Combine week is when the NFL draft process hits high gear. Here at Footballguys, we have wall-to-wall coverage of the event. Official size measurements and athletic testing help fill out the profile. The ultimate result will be the release of Update 2.0 of The 2023 Rookie Draft Guide. Setting the stage, we gathered the staff for questions.
Name a player who could change their stock the most.
QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Kyle Yates - There are plenty of players who could qualify for this question - both in positive and negative ways - but all eyes will be on Bryce Young at his weigh-in. If Young can break 195 pounds at the NFL Combine, he'll remain one of the top five picks in this NFL Draft. If he comes in lighter than that - which is what many are projecting - we could see a bit of a tumble for the talented quarterback prospect.
Jason Wood - I agree with Kyle; it has to be Bryce Young. Most of us agree that as many as four quarterbacks could be drafted in the Top 10 this year, but there's zero consensus on how to rank the quartet of Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson. Young's resume, mechanics, and pedigree all make a strong case to put him atop the group, but questions about his durability persist. Kyler Murray measured 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds at the Combine, and that was "good enough" to eventually earn him the 1st overall pick. If Young can measure similarly, his game film will be enough to move into the No. 1 spot on most boards. But if he measures the way many of us think he will, he could fall out of the No. 1 pick conversation entirely.
RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse
Chad Parsons - The Syracuse running back had interest in devy formats during his college career but surprisingly has little Day 2 buzz over the first two months of the draft process. I see similarities to Dalvin Cook with his overall profile and a 210+ pound weigh-in with a mid-4.4s or better 40 time will get Tucker back on the top-100 radar to finish the process.
RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss
Christian Williams - The NFL Combine offers opportunities for everyone to show off their athleticism and talent, but it also gives players a chance to meet with team personnel and start forming relationships. Because of that, Zach Evans is my pick here. From a talent perspective, Evans should be one of the first few running backs off the board. But off-field situations and a lack of dominance at the college level will leave questions that need answering. If Evans provides satisfactory answers, he could emerge as a locked-in day-two selection. If he doesn't, the talented running back could fall even further into Day 3.
RB Roschon Johnson, Texas
Ben Cummins - Johnson had a productive four-year career at Texas when considering he shared the same backfield with all-world talent Bijan Robinson for three seasons. Johnson can definitely play and has a dual-threat skill set. He weighs around 225 pounds, has speed for a bigger back, and caught 56 passes in college. Johnson has a chance to test well and get his name buzzing as the draft approaches.
Alfredo Brown - Johnson is a big, bruising runner at 6-foot-0 and 225 pounds. He spent is collegiate career sharing a backfield with Bijan Robinson, the top running back prospect in this draft class, but Johnson is anything but a backup. In his only day at Senior Bowl practice, Johnson showed his ability to hang with the best players in the nation in pass-blocking and receiving drills - unfortunately, he had to leave early in the week due to a broken hand. Everyone already knows that Johnson is a tough runner, and well-rounded enough to be on the field for all three downs. If he can go to Indianapolis and test well in the 40-yard dash and lateral agility drills, he could potentially hear his name get called late on day two of the NFL Draft.
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