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2020 NFL Combine Preview: Five Bold Calls

Posted on February 27, 2020

The most pivotal time of the draft process is now upon us; the NFL Draft Combine. There are certain years where the combine matters more than others, and this is definitely one of those years. The 2020 Draft class is a deep group of talented players with elite athletes. When you have a year with this much depth and this level of athleticism, the smallest details can dictate draft position. The events in Indianapolis go a long way towards separating players from the pack.

Before jumping into the predictions, let’s address the elephant in the room. How should one appropriately value the combine? We hear scouts and experts talk about how you should trust the tape, and not get caught up in gaudy combine results if the tape does not match. So how do you avoid falling for the traps that the combine can present?

The most important thing to remember about the NFL Combine is that it is meant to expose weaknesses. From the drills on the field to the individual athletic testing, the combine is meant to give scouts an idea of who has the technique and athleticism to make themselves a successful NFL player. Most importantly, it is meant to show scouts which players do not have the desired NFL traits. 

With that in mind, these are five bold predictions for the NFL Combine. Some of them may surprise you, some of them may be what you’re expecting. However, all of them aid to what is a must watch weekend in Indy.

1) Henry Ruggs and Isaiah Simmons Will Set Records: This is not a prediction, this is a spoiler. Ruggs is going to challenge, and most likely break, the record 40 time set by John Ross a few years ago. What might shock people is the shuttle times that Ruggs will put up. Many think Henry Ruggs is just a straight-line speed guy, and this could not be further from the truth. He ran a very good route tree during his college career. You will see that on full display during the shuttle portions of the athletic testing.

Isaiah Simmons is another guy that will dominate the weekend. Simmons is a unicorn on defense, with the capability of playing just about anywhere in the back seven. His combine workout will be the talk of the weekend. Broad jump, vertical leap, 40 time, if you name it, Simmons will crush it. He could even opt to do the drills with the defensive backs if he wanted to mess around and show how fluidly his hips turn in coverage compared to actual DBs. 

There are plenty of guys to watch this year, but these two are the cream of the crop.

2) The Day Two Cornerbacks Struggle: Cornerback is viewed by many as one of the strongest position groups in 2020, but I have some concerns about them heading into the week. Sure, the top guys like Jeff Okudah and Kristian Fulton are going to dominate, and there are a couple of players who should turn in quality workouts. CJ Henderson is an elite athlete who should run a great 40 time and ball out during the on field drills. I think Jeff Gladney is another guy who could shine this week. His hips flip effortlessly in coverage; you could see an elite level performance from him during the on field drills.

However, there are a lot of questions among the projected day two corners. Noah Igbinoghene, Jaylon Johnson and Bryce Hall can all run elite 40 times, but will they test well in the shuttle run? Is their footwork going to hold up during the on field drills? Will they show natural fluidity in their hips during the “W Drill?” Igbinoghene is still learning the position, Johnson’s technique needs to be cleaned up when you watch him on film, and Hall uses his intelligence more than his raw athleticism. 

Speaking of technique issues, we come to Trevon Diggs and AJ Terrell. Diggs is really good in off ball coverage, but there are a lot of drills on the field that expose weak mirror and trail technique in man coverage. He could get exposed here. Terrell is incredibly up and down with his technique. Sometimes, his hips flip effortlessly and he opens up his footwork with ease. Sometimes, he looks rigid as a board. Which guy shows up at the combine?

Lastly, we have Damon Arnette, who checks all the boxes during the on field drills, but has some baggage. He did not get along with the Ohio State coaching staff, and some of the disputes were very public. Can he interview well behind the scenes and keep his draft stock where it currently is?

There’s a chance the corners knock it out of the park this weekend, because most of them are elite athletes. However, do not be shocked if the group performs at a subpar rate.

3) The Offensive Tackles Have a Phenomenal Weekend: By now, we all know about the top tackles in the draft; Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills and Mekhi Becton. They are all round one lock.

However, it’s the second tier of tackles that will be the shining stars of the weekend. Group two has elite athletes like Austin Jackson, Matthew Peart, Ben Bartch and others. Even guys that have some strength to them like Josh Jones and Prince Tega Wanogho are quality athletes when they get to the second level. Sometimes the combine can trick people into thinking a position is stronger than it is. While the top tier tackles are elite, the rest of the group needs to improve their technique to succeed at the next level. Having said that, they will all get a major boost from their performance in this weekend.

4) Andrew Thomas Becomes OT1 Again: Speaking of Andrew Thomas, the top offensive lineman in this draft will ascend to his rightful place once this weekend is finished. For some reason, people got the notion that Thomas is exclusively a mauler, and that his foot speed is less than stellar. Thomas is going to dominate all the drills on the field this week and put that to bed. He barely allowed anyone to get to the quarterback all season long against the loaded SEC. Thomas kicks out on tape and moves nimbly, preventing edge rushers from successfully running the arch. I think he’s been out of the spotlight for so long that people forgot how good he is. Thomas will remind them of his abilities. 

5) Skipping the Combine Hurts K’Lavon Chaisson and Tyler Johnson: Sometimes, the decision to skip the workouts at the combine is a good decision. Joe Burrow has no need to throw to receivers he has no timing with. Chase Young has no reason to work out because he’s the runaway best pass rusher and cannot possibly improve his stock.

In the case of Chaisson and Johnson, not working out draws some ire, particularly Johnson. Johnson’s knock is his speed, and he spent all of Senior Bowl week saying he was saving up for the Combine. Now he’s choosing to not run at the combine, which is confirming to scouts that he knows he’s slow. In a year where the smallest detail can separate you from the rest of a loaded receiver class, Johnson is making a mistake.

Chaisson is a little more grey, because many consider him the next best edge player to Chase Young. However, with many talented defensive players at the top of the draft board, how far Chaisson falls now becomes a question by not working out. Had he just gone through the drills, he would have shown the athleticism to warrant a top 20 selection selection. While he still should be selected in that 11-20 range, it’s no longer a guarantee.

Bonus Prediction: Records Fall All Throughout the Combine- Get ready for the greatest athletic display we have ever seen at the combine. Henry Ruggs is going to run his 40 time in 4.2 seconds or less. Isaiah Simmons will break the broad jump record of 12 feet 3 inches held by Byron Jones. We will see more players run under 4.4 in the 40 time during one combine than ever before. The amount of athletic talent in this class is enormous. This is a combine that is a must watch from start to finish.