2020 NFL Scouting Combine | Offensive Preview

week in Indianapolis. It is scouting combine time, one of my favorite times of the year, and today we'll go under the hood on the offensive side of the ball and talk about the top players descending on Indianapolis this week for the combine. We'll get you caught up on the workout changes, schedule of events and everything we're going to be bringing you this week from Lucas Oil Stadium

in Indie. As we have our troops on the ground at this mecca of an NFL event, we have the schedule out for the offensive side of the football, and as always, they start with the biggest stars of the game. The quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends are up first. They'll work out on Thursday, February and a later kickoff. This year, four o'clock eastern three o'clock local time in Indianapolis. Than Friday, we'll get the running backs and offensive line and specialists

place kickers and punters or people too. On February, that too will be at four o'clock eastern. And it's not just the time of these combined workouts that are changing. The drills themselves will be changing as well, and quite a bit. A quote from Jeff Foster, the president of National Football Scouting, Inc. Via an article on si dot com titled changes are coming to the combine and the

bench press maybe killed next. Foster's quote reads, quote it's easier to name the things that haven't changed and quote. Foster also gave a quote from an anonymous scout that reads, quote, the majority of the combine drills are antiquated and limited rel events. We want to evolve. Sure there will be a gap of time without the ability to compare current to pass, but we need to focus more on the future.

End quote. And we'll cover the defensive changes on tomorrow show previewing the defensive side of the ball at the combine, and changes are coming to both sides of the ball, and we'll start here today talking about the changes on the offensive side, as they are now going to time

the gauntlet drill. And if you haven't watched the combine before, the gauntlet drill takes receivers and tight ends and runs them down a horizontal line from sideline to sideline and they alternate which direction they look at for the football coming their way. They have to catch the football. The idea is to try to be a hands catcher, not let the football into your body, and to stay straight

on that horizontal line. They are now going to time that drill, whereas in the past it was all about just securing the catch and getting it done as fast as you could. Also, they're going to be adding smoke route drills, and this is really a tip of the

cap to the direction of the modern day game. We've seen how popular the screen route has become in modern day football and extension of the running game, and a smoke route is just a one step hitch route by the receiver usually pushes up field and comes back to the line of scrimmage, and it's usually an extension of the play action game, utilizing misdirection away from the flow of the play action, trying to keep the defense off balance and keep them honest to all possibilities on any

given play. They're also going to add screen drills for the offensive lineman, as they want to see how these big guys move out in space and their athletic ability and how control they can be coming into the bag. And also they're going to remove the rabbit from the mirror drill. And if I'm being honest, I'm a tad bit bummed about this, because I love those big boys

trying to joke each other out. You would have one offensive lineman shuffle side to side and across from him an opponent, a fellow offensive lineman tries to get past him with juke moves and lateral movement. But now they will no longer ask the fellow lineman to act as the rabbit in that drill. They've added sled drills as well, a nice nod to the throwback style of the physical game of football. Players will push the sled two to five yards instead of going up against their counterparts who

hold a bag. Basically, they're reducing the use of the players acting as glorified tackling dummies in these drills. So plenty of changes on the offensive side. Tomorrow, we'll come

back and talk about the defensive side. But let's now go ahead and break in to the combined preview up on Miami Dolphins dot com taking a look at the top three players by position, and we're using the Draft Networks official ranking board here to get the top three players they have rated at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, outside offensive lineman, the tackles and the interior guys,

the guards and the centers. So again, workouts begin on Thursday, and we'll start here with the quarterbacks, and we start with the Draft Networks number one quarterback Joe Burrow from l s U Heisman Trophy winner, National Championship, potential number one overall pick in the draft. This year, everything he did came up aces and he led one of college football's all time most potent attacks. They played fifteen opponents

this year. He slayed them all, including seven ranked teams, en route to a seventy six point three percent completion percentage. He threw for five thousand, six hundred seventy one yards and sixty touchdowns, absurd numbers for this year's Heisman Trophy winner, and they did it with pro passing concepts led by passing game coordinator Joe Brady, who now of course coaches in Carolina with Matt Rule on that staff, and Burrow

