The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up in Indianapolis over the weekend, beginning the six-week march toward the NFL Draft. For the most part, Indy didn’t have too many surprises, both good and bad. No one had an injury that changed the draft, and no one did anything bad enough to cause their stock to drop. Furthermore, his position was not significantly shaken by his amazing performance.
Still, there is no doubt that there were a significant number of players who significantly improved their stock prices, or at least maintained their stock prices.
One of the players who really managed to surprise was Caleb Williams, which is impressive considering he did not participate in training. But what Williams did manage to do was effectively counter the “diva” narrative that had been swirling around him for the better part of six months.
Williams met with interested teams at the top of the draft and also spoke with the media. He knocked this element out of the park.It may be easy to downplay this element of the process, but many soccer officials around the league Love We hear the old clichés about competitiveness and work ethics. Throughout the weekend, Williams seemed like a guy who cared about winning above everything else, comfortably cemented his desire to play anywhere in the NFL and didn’t falter when asked tough questions.
Going into combine week, there was a legitimate question about whether Williams or Drake Maye would be the No. 1 pick in April. When we leave, all signs point to the Chicago Bears taking Caleb Williams with the first pick. If you’re in his camp, it was a very successful outing and you’ll be thrilled with how the USC quarterback handled everything.
Loser: Drake May
Drake Maye didn’t do anything wrong in Indy, but he also didn’t do anything to boost him — and that’s a bit of a problem. Following in Williams’ footsteps, May chose not to train at Indy, only to meet with the team and take measurements.
Maye is my QB1 in the 2024 class, but the general feeling that’s swirling over and over again in Indianapolis is that the team isn’t all that excited about Drake Maye. The hype is often overrated, but there’s something to be said for capturing the imagination of teams who can’t wait to build an offense around you or use the rest of their arsenal to keep you attached.
We spoke to Caleb Williams about this story. We asked Jayden Daniels. We asked JJ McCarthy. Honestly, it’s weird how little anyone is talking about Drake May. Sure, all this could mean a team has the cards to acquire him — but if this week is any indication, Maye could be the third QB behind Williams and Daniels is increasing. That’s a big difference compared to going into the combine with a solid shot at being the No. 1 overall pick.
Winner: Roma Odunze
Lomu Odunze entered this week solidifying his status as a top-10 pick, but nothing has changed there. But I think his behavior in Indianapolis will definitely turn heads and some teams will elevate him up the board. LSUMalik Nabaas.
Odunze was effortlessly charming on the podium, mixing ease with self-deprecation in front of the media. And, calculated move or not, Odunze drew attention to his refusal to walk off the field and call it a weekend, instead he practiced three-cone drills over and over again.
This was an incredible moment, unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the combine for an elite talent like Roman Odunze.
He was the last promising player on the field. The day ended for others. Not Rome. He vowed to complete every aspect of the test. 3-Cone test was the last… pic.twitter.com/cNNr06jqUG
— Stacey Dales (@StaceyDales) March 3, 2024
It’s the kind of work ethic that football players drool over. At least he solidified his status as a top-10 pick, but don’t be surprised if Odunze sees a big push to WR2.
Loser: Spencer Rattler
There were always contradictions in the story with Spencer Rattler.people just wanted something To show why Rattler is worth a gamble in the draft, and he really struggled.
Rattler finished last among all QBs in testing and nearly every practice. He was the slowest in the 40, the slowest in the long jump, the slowest in the 3-cone, and the slowest in the shuttlecock. When you’re in a position where you want to make a point, you need a measurable key to hang your hat on, and we didn’t find that.
If you want to see Rattler play on Day 2, he’ll probably be available until Day 3.
Winner: Xavier Werty
Breaking the all-time 40-yard record and finishing tied for the fastest 10-yard split in 2024 will turn heads.
Worthy is really a one-trick pony as a prospect, but his speed is a hell of a trick. If his time is OK, Worthy would be a mid-to-late round pick, but he has this much speed, so it’s very likely we’ll see him play on Day 2. I think it’s expensive.
Teams looking for speed will imagine ways to create opportunities for him. And this goes back to the Drake May discussion. Once you start capturing the imagination, you end up being drafted much higher than people expect. He’s going to be on a lot of boards to see if Worthy, who has a 4.21 grade out of 40, can have a Hill-like impact on the league. .
