Day No. 4 of the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine drills took place on Sunday, with defensive backs taking center stage.
Below are some of NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's takeaways from workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Projections listed in parentheses are from Chad Reuter's three-round mock draft.
Day 4
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Jeff Okudah, Ohio State (No. 5 to Detroit): Jeremiah's top-rated cornerback and No. 4 overall prospect.
"He has everything in terms of the size, the fluidity. You see the length and the ball skills. I went back in my Stephon Gilmore report when he was coming out of South Carolina and they read every similar, which is a heck of a compliment to Jeff Okudah coming out of Ohio State."
Xavier McKinney, Alabama (No. 17 to Dallas): Ranked as Jeremiah's No. 14 overall prospect.
"They moved him around, this year he played nickel linebacker because they had injuries at the position. He's so smart, they needed a communicator up there so he would go up there and handle all the calls."
Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne (No. 50 to Chicago): Ranked as Jeremiah's No. 43 overall prospect.
"Phenomenal. Phenomenally explosive athlete. You watch him, you saw the jumps but, at Lenoir-Rhyne, I mean he hits guys and they go flying. He's got ball skills, he's an outstanding kick returner. And how in the world did he end up at Lenoir-Rhyne? Look at him right now, he was 5-6 as a freshman in high school. Did not start until his senior year of high school. So, that is the definition of a late bloomer. You watch him as a punt returner, it is electric, it's fun to watch."
C.J. Henderson, Florida (No. 57 to Houston): Ranked as Jeremiah's No. 25 overall prospect.
"I think the best mover out here on the field has been C.J. Henderson. ... I think he's going to be the second corner drafted. You can see the make up speed on tape -- it jumps at you. He has a lot of juice. He's gonna end up going in the top 15."
Javelin Guidry, Utah: Ran the fastest 40 time among DBs at 4.29.
"When you win the 100 meters in Texas and in California, you could roll. He's a great kid too. He's from a high school just down the street from me and his coach says he's one of the favorite kids he's ever coached. ... I think he might be a nickel at the next level considering 91.7% of his snaps at Utah, he was a nickel."
Day 3
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Derrick Brown, Auburn (No. 7 to Panthers): He ranks at No. 2 on D.J.'s top-50 prospects.
"He can shock ya. He'll reset the line of scrimmage, find the football, [and] make a play. Then as a rusher it's pure power. A combination of the power and effort jumps out as we see if working today. Again, 320 plus pounds changing direction. Not too bad. He won't be waiting long. It'll be a very happy team that gets him."
Bradlee Anae, Utah (No. 40 to Cardinals): "The production is off the charts. Phenomenon production at Utah. The question is how athletic is he? How explosive is he. He's a technician with his hands. We talked about it a little earlier the three sacks he had, Tim mentioned it, at the Senior Bowl. He's a technician. The question is how much juice, how much burst does he have? He's my 48th player right now. His 10 wasn't bad. The 4.92 isn't great. But it's really about that first 10 yards simulating that get off the line of scrimmage as an edge rusher. That's the number you're keeping an eye out on. The mark there is 1.65. That's what you're shooting for."
Khalil Davis, Nebraska: At 308 pounds, the DL ran a 4.75 40.
"He plays out wide. I think when you get to the NFL you'll see him slide in more. And that athleticism is going to be at play against guards."
LINEBACKERS
Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (No. 9 to Jaguars): He had the best 40 today with an official 4.39. He ranks at No. 6 on D.J.'s top-50 list.
"Talk about long and rangy and explosive. Whew! That is not normal. If you didn't know, that's not normal. 6-3 and change, 238 pounds, watch him stride that out."
His 40 time was so good he decided to not run a second time.
"Once you go to the moon once, do you really have to go back?"
Patrick Queen, LSU (No. 30 to Packers): The LB is ranked at No. 15 on D.J.'s top-50 prospect list. He ran a 4.50 40 but grabbed his hamstring after the second run.
"You talk about putting on a show at the end of the season. How many people knew who he was? He wasn't starting. We saw [Michael] Divinity run a little bit earlier. He was a starter. He gets suspended. Talk about making the most of your opportunity. Patrick Queen I believe is going to be a first-round pick. He was a high school running back. A big-time high school baseball player. And he came on the scene. You watch him against Alabama and Clemson. He's everywhere. Picked off Tua [Tagovailoa], making plays sideline-to-sideline. A little undersized but man he's a blur on the field. This guy is an energy guy. He gives energy to his defense. You gotta cover [Alvin] Kamara's and the [Christian] McCaffrey's of the world, it's nice to have somebody that can move around like Patrick Queen.
