2023 NFL Scouting Combine stock up/stock down, Day 2: Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez shines

The always athletic Banks was expected to put on a show at the mill, and he did not disappoint. His 4.35 second dash for 40 yards, 42 inches vertical and 11 feet 4 wide was impressive, with him weighing 197 pounds. The former Terp was adept at transition drills despite his robust build, and he caught just about anything that came his way, including high-precision passes downfield when given the chance. Banks’ length isn’t elite – 31 3/8 inches in arms and 77 1/8 inches in wingspan – but he’s in contention for a spot in the top 50.

At 6-1 3/8 and 197 pounds, Gonzalez has proven his athleticism 4.38 40, 41 1/2 inches vertical and 11 feet 1 long jump. He is of average height (arms 32 inches), but his fluid movement during positional exercises separated him from the pack. Gonzalez snatched passes from the air, backed off effectively, and completed every drill without issue. Except for one stumble on the crossing and one early fall, everything seemed easy for one of the best defenders in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Hill planted his flag in Indianapolis as the likely pick on Day 2 with an outstanding 4.43 40 (1.5 second split at 10 yards). Safety jumps of 5–10 and 193 pounds didn’t blow off the charts (35 1/2 inches vertical, 10 ft 3 long jumps), but his on-field work stood out. The former Pitt star made some impressive shots, shots from a high point and far out of his frame to intercept passes as he headed for the sideline. Although he would not be confused with a corner due to his tight hips, Hill moved well enough on the open field to show teams that he could be an effective zone cover in the covered area.

I went with Martin here, but I could easily go with his Illinois teammate Sidney Brown, who clocked 4.47 40, 40 1/2″ vertical and 10’10 wide at 5-10 3/4 and 211 pounds. . Martin had an impressive day breaking 44 inches in the vertical jump and 11 feet 1 in the long jump, running 4.46 40 with a scalding 1.47 10-yard split. The versatile defender has demonstrated this athleticism in training as well, demonstrating straight-line explosive power and strong rebound. His hips and transitions were among the best in the safety group, and he proved why Illinois has trusted him in turn, safety and nickels throughout his career.

Turner flew Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium, clocking 4.26 40 — the fastest time in two days of combine — with a perfect 1.47 10-yard lead. The 5ft 11in angular weighed just 178lbs, but his timing is outstanding no matter the weight. His jumping also illustrated this explosive speed (38 1/2 inches vertically, 10 feet 11 long jumps). He has not taken part in training on the pitch, but teams should be familiar with his motor skills by watching his record.

Forbes weighed only 166 pounds (with small arms for an 8 1/2-inch position) despite being over 6 feet tall. This is very little for a professional defender. Forbes recorded a 40-pound result in 4.35 seconds, but Banks ran the same time at 197 pounds. On Friday, Forbes also faced difficulties in transition training. He showed a natural ability to catch the ball, which is not surprising given his 14 career interceptions (with an FBS-record six points).

Joseph was an All-American in 2020 at the Northwest but made just 30 tackles and intercepted only one pass last season as a transfer from Notre Dame. I found his combined performance to be lacking, as he ran 40 seconds at 202 lbs and had boring jump results (30 1/2 inches vertical, 9’10 long jumps). His 30 7/8-inch hands were unimpressive and field work was unexciting. It looked slow in transition and was not very liquid in its drops. Joseph missed the opportunity to back up his case for being selected from the first 100 picks in the draft.

Phillips measured just 5ft 9in on a combine with 29 1/8″ arms. Due to his size, it was difficult for the team to select him in the top 50. He looked faster than fast on the exercises, which is a good thing because he ran 40 pounds in an average of 4.51 seconds with a weight of 184 pounds. Phillips has smooth hips to transition easily, but he couldn’t cover a lot of ground during practice and occasionally lost his balance while swinging. He has demonstrated ball handling skills that helped him intercept six passes last season, but it’s hard to predict an early pick in the Day 2 draft based on his physical attributes.

Ringo’s size and physical shape are his calling cards, as indicated by his height of 6’1 ​​3/4″ and his weight of 207 pounds. But his hand (31 1/4 inches) and hand size (8 1/2) weren’t ideal for an angler who would need to drown out receivers in the line of scrimmage. Ringo’s explosive power didn’t show up in the jumps (33 1/2 inches vertical, 10 feet 2 wide), but he did a good 40 times (4.36 seconds). His work in training on the field was adequate. He showed ball skills and at times went down quickly, but his fluidity was not exceptional when falling into space.

NFL coaches should love Witherspoon’s competitiveness and quick feet. He is a first round talent. However, its overall dimensions (5’11 1/2, 181 lbs, arms 31 1/4″, wingspan 73 5/8″) didn’t scream for a top ten pick. A hamstring problem prevented him from training at Indianapolis, where he could showcase his short court speed and ball handling skills. I think he’s going to need an elite pro performance if he’s going to be in the top 10 like Denzel Ward and not in the middle of the 1st round like Trent McDuffie, who came out 21st with the Chiefs last year.