The NFL combine is the first objective look at the 2023 class of rookies and a chance to see what their measurables actually are – not what the university PR department has pushed. Extreme values are always the most interesting but the bottom line to every player isn’t their weight, height, or speed.
It’s all about the yards and scores they generate when facing opposing NFL defenses. But the measurables below will impact where they are drafted and by whom, and that will define their opportunity and situation as a rookie.
Quarterbacks
First Round Prospects |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Bryce Young |
Alabama |
5’10 |
204 |
9.75 |
— |
C.J. Stroud |
Ohio State |
6’3 |
214 |
10 |
— |
Anthony Richardson |
Florida |
6’4 |
244 |
10.5 |
4.43 |
Will Levis |
Kentucky |
6’4 |
229 |
10.63 |
— |
Rest of Class |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Tyson Bagent |
Shepherd |
6’3 |
213 |
9.5 |
4.79 |
Stetson Bennett |
Georgia |
5’11 |
192 |
10 |
4.67 |
Malik Cunningham |
Louisville |
6’0 |
192 |
9.5 |
4.53 |
Max Duggan |
TCU |
6’2 |
207 |
9.88 |
4.52 |
Jake Haener |
Fresno State |
6’0 |
207 |
9.38 |
— |
Jaren Hall |
BYU |
6’0 |
207 |
9.5 |
— |
Hendon Hooker |
Tennessee |
6’3 |
217 |
10.5 |
— |
Tanner McKee |
Stanford |
6’6 |
231 |
9.38 |
— |
Aidan O’Connell |
Purdue |
6’3 |
213 |
9.75 |
— |
Dorian Thompson-Robinson |
UCLA |
6’2 |
203 |
9.88 |
4.56 |
Clayton Tune |
Houston |
6’3 |
220 |
9.38 |
4.64 |
The first four quarterbacks above should all see first-round selections and a near-certainty that they’ll be given appreciable playing time as a rookie. Bryce Young is expected to be the first taken and that could be with the 1.01 pick that is currently held by the Bears but available to anyone if the price is right. He threw a ridiculous 79 touchdowns over the last two seasons in Alabama but he played with a listed height of 6-0. Seems he shrank two inches and he enters the NFL at almost exactly the same size as Kyler Murray.
Many of the prospects declined to run a 40-yard dash but should during the Pro Days at their college. Anthony Richardson enters the draft as a dual threat and his blazing 40-time suggests his success will continue when he is in the NFL. C.J. Stroud totaled 85 touchdown passes in his two seasons for Ohio State as a dangerous pocket passer. Will Levis could show up later in the first round after success in Kentucky as another quarterback with elite measurables as a passer, tough with lesser college stats.
This is considered to be an average to good class of quarterbacks and should produce at least a couple of 2023 starters.
Running Backs
Early Round Prospects |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Bijan Robinson |
Texas |
5’11 |
215 |
9.75 |
4.46 |
Jahmyr Gibbs |
Alabama |
5’9 |
199 |
9.25 |
4.36 |
Zach Charbonnet |
UCLA |
6’0 |
214 |
9.88 |
4.53 |
Kenny McIntosh |
Georgia |
6’0 |
204 |
9 |
4.62 |
Zach Evans |
Mississippi |
5’11 |
202 |
10.25 |
— |
Devon Achane |
Texas A&M |
5’9 |
188 |
8.5 |
4.32 |
Rest of Class |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Israel Abanikanda |
Pittsburgh |
5’10 |
216 |
8.25 |
— |
Tank Bigsby |
Auburn |
6’0 |
210 |
9.5 |
4.56 |
Chase Brown |
Illinois |
5’10 |
209 |
10 |
4.43 |
Travis Dye |
USC |
5’10 |
201 |
9.25 |
— |
Tiyon Evans |
Louisville |
5’10 |
225 |
8.5 |
4.52 |
Eric Gray |
Oklahoma |
5’10 |
207 |
9.75 |
— |
Evan Hull |
Northwestern |
5’11 |
209 |
9.25 |
4.47 |
Mohamed Ibrahim |
Minnesota |
5’8 |
203 |
9 |
— |
Roschon Johnson |
Texas |
6’0 |
219 |
9.63 |
4.58 |
Hunter Luepke |
North Dakota State |
6’1 |
230 |
9.63 |
— |
DeWayne McBride |
UAB |
5’10 |
209 |
9.5 |
— |
Kendre Miller |
TCU |
5’11 |
215 |
9.38 |
— |
Keaton Mitchell |
East Carolina |
5’8 |
179 |
9.25 |
4.37 |
Camerun Peoples |
Appalachian State |
6’1 |
217 |
9.75 |
4.61 |
Deneric Prince |
Tulsa |
6’0 |
216 |
9.25 |
4.41 |
Chris Rodriguez Jr. |
Kentucky |
6’0 |
217 |
8.63 |
— |
Tyjae Spears |
Tulane |
5’10 |
201 |
10 |
— |
Tavion Thomas |
Utah |
6’0 |
237 |
9.25 |
4.74 |
SaRodorick Thompson |
Texas Tech |
6’0 |
207 |
9 |
4.67 |
Sean Tucker |
Syracuse |
5’9 |
207 |
9.5 |
— |
Deuce Vaughn |
Kansas State |
5’5 |
179 |
9.5 |
— |
The devaluing of running backs in the NFL will be apparent in the NFL draft, with Bijan Robinson the only running back that should be a lock for the first round. The ex-Longhorn runner is fast, has prototypical size and elite rushing skills that will net him a starting gig in Week 1. He’ll be highly coveted in fantasy drafts and is expected to go in the first half of the first round, if not Top-10.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a smaller player at 5-9, 199 pounds but was a speedy dynamo for the Crimson Tide last year and brings dual-threat skills that could see him potentially sneak into the end of the first round, but more likely be taken in the second.
