The Scouting Combine is as much about free agency as it is the NFL Draft. After spending the past week in Indianapolis, we have a clearer picture of what to expect in the coming weeks.
Let’s dive in.
Who’s QB3?
No position group is more scrutinized during Combine week than quarterback. Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Cam Ward threw. Both are solidified as the top two QBs in the class, and you could flip-flop the order after speaking with several teams. The Tennessee Titans, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, are hosting both players in the coming week.
But there are other signal-callers teams are eyeing.
Ole Miss star Jaxson Dart has been on a heater beginning with a big Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Alabama. Teams like his toughness, live arm, deep ball and mobility.
“He actually reminds me a bit of Bo Nix last year,” one college scouting director told me. “We’ve seen a lot of him at the collegiate level, but we’ve also seen a lot of improvement. This is not the same player we saw three years ago at USC; just like Nix at Oregon was not the same player we saw at Auburn.”
If you recall, Nix’s rise in many ways can be traced back to an impressive showing at the Combine. With respect to the Senior Bowl, Indy is also the first time NFL clubs and evaluators have the chance to get guys in a room and really test their knowledge and get a feel for the person. For Dart, board work was crucial, as was the interview process. First impressions — both on and off the field — are not forgotten, with a few clubs feeling he helped make his case as a first-round pick.
Also keep an eye on Louisville’s Tyler Shough, who possesses rare size (6-5, 224) and a live arm. Despite suffering from a series of injuries throughout his collegiate career (none of which teams feel make him “injury-prone”), the 25-year-old drew favorable reviews.
“He threw as well as anyone,” a personnel director told me. “It’s early, but he may have played himself into QB3. I thought seeing him in person next to everyone else was a statement. He made a statement. The ball is different from that kid. It really spins. I don’t think anyone was really expecting the 4.64 [in the 40], either.”
Are running backs back?
The running back class is really good and really deep. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty — who didn’t run in Indy — wowed in interviews, coming across as affable and confident.
“There’s no way he falls outside the top 15-20 picks,” one running backs coach told me. “He reminds me of a taller Maurice Jones-Drew. Bowling ball with speed. Guy will be an immediate superstar.”
But Jeanty wasn’t the only back to make a big impression.
North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton (balanced, versatile runner and pass-catcher) Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson (competitive slasher who single-handedly carried an otherwise dead Hawkeyes offense), SMU’s Brashard Smith (elite quickness and hands to match), Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson (highly productive workhorse with elite big-play ability) and Ohio State’s duo of TreVeyon Henderson (speed kills) and Quinshon Judkins (will be an even better pro) all wowed.
Hampton, in particular, made some serious noise.
“I don’t see how he doesn’t go Round 1,” a personnel director told me. “He’s such a natural runner: smooth, decisive, and then you add the explosiveness. I said before [the Combine], that with his size (5-11 1/2, 221 pounds), if he ran in the 4.4’s, I thought he would go Day 1. Guess what, he did.”
Hampton, in fact, ran a 4.46.
Safety nets
As for free agency, the position I kept hearing good things about in Indy was safety. Teams are eager to pursue what’s considered a talented crop with plenty of plus starters. Eight names that have come up repeatedly with teams:
Camryn Bynum (Vikings)
Jevon Holland (Dolphins)
Tre’von Moehrig (Raiders)
Jeremy Chinn (Commanders)
Xavier Woods (Panthers)
Julian Blackmon (Colts)
Andre Cisco (Jags)
Justin Reid (Chiefs)
“The safety draft has some good talent, but the free agency class is gonna be the key for a lot of teams,” a current executive told me. “Whether that means paying a guy in the $7-10 million range, or moving into the mid-teens, I think we all expect that position to see a lot of movement, and fast movement, too. You’d rather overpay a little to get your guy than have to wait and try and get lucky in the draft.”
Around the corner
Speaking of secondaries, the free-agent cornerback class is the healthiest it’s been in quite some time.
Detroit’s Carlton Davis and the Jets‘ D.J. Reed will be two of the top corners on the market, with both receiving significant interest — while potentially commanding annual wages in the high teens. It’s rare to find lockdown corners on the open market, and both Davis and Reed are playing the best football of their careers. They play a similarly highly aggressive, highly effective style, where they aren’t afraid to press and can also support the run defense.
Byron Murphy is coming off a big year with the Vikings and is in line for a serious payday.
“I know they wanted to bring him back, but you gotta open up the checkbooks for Murphy,” a scout told me. “He’s earned it, but they’ve got a lot of other s— going on.”
The same can be said about Paulson Adebo, a playmaking machine with 10 interceptions in four years with the Saints, as well as 43 pass deflections. “Excellent young corner who will help shape the market,” the same scout said. “He can go.”
Charvarius Ward (49ers) was another name that was brought to my attention by teams, even unprompted.
Rasul Douglas (Bills) should do well, along with Brandin Echols, who rather quietly had a strong campaign with the Jets.
Meanwhile, two-time All-Pro Jaire Alexander is available via trade, although most executives believe the Packers will ultimately release him.
Jordan Schultz is an NFL Insider for FOX Sports. He also co-hosts the “Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football?” show. You can follow him on X at @Schultz_Report.
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