NFL Combine Review: Day One

Since I began studying football in high school, I’ve always wanted to attend the NFL Combine. I went to high school just outside of Philadelphia, therefore going to the Combine wasn’t necessarily feasible for a four-day trip. Typically the Combine was the week before spring break as well, and as a student, I was busy with class. Currently, I go to Purdue University, and with our convenient location only around an hour from Indianapolis, I have the opportunity to go to the Combine and still go to class. Day one of the Combine consisted of quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends, and players improved their draft profile at every position.

Cole Kelley (QB S.E. Louisiana)

With all due to Cole Kelley, I had never heard of him at the beginning of the day. That quickly changed when he started throwing accuracy and power during the on-field drills. Kelley was in the first set of quarterbacks to take the field on Thursday with Sam Howell and Kaleb Eleby, but Kelley stood out. Kelley is towering 6'7" and 247lbs. He was a former 4 star SEC signing who spent his first two years at Arkansas and won the Walter Payton Award for an FCS player in 2020. Even at his size, Kelley showed more than just a passing threat accumulating 16 rushing scores and his 44 passing touchdowns. He was consistently throwing accurate balls on all levels during today's field drills, but I was most impressed with his accuracy on deep post corner routes. He put four in a row on a rope over the shoulder and hit his receivers in stride. After his Combine performance, I went straight to searching for his game film (and the film is pretty amazing).

Christian Watson (WR NDSU)

Watson was a player who first came onto my radar a few weeks ago. I was hoping he would have a good performance at the Combine, and he did not disappoint. Watson posted a 4.36 40 yard dash time, the 6th fastest of the day, at a 6’4” frame. Every route he ran on Thursday was fluid, and he made cuts with ease. However, what stood out to me the most was his stability in the gauntlet. The precision he ran on the line while securing every catch and changing direction quickly upfield was exceptional. Compared to the other receivers running the gauntlet, he had an extraordinary understanding of body control. Not only that but during the throwing drills for quarterbacks, his intermediate and deep routes were exceptional. Watson first impressed during the season, amassing 800 yards on 43 receptions in 11 games, then again at the senior bowl, and now at the Combine. He is already getting first-round hype, and he is well-deserving.

Skyy Moore (WR Western Michigan)

Moore was a prospect I started watching indirectly while watching film for Kaleb Eleby before the Combine. He was proficient in the middle of the field and certainly looked confident across the middle, both on film and during the live drills. His breaks around cones were noticeably violent (dropping his hips and getting his legs around a 45-degree angle when making his break), along with showing an excellent ability to track deep balls and a substantial catch radius. Moore indicated that he could do it all across the field, and he recorded a 4.41 40 yard time, a 34.50” vertical jump, and a 10.5’ broad jump. Moore is a complete prospect who racked up 1200+ yards this year and ten touchdowns: whatever deal selects him will be getting a prospect with loads of potential.

Honorable Mentions who also performed well Day One:

Velus Jones Jr (WR Tennessee), Jahan Dotson (WR Penn State), Khalil Shakir (WR Boise State), Chris Olave (WR Ohio St), Malik Willis (QB Liberty), and Desmond Ridder (QB Cinc)