Ten Biggest Winners From NFL Combine
The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and several players earned massive paydays following dominant performances in Indianapolis.
Hopefully, the Arizona Cardinals took note of several of these players and added them to their 2024 NFL Draft boards and significantly bumped them in their rankings.
Here, we take a look at the ten players who stood out the most at the Combine, some of whom the Cardinals should be paying attention to for the rest of the draft cycle and others who were just impossible to ignore.
Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback, Washington
Penix Jr. gets flack for his injury history and for being a left-handed quarterback, but his performance at the Combine silenced many of his critics.
Although Penix Jr. didn't compete in any events like the 40-yard dash, he was airing the ball out and looked as great a thrower as anyone else in Indianapolis. Penix Jr. effortlessly pushed the ball down the field with plenty of zip and tight spirals that had media analysts ogling over his performance.
Penix Jr.'s strong weekend passing the ball should have caught the eyes of everybody and will hopefully seal his status as a first-round draft choice.
Isaac Guerendo, Running Back, Louisville
The running back competition feels wide open this year and Guerendo just put a bid in for himself as one of the top candidates for RB1.
Guerendo ranked 1st among 2024 Combine running backs for athleticism score (estimate) for Next Gen Stats, including a 4.33 40-time, a 41.5" vertical, a 10'9" broad jump, and good agility drills. Guerendo was an absolute specimen and one of the most fun players to watch in Indy.
After his performance, Guerendo may have worked his way into the top 100 picks.
Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver, Texas
Worthy ran an unofficial 4.25 40-time on his first attempt, a nuclear time in of itself. Many believed he should've called it after that run and used it for his time, but he decided to go again and it paid off.
4.21 -- an NFL Scouting Combine record.
That time took a player who was hovering around mid-to-late day two status and launched him into first-round conversation.
That's about as good as it gets for being a winner.
Joe Alt Jr., Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
Alt Jr. came into the Combine as OT1 for what felt like 90% of the media and teams (to our knowledge).
He left Indianapolis as the consensus OT1.
Alt Jr.'s measurables alone confirmed his status as a top prospect at 6'9" and 321lbs, but then he ran a 5.05 40-time with an absurd 1.73 10-yard split. Add in a 9'4" broad jump and 27 reps on the bench and you got yourself a player who could be the number one pick in drafts that didn't feature some amazing quarterback prospects.
Amarius Mims, Offensive Tackle, Georgia
We knew that Mims was an absolute behemoth before the Combine, so his measurements at 6'8" and 340lbs to go along with 36 1/8" arms and 11 1/4" hands were anything but surprising.
But Mims tested well athletically to prove he's more than just a big man.
A 5.07 40-time and a 1.78 10-yard split should sell teams on his athleticism to go with the big body. Mims could very well have earned himself a spot as a top-20 selection.
Braden Fiske, Interior Defensive Line, Florida State
Fiske wasn't a household name heading into the Combine, but he turned plenty of heads after a strong outing.
Among 2024 Combine Defensive Tackles, Next Gen Stats ranked Fiske's Athleticism Score (estimate) 1st, his Production Score 3rd, and his Total Score 3rd. It won't get much better than that.
With a 4.78 40-time, 33.5" vertical, and 26 bench reps, Fiske got himself a fat payday.
Dallas Turner, Edge Rusher, Alabama
Turner is officially EDGE1 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Bama product was highly productive in three years in Tuscaloosa and proved in Indy that he has dynamic athleticism to match. A ridiculous 4.46 40-time kicked off a Combine that was arguably the best of any individual player had.
In a draft class that is so front-loaded with offensive talent that the defensive guys get overlooked, Turner put that to an end. Offensive guys may still dominate the top-10 picks, but Turner may have secured a spot in the top-10.
Chop Robinson, Edge Rusher, Penn State
Robinson also had a strong Combine performance that has perhaps got him back into the first round with his status consistently going up and down.
While Robinson didn't have the greatest production in the world at Penn State, what he did have was a 4.48 40-time, a 1.54 10-yard split, a 34.5" vertical, and an impressive 10'8" broad jump. Those athletic traits ranked third amongst edge rushers per Nex Gen Stats.
Payton Wilson, Linebacker, NC State
It's a wide-open competition for who the top linebacker is in the 2024 NFL Draft, but Payton Wilson continues to make a strong case for himself.
Wilson ran a blazing 4.43 40-time at 6'4 233lbs and had a strong showing as a whole in Indy. Wilson had terrific production with the Wolf Pack, including a Bednarik Award in 2023, but the athleticism he put on display strengthened his chances to be the first linebacker off the board.
Quinyon Mitchell, Cornerback, Toledo
The rise Mitchell has seen the last few months has been fun to see, but his Combine may have sealed the deal for him to be one of the first three cornerbacks off the board come draft day.
Mitchell posted a blazing 4.33 40-time, a 38" vertical, a 10'2" broad jump, and tossed 20 reps on the bench press. At 6'0" and 195lbs, it was a dominant performance in just about every drill.
Terrion Arnold had a great day for Alabama, but he was becoming the consensus CB1 before Indy. For Mitchell, he is locking up CB3 at worst, and CB2 for me.
