NFL Combine Buzz 2.0: Positional switches and small hands

Thursday might have been the best day to spend at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The offensive line and running backs took their turn at the podium. Meanwhile, quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends got their official measurements and took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for athletic testing and individual drills.

Moves were made on big boards throughout the NFL landscape. KSR was on the scene to take it all in. Here is what we saw and heard after another day at one of the craziest events in sports.

Kenny Pickett has tiny mitts

Everyone loves to talk about quarterbacks. On Wednesday, the talk was about how there was no clear leader behind center. Thursday was all about the small hands of Kenny Pickett.

The super senior quarterback out of Pittsburgh is fresh off a brilliant season where he led the Panthers to an ACC title while averaging 8.7 yards per attempt on 38.2 throws per game with some strong advanced numbers.

• 9.7 adjusted yards per attempt
• 51.5% passing success rate
• 46.5% first down/touchdown rate
• 21.3% explosive pass rate
• 9% PBU/interception rate

Pickett appears to be many scouts’ top quarterback prospect, but the measurements weren’t great.

Picket had solid size (6-3, 217), but people are freaking out regarding his 8.5 inch hands. The baseline for most teams is nine inches, and now his 20-plus fumbles in college make more sense. Pickett played with gloves during his time at Pitt, and teams will have ball security worries in cold weather climates.

With Pittsburgh and Washington among the teams that are in the market for a quarterback, that is concerning and could give the current QB1 some major variance as the draft approaches.

Positional versatility for Big Blue Wall

Luke Fortner and Darian Kinnard started next to each other at right guard and right tackle during the 2019-20 season. However, some positional changes could help each find a new home in the NFL.

Fortner moved to center as a super senior in 2021 and turned into an All-SEC performer. The position switch has caught the eye of NFL personnel folks and could make the former three-star prospect a fourth-round pick in April.

Kinnard has started games at Kentucky since his true freshman season in 2018 and was a consensus All-American at right tackle in 2021. However, the former top-250 recruit had some pass protection issues at the Senior Bowl and seems best suited at guard in a gap scheme offense at the next level. However, the good outweighs the bad as Kinnard should hear his name called in the second round.

Finding players that can play multiple roles in the No. 1 goal for any offensive line. The Big Blue Wall has two versatile pieces that are about to get paid due to their ability to play multiple spots in the trenches.

Athletic scores can move players up and down the board

The interviews are fun in Indianapolis, but the real action happens when the draft prospects take the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium. As the players go through the athletic gauntlet with runs, jumps, and short sprints, movement up and down the draft boards.

We saw that play out on Wednesday evening.

Virginia tight end Jelani Woods had just one season of major production after transferring from Oklahoma State, but the prospect has size (6-7, 259), speed (4.61 forty-yard dash), and power (tight end best 24 bench press reps). Expect his stock to rise after the combine. Woods had a big season in Virginia’s pass-heavy attack with some in-line blocking ability that can be used in NFL offenses.

Jelani Woods led all TEs in the bench press with 24 reps.

Now he just ran a 4.61u. Keep your eyes peeled for this @UVAFootball TE.

📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/aylmuPPy4H

— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2022

At wide receiver, dudes went nuts on Friday night. Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton nearly broke an NFL Combine record in the 40-yard dash (4.28) and Tennessee receiver Velus Jones Jr. came in at 4.31 after recording 62 receptions with a 20 percent explosive rate in his one season in Josh Heupel’s super spread scheme at Tennessee. Meanwhile, Wan’Dale Robinson recorded a very good time (4.44), and that should give him a good chance to get into the second round.

Meanwhile, Kevin Austin (Notre Dame), Calvin Austin III (Memphis), Alec Pierce (Cincinnati), and Christian Watson (North Dakota State) all had huge days as underrated prospects. Meanwhile, David Bell (Purdue) struggled as big boards can get shaken up moving forward.

Expect some more surprises throughout the weekend as the athletic testing runs through Sunday.