This could be another draft with running back quality lasting into Day 3 which means any NFL team can reach them. That handful of rookies with significant production have to land in a great offense with at least a solid shot at a complementary role.
Wide Receivers
Early Round Prospects |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Quentin Johnston |
TCU |
6’3 |
208 |
9.63 |
— |
Jaxon Smith-Njigba |
Ohio State |
6’1 |
196 |
9 |
— |
Jordan Addison |
USC |
5’11 |
173 |
8.75 |
4.49 |
Jalin Hyatt |
Tennessee |
6’0 |
176 |
9 |
4.4 |
Zay Flowers |
Boston College |
5’9 |
182 |
9.25 |
4.42 |
Rashee Rice |
SMU |
6’1 |
204 |
9.5 |
4.51 |
Cedric Tillman |
Tennessee |
6’3 |
213 |
10 |
4.54 |
Kayshon Boutte |
LSU |
5’11 |
195 |
9.5 |
4.5 |
Xavier Hutchinson |
Iowa State |
6’2 |
203 |
9.38 |
4.53 |
Jonathan Mingo |
Mississippi |
6’2 |
220 |
10.38 |
4.46 |
Josh Downs |
North Carolina |
5’9 |
171 |
9.25 |
4.48 |
Rest of Class |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Ronnie Bell |
Michigan |
6’0 |
191 |
9.5 |
4.54 |
Jake Bobo |
UCLA |
6’4 |
206 |
10 |
— |
Jalen Brooks |
South Carolina |
6’1 |
201 |
9.5 |
4.69 |
Jason Brownlee |
Southern Mississippi |
6’2 |
198 |
9.75 |
4.59 |
Jacob Copeland |
Maryland |
5’11 |
201 |
8.63 |
4.42 |
Derius Davis |
TCU |
5’8 |
165 |
8 |
4.36 |
Nathaniel Dell |
Houston |
5’8 |
165 |
8.63 |
4.49 |
Dontay Demus Jr. |
Maryland |
6’3 |
212 |
9.75 |
4.57 |
Demario Douglas |
Liberty |
5’8 |
179 |
8.75 |
4.44 |
Grant DuBose |
Charlotte |
6’2 |
201 |
9.5 |
4.57 |
Bryce Ford-Wheaton |
West Virginia |
6’4 |
221 |
9.38 |
4.38 |
Antoine Green |
North Carolina |
6’2 |
199 |
9 |
4.47 |
Jadon Haselwood |
Arkansas |
6’2 |
215 |
10 |
4.66 |
Malik Heath |
Mississippi |
6’2 |
213 |
9.13 |
4.64 |
Elijah Higgins |
Stanford |
6’3 |
235 |
10.5 |
4.54 |
Andrei Iosivas |
Princeton |
6’3 |
205 |
8.75 |
4.43 |
Kearis Jackson |
Georgia |
5’11 |
196 |
9.38 |
4.55 |
Rakim Jarrett |
Maryland |
6’0 |
192 |
9.38 |
4.44 |
Michael Jefferson |
Louisiana |
6’4 |
199 |
9.63 |
4.56 |
Jaray Jenkins |
LSU |
6’2 |
204 |
10 |
4.6 |
CJ Johnson |
East Carolina |
6’2 |
224 |
10.25 |
— |
Charlie Jones |
Purdue |
5’11 |
175 |
9 |
4.43 |
Malik Knowles |
Kansas State |
6’2 |
196 |
8.75 |
— |
Matt Landers |
Arkansas |
6’4 |
200 |
9.25 |
4.37 |
Marvin Mims |
Oklahoma |
5’11 |
183 |
9 |
4.38 |
Jalen Moreno-Cropper |
Fresno State |
5’11 |
172 |
8.88 |
4.4 |
Puka Nacua |
BYU |
6’2 |
201 |
9.5 |
— |
Joseph Ngata |
Clemson |
6’3 |
217 |
10.25 |
4.54 |
Trey Palmer |
Nebraska |
6’0 |
192 |
9.63 |
4.33 |
A.T. Perry |
Wake Forest |
6’4 |
198 |
9.25 |
4.47 |
Jayden Reed |
Michigan State |
5’11 |
187 |
9.13 |
4.45 |
Tyler Scott |
Cincinnati |
5’10 |
177 |
9 |
4.44 |
Justin Shorter |
Florida |
6’4 |
229 |
10 |
4.55 |
Mitchell Tinsley |
Penn State |
6’0 |
199 |
10 |
4.6 |
Tre Tucker |
Cincinnati |
5’9 |
182 |
8.63 |
4.4 |
Parker Washington |
Penn State |
5’10 |
204 |
10.13 |
— |
Jalen Wayne |
South Alabama |
6’2 |
210 |
9.38 |
4.51 |
Dontayvion Wicks |
Virginia |
6’1 |
206 |
