Highlights of 2018 Combine Weigh-ins: QBs and WRs

March 1, 2018

No great surprises at the weigh-in session for QBs earlier today. Southern Cal’s Sam Darnold did measure in at 6-3.5, about a half an inch shorter than listed in the USC program; however, that’s not considered to be a problem. Better news for Darnold is the fact that his hands measured in at close to 9.5” which is well within acceptable parameters. There had been some whispers that Darnold had rather small hands which had led to some of his fumbling issues in college. Meanwhile, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Darnold’s main competition for the top grade among the QBs, helped himself today; Rosen was thought to be a little lean, but he weighed in at a solid 226 with the frame to add more weight; Rosen also has almost 10” hands, the gold standard for QB prospects. In fact, Wyoming’s Josh Allen only QB this year with more than 10” hands, while J.T. Barrett and Kyle Lauletta were close. On the other hand, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph disappointed with barely 9“ hands, although at 6-4.5 and 234 pounds, he has plenty of size otherwise.

Updated combine results

Maybe a little bit more news from the WR weigh-in. For starters, a number of this year’s top receiver prospects, including Calvin Ridley, aren’t real big. Ridley, for example, measured in at only 6-0.5 and 189 pounds; Ridley also checked in with 9” inch hands and 76-inch catch radius, both of which are somewhat average figures. NFL types also had to be a little disappointed with the numbers for Christian Kirk of Texas A&M who measured in at only 5-10.5, while he had the smallest catch radius of any WR in Indianapolis; Kirk, though, has decent hand size at almost 10”. Same story for Southern Cal’s Deontay Burnett who measured in at 5-11.5, 186, with small hands (8.5”) and catch radius (74.5”). Colorado State’s Michael Gallup also disappointed with a catch radius of only (73.5”) and smallish hands (9.25”), although he has decent size at 6-1, 205. Meanwhile, it was a bit of a mixed bag for Deon Cain of Clemson who registered one of the better catch radii (79.5”) among the WRs, but also had some of the smaller hands (8.5”).

On the other hand, teams looking for some at receiver could find it in rising Florida State WR Auden Tate who measured in at almost 6-5 and 228 pounds and with a 79-inch catch radius. Notre Dame’s Equanimeous St. Brown and SMU’s Courtland Sutton also passed the eyeball test today. St. Brown measured in at 6-4.5, 214 with an almost 79” catch radius and just under 10” hands. For his part, Sutton checked in at 6-3.3 and 218 pounds with a similar 79” catch radius and almost 10” hands. Maybe the best story among the receivers though was unheralded New Mexico State WR Jaleel Scott who registered in at 6-4.5 and 218 pounds, as well as massive 81-inch catch radius and 10-inch hands plus. Other big receivers of note today include Marcel Ateman of Oklahoma State (6-4.5, 216; 78.5 catch radius) and South Dakota State’s Jake Weineke (6-4, 221; 10” hands; 79” catch radius).

Other WRs who helped themselves today include D.J. Chark of LSU and Oregon’s Darren Carrington, a couple of 200-pounders with nice length. And maybe the receiver who helped himself the most today was UCLA’s Jordan Lasley, Josh Rosen’s favorite big-play threat who averaged over 18 yards per catch this year, who measured in at a solid 6-1, 203 today with 9.5” hands and a 78” catch radius.