Former NFL general manager Rick Spielman said teams can learn some things watching quarterbacks at the NFL Combine, but he also said scouts and coaches can get more information from pro days and/or private workouts.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (scouting report) had an impressive showing on Saturday at the NFL Combine. Clay Harbor makes a case for Stroud to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft — even over Alabama counterpart Bryce Young (scouting report).
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson (scouting report) was the star of the NFL Combine on Saturday, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and breaking modern combine records for vertical and broad jumping by a QB. And that was all before he showed off his lauded arm strength.
Richardson was joined by fellow quarterbacks Will Levis (scouting report) and C.J. Stroud (scouting report) in on-field workouts, and all three impressed The 33rd Team’s Scouting Department. But not every player who worked out improved their draft stock.
The 33rd Team Scouting Department provides the best — and most disappointing — showings of Day 3.
What We Learned on Day 3
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson made a strong case to become an NFL team’s next franchise quarterback. It is not normal for a man to run 4.43 (and it wasn’t even in a straight line) at 244 pounds. It is also highly unusual for a man that big to vertical jump over 40 inches and broad jump 10-foot-9. Richardson is big, fast, and explosive, and he has a live arm. The ball jumps out of his hand when he throws, though he can improve his accuracy just a bit. Not having the playing experience some of the other quarterbacks in this draft do, it was important for him to make a statement and show off his physical tools. He certainly did so.
Anthony Richardson is having himself a day.
4.44u on his first run. 😳 @GatorsFB
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/G1Uv9cyPst— NFL (@NFL) March 4, 2023
Kentucky Quarterback Will Levis had an impressive day. He looks the part, measuring 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds with a 10 5/8-inch hand. Levis tested well with the second-longest broad jump at 10-foot-4, and a solid vertical jump of 34 inches (he did not run the 40-yard dash). Levis really impressed with his ability to throw in drill work. He looked smooth and effortless in his drops, he showed good accuracy, and he had an exceptionally live arm that caused a buzz in the building. Levis made it look easy, leaving a positive impression on scouts and evaluators with his on-field work.
While most of the buzz will be about the freakish performance from Richardson and the weigh-in for Bryce Young (scouting report), Stroud had an impressive throwing session. In an era when a lot of top QB prospects opt for the more controlled sessions at their pro day, Stroud, Richardson and Levis put their arms on display on the same field in Indy. All three had solid days, but Stroud stood above the rest with calm feet, a smooth, compact delivery, and excellent ball placement. His deep ball was a thing of beauty — the way it dropped out of the sky. He made a statement that he is the best pure passer in this class.
>>READ MORE: C.J. Stroud Is a Future Franchise QB
SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice (scouting report) had a solid day. He showed off his explosiveness in his jumps and ran a respectable 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Rice is a good player on film and really the only question about him was his straight-line speed. Even though he didn’t post a rare 40-yard time, he needed to show the scouts he could run that fast on this big stage. He has checked the boxes in his career with his production (96 catches, 14.1 avg, 10 TDs) and now put any questions about his speed and explosiveness to bed.
Zack Kuntz from ODU was outstanding in the tight end group. He had the top vertical jump and broad jump among all of the tight ends. He also ran 4.55 at 255 pounds. Kuntz helped himself today showing off explosiveness and a second gear. He understands how to run a route and should be a weapon with his big frame and 34-inch-long arms. Big, long and fast, Kuntz went toe-to-toe with the best tight ends in the nation.
LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (scouting report) really struggled. His size and length are average, and he did not get into the 4.4s on his 40. What stood out the most were his 29-inch vertical jump and 9-10 broad jump. The jumps can be an indication of a player’s explosiveness, and those numbers are extremely disappointing. A 29-inch vertical jump would be something expected from a 350-pound nose tackle, not an NFL wide receiver. Scouts will urge him to try to improve his jumps at his pro day in Baton Rouge.
USC wide receiver Jordan Addison (scouting report) did not quite hit the numbers that some were hoping for. Only weighing in at 173 pounds, his numbers were in the middle of the pack. Overall, he had an average day. Unfortunately, a 4.49-second 40-yard dash time doesn’t mean what it did 10 years ago, and his vertical jump and broad jump were good but not great. His height, weight and length are obvious concerns, and he didn’t display the kind of explosiveness to offset those concerns. He had to end early with some tightness, but before that, he ran a nice route and snagged a high ball.
