The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase held in February at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, during which college football players compete in physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general managers, and scouts.
Basically, it is like an audition for NFL athletes to portray their talents. Several prospects put their best foot forward in athletic testing and on-field drills to improve their stock come draft night.
After a year away due to the pandemic, the NFL Scouting Combine returned in a big way. As this year was a little different than previous years in that players performed measurements, bench press, and on-field training on the same day.
On the final day of workouts which was on Sunday, defensive backs and placekickers took center stage at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
This defensive back class has the potential to be the best in years, as it contains a plethora of excellent ball hawks and tacklers.
So, let’s look at some of the best performers from the combine!
Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
The national champs dominated the field on the final two nights. Cine’s 40-yard sprint time was 4.37 seconds, his vertical jump was 36.5 inches, and his broad jump was 133 inches.
His remarkable night continued as he demonstrated fluent movement during bag drills. With Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton failing to perform as brilliantly as predicted, Cine was the main attraction on Sunday night.
Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
Davis spoiled it for the rest of the team. His 32-inch vertical jump is tied for the best by a 340-plus pound DE/DT in combine history (with Kenrick Ellis).
His 10-foot-3-inch broad jump is the best in combine history by a 340-plus pound DE/DT… by 15 inches. His 40-yard sprint time of 4.78 seconds would have been the fastest by any candidate weighing 310 pounds or more, yet he is carrying an extra 31 pounds.
Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State
Ekwonu weighed 310 pounds and stood 6-4. His arms were 34 inches long, which is much above the usually acknowledged limit. His athleticism was off the charts, beginning with a 40-yard sprint time of 4.93 seconds.
The highlight of the night came when the North Carolina State product took to the field for exercises. He moved well through drills while demonstrating his ability to re-direct swiftly.
Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Because Hall did not appear to have breakaway speed on film, Michigan State’s Ken Walker III was my top-ranked running back heading into the week. Needless to say, his 4.39-second 40-yard sprint surprised many people.
Given his combination of size (5-11, 217 pounds) and speed, it will be an upset if he were not to be the first running back taken in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Ridder outperformed all other quarterbacks who took part. When on-field work began, the Cincinnati product looked even better.
This season, there were some accuracy concerns, but some believe that these may be remedied with more consistent footwork in the pocket.
If that’s the case, there’s no reason to suppose a team won’t choose him in the first round. He clearly possessed the arm strength to propel the ball down the field. Ridder’s voice isn’t the most powerful, but he was quite encouraging of the other quarterbacks.
