It appears as though a new age of NFL pre-draft football is beginning. On a day when all of the quarterbacks in the initial group of passers, with the exception of Sam Hartman of Notre Dame, chose not to participate in the 40-yard sprint, we keep covering prospects who are beginning to view the NFL scouting combine as less and less important.
Star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State will not take part in any of the combine testing, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. But Harrison’s decision to forgo even practicing for those kinds of workouts in the lead-up to the draft doesn’t end there. Harrison will keep working on drills that are just football-related, letting his footage speak for itself.
Harrison and other players can afford to take this method. Harrison has been regarded as the best wide receiver prospect in this year’s class for the past two years. Only another outstanding season with the Buckeyes, his second straight, cemented that reputation. He doesn’t feel the need to showcase his entire skill set in an effort to increase his draft status because he has a decent notion of where he will go in the draft. Rather, he will concentrate on getting ready for team interviews and the more hands-on components of NFL readiness. Breer also tells us that Harrison will follow another recent trend and enter the league unrepresented.
For many mid- to late-round prospects, the combine and pro days are still an important part of the pre-draft process; but, for elite players, these kinds of exercises are starting to become less and less necessary.
While the combine goes on, here are some more draft rumours:
- Speaking of non-participants, both wide receiver Malik Nabers and quarterback Jayden Daniels of LSU have chosen to work out at their pro day rather than during their Indianapolis workouts. Daniels won the Heisman Trophy. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, we learned today that both players are forgoing the combine’s measures phase as well. On their pro day, the two Tigers will submit to measurements before to working out.
- Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy is one player whose name has recently been rising up the selection boards. Scouts are intrigued by Murphy’s versatility across the line, which makes him a good fit for almost any squad. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, Murphy reportedly had 25 official interviews scheduled at the combine, reflecting this. The Vikings, Seahawks, Colts, and Raiders have all planned to bring him in for an official 30-man visit, according to Pauline. The Longhorn defender’s list of potential suitors probably won’t end there.
- Running back Jonathan Brooks, another outstanding prospect from Texas, is still recovering from the ACL surgery that interrupted his last Austin season. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Brooks, the top rusher on ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s boards, is “healing well and as expected.” He will undoubtedly not be taking part in any pre-draft exercises, but he should be cleared to report to training camp.
- Cooper DeJean, an Iowa cornerback, is still sidelined by a leg ailment in the run-up to the draft. Greg Auman of FOX Sports has learned that DeJean will not be available to work out at the combine and will not take part in any physical exercises at Iowa’s pro day. Although DeJean says he is fully recovered from his lower leg fracture and plans to work out before the draft, it appears that scouts will need to travel to Iowa City on their own to work out DeJean.
- At last, a further elite draft prospect decided not to participate in the combine workout this year. It is unlikely that Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, a projected top-10 pick and the best talent at his position according to both Brugler and Kiper, will make it to Indianapolis. Scouts that want to watch this Bulldog in action will have to travel to Georgia for the pro day.
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