NFL Combine 2022: Day 1 Winners
The 2022 NFL Combine has technically been underway since March 1, but Thursday marked the first official day of drills and competition in Indianapolis.
Thursday saw a group of quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends take to the field at Lucas Oil Stadium and there were plenty of players out to create some noise.
Some players may have seen their stock fall (Treylon Burks and Jake Ferguson to name a few), but the real stories have been about those who impressed.
Here are some of the key winners from Day 1 of the NFL Combine:
MALIK WILLIS, QB, LIBERTY
Malik Willis started the week being captured participating in a lovely act of kindness with a homeless man on the morning of the Combine Day 1.
And after impressing in interviews with his vast knowledge of an array of offensive schemes, Willis was a talking point for all the right reasons in Indianapolis.
On the field, the Liberty QB consistently showed how good of a thrower he is, putting his cannon of an arm on full display.
Despite not running in the 40, there were plenty of ‘WOW!’ moments with the ball in the air.
With Matt Corrall not performing and some negative press regarding Kenny Pickett’s hand size in Indianapolis, Willis took full advantage of his opportunity to push up the quarterback draft rankings.
Willis is definitely a top-10 consideration for many teams, and we see the Texans, Panthers and Broncos all possible destinations.
DESMOND RIDDER, QB, CINCINNATI
Desmond Ridder might not have been a first-round quarterback in our recent mock draft, but certainly but up good numbers at the NFL Combine.
The Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback showed incredible athleticism in the agility drills and led all QBs in the broad jump and the 40-yard dash, with an impressive time of 4.52 seconds.
He wasn’t as accurate and didn’t stand out when throwing compared to other players. But with his performance on the ground alone, there is no reason why Ridder can’t go on to sneak into the first round of the upcoming NFL draft.
Following up a solid combine with a good account at his pro day could help Ridder climb up the rankings and give him a chance of hearing his name called out on day 1 of the draft.
CALVIN AUSTIN III, WR, MEMPHIS
One of the smallest prospects in the entire draft class, Calvin Austin III blew away the competition with a standout performance at the Combine.
After a huge 11’3” broad jump and a decent 39” vertical, Austin recorded the third fastest 40-yard dash time of the day with a stellar 4.32 (shoutout to Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton who led the way).
The Memphis star was big winner in Indianapolis and now has a real chance of breaking into the third round.
CHRIS OLAVE, WR, OHIO STATE
We knew Chris Olave was quick. But wow, he looks like a phenomenal athlete.
32-inches on the vertical and a 10-4 broad jump were seriously good scores, but his performance in the dash was the most impressive, recording a standout 4.39 after an unofficial 4.26.
We had the Ohio State star down to be the 5th receiver selected, being picked by the Cheifs with the 29th overall pick, but this now looks far too low.
Alongside his college teammate Garrett Wilson, Olave has made a real claim to be one of the best receivers that this draft has to offer.
SKYY MOORE, WR, WESTERN MICHIGAN
This guy just keeps impressing and is gradually creeping up a lot of draft boards. We had previously outlined that Moore would have a great Combine and boy did he deliver.
Measuring in at a monstrous 10.25” hand size, the biggest of any WR at the Combine, Moore was turning heads with his performance in Indianapolis.
Given he dropped just 6 of 176 catchable balls during his entire college career, the Western Michigan wideout showed just how a reliable catcher he is before blitzing to a 4.41 second score in 40-yard dash.
The Skyy Moore train has left the station and is now it’s starting to gather steam.
No doubt his stock has rocketed up for many teams ahead of the draft.
TREY MCBRIDE, TE, COLORADO STATE
First of all, this year’s tight end class is already looking very deep and there were plenty of players in the position out to impress scouts from across the league.
We think McBride is TE1 heading into next month’s draft and he put on a good show for all to see in Indianapolis on Thursday night.
At 6 foot and 246 pounds, he’s well primed to make a solid blocker in the NFL. But make no mistake, the Colorado State star is a capable receiver and is coming off a 90 reception, 1,121 receiving yard season in 2021.
A well-equipped route runner and catcher, McBride just made everything he did look easy at the Combine.
We expect that he’ll go very early in the second round at next month’s draft, if not the first.
JELANI WOODS, TE, VIRGINIA
At 6’7” and carrying 259 pounds of pure muscle, Virginia’s Jelani Woods is an absolute beast of a tight end and was arguably the most impressive at the position on Day 1 of the Combine.
Woods not only showed terrific speed in the dash (4.61 was the second fastest across tight ends) but showcased his on-field attributes. His displays in the catching and route drills were fluid and his crisp over-the-shoulder catch was one of the more impressive from across the whole day.
With the best bench reps in the TE group at 24 reps, Woods showed off his strength and power for all to see.
He looked sharp in the blocking drills and he is well primed to be a nightmare for many defenses in the NFL, whatever role he plays.
