NFL Combine Day 1: Running Back and Offensive Line Winners and Losers

The running backs, specialists, and offensive lineman of the 2017 NFL Draft class took to the field today at the NFL Combine. Who stood out, and who fell behind?

Okay, honestly, I’m not going to talk about the specialists. If you came for that, I’m sorry.

While weigh-ins, interviews, and medical checks have been well underway for a while now, the on-field drills of the 2017 NFL Combine began today. 40-yard dashes were disproportionately reacted to; positional drill coaches took things far too seriously; Mayock said “bubble butt” like ten times. It was a grand ol’ time.

Sifting our way through the all the baubles and trappings of the NFL Combine, what actionable conclusions came from the tests? What questions were answered, what myths were debunked, what concerns grew ever the more dire? Let’s get in to what we learned from Day 1 of the NFL Combine.

Christian McCaffrey is a doggone athlete

Dion Dawkins is also a doggone athlete

Dawkins was another prospect I expected to really show up at the Combine, and he made himself some money with his performance. A perceived guard/tackle tweener, his measurements (6’4, 314 lbs, 35″ arms) and athletic scores (5.11 40-yard dash, 26 bench press reps, and an outstanding 7.30 sec. 3-cone drill) fit that of an offensive tackle. He could still play as a guard, but tackles are more valuable, and Dawkins fits the bill.

Dawkins’ biggest issue as a Temple Owl was his footwork. To post a 7.30 3-cone and a solid 4.78 sec. short shuttle proves that he has the foot speed and balance to survive on the blindside in the NFL. His work in the positional drills, especially the mirror drill, also furthered his case as a starting NFL tackle. With Wisconsin’s bookend Ryan Ramczyk sidelined by hip surgery, Dawkins joined Cam Robinson and Garett Bolles as the most impressive OTs of the week, in my eyes.

Dalvin Cook vs. Leonard Fournette? Advantage Fournette.

The two dynamos vying for the honor of RB1 posted similar results this week:

Cook: 4.49 40-yard dash, 30.5″ vertical jump, 9’8 broad jump

Fournette: 4.51 40-yard dash, 28.5″ vertical jump, DNP

However, something big separated the two: 30 lbs big, if you will. While Cook weighed in at 210 lbs, a nice size for his style of play, Fournette brought a chiseled 240 lb frame to the Combine and carried it really well. He made his fellow running backs look like children standing next to a man.

While Fournette had 2 inches over Cook (6’0 to 5’10), the similarity of scores despite the disparity in weight puts Cook’s explosiveness into question. For a back whose game is predicated on multiple cuts, it would have been nice to see Cook score higher in this jumps. We’ll have to wait on the 10-yard split times, to compare their straight-line explosiveness.

Cook won the biggest victory of the two over the week, however. After rumors swirled regarding a bum shoulder, his medical checks uncovered nothing worthy of concern. That will help his stock more than any drill ever would.

Garett Bolles = Lane Johnson?

A raw offensive tackle out of Utah, Bolles came into the Combine riding rumors that his athleticism rivaled that of Lane Johnson, who positively lit up the Combine in 2013. Did the comparison hold?

Garett Bolles:

Height: 6’5
Weight: 297
Arm: 34″
Hand: 9 3/8″
40-yard dash: 4.95
10-yard split: 1.71
Vertical jump: 28″
Broad jump: 115″
3-cone drill: 7.29
20-yard shuttle: 4.55

Lane Johnson:

Height: 6’6
Weight: 303
Arm: 35 1/4″
Hand: 10 1/8″
40-yard dash: 4.72
10-yard split: 1.68
Vertical: 34″
Broad: 118″
3-cone: 7.31
Short Shuttle: 4.52

Lane carried a bit more weight and length, and proved a touch more explosive, but that’s about it. Now, Johnson came out a much more developed prospect than Bolles, who only has one year of starting experience at Utah. But don’t be surprised if Bolles’ athletic potential makes him a Top-20 pick come April. Those athletic tools at the tackle level are coveted in today’s fast-paced NFL.

Nov 26, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Utah Utes offensive lineman Garett Bolles (72) during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes defeated the Utes 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Running Back Targets:

Adam Caplan of ESPN mentioned in an interview that he expected Philly to go for a RB in the later rounds. Some mid-round players who impressed at the Combine may be targets for Roseman and Co:

Samaje Perine threw up 30 reps on the bench, which is straight bonkers for an RB. A bowling ball back at 5’11 and 233 lbs, he ran with great success at Oklahoma before being hampered by injuries in 2016.

T.J. Logan of UNC posted the best 40-yard dash of all running backs with a respectable 4.37. The change-of-pace back behind bellcow Elijah Hood, Logan’s ability to catch out of the backfield and pass protect could entice Philadelphia on Day 3.

Tarik Cohen is another guy to watch for in the later rounds. A 5’6 speed demon (4.42) out of North Carolina A&T State, Cohen is a home-run threat on every play. He’s an enticing return prospect and has drawn Darren Sproles comparisons for his height and elusiveness.

Jeremy McNichols out of Boise State, a real ramhorn between the tackles, surprised with a 4.49 40-yard dash. His explosive drills of 35.5″ in the vertical and 12’1 in the broad also caught my eye. They may have been inflated by cut weight, but if he can maintain that agility with his physicality, he’s a R4 prospect for sure.

Two mid-round RBs who failed to impress this week? Kareem Hunt from Toledo and Wayne Gallman from Clemson. I expected a better 40 time (4.62) and broad jump (11’11) from Hunt, who made his hay in the MAC with balance and vision. As a zone runner at the next level, if he lacks NFL explosiveness, his low center of gravity and solid physicality will go to waste. Gallman, while having a decent day numerically, looked a little stiff in positional drills. An upright runner, he lost a lot of velocity moving in and out of cuts, and dropped a couple of balls in the pass-catching drill.

Right Tackle Challengers

If you aren’t sold on Halapoulivaati Vaitai as the heir apparent to Lane Johnson on the right side of the line, I have a few names for you to follow. Julie’n Davenport out of Bucknell came in at a gorgeous 6’7, 318 with 36 1/2″ arms. His technique couldn’t get much more raw, but as a prospect to coach up, he has prime physical tools.

I thought Pitt’s Adam Bisnowaty, who had a really rough Senior Bowl week, looked better in Indy. His two 40 attempts were 5.58 and 5.23, which is perplexing, but I liked his 10 yard split (1.83) and vertical (29.5″), which shows some solid explosiveness. His mirroring drill success and short shuttle time (4.94) showed off NFL-caliber quickness as well.

Next: Philadelphia Eagles Draft: Offensive Tackle Preview

And finally, Combine hero Aviante Collins had himself a day with a blazing 4.81 40-yard dash and 34 rep bench. He didn’t participate in any agility drills, and I’m unsure why, but scouts will be turning back to his tape after seeing the numbers he put up. Vaitai’s old teammate from TCU, he could find himself competing with an old friend for a starting gig come summer.

Be sure to keep checking back for more reactions to the next days of the Combine!

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