dominated the college rankings with that pro style attack. He was the point guard of the offense, distributing the football out in the quick game better than just about anybody, deadly accurate throwing vertically, and he made a number of jaw dropping plays as an athlete, both within and outside the pocket and with his legs on a weekly basis. I pulled this quote from an article on ESPN dot

com from analyst Matt Bowen. Quote, when I watched the l s U offense, it is a heavily schemed pro style route tree that resembles the New Orleans Saints in terms of how they put defensive coverages and defense of players in conflict. And what that requires is for an elite level quarterback to go through pro progressions to find the voids in zone coverage and to find the matchups

that are created within this offense. End quote, and Joe Burrow himself mentioned his leverage a couple of weeks ago on a radio interview, and he of course will not compete in the on field drills. He is going to make himself available for media and team interviews, but he will not be on the field in any capacity outside of his zip up warm up and being out there

to cheer on the other guys around him. The number two quarterback on the Draft Network's quarterback rankings to a tongue of Voloa, the Alabama former National champion and Heisman runner up, and few collegiate quarterbacks carried the hype that followed to into the twenty nineteen season. He had that championship under his belt a game when he passed an overtime. His first full season as a starter was transcendent. He played for three coordinators in as many years, and the

precise south paw. Yes, he's a lefty modified that antiquated some tight attack into an aerial display to levels we've never before seen in college football, and the accolades and praise just pile up from scouts, analysts, and former players. Trent Dilfer, via an article on The Athletic lauded Tongue Voloha's poise, work, ethic, and talent from their time together at Nike's Elite eleven camp. Quote, he has poise like I've never seen and that goes along with the talent

that you rarely ever see. His throwing motion is so efficient. He maximizes everything he draws from the ground up, zero wasted motion. Aaron Rodgers is the only one I've seen like this, and he grew into it. He wasn't like this at this stage. End quote, and of course the concern with tongue voloa. His junior season came to an abrupt end when a hip injury knocked the quarterback out of the Mississippi State game, and as a result to Uh also will not participate in the on field drills

at the scouting combine. He says that his goal is to win the medical and to win the interview process in Indianapolis this week. His call edge production certainly speaks for itself. Consensus All American had eighty seven career touchdowns, eleven picks, and twelve point seven yards per pass, and a completion percentage just a hair under seventy at sixty nine point seven percent, the third quarterback on the Draft

Networks rankings. Justin Herbert the organ product. He had a decorated organ career that was punctuated with perhaps his two best showings in last year's Pack twelve Championship game and the Rose Bowl games. Against Utah and Wisconsin, respectively. He's a Eugene native who dreamed of playing for his beloved Ducks, and he finally accomplished his ultimate goal of winning a Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and he did it in some

unconventional fashion. Herbert is faster than he is quick, but he scampered for three touchdowns in that Rose Bowl game, tripling his season total coming into that game. He finished his college career with ninety five touchdown passes, twenty three picks, ten thousand, five hundred forty one yards, and he puts some durability concerns to bed by starting all twenty seven of his possible twenty seven games to close out his

junior and senior seasons. And this organ offense, it was a run first attack this year under Mario Cristo Ball, and that didn't always accentuate the quarterback's best trade. He has an absolute howitzer of a right arm and shines with his back to the defense on play action and bootleg concepts. And speaking of Crista Ball, he has effusive praise for his quarterback quote, He's definitely the best quarterback I've been around. He can do it all. He's loved

by his teammates. Everyone just thinks the world of him. He's a grinder, end quote, and Herbert will be on the field for drills this week where he is a near lock to impress with the armed talent and throwing the football down the field at six ft sixty pounds. The scouting Combine is an event that's built for justin Herbert. How about the guys alongside the quarterback that compliment the passing game. I'm talking, of course, about the running backs

and the draft networks. Number one running back on this list is DeAndre Swift from Georgia, and he's actually mocked to the Dolphins by three NFL Network Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks, and Lanzer Line all have Miami taking DeAndre Swift at some point in the first round, and he's going to provide an instant shot of offense for whichever his new club he goes to. It only took him five hundred and fifteen touches to explode for three thousand,

