ESPN Combine Day 2 Review

[Risen Star]

DAY 2: DEFENSIVE BACKS

Notables who did not work out: Devon Witherspoon

Miller: The 2023 safety class has not received much praise from NFL scouts throughout the process, so it was no surprise that the group underwhelmed during agility and position drills. Alabama's Brian Branch (who worked out with the corners), Texas A&M's Antonio Johnson and Penn State's Ji'Ayir Brown all failed to put together an all-around workout that would move them up the board. Illinois' Sydney Brown looked solid -- he was in the top four at the position in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump -- but the '23 safety class lacks excitement at the top. It might be only Branch in the first round and perhaps just five or six guys on the first two days of the draft.

Reid: On the other hand, the depth of this year's cornerback group was talked about a lot coming into the combine, and it lived up to the hype. In contrast to the safety group, I think five corners will go in Round 1, and as many as 15 might come off the board before the end of Round 3. Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and South Carolina's Cam Smith -- both potential early picks -- looked the most fluid of the group, and Coastal Carolina's Lance Boykin and Northwestern's Cameron Mitchell received a lot of positive reviews from scouts as Day 3 players who could rise.


Biggest risers from Day 2

Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina: A standout from the week of practices at the Senior Bowl, Rush continued to boost his stock with a strong performance on Friday. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, which surprised a lot of evaluators. That type of speed didn't show up frequently on tape. As a former wide receiver, he has above-average route recognition ability and can read and react to the opposition really well. Rush played a mixture of man and zone coverage with the Gamecocks, and his suddenness coming out of his back pedal showed up frequently. He had two picks over 10 games last season. Exiting the season, Rush was thought of as an early-Day 3 selection. Now he has entered the top 75 discussion, with the potential to push even higher. -- Reid

DJ Turner, CB, Michigan: He had the fastest 40-yard dash of the first two days of the combine and tied for the fourth-fastest time since 2003. We expected Turner would run well -- I listed him as one of the burners who could top the charts in our preview this week -- but running this well compared to his peers helps push Turner's stock up. His Michigan tape showed speed and great change-of-direction ability, but rare speed like this will have NFL teams excited about Turner's potential development as a man coverage cornerback. He also posted a 38.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-11 broad jump, solid numbers displaying his explosion. I have him as my CB5, and he projects as a late-first-round pick following a very strong all-around workout. -- Miller

Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois: This was one of the most impressive combine performances so far, regardless of position. Martin jumped 44 inches in the vertical and 11-foot-1 in the broad jump, displaying his explosiveness. Then he went on to run the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. Playing in a talented secondary, Martin gained experience at both nickel corner and safety at Illinois, picking off three passes and breaking up 12 more. Being able to wear multiple hats on the back end and play on special teams gives him an edge over many of his counterparts in an underwhelming safety group. Martin is likely a third-round target and has the potential to step into a secondary and play early in his career. -- Reid

 

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How other top prospects fared on Day 2

Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: Gonzalez was expected to perform very well in all the agility and speed drills, and he didn't disappoint. He turned in a 4.38-second time in the 40, including a 1.54-second 10-yard split. The burst we see on Gonzalez's tape, and the closing speed that allowed him to collect four interceptions and break up seven passes last season, was evident not only in his 40 time but also in his vertical jump (41.5 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-1). Gonzalez is my CB3 and is considered a top-15 pick by NFL scouts I've spoken to this week. -- Miller

Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State: Porter only participated in the 40-yard dash and clocked a 4.46, tied for 14th among corners. Many of the scouts I spoke to before the combine expected him to run in the 4.45 range, so this wasn't too much of a surprise. A true man-to-man corner, Porter has 34-inch length, an abnormal number for the position. He can get his hands on wideouts and make it challenging for them to get into their routes, and he has the speed to transition, turn and run with matchups. Penn State's pro day on March 24 will be key for Porter. He is firmly in the top 20 range right now and could catapult himself even higher with a strong outing there. -- Reid

Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland: Banks was one of my guys to watch headed into the week. He wowed on Friday with a 4.35-second run in the 40-yard dash, an eye-popping 42-inch vertical and a fantastic 11-foot-4 broad jump. Per ESPN Stats & Information, he's the second player to hit those three marks or better since 2006 (receiver Chris Conley in 2015). At 6-2 with elite speed and burst, Banks is a raw technician at corner. NFL teams will take notice and look to develop him into a more well-rounded cover man. He's a late-Day 1 prospect on my board. -- Miller

Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: After some inconsistent moments during the 2022 season (two interceptions, 10 pass breakups), Ringo had a lot riding on this performance. He started the afternoon with subpar numbers in both the vertical (33.5 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-2), but he helped himself a lot by posting a 4.36-second time in the 40-yard dash. His best moments of the workout came during the on-field drills, since many evaluators had questions about his hip fluidity and change-of-direction skills. Ringo looked fluid in those drills, which force players to sink their weight and redirect. Opinions remain mixed about him; some scouts see him as a late-first-rounder, while others view him as a Day 2 prospect. -- Reid