"And as fast as he is, he can strike you know too. Watch the Texas A&M game. A guard comes up to get him and he puts the guard right on his back. Change direction, he's good in coverage. You know he can scoot. I love this kid."
Day 2
RUNNING BACKS
D'Andre Swift, Georgia (No. 32 to Chiefs): He impressed scouts after running a 4.48 40. D.J. has him ranked 17th in his top-50 prospects.
"He's my top running back here. He's got some DeAngelo Williams to him when you watch him. That's a great run. That's a beautiful time. He's got some power. He's got vision, which is where everything starts at running backs. And this kid has got outstanding vision and just naturally instinctive. Georgia's been pumping out some running backs lately."
DeeJay Dallas, Miami: The 5-foot-10, 217-pound running back ran a 4.58 40.
"The best pass protecting back in the draft class in my opinion. His game is about vision, balance and power between the tackles. And then again, when you get in passing situations, 217-pound back that's aware can really, really pass protect. That's plenty good enough for him the way he plays. You talk about short yardage, this dude is a bulldog in short yardage."
Cam Akers, Florida State: "He's a really good back. He's got a chance, I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up being the second or third back to go off the board. He's that type of talent."
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Tristan Wirfs, Iowa (No. 18 to Dolphins): The 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman broke records on Friday night. He posted a 36.5-inch vertical jump, which is a modern record among O-linemen. He also tied the combine record for an O-lineman with a 10-foot-1 broad jump. Then he recorded a 4.85 40, which is the best time of any offensive lineman this year.
"When he's right, when he stays square and gets his hands on you, it is over with his strength. Now he has an issue every now that he'll over set. But when he stays square he finishes and it's easy. How about the ability to pull on the perimeter? Pull, locate, find your man, get on him. Now you see athleticism to be able to reach and seal off the edge, that run game, get out to the perimeter and then the movement.
"We've seen him on the right side of the line of scrimmage at right tackle. Here you see him on the left side at left tackle, able to uproot the defender, get a nice crease here down on the goal line. The major issue with Wirfs that he's had in some of the pressures that he's given up is all been oversetting."
Mekhi Becton, Louisville (No. 6 to Giants): The OL ran a 5.10 40-yard dash, the fastest time by a player weighing 350-plus pounds at the combine since at least 2003. He's ranked No. 5 in D.J.'s top-50 draft prospects.
"You can't get through him. And he uses his length in pass pro. You can't get around him. And in the run game it's an avalanche when he down blocks. He just takes everybody with him. And he's moving pretty good. When he was training in Texas, Terron Armstead went down to visit and when he walked in the room and saw him he said 'What is that?' Guys like this are just rare."
Andrew Thomas, Georgia (No. 16 to Browns): "He is quick and powerful. A dominate run blocker. Just uproots people in the run game. Pass protection and the balance was the only concern there. That's a good time for him. He's going to be a starting left tackle in the NFL I believe in Year 1. He's my 21st overall player right now."
Austin Jackson, USC (No. 34 to Colts): "He's got a chance at being a top-20 pick when it's all said and done. He's only 20 years old and just scratching the surface of how good he can be. ... This kid's very athletic. He can bend his knees, he can redirect. Just needs to get physically stronger. ... I think him having a full offseason going into the NFL, you're going to see a stronger type of Austin Jackson."
Cesar Ruiz, Michigan (No. 22 to Bills): "He's got outstanding football instincts and awareness, too. You watch how aware he is of his surroundings inside. He's going to be a day-one starter."
Jedrick Wills, Alabama (No. 15 to Jets): "Jedrick Wills, I believe, is the mix to be the first lineman off the board. I have Mekhi Becton, but he's right behind him. He ran just over 5.0 in the 40. You see some of that explosiveness in the vertical that shows up when you watch him on tape."
John Simpson, Clemson: "You see John Simpson moving around a little bit better. He went through an ankle injury this year, so if you watch him before the ankle injury and after, it's like two different guys. Tried to play through it, did play through it at the Senior Bowl, but with time he let that heal and he's moving around a little bit better."
Day 1
QUARTERBACKS
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (No. 104 to Steelers): Hurts was the second-fastest QB of the day with a 4.59-second 40-yard dash. He tied for first among QBs with a 10-foot-5 broad jump. Hurts also had a great day with on-field position drills. Jeremiah doesn't see his athleticism being a problem for him.
