With the NFL draft fast approaching, scouting at the Combine is very important for teams to find athletes to fill positions on their rosters. From quarterback and ACC Champion, Kenny Pickett, to defensive end and Big Ten Champion, Aidan Hutchinson, the 2022 draft class is talented.
The NFL Combine allows all 32 teams to see all of the top players at the same time at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Combine has skill competitions like the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps, 20 and 60-yard shuttle and position specific drills.
Despite being measured to have unusually small hands for a quarterback at the Combine, Pickett is being considered by a number of teams.
“I think that the Commanders should draft Kenny Pickett because they need a quarterback and that is the main position they have struggled in,” senior Noah Greenfeld said.
The Steelers and Buccaneers are both in need of a new quarterback as well because of the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady.
“I want the Steelers to get Kenny Pickett in the first round and if we can’t get him then I think we should draft an offensive lineman. Offensive linemen are our main priority but if Kenny is there then we get him and win the Super Bowl easily,” freshman Seth Stein said.
Malik Willis, quarterback from Liberty, proved he was also worthy of being drafted early during the throwing drills at the Combine.
“He was really good at the deep ball, he would wait extra long then launch it. He definitely has a very strong arm and I like him a lot,” Stein said.
Willis also proved he has a good heart along with a good arm when he gave Combine gear to a homeless woman he walked by on the side of the road.
With Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton running a 4.28 second 40-yard dash, this wide receiver class was the fastest ever at the Combine. Eight wide receivers ran times under 4.4 seconds.
“I was really shocked by Thornton’s speed. You don’t see guys his height running that fast,” freshman Devin Markert said.
Safety Lewis Cine from Georgia performed expectedly well after recently winning the National Championship. He ran a 4.37 second 40-yard dash, got a 36.5 inch vertical jump and 133 inch broad jump.
Also from Georgia, defensive tackle Jordan Davis tied the best 340-plus pound DE/DT vertical jump and broke the best 340-plus pound DE/DT broad jump in Combine history.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick of the NFL Draft for the second year in a row and are in need of many different positions. The draft will go from Apr. 28 to Apr. 30 and will decide the future of all the upcoming players.