10 |
4.62 |
Michael Wilson |
Stanford |
6’2 |
213 |
9.75 |
4.58 |
The two measurables that are most valued with wideouts are height (without losing speed) and 40-times. While there are many 6-2 wideouts, there are plenty of solid prospects that are not relying on just standing tall over the middle. And there will be fantasy value produced from this group this year, but it will be the combination of their talent and measurables plus the situation and quarterback that they are paired with on their new team.
Both Quentin Johnston (TCU) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) are expected to be first-round picks. Johnston is the consensus best wideout in the draft. Jordan Addison, and Zay Flowers are also expected to be Day 1 picks by a receiver-needy team. There’s still time for receivers to jockey for better draft slots and all it takes is one team interested.
There should be up to ten wide receivers taken in the first two rounds and each will carry expectations of contributing as a rookie. There are plenty of candidates to sift through and Pro Days will also help to sort out which ones will deserve fantasy attention this season.
Tight Ends
Early Round Prospects |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Michael Mayer |
Notre Dame |
6’5 |
249 |
9.5 |
4.70 |
Dalton Kincaid |
Utah |
6’4 |
246 |
10.25 |
— |
Luke Musgrave |
Oregon State |
6’6 |
253 |
10.38 |
4.61 |
Darnell Washington |
Georgia |
6’7 |
264 |
11 |
4.64 |
Sam LaPorta |
Iowa |
6’3 |
245 |
10.25 |
4.59 |
Rest of Class |
School |
HT |
WT |
Hand |
40-yard |
Davis Allen |
Clemson |
6’6 |
245 |
10 |
4.84 |
Payne Durham |
Purdue |
6’6 |
253 |
9.75 |
4.87 |
Noah Gindorff |
North Dakota State |
6’6 |
263 |
10 |
— |
Tucker Kraft |
South Dakota State |
6’5 |
254 |
10 |
4.69 |
Zack Kuntz |
Old Dominion |
6’7 |
255 |
10.25 |
4.55 |
Cameron Latu |
Alabama |
6’4 |
242 |
9.5 |
— |
Will Mallory |
Miami |
6’5 |
239 |
9.38 |
4.54 |
Kyle Patterson |
Air Force |
6’5 |
260 |
9.25 |
— |
Luke Schoonmaker |
Michigan |
6’5 |
251 |
9 |
4.63 |
Brenton Strange |
Penn State |
6’4 |
253 |
9.63 |
4.70 |
Leonard Taylor |
Cincinnati |
6’5 |
250 |
10.13 |
— |
Travis Vokolek |
Nebraska |
6’6 |
259 |
9.5 |
— |
Blake Whiteheart |
Wake Forest |
6’4 |
247 |
8.75 |
4.7 |
Josh Whyle |
Cincinnati |
6’7 |
248 |
9.5 |
4.69 |
Brayden Willis |
Oklahoma |
6’4 |
241 |
9.75 |
— |
Historically, rookie tights do not carry enough reliability to merit any fantasy start, but one or two may emerge as a weekly option later in the season. Michael Mayer is the consensus best tight end but that’s as much as being a receiver as a blocker. Any tight end with sub-4.8 40-time has the wheels to be a receiver that tacks on yardage. Darnell Washington is not only the tallest at 6-7, but ran a 4.64 as the heaviest tight end (264 pounds).
The first tight end should be Mayer and while there’s a small chance that he’s taken at the end of the first round, he’s more likely to lead the five top tight ends that will be taken on Day 2.