five hundred and fifty one yards from scrimmage. He put up big numbers without using up a lot of tread on those tires, and that was primarily as a slashing zone runner, but don't get it twisted. He can play in any scheme On offense. He's a dynamic pass catching

option in the past game. His receiving prowess, paired with his work and pass protection makes him a three down player at the professional level, and that highly talented Bulldog offense flowed through its startel back, according to head coach Kirby Smart, who said, quote, He's the heart and soul

of this offense. He's a leader, he's inspirational. The runs get fans involved, but Swift gets the team involved with all the things he does and says and quote, all eyes are gonna be on Swift for his forty yard dash time. A time in the four four range is a safe bet, and break that four three mark should solidify his first round status as the number one running

back off the board. JK. Dobbins from Ohio State is the Draft Networks number two running back, and he burst onto the college football scene with a dynamic freshman campaign, starting with his debut performance for one and eighty one yards on college football's opening night. After a sophomore slump, Dobbins returned to dominance, particularly in the Buckey's biggest games. He had one thousand, eighteen yards and twelve touchdowns on the ground this year in Ohio states six contests against

ranked opponents. Dobbin's departs Columbus Ohio as the second all time leading rusher in school history, edging out names like Ezekiel Elliott and Eddie George. Only Archie Griffin ran for more yards than the multifaceted Dobbins. NFL Networks Daniel Jeremiah praised Dobbins for his work in the passing game from his top fifty big Board quote, he had two drops against Clemson, but he was reliable every other game I studied. He is very aware in pass protection. He'll be a

dependable star immediately end quote. And for the third running back on the Draft Networks big board at tailback, we stay in the Big ten and go over to Wisconsin for Jonathan Taylor, and you're not gonna find better production in college than the former Badger back Jonathan Taylor. With fifty five total touchdowns and six thousand, one hundred seventy four career rushing yards. The only question left for Taylor at this stage is his professional longevity. The focal point

of the bruising Wisconsin ground game. Taylor has nine hundred and sixty eight touches on his resume before even getting to the pros. He rushed for better than two hundred yards in twelve of forty one college games. Almost one third of his games went for over two bills on the ground. He's built like an NFL back, five eleven, two hundred and twenty pounds with a compact, thick build. He's a supreme athlete, which is evident by his high school track career, where he won state titles in the

one hundred meters and four by one hundred relays. His peak athletic prowess is topped only by his character, which also comes with proof. Taylor was considering attending Harvard, but ultimately, of course, wound up at Wisconsin, and we in the football world collectively, Jonathan Taylor, thank you, sir, for giving us the entertainment you have so far in your college career. Taylor's impact also reverberated throughout the Badger locker room. Quote.

Not only was he the best college running back in the history of the game, but he was also the greatest person that's played college football end quote, and that one comes from his teammate running back Garrett Groshek, the Wisconsin Badger backup tail back, so high praise for Taylor's production, his smarts, and the character of that young man. We go over to the wide receivers now. Jerry Judy starts

us off here from Alabama. His route running is the most impressive of the entire class, and that, of course is the most crucial critical trait for receivers going to the professional level. Nobody's crisper or more sudden than Alabama's Jerry Judy. He was uncoverable throughout his career in college. He has blazing speed and unparalleled change of direction skill set, and those two things together create separation better than anybody else in this draft class at wide receiver, and he

makes big plays after the catch routine lead. He's an All American and he posted video game numbers in his time at Tuscaloosa, a two year total of one hundred and forty five receptions, two thousand, four hundred seventy eight yards and twenty four touchdowns the last two seasons. He was a Blitna cough winner in eighteen and a finalist this past year. In twenty nineteen, seedee Lamb from Oklahoma.

The draft networks number two receiver, and this year's class is loaded with run after the catch specialist, but nobody tops Seedee Lamb in that category. He makes jaw dropping highlight reel plays with consistent gaudy production. Lamb has a case to go off the board in the top ten, but he could see a bit of a draft day slide because of the depth of this receiver class. Lamb average twenty one point four yards per catch this year, bringing his three year Oklahoma total to an even nineteen

yards per reception. He's or thirty three touchdowns and wrapped up three thousand three d twenty one yards and his iconic Sooner career. It will be interesting to see how fast he runs, because a lot of folks think that a slow time could drop Lamb to the back end of the first round. If you want to talk about speed, this next guy is not lacking in that category whatsoever.

