Tweet
Winners
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon I'll just say it -- Gonzalez solidified himself as CB1 in this class with his showing in Indianapolis. What I mean by that is, most people and teams will have him as CB1, and he'll most likely be the first cornerback off the board. At 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds, the former Colorado-turned-Oregon star ran 4.38 with a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump. He's drawn Patrick Surtain II comparisons from some analysts out there and tested a little better.
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland: Running 4.35 with a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jump will get you drafted in the first round at corner in most situations. Banks has quality size, too, at 6-foot and 197 pounds with arms just under the 32-inch threshold many teams have today. We all expected Banks to test like a gazelle this weekend, and he did.
Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois: Martin's 44-inch vertical is the highest to date at this year's combine, and his 11-foot-1 broad was tops among safeties. Dude has bunnies as they used to say during my high-school days. Oh, he also ran 4.46 and had a blisteringly fast 1.47 10-yard split, also tops at his position. He'll instantly be one of the most explosive safeties in the NFL this fall.
Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland: Banks was supposed to be the headlining corner from Maryland. Bennett channeled his inner Lee Corso and said "not so fast, my friend." Bennett ran the second-fastest 40-yard-dash time (4.30 seconds) with a 40.5-inch vertical -- just 1.5 inches lower than Banks -- and an 11-foot-1 broad. These Terrapins play with rockets on the top of their shells
Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State: Brents was 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds with ridiculous, offensive-tackle like 34-inch arms at the weigh in. Then he approached rarified Bryon Jones territory with an 11-foot-6 broad which initially reads like a typo but is indeed not. He had an 41.5-inch vertical and ran a solid 4.53 in the 40, too. Most corners as large as Brents aren't as explosive as he is.
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois: Brown rocked at the Senior Bowl and continued the acing of the pre-draft process with his combine workout. At a stocky 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Brown cruised to a cornerback-like 4.47 in the 40 and had a stunning 40.5-inch vertical with a 10-foot-10 broad jump. He is a three-down, multi-level safety who can do it all.
DJ Turner, CB, Michigan: The award for fastest 40 among corners -- which could eventually be the fastest among every combine participant () -- goes to Turner, who flew to a 4.26. He will make many go back to the film because he didn't look quite that fast on film. But the number is the number.
Losers
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State: From a measurement perspective, Porter and his gartanuanly long 34-inch arms were obvious winners. Working out, not so much for the Penn State stud with NFL bloodlines, especially when comparing to his cornerback contemporaries in this class. The 10-foot-9 broad is nothing to be ashamed of, however in this atomic group of athletic corners, it placed 12th. His broad jump? Tied for 18th. Look, this isn't a stock-plummeting effort; it just didn't stack up to the other perceived top corners in the class.
Christopher Smith III, S, Georgia: Smith spent a long time patrolling the deep middle on some epically-loaded Kirby Smart defenses at Georgia. Captain. He probably crushed his team interviews. Running 4.66 with a 33-inch vertical and 9-foot-8 broad jump don't scream big-time athlete, which will hurt his otherwise squeaky clean draft stock.
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: Ringo ran 4.36, so it wasn't all bad for the Georgia star. However, based on the immensely high expectations, the 4.36 was a little disappointing, and his jumps -- 33.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-2 in the broad -- were surprisingly not good. Ringo doesn't mirror outstandingly. His game is almost fully predicated on his burst and long speed. Wish we would've seen a better overall showing from him. I assume he feels similarly.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon I'll just say it -- Gonzalez solidified himself as CB1 in this class with his showing in Indianapolis. What I mean by that is, most people and teams will have him as CB1, and he'll most likely be the first cornerback off the board. At 6-foot-1 and 197 pounds, the former Colorado-turned-Oregon star ran 4.38 with a 41.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-1 broad jump. He's drawn Patrick Surtain II comparisons from some analysts out there and tested a little better.
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland: Running 4.35 with a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jump will get you drafted in the first round at corner in most situations. Banks has quality size, too, at 6-foot and 197 pounds with arms just under the 32-inch threshold many teams have today. We all expected Banks to test like a gazelle this weekend, and he did.
Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois: Martin's 44-inch vertical is the highest to date at this year's combine, and his 11-foot-1 broad was tops among safeties. Dude has bunnies as they used to say during my high-school days. Oh, he also ran 4.46 and had a blisteringly fast 1.47 10-yard split, also tops at his position. He'll instantly be one of the most explosive safeties in the NFL this fall.
Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland: Banks was supposed to be the headlining corner from Maryland. Bennett channeled his inner Lee Corso and said "not so fast, my friend." Bennett ran the second-fastest 40-yard-dash time (4.30 seconds) with a 40.5-inch vertical -- just 1.5 inches lower than Banks -- and an 11-foot-1 broad. These Terrapins play with rockets on the top of their shells
Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State: Brents was 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds with ridiculous, offensive-tackle like 34-inch arms at the weigh in. Then he approached rarified Bryon Jones territory with an 11-foot-6 broad which initially reads like a typo but is indeed not. He had an 41.5-inch vertical and ran a solid 4.53 in the 40, too. Most corners as large as Brents aren't as explosive as he is.
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois: Brown rocked at the Senior Bowl and continued the acing of the pre-draft process with his combine workout. At a stocky 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Brown cruised to a cornerback-like 4.47 in the 40 and had a stunning 40.5-inch vertical with a 10-foot-10 broad jump. He is a three-down, multi-level safety who can do it all.
DJ Turner, CB, Michigan: The award for fastest 40 among corners -- which could eventually be the fastest among every combine participant () -- goes to Turner, who flew to a 4.26. He will make many go back to the film because he didn't look quite that fast on film. But the number is the number.
Losers
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State: From a measurement perspective, Porter and his gartanuanly long 34-inch arms were obvious winners. Working out, not so much for the Penn State stud with NFL bloodlines, especially when comparing to his cornerback contemporaries in this class. The 10-foot-9 broad is nothing to be ashamed of, however in this atomic group of athletic corners, it placed 12th. His broad jump? Tied for 18th. Look, this isn't a stock-plummeting effort; it just didn't stack up to the other perceived top corners in the class.
Christopher Smith III, S, Georgia: Smith spent a long time patrolling the deep middle on some epically-loaded Kirby Smart defenses at Georgia. Captain. He probably crushed his team interviews. Running 4.66 with a 33-inch vertical and 9-foot-8 broad jump don't scream big-time athlete, which will hurt his otherwise squeaky clean draft stock.
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: Ringo ran 4.36, so it wasn't all bad for the Georgia star. However, based on the immensely high expectations, the 4.36 was a little disappointing, and his jumps -- 33.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-2 in the broad -- were surprisingly not good. Ringo doesn't mirror outstandingly. His game is almost fully predicated on his burst and long speed. Wish we would've seen a better overall showing from him. I assume he feels similarly.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Comment