"The issues that Jalen Hurts has sometimes is vision and anticipation, which you're not going to really see in this setting. We saw the athlete that he is and you see him throw the football. The ball is live. It jumps out of his hand. And watching him go through the drop right here I think his feet when you stack him up with the rest of the guys up there looks pretty good."
Justin Herbert, Oregon (No. 4 to Chargers): Herbert, who stands at 6-foot-6, 236 pounds, ran a 4.68 40, which is great for a guy his size.
"He's a tricky evaluation because you love the size. You love the production. He had won a lot of games there at Oregon. I just want to see him cut it loose and be a little more aggressive and enter into that attack mode. Sometimes he plays a little bit too cautious. He never took a snap under center in college. So, this is all brand new for him as well as it is for a lot of these guys."
Jake Fromm, Georgia (No. 38 to Patriots): Out of the 13 quarterbacks who ran on Thursday, Fromm was the slowest with a 5.01 40.
"Fromm doesn't have a big arm. But you will see with him timing, anticipation. He's had the same arm his whole life. So, he knows how to navigate around some of those concerns, get the ball out early. I don't think he fits every team. But I think there's handful of teams. And I look at teams kind of in the south and the west coast. You know play inside. I look at a team like the Atlanta Falcons to try and get somebody to sit behind Matt Ryan for a couple of years. Maybe with the payoff down the road. I would imagine in that stadium would be a popular pick."
Jordan Love, Utah St. (No. 23 to Panthers): Love's elasticity earned comparisons from Jeremiah to reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes.
"He's my 18th overall player, so he's a first-round quarterback all day long."
Steven Montez, Colorado: Montez impressed with his athleticism and arm talent, running a 4.68 40, third-best amongst quarterbacks.
"He's got a lot of upside. For me, it's just making better decisions. He'll have some unbelievable 'wow' plays and then he'll have some easy misses. But we've seen him run today, how athletic he is, and I've seen the ball jump off his hand."
Joe Burrow, LSU (No. 1 to Bengals): Burrow decided not to work out during the combine this week, saying LSU's long run in the College Football Playoff as a reason for sitting out drills. His Pro Day will be on April 3. During the broadcast, Jeremiah compared him to Patriots QB Tom Brady.
"When you watch these guys side by side, Tom Brady mechanically, watch what you see from Brady and tell me this does not look identically the same from Joe Burrow. It is eerie. And it's just not my opinion in saying that. You see the comparison there. The poise, the pocket awareness and they both absolutely have that swagger. But Kevin Faulk on that staff at LSU. As the scouts have come rolling through there and they ask 'Kevin, you've been in the NFL a long time. What do you think of this Burrow kid?'
"And he goes 'I'm telling you this is Tom Brady. This kid reminds me so much of Tom Brady.' And I understand that's the greatest of all-time and I know comparisons get people all upset. But when you watch them mechanically and you're around their personalities, their leadership style, there's a lot of similarities."
WIDE RECEIVERS
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama (No. 21 to Eagles): In his highly anticipated 40-yard dash, Ruggs blazed to a 4.27, not quite breaking John Ross' record of 4.22 but impressing nonetheless. Jeremiah said after Ruggs' 40 that he "was in the mix" to be the first receiver off the board.
Unfortunately, Ruggs did not finish drills, missing some position work with a bag of ice wrapped around his right thigh.
Justin Jefferson, LSU (No. 36 to Giants): Jefferson ranks at No. 16 on Jeremiah's top-50 draft prospect rankings. The WR had quite an impressive day receiving high praise from D.J. after running a 4.43 40.
"That is huge. That's the most important time that we've seen today. He's a great player on tape and now you've got some big-time legitimate speed on record to back it up."
Chase Claypool, Notre Dame: The wideout showed great hands during his on-field drills and ran a 4.42 40.
"That's a great time for him. This dude is tough. He's a gunner on punt team, makes a bunch of tackles, really physical in the red zone. That's a great time for him."
Jalen Reagor, TCU (No. 48 to Jets): Reagor was one of Jeremiah's top five candidates to break Ross' 40 record, but the receiver ran a 4.47 on Thursday, tied for 15th among WRs.
"It looked like Reagor got a little too thick. I saw how well he ran on tape, but it didn't really match up today."
TIGHT ENDS
Cole Kmet, Notre Dame (No. 20 to Jaguars): The only TE to crack Jeremiah's top 50 prospects, Kmet (No. 42) ran a 4.70 40-yard dash, the fourth-fastest time among tight ends.
"That's a really good time for his size."
Hunter Bryant, Washington (No. 37 to Chargers): "He didn't run as fast as I thought he would, but he's having a good field workout, the way he's moving around."