And if John Ross's record of a four point to to forty yard dash is to be broken this weekend, Henry Ruggs, the Alabama product is the one that will do it. In fact, he already owns a track record. He broke the high School seven a one hundred meter dash record in Alabama with a blazing time of ten point five eight seconds. That speed was on display every Saturday.

This fall down in Alabama, Rugs often looks like his film is on fast forward and everybody else is in normal motion as they try to chase him down in a futile effort. Rugs, the ultimate burner, use that track speed to carve up the sec He had seven teen point five yards per catching college with twenty five touchdowns. He's more than a speed merchant. He's a crafty out runner. As sudden as he is fast, he is so difficult to disrupt off the line of scrimmage and into the route.

Now we move inside from wide receiver into tight end, and we start here with the draft Networks number one rated tight end Bryson Hopkins out of Perdue, and he has a chance to separate from the tight end pack at the combine because of his rare athletic traits. Something of a souped up wide receiver, Hopkins challenges the scene vertically and has the route running repertoire to run the full treat Say that five times fast route running repertoire.

His Purdue tape is full of highlight grabs and chunks of yardage coming after the catch. At six ft four, two one pounds, he's not the most imposing inline blocker. In fact, he won't play that position much at the next level, but it's not for a lack of trying, because you watch him out in space getting the job done with effort and positioning as a downfield blocker even

with the occasional case of the drop seas. Hopkins recorded one thirty grabs, one thousand, nine hundred forty five yards and sixteen touchdowns his four years in college at Purdue. Hunter Bryant at Washington's up next on the Draft Network's tight end big Board rankings. Like Hopkins, Bryant is more receiver than additional inline blocker. He's explosive in the open field after the catch. He plays the ball in the air exceptionally well and has no issues competing at the

top of the route pulling down contested throws. Makes him a big time red zone threat. He can move across the formation from wide splits condensed in the backfield, in the slot. Wherever you put him, he can catch the football, and despite his limited production in college, he is the

ultimate mismatch piece at the next level. He caught eight five passes for one thousand, three hundred ninety four yards and five touchdowns at you Dub and a reason for the minimal production he had a season ending knee injury that cut his eighteen season short at just five games, but he came back last year with an eight hundred

twenty five yards season for the Washington Huskies. Cole Commet at Notre Dame is our final tight end here, and playing at Notre Dame, he was asked to play in line more than his counter parts at Washington and per Due respectively. He's a smooth athlete with the most reliable hands across the entire tight end class. He went for five fIF six touchdowns in the run first fighting Irish offense this year, and he uses his six fourth frame to work down the middle of the football field between

the numbers. He's a two sport athlete and those guys tend to have more fluidity, and this former baseball star displays natural balance and feel for the position. He operates out of a three point stance the inline position with regularity, and he also shines as a red zone target. How about the guys on the offensive line. I know Dolphins fans are craving an offensive line, so we start here with Jedrick Will's Alabama the number one tackle on the board here for the Draft Network, and will sits at

poll position because of two reasons. One, he's an absolute monster mahler who gets out in space and runs people over. But two, he is so adept and smooth with his ability to mirror and move in past protection. He's a natural kneebender. He easily recognizes games in the posing pass rush and is quick to wall off those stunts, those twists, or those delayed blitzers. He's a powerful striker that can end a rep early with a devastating shot across his

man's bow. Willis is scheme diverse, with the mean streak, and intelligent to make multiple Pro Bowls at the next level. He capped a tremendous career with a big performance in this year's Citrus Bowl. In a position where other players might choose to skip the game, he said, quote I'd still play just because I want to be out there for my brothers and play for the last time in an Alabama uniform. And quote up next from Iowa Tristan works, and there has been some speculation that maybe he moves

inside to guard as a professional. He's six ft five thirty two pounds. He's built like a house. He has the length and thickness and anchor to play and succeed anywhere across the offensive line. He did spend time at both right and left tackle, but he finished up this last season mostly on the right side. Now, speed rushers can get him with their explosive getoffs. Think about Cam

