Now that the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, we can process all the information and figure out what we can learn from it. You can read my previous article outlining the value of the various drills and tests on a position by position basis here, and fellow BSL analyst Shawn Brubaker took a more in depth look at this year’s edge rusher class.

You can discuss the NFL combine winners and losers on our message board here

There are a number of prospects that have been linked to the Ravens, and several of them put on extremely impressive performances this past week while others disappointed. To get a better understanding of what it all means, here’s the position by position breakdown.

WR Winners:

  • Josh Doctson. The TCU WR had one of the most impressive Combine performances of any prospect. He demonstrated that he has enough speed with a 4.50 40 time and absolutely crushed the explosiveness drills posting a 41” vertical and 131” broad jump. To cap his day off, he posted impressive numbers in the 3C drill (6.84) and short shuttle (4.08). Combined with very good size 6’2” and elite body control, it’s hard to imagine he falls out of the first round and he could challenge LaQuon Treadwell as the first WR off the board. If the Ravens like Doctson he could be an ideal target if they trade back in the first round of the draft.
  • Will Fuller. Speed, speed, and more speed. Everyone knew that Fuller was fast, but a blazing 4.32 40 time confirmed that he is a player that will immediately inject a playmaking deep threat into any offense. The knock on Fuller are problems with drops and a tendency to body-catch, and his small (8 1/4”) won’t help that criticism, but he did look good in drills and caught the ball away from his body without issues. Fuller probably goes in the first round of the draft, but there is a chance he will be sitting there at the top of the second for the Ravens.
  • Braxton Miller. Look past the pedestrian 40 time (4.50 seconds), and look at the dynamic agility numbers: 6.65 3C, 4.07 short shuttle, and 10.84 long shuttle. Miller has good size at 6’1”, 207 pounds and projects to be a real weapon out of the slot. A top 40 pick no longer seems likely for Miller, but if the Ravens go defense early, he could be an attractive option in the third round.

WR – Losers:

  • DeRunnya Wilson. Projected at one point to be a possible day 2 pick, he’ll be lucky to hear his name called at all after a sluggish 4.85 40 time and extremely poor 28” VJ and 113” BJ.
  • Tyler Boyd. The Pittsburgh WR was extremely productive in college and no doubt will have a role in the NFL, but any talk about him going in the first round was probably quashed after a fairly poor showing in the 40 (4.58), VJ (34”), BJ (119”), and short shuttle (4.35). His workout likely drops Boyd out of the first round, would Ozzie pull the trigger in the second?
  • LaQuon Treadwell. Many consider Treadwell to be the top WR in this class, but he did not have a great combine. He chose not to participate in most of the athletic tests, and in those which he did participate, he did not show well with pedestrian results in the BJ (117”) and VJ (33”). He could very well still be the top WR chosen but he needs to test well at his Pro Day. It’s highly unlikely the Ravens would take him at #6, but if they trade back he could still be a top target.

Cornerback Winners:

  • Jalen Ramsey. What a week for the Seminole as he checks in with elite measurables at 6’1”, 209 pounds and then utterly dominates the athletic tests with a 4.42 40, 41 1/2” VJ, and 135” BJ. He would be a no-brainer pick for the Ravens at #6 and might make Ozzie think long and hard about trading up if he falls outside of the top 2-3.
  • William Jackson III. The 6’0”, 189 pound CB showed off his speed with a 4.37 40 time, and that combination of size and speed combined with strong tape may be enough to vault him into first round discussion.
  • Vernon Hargreaves. Most important for Hargreaves was to measure in at 5’10”, and he did just that, while also weighing an impressive 204 pounds. Although his arms at 30 5/8” are a bit shorter than ideal, he did enough throughout the day to solidify himself as the #2 CB in the draft and a likely top 10 pick. Especially impressive were his 39” VJ, 130” BJ, and 3.98 second short shuttle. He’s an explosive playmaker in the secondary and he might be in play for the Ravens at #6.

Cornerback – Losers:

  • Mackensie Alexander. The Clemson CB was not able to participate at the scouting combine due to a hamstring injury, and measuring in at 5’10” with long 31 3/8” arms will have to be a silver-lining. Watching several other CBs test very well might end up costing him some draft position if he doesn’t show well at his Pro Day.

EDGE – Winners:

  • Shaq Lawson. At 6’2”, 270 pounds, Lawson posted and impressive 4.70 40 time with a 1.66 10 yard split in addition to very good numbers on the BJ (120”), 3C (7.16), and short shuttle (4.21). Taken together with very good tape, this level of athleticism likely vaulted Lawson into the top 10 as the #2 EDGE rusher in the draft. His workout suggests he can play OLB without issue. Would the Ravens take him as high as #6 or try to trade back a few spots and still get their man?
  • Joey Bosa. The top EDGE rusher in the draft solidified his stock with 1.69 10 yard split on his 4.86 40. His 120” BJ and freakish 6.89 3C and 4.21 short shuttle were the icing on the cake. It won’t surprise anyone if he goes #1 overall in the draft, and if he somehow slides to #6 the Ravens should run to the podium with their selection.
  • Emmanuel Ogbah. Ogbah put up some explosive athletic numbers (4.63 40 with 1.59 10 yard split, 35 1/2” VJ, and 121” BJ to go along with impressive size (6’4”, 273 pounds). His tape runs very hot and cold, but if he learns to harness the athleticism with more refined technique his upside is immense. He almost assuredly vaulted himself into the first round, could he end being a Raven if they trade out of #6?

