NFL Analysis
2/29/24
6 min read
2024 NFL Combine: Winners, Losers From Thursday's Workouts
The first day of the 2024 NFL Combine has concluded as the defensive linemen and linebackers worked out Thursday.
Overall, it was an impressive showing from both groups, as most of the top-end talent performed well. But who shined among these elite athletes? And who left us wanting more? Here are the biggest winners and losers from Day 1 of the combine.
NFL Combine Day 1 Winners and Losers
Braden Fiske is FLYING for a guy his size🏹
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 29, 2024
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Winner: Braden Fiske, DT, FSU
Braden Fiske had a lot of momentum coming into the combine after a strong week at the Senior Bowl. That continued in Indianapolis. Fiske posted the highest vertical jump (33.5 inches) and broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches) during the first group of interior defensive linemen.
Then he ran an incredible 4.78-second 40-yard dash, the fastest among the defensive tackles. According to Relative Athletic Score (RAS), Fiske posted a score of 9.97, which ranks sixth all-time among interior defensive linemen.
Going into the combine, everyone knew Fiske was a great athlete. But no one expected he'd be an all-time great. Despite weighing nearly 10 pounds more than Aaron Donald, Fiske posted several numbers that were better than Donald's.
Plus, Fiske was the most impressive defensive lineman during the positional drills. He had no problem sinking his hips in the hoops drill and was such a smooth athlete even when asked to move in space.
Fiske has crushed the pre-draft process and has worked himself into a Day 2 pick. With what he did on the field in Indianapolis, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get some first-round buzz.
Winner: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Going into the day, everyone knew Byron Murphy would test well.
He's a highly athletic defensive tackle who ran an official 4.87-second 40-yard dash. He also posted a 33-inch vertical to go along with a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump. Both scores were well above average and in line with what was expected of him going into the week. His RAS score finished in the 90th percentile among interior defensive linemen, and he checked almost every athletic box we hoped to see.
But the reason why Murphy made this list was because of how well he performed in the positional drills. He just moved differently than the rest of the group, and it was evident that his play speed was even faster than his 40-yard time.
He had no problem bending around the hoops in drills and showed insane hip flexibility for a player of his size. With Johnny Newton (Illinois) not participating in the drills, Murphy might have locked up DT1 on Thursday.
A new Day 1 leader.
— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2024
Payton Wilson of @PackFootball with a 4.44u. 👀
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Winner: Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State
Payton Wilson's injury history is terrifying — he suffered multiple knee and shoulder injuries throughout his football career. But his athleticism is the reason why teams might be willing to overlook all of the surgeries and pick him in the first two rounds.
Wilson recorded the day's fastest 40-yard dash, running a 4.43-second time at 233 pounds. He also had an incredible 34.5-inch vertical to go along with his 1.54-second 10-yard split. Wilson is a supreme athlete, and he showed it in Indianapolis.
He was arguably the best player during the positional drills, and he showed the entire NFL why he could be the first linebacker drafted.
Loser: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
T'Vondre Sweat was never going to win the combine. He’s not Jordan Davis or Dontari Poe.
But Sweat might be a better pure football player when it comes to stopping the run. However, Thursday still wasn’t a good day for him.
The day started with him weighing in at 366 pounds, about where he was listed at Texas. He was the heaviest defensive player to weigh in at the combine since 2013 and the second-heaviest since 1999. Sweat did not weigh in at the Senior Bowl, and there were rumblings that his weight exceeded 375 pounds in Mobile.
Sweat did run an impressive 5.27-second 40-yard dash, but his jumps were underwhelming, and he easily tired during the positional drills. He finished the day testing as a 41st-percentile athlete among interior defensive linemen, but his numbers would have been even worse if he had participated in the agility drills.
Even for his size, he's not a very good athlete, and it's fair to wonder what he will look like on an NFL field against much better and more athletic players. Sweat is still likely a top-50 pick, but this wasn’t the best day for him.
Loser: Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas
Austin Booker is one of the most intriguing players in the draft after he started just one game in his college career. He has a total of 505 career snaps, but his pass-rush potential is the reason why so many draftniks are expecting him to be selected high.
Unfortunately, he didn't raise his stock in Indianapolis. His day started poorly when he weighed in at just 240 pounds. While his frame certainly has room to add bulk, he's very slender, and it's fair to wonder just how far away his body is from holding up against NFL offensive tackles.
Things only got worse for Booker: He ran a 4.79-second 40-yard dash. While that's around the NFL average for an edge rusher, running that time at 240 pounds isn't impressive. Add in a lackluster 32.50-inch vertical, and it's hard not to be disappointed with his performance Thursday.
It’s also worth noting he opted out of the agility drills, which is usually a bad sign for a pass rusher. For a player who is so raw and inexperienced, his lack of elite athleticism makes him a Day 3 pick (at best).
Loser: Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami (FL)
There was a lot of hype coming into the season for Leonard Taylor, who many projected to be a potential first-round pick. But after another lackluster season, Taylor’s stock has been in free-fall. And that didn't stop at the combine.
Measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, Taylor ran an unimpressive 5.12-second 40-yard dash. Worse yet, he posted a 7.81-second time in the 3-cone drill, the second worst among the defensive linemen who participated. According to Mockdraftable, that ranks in the 18th percentile among interior defensive linemen since 1999. His jumps were also poor, showing well-below-average athleticism for his size.
At this point, it would be a major shock if Taylor was selected in the first two days of the draft. It's fair to wonder if the former five-star recruit will even be chosen inside the top 150. It wasn't a good day for Taylor and his draft stock.
