2024 NFL Combine
John Divuolo
Staff Writer
This year’s NFL combine held some of the most impressive and athletic prospects that the league has ever seen. From breaking records to some of the most impressive throws ever seen in the combine, all 32 teams in the NFL should be ecstatic about the talent brought to the table. To begin, talking about the combine should not have started without the introduction of Caleb Williams. Williams had some controversy surrounding him, as he elected to not throw or submit medical exams at the combine. In an interview taken after the combine, he stated, “I don’t think I’m not going to be number one. I’ve put in all the hard work. I don’t think of a plan B.” This statement shows that Williams did not feel there was a need to show his talents, as there is film for general managers and scouts to watch, and he felt as though he put all he had into the games he played. He is still confident in his abilities and skills to remain the projected number-one pick.
Other quarterbacks such as JJ Mcarthy, Michael Penix, Bo Nix, Sam Harttman, and Drake Maye. These quarterbacks looked more than capable of playing in the NFL and their throws can attest to that. The quarterback room this year is one of the strongest we have seen in recent memory and there will most likely be multiple franchise quarterbacks drafted in the first round.
On the other hand, the wide receiver position also had some standouts. One of those is Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Worthy made history at the combine with his 40-yard dash time. He ran his 40 in 4.21 seconds. This is a historic record that was previously held by another receiver by the name of John Ross. Worthy increased his draft stock by making this record and teams should not overlook the advantage that that kind of speed can give a team.
Some players’ last names might stick out this year as well such as Luke McCaffrey and Frank Gore Jr. They both stand out and are worth mentioning as his brother Christian McCaffrey also stood out at his combine and Gore’s dad is a likely Hall of Famer. Luke has the unfair expectations that come with relatives who have played the sport. His grandfather was an impressive Olympic sprinter, his uncle won an NCAA national title at Duke, and his father, Ed is a three-time Super Bowl champion. Although it is unfair to judge Luke based on his family’s achievements, expectations will be high for the youngest McCaffrey. Frank Gore, Frank Gore Jr’s dad was an all-time leader for the 49ers and on the team for 10 years. Frank was a little taller than his son and more muscular, but both ran the same, and that’s through people. Looking at this draft it is clear to see that there is a broader jump between this year’s draft compared to any other recent years.
Contact John at john.divuolo@students.shu.edu