With Day 2 of the NFL’s Scouting Combine almost in the books, offensive linemen and running backs have completed their medical testing, on-the-field drills and media availability; while there are still meetings with teams happening throughout the weekend and a lot of combine evaluations should be taken with a grain of salt, some conclusions can be drawn even from the small corner of the puzzle that is starting to be put together to determine where these prospects will be drafted come April. So what can be gleaned from the offensive linemen’s performances in Indianapolis? Let’s take a look at a few players who may have moved the needle for themselves, some in the right direction with positive performances, and a couple who may have hurt their draft position as they came up short.
Movin’ On Up
Kolton Miller, UCLA
In our Combine Primer, we made it clear that the broad jump is one of the most important drills for an offensive lineman, as their body control and leg strength can indicate burst, punch and balance, three things that are obviously important for an offensive lineman. And Miller certainly showed what he can do, breaking the record for an offensive lineman with the longest broad jump in the history of the Combine.
He followed that with a sub-five second 40-yard dash and a 7.34 three-cone may have improved an already high draft stock from a Day 2 prospect to flirting with the first round.
Will Hernandez, UTEP
Photo Credit: Tim Heitman/USA TODAY Sports
37 reps on the bench press is impressive for any player, but the ease in which Hernandez in which the UTEP offensive lineman threw 225 lbs around was incredible to watch, and when he threw in a 5.15 40-yard dash and a 7.59 three-cone, he may have vaulted himself into first-round discussion; he may be someone that the Panthers are keeping an eye on with the 24th pick if Andrew Norwell doesn’t return. Hernandez had only good things to say in his media availability as well, saying that he definitely thinks teams are starting to value guards and interior linemen more “I’ve heard it from teams themselves. I think it’s starting to even out a little bit between tackle and guard.”
Desmond Harrison, West Georgia
It can be tough to get a feel for the play of offensive linemen who come from a smaller school due to the lower competition they faced on a weekly basis, so it’s important for prospects like Harrison to make an impact when they have the chance, and a 4.9 40-yard dash may have moved him from a fringe Day 3 pick to solidly on team’s draft boards.
Picked A Bad Day To Have A Bad Day
Orlando Brown
Brown, thought to be a late first-round pick when he came to Indianapolis, may have lowered his stock significantly after putting up a position-low 14 reps on the bench press and running the slowest 40 in his grouping; obviously, the way Brown played at Oklahoma showed better on tape than he performed at the Combine, but in today’s NFL, performances like these can leave a bad taste in team’s mouths, especially for the coaches and GMs that fall into the ‘old school’ category.
Man. I feel for Orlando Brown. This is tough to watch pic.twitter.com/98D4UCgV60
— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) March 2, 2018
Brown’s 40 time ended up being the fifth-slowest in Combine history, and no player ran slower and jumped less high than Brown since the year 2000; an 82-inch broad jump was the third-worst in that time period.
Billy Price, Ohio State
Photo Credit: Joe Maiorana/USA TODAY Sports
When Billy Price grabbed his chest during the bench press drills, many assumed the worst. What turned out to be a partial pectoral tear kept the interior lineman from working out for teams and he was sure that he would be back in time for training camp; Price was thought to be a first-round pick, but now may slip into the second and even as far as the third.
Isaiah Wynn, University of Georgia
Wynn was only able to manage eight bench press reps and did not complete any of the other drills; many thought Wynn is the second-best guard in the draft class (Vincent Richardson thinks he’s the best), but not competing, especially while other top prospect Quenton Nelson was benching 35 reps, will not help his stock.