EDGE – Losers:

  • Noah Spence. The troubled former Buckeye needed to make a splash to get teams to look past his off the field indiscretions. Unfortunately for Spence, he made a splash in the wrong way. The silver lining to his poor 4.80 40 time was the 1.62 10 yard split and solid jumps (121” BJ and 35” VJ). However at 251 pounds, he really showed a lack of agility with a 4.35 short shuttle and a 7.21 3C drill which hurts his stock as a player trying to project as a 3-4 OLB in the NFL. Spence could still land in the first round of the draft, but any hopes of a top 10 selection are probably gone. Reports of poor interviews make him an unlikely candidate to end up with the Ravens. 

Defensive Tackle – Winners:

  • Sheldon Rankins. Coming off a strong Senior Bowl week, Rankins solidified his status as a top DT prospect in the upcoming draft. Listed at 6’1”, 299 pounds, Rankins showed incredible explosiveness with a 1.74 10 yard split on the 40, 34 ½” VJ, and 119” BJ. His agility also showed up in field drills and an impressive 7.44 3C drill. While not an ideal fit for the Ravens 3-4 defense, Rankins would add a much needed interior pass-rush if selected. He could be a real option if Ozzie opts to trade back in the first round.
  • DeForest Buckner. While the towering DE/DT doesn’t stack up athletically with EDGE rushers, Buckner’s role in the NFL will be at the 3T and 5T positions, and in that light he really performed well. His height and length make him an ideal fit for a 3-4 DE (6’7” with 34 3/8” arms and massive 11 ¾” hands), and he showed well at 291 pounds with a 5.05 40, 32” VJ, and 116” BJ. He’s quite athletic for his size and will undoubtedly be in consideration for the Ravens at pick #6 if he has not yet been taken.
  • Jonathan Bullard. The Florida product had one of the more impressive 40 yard dash times of any DT at 4.93 with a 10 yard split of and astounding 1.66 seconds. Bullard followed that explosive start with good showings in the BJ (116”) and VJ (33”). Perhaps equally impressive were the 7.31 3C time and 4.56 short shuttle. Bullard will be an interesting name to watch as we get closer to draft day and he could be a legitimate target for the Ravens in the second round if his name isn’t called on Day 1. 

Defensive Tackle – Losers:

  • Shawn Oakman. The imposing Oakman was once heralded as an elite athlete and a potential first round pick, but inconsistent film and a pedestrian showing at the combine have probably dashed any hope of Oakman’s name being called before the fourth round. He still possesses impressive size and length at 6’8” and 35 ¾” arms and showed nice explosiveness with a 123” BJ, but the lack of lateral agility really hurts him as he posted a disappointing 7.53 3C time. He’s big and intimidating, but he might not be cut out for the NFL.
  • A’Shawn Robinson. Robinson has been consistently ranked as a top 10-15 prospect, but his combine performance could lead to a steep drop. His 40 yard dash of 5.20 and 1.79 10 yard split were  a poor start and it only got worse from there, with a 26” VJ and 106” BJ. A 3C of 7.80 and a 4.74 short shuttle rounded out his disappointing day. He will still appeal to some teams as a stout run defender, but any perceived athletic upside was quickly quashed. He’s unlikely a player the Ravens would target unless he falls to the second round. 

Linebacker – Winners:

  • Myles Jack. Jack did no drills at the combine except for the bench press, but the fact that he measured in at 6’1”, 245 pounds with 33 5/8” arms was enough to likely solidify his status as the top LB in the draft. Any concerns about Jack being undersized for the position were immediately vanquished. Jack is a strong candidate for the Ravens at #6 overall if he hasn’t already been selected.
  • Darron Lee. The Ohio State product put on a show at the combine with a 4.47 40 and impressive 35 ½” VJ and 133” BJ. He fared well enough in agility drills with a 7.12 3C and 4.20 short shuttle. There may be some size concerns at ILB as Lee weighs only 232 pounds, but he looks like a great fit as a WILL backer in a 4-3 front. He could be on the Ravens radar in a trade back scenario if they value speed and athleticism over size.

Linebacker – Losers:

  • Jaylon Smith. Unfortunately, Smith’s injured knee may be one of the biggest takeaways from the scouting combine. Reports surfaced of nerve damage that likely will sideline Smith for all of 2016, and some teams have reportedly taken him off their boards. It’s a real shame because Smith was a top 5 talent before the injury.
Gabe Ferguson
Gabe Ferguson

Ravens Analyst

Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.

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