TCU quarterback and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner Max Duggan measured in under 6-foot-2 and his jumps were average — but he ran an impressive 4.52 40-yard dash. It can be a bit deceiving for quarterbacks when they are throwing at the combine because, usually, it is the first time they are passing the football to those wideouts. Their timing can be off because they are not used to the receivers’ speed, quickness and routes. Still, there is a baseline of accuracy expected, and Duggan struggled to reach that. He never seemed to get into a rhythm and sprayed the ball just a bit too much. He does not seem to have a big arm on film, and that was confirmed in Indy.
>>READ: Combine Winners, Losers From DB Workouts
There is no doubt that Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott (scouting report) plays fast on the football field, but he left many disappointed with his 40-yard dash time. Scott was expected to be one of the fastest players at the combine — maybe even the fastest. He ran 4.51 on his first run and improved the second time to 4.44. Those were respectable times, but Scott likely is disappointed in the result. At his size, he needed an exceptional time in the 40. His calling card is his explosiveness, and because he is not big and has shown inconsistent hands, he needed to blow the field away with his speed, and he did not do that. He was not even the fastest wide receiver from Cincinnati.
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (scouting report) had a shaky day because he did not test great. He had pedestrian jumps. His 4.70-second 40-yard dash time was not overly surprising, but it wasn’t all that impressive either. In his position drills, he looked rigid, even slipping on one of his in-cuts. The tape is good, so Mayer shouldn’t fall too far down draft boards, but he is at risk of no longer being the first tight end off the board.
In The 33rd Team’s latest mock draft, the Indianapolis Colts traded up to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (scouting report) first overall. Five picks later, the Tennessee Titans made their own trade up to select Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (scouting report) sixth overall. Young is Mike Renner’s clear No. 1 quarterback in the class, and the PFF draft expert explained why Stroud is more of a consolation prize for a team who misses out on Young, in the latest For Those About to Mock episode hosted by Joey Mulinaro.
The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (scouting report) is not interested in being drafted first overall — not if the Bears are the team drafting him.
Speaking with the media from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, Stroud expressed his disinterest in playing quarterback for Chicago. The 2022 second-team All-American feels that the Bears already have their quarterback — Justin Fields.
>>READ: C.J. Stroud Can Become NFL Franchise QB
“I mean, no, I don’t want to go there (Chicago),” Stroud told reporters. “That’s his (Fields) team. I can do my thing. I can go build my legacy. He texted me yesterday morning. Me and him are brothers for life.”
Stroud and Fields were teammates at Ohio State in 2020, Fields’ final season with the Buckeyes. Stroud was his immediate successor throwing for 7,775 yards and 81 touchdowns passing in two seasons – a college career that’s landed him near the top of most 2023 NFL mock drafts.
>>READ: The 33rd Team’s 2023 Mock Draft 3.2
Stroud is a big fan of Fields’ game and greatly respects what the Bears’ QB accomplished last season — likely part of the reason he doesn’t see himself supplanting his former teammate.
“There are so many times when you get knocked down, but I feel like a true man’s character is when you get knocked down, you get up,” Stroud said. “And he’s got up every time, and he’s stepped up to the plate, and he hasn’t blamed anybody; he hasn’t pointed no fingers; and he hasn’t done anything. As a human, that just shows you what type of man he is and what type of family he comes from.”
Scouts sometimes have knocked Stroud for a perceived lack of mobility, perhaps Fields’ biggest strength. However, Stroud firmly rejects that narrative, offering up his game video as evidence.
“If you turn on the film and really watch what I do and you really look at film game to game, I have used my athleticism,” Stroud said. “Not just in the Georgia game, where I did it a lot, but I’ve done it in every other game.”
Stroud is the No. 3 ranked QB and No. 9 player overall on The 33rd Team’s 2023 NFL Draft Big Board. He is expected to participate in throwing drills on Saturday at the combine, offering him the opportunity to show off his talent to the NFL world.
Is C.J. Stroud‘s playing style a better fit for the Indianapolis Colts‘ current regime than Bryce Young‘s? Former Colts’ head coach Chuck Pagano breaks it down on the inaugural episode of Joey Mulinaro’s new podcast, For Those About to Mock.
