me was Kentucky’s Bud Dupree. Although he is listed as an outside linebacker, he has the size, strength and speed to put his hand in the dirt and be extremely effective.
