7. Workout warriors
Will anyone break Chris Johnson’s 40-yard dash record? Who will be the workout warrior closely linked to what we saw from Tavon Austin a few years back? How will that impact where teams have prospects who show themselves to be elite athletes? Is it all fool’s gold? So many questions, yet so few answers.
This is the quandary teams have found themselves in over the course of the combine. It’s hard to ignore elite-level individual performances in Indianapolis. But front offices need to find a way to balance the two. That is to say, balance what they see in generic drills with what they see on tape.
We primarily focus on running backs and wide receivers as those who could be the next workout warriors at the combine. This year is no different, but there’s also some other players to check out as well. Remember Shamarko Thomas’ otherworldly combine performance back in 2013? Despite face-planting on his 4o-yard dash, Thomas did enough in the other drills to warrant a fourth-round selection from Pittsburgh. He finished in the top five among all participants in the broad and vertical jumps while absolutely dominating in the weight room.
That same year saw Texas product Marquise Goodwin top all prospects with a 4.27 40-yard dash. An Olympic caliber athlete, this helped Goodwin land in the third round with the Buffalo Bills.
In looking at this year’s class, one player from each of these three positions has an opportunity to hold the title of workout warrior as the NFL draft process continues.
At 6-foot and 210 pounds, former South Florida star Marlon Mack has an opportunity to dominate the landscape in Indianapolis. He might not challenge Johnson’s combine record in the 40-yard dash, but Mack’s breakaway speed is something we should definitely focus on in other drills. I’m personally interested in seeing how his three-cone performance goes. Mack has an opportunity to find himself among the top second-tier running backs of the class, and a good showing in Indianapolis would go a long way here.
Florida State’s Kermit Whitfield didn’t necessarily impress on the stat sheet with the Seminoles in 2016, putting up just 34 receptions for 395 yards. He also stands at just 5-foot-8 and weighs a hair more than 180. Not exactly precursors to NFL relevance. That’s until we realize Whitfield himself is the only real threat to break Johnson’s 40-yard dash record.
Here’s a dude that broke the Florida high school record in the 100-yard dash. He has speed, and a lot of it. Projected as an un-drafted free agent, a tremendous athletic performance at the combine could change that big time.
Adoree’ Jackson is being projected as a late Day 2 pick by most experts right now. This, despite his electric play-making ability at Southern California and a skill-set that should translate to the NFL level. The issue with the former Trojans cornerback is that he stands under 6-foot — a big red flag for talent evaluators. He also has a penchant for jumping routes too often, which could lead to big plays the other way.
As athletic as they come, we’re definitely going to want to see how Jackson does in the broad and vertical jumps. This could quiet those who don’t believe his frame will allow him to play outside at the next level. Equally as important, it will be interesting to see how Jackson performs in the position-specific drills.