C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The Ohio State quarterback arrived off of two starting seasons with two Heisman Trophy finalist finishes, a 22-4 record, a 69.3% completion rate, 9.8 yards per attempt, 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Yet the league wanted to know why he didn't run more like he did in his final game against Georgia, when he consistently evaded sacks and elevated his arm to throw for 348 yards and four touchdowns on the national champions.
His answers revealed a plausible explanation, that he was battling hamstring injuries and couldn't afford to risk Ohio State's season just to prove something to evaluators. Throwing to Marvin Harrison Jr. was not only more effective but also what the team spent countless hours in practice developing each week. But he also said he regretted not building that reflex more, and that switch showed up in his Georgia film with everything on the line.
Stroud saved the athletic drills for his pro day, which was an interesting choice, but he did throw side-by-side against Anthony Richardson and reminded everyone that the top trait in a passer is still passing. Stroud was superb on his drop-back timing, accuracy and ball placement on out routes and slants, and he showed off an accurate and strong arm on the deep routes, too. It's getting hard to find a weakness.
Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson posted the most athletic NFL Scouting Combine score for a passer in the history of the event.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Stroud and Richardson stole the show for very different reasons. Richardson had been gaining hype based on the "wow" plays on his film, including two 80-yard touchdown runs and some clips where he evades a rush and fires a pass 40 yards on the move with a flick of the wrist. This event then became the proof, and one day after he spoke about becoming legendary and modeling his game after Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, he showed better athletic skills than all of those players.
He set the quarterback record with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and tied one with a 129-inch broad jump. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds, at 244 pounds. He posted the best combine athlethic score in the history of the event for a quarterback, edging Newton. And he showed that athleticism can launch the ball 60 yards in the throwing drills.
He still has much to answer about a pedestrian single season as a starter in which he went 6-6 with 17 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 53.8% completion rate. Due to his youth and lack of experience, some of it he won't be able to answer, but the potential comes in spades.
The Colts must decide: Is Anthony Richardson's historic upside worth the gamble?
Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents was a star at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis before moving on to college.
Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
The Colts need to look at multiple cornerbacks in this draft with three starters entering contract years. With Gus Bradley's return as defensive coordinator, the Seattle-style press-man coverage is here to stay, which makes it easier to identify a physical type, and no player fit that type better than one of Indianapolis' own.
The former Warren Central star measured in at 6-foot-3, placing him in the top 1% of all cornerbacks in the history of the event, to go along with 34.5-inch arms. His 41.5-inch vertical jump and 138-inch broad jump were both in the top 2% all-time as well. Add in 3-cone and shuffle times in the top 10%, and it becomes much easier to overlook a pedestrian 4.53-second 40 time for a scheme that asks cornerbacks to play physical and in shorter areas.
Brents will be the fascination of teams that play this style, perhaps more than Tariq Woolen was a year ago before he became a star with the Seahawks. The Colts could need to keep their second-round pick to have a chance at him.
Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore answered questions about his athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine by running a 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern
Teams can never have enough pass rushers, and the Colts learned that late last season, when that position went from a strength to lacking in numbers following injuries to Kwity Paye and Tyquan Lewis. They need to look at some different body types here in order to build a multi-headed pass rush closer to what the Eagles had last season.
Adebawore is 6-2 and 282 pounds, built like a tweener, but that can create an inside-outside combination like Lewis provided when it works. His power showed up at the Senior Bowl, and he demonstrated the juice at this event with a 4.49-second 40 and jump numbers that rank in the top 5% historically. With two years of All-Big Ten production, he's one of the more pro-ready prospects in this draft, with a ceiling capped by height. He should be available after the second round.
North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch has been one of the key risers in the pre-draft process.
Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
The Colts have to retool their offensive line after last year's struggles, which could start with finding a starting right guard. Mauch is an intriguing option after a meteoric climb at North Dakota State, where he went from a walk-on who played nine-man football in high school to a first-team All-American by the end. With flowing red locks and two missing front teeth from a high school basketball game, he looks and plays the part of a mauler in the run game, which he also showed in Senior Bowl drills.
His on-field drills showed the versatility to play different positions, and his 6-foot-5, 302-pound frame could allow him to develop the power that badly evaded the Colts in this spot last season. His 32 3/8-inch arms play much better at guard, too. He could also be a player Indianapolis has to consider with its second-round pick.
Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed is an intriguing option for teams looking for a slot receiver or return man in this year's NFL Draft.
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
The Colts have to be on the lookout for slot receivers until they sign one, as Parris Campbell is a free agent and nobody else on the roster fits the position. This draft has a few of those, but one who is flying under the radar is Reed.
At 5-11 and 187 pounds, he doesn't have the frame some teams will want but plays physical after the catch and in the run game, which the Colts will love. With a 4.45-second 40 time, he showed he was fast, but what matters more is that he plays even faster, with strong finish ability at the end of deep passing plays. He gets to his top speed quickly, which he showed in the position drills and which matters more out of the slot than outside. After also lighting up the Senior Bowl practices, he should be an option for the Colts on Day 2.
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03-09-2023, 05:57 PM
6 NFL Draft prospects who impressed the Colts at the combine
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