Wake and his prime giving Worse some fits. It's the mention of moving to guard and his kickslide and recovery speed might be a bit slow, but he does have hammers for hands, and once Worse snatches the defender, it's game over man. As he turns and drives players out of their respective gaps. It's fun to watch. His college coach Kirk Ference thinks that guard might be the best option. Quote you play a guy like that inside, He's basically

going to kill guys. He's a dominant player that way and quote and speaking of killing guys, go check out McKay Beckton's tape from Louisville, the number three tackle on the board here for the Draft Network. He is a massive three hundred and seventy seven pounds six ft seven and this quote from Daniel Jeremiah, who has him at the number four pick to the New York Giants, and

his initial mock draft sites that size. Quote, he's a mahler in the run game, and he's shockingly nimble and pass protection, and quote he ragged dolls guys out there. I made a reference in the article on Miami Dolphins dot Com to the Sandric Bullock movie The blind Side with Michael Oher when they had those clips of him in the movie throwing kids over offence, just unrealistic type of stuff. Well, you see that in real life with

McKay Beckton. It's a lot of fun to watch for an offensive lineman's tape, and this year was his first as a full time left tackle. He would previously alternate between left and right tackle based upon strong and weak side alignments. There's a good chance that Beckton can solidify his stock as a top five pick this week because he is so smooth and so nimble and so strong

that he should test very well. Lastly, we kick inside to the interior offensive line and we start with the number one player here, l s Use Lloyd cushion Berry. He anchored one of college football's best O lines en route to the perfect season. He's a two year starter. His athletic profile, paired with his instincts for the position, could result in his name being called on Night one. There is little wasted movement in his game. He almost always takes the correct angle and opens up big lanes

in the running game as well. He's not the most powerful center in this class, but he does find a way to drop that anchor, drop that lower half and hold up against bull rush. Is that bend, coupled with flawless footwork, allows Cushionberry to recover on the rare occasion where he does lose the rep. Initially, he was awarded l s US number eighteen jersey. This year they give one of those to a player on offense and one to a player on defense, and they give it to

the player that best exemplifies a selfless attitude. Wearing number eighteen, a tradition that began in two thousand three, is synonymous with success at l s U, both on and off the field, So in addition to a good player, you're getting a good character as well. Caesar Louise at Michigan. The center is up next, and buzzwords and phrases will be spoken of plenty this week in Indianapolis. None more

prevalent than a player's ability to unlock his hips. However, that skill set has framed few players embody fluid hips better than Caesar Ruise of Michigan, a controlled stick of dynamite when operating an open space. Reiss ability to pull in the running game rivals any interior alignment in this class. For my money, re started three years along Big Blues offensive line. He has a thick, compact bill that allows

him to anchor against power. He started at right guarden seventeen and moved back to his natural position where he actually was the number one player rated in high school at center inen but he talked about moving back to center. Quote. Playing center is something I've been doing my whole life in high school. I'm used to making all the calls. I'm used to doing everything and quote and finishing up our offensive side here. Nick Harris from Washington. The Senior

Bowl was a rough week for him. It was an opportunity to possibly solidify his position as the top center in the class. He has rare movement traits and in innate ability to operate out in space in wide zone concepts as well as in the screen game. And he had a chance to stand out, but he struggled, and now it looks like maybe he could be a Day two selection. But still, Harris excels in one area that has long been a problem from Miami, the reach block.

He has the lateral movement and initial hand placement to engage and control the rep despite limited length, and Harris's teammates credit his persistence, toughness and competitiveness. He played as a true freshman at age seventeen against Alabama in that playoff game just a couple of years ago, so he is battle tested. So there you have it. That is our offensive preview of the scouting combine. Addition, coming to you live this week from Indianapolis will be on the

ground there. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast wherever you get your podcast from, go ahead and follow me on Twitter It's at Wingfield NFL, follow the dolphins official account at Miami Dolphins, and of course check out our written content up on Miami Dolphins dot com, including this piece and tomorrow's defensive preview piece. And don't forget to go back and check out the introduction podcast, episode number one of the Drivetime Podcast. As for my

time today, that's going to be it. Travis Wingfield Drive Time Podcast and we'll see you tomorrow. Fins up, fins up, fins