Brian Branch, S/CB, Alabama: One NFL scout watching the workouts inside Lucas Oil Stadium texted me that Branch -- a potential first-round pick heading into the week -- was the most disappointing workout of the day based on expectations. Branch, who is 6-foot and 190 pounds, had a vertical jump of just 34.5 inches, tied for 16th-worst among all defensive backs at the combine. Perhaps most disappointing was a 4.58-second run in the 40-yard dash. Branch wasn't expected to be among the fastest players at the combine, but that time will bring into question his ability to play in the slot in the NFL -- a position many teams are projecting him. He is a versatile coverage player who has experience at cornerback, nickel corner and safety, and teams love that versatility and instincts. But the limited burst and open-field speed will be concerns. -- Miller

Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M: With Branch viewed more as a nickel corner, Johnson is a strong candidate to be the consensus top true safety. He was a versatile player on the Aggies' defense, gaining experience at a multitude of spots. He looked most comfortable as a strong safety, likely his best fit at the next level. During the workout, Johnson displayed that versatility when he was forced to turn and run. He was efficient in his transitions and showcased good hands, snagging the ball out of the air. Viewed as a top-40 pick, he has potential to be a Day 1 starter because of his 6-2, 198-pound frame, ability to play multiple spots and physicality as a tackler. -- Reid

 

[Risen Star]

More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw from Day 2 of workouts

Reid:

-Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon did not participate in any part of the on-field work due to a hamstring injury. He's expected to perform at the Fighting Illini pro day on March 10. Witherspoon could be the first cornerback off the board in April, and he has gotten comparisons to Jaire Alexander. He plays with confidence, and his ball skills, polished technique and willingness to tackle in run support has multiple cornerback-needy teams excited about his potential at the next level.

-Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents continues to rise. He followed up a strong Senior Bowl performance with a standout showing in Indy. At 6-2, he jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical and 11-foot-6 in the broad jump. And he has plenty of fluidity to complement that explosion. He was seen as a late-Day 2 selection early in the pre-draft process, but he's now in contention to be a top-50 pick. Teams that run predominantly zone coverage will have a lot of interest in Brents because of his awareness when reading passing concepts, but he's most comfortable when his back is to the sideline in coverage.

Miller:

-Deonte Banks wasn't the only Terrapin to have a big night on Friday. His teammate, cornerback Jakorian Bennett, was among the best all-around performers on the field at Lucas Oil. Bennett's 4.30-second 40-yard dash was the second-fastest of any defensive back. He also popped with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and a 11-foot-1 broad jump that should have the Indiana Pacers paying attention to his hops. Bennett is the first player to reach all three of those marks (or better) at the combine since 2006, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

 

[Cowboyny]

DAY 2: DEFENSIVE BACKS

Notables who did not work out: Devon Witherspoon

Miller: The 2023 safety class has not received much praise from NFL scouts throughout the process, so it was no surprise that the group underwhelmed during agility and position drills. Alabama's Brian Branch (who worked out with the corners), Texas A&M's Antonio Johnson and Penn State's Ji'Ayir Brown all failed to put together an all-around workout that would move them up the board. Illinois' Sydney Brown looked solid -- he was in the top four at the position in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump -- but the '23 safety class lacks excitement at the top. It might be only Branch in the first round and perhaps just five or six guys on the first two days of the draft.

Reid: On the other hand, the depth of this year's cornerback group was talked about a lot coming into the combine, and it lived up to the hype. In contrast to the safety group, I think five corners will go in Round 1, and as many as 15 might come off the board before the end of Round 3. Oregon's Christian Gonzalez and South Carolina's Cam Smith -- both potential early picks -- looked the most fluid of the group, and Coastal Carolina's Lance Boykin and Northwestern's Cameron Mitchell received a lot of positive reviews from scouts as Day 3 players who could rise.


Biggest risers from Day 2

Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina: A standout from the week of practices at the Senior Bowl, Rush continued to boost his stock with a strong performance on Friday. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, which surprised a lot of evaluators. That type of speed didn't show up frequently on tape. As a former wide receiver, he has above-average route recognition ability and can read and react to the opposition really well. Rush played a mixture of man and zone coverage with the Gamecocks, and his suddenness coming out of his back pedal showed up frequently. He had two picks over 10 games last season. Exiting the season, Rush was thought of as an early-Day 3 selection. Now he has entered the top 75 discussion, with the potential to push even higher. -- Reid

DJ Turner, CB, Michigan: He had the fastest 40-yard dash of the first two days of the combine and tied for the fourth-fastest time since 2003. We expected Turner would run well -- I listed him as one of the burners who could top the charts in our preview this week -- but running this well compared to his peers helps push Turner's stock up. His Michigan tape showed speed and great change-of-direction ability, but rare speed like this will have NFL teams excited about Turner's potential development as a man coverage cornerback. He also posted a 38.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-11 broad jump, solid numbers displaying his explosion. I have him as my CB5, and he projects as a late-first-round pick following a very strong all-around workout. -- Miller

Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois: This was one of the most impressive combine performances so far, regardless of position. Martin jumped 44 inches in the vertical and 11-foot-1 in the broad jump, displaying his explosiveness. Then he went on to run the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. Playing in a talented secondary, Martin gained experience at both nickel corner and safety at Illinois, picking off three passes and breaking up 12 more. Being able to wear multiple hats on the back end and play on special teams gives him an edge over many of his counterparts in an underwhelming safety group. Martin is likely a third-round target and has the potential to step into a secondary and play early in his career. -- Reid

Rush is my pick at 58 if they don't draft a corner at 26.