In years past, the NFL Scouting Combine lacked rhyme or reason when it came to which position groups were assigned to particular days. The league finally came to its senses and fixed the issue forthright in 2023. Day 3 featured the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends from this year’s incoming rookie crop. It also meant that the Sunday grand finale would feature running backs and offensive linemen. The weekend should feature the most scrutinized positions in fantasy football.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles 
2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Day 3 Recap
Quarterbacks
The consensus top four QBs in the class each brought forth some new information about their draft pedigree. Bryce Young opted to forgo his physical testing until the Alabama pro day but measured at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds. The savvy scrambling marksman is definitely smaller than his cohorts but also has the best set of translating skills to the next level.
CJ Stroud did not run the 40-yard dash, but the 6-foot-3, 214-pound pocket passer effortlessly rained dart after accurate dart upon the WR group.
Will Levis vowed to show off his “cannon” of a throwing arm but was predictably erratic in throwing drills and only displayed average athleticism in the vertical and broad jumps.
The headliner at QB was clearly Florida’s Anthony Richardson. He measured an Adonis-like 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds and set every single station ablaze with his remarkable athleticism. It started with a 10-foot 9-inch broad jump, a record for QBs at the Combine. Then he shattered the QB vertical jump record with a 40.5-inch leap. Richardson’s huge frame did not hinder him in the slightest running the 40; the young Gator singed the turf with an official time of 4.43 seconds. After a successful round of throwing drills, Richardson sealed his memorable day with a backflip.
Wide Receivers
The WR group was a mixed bag when it came to the on-field workouts. Players like Kayshon Boutte from LSU probably should have opted to sit out until their pro day. Boutte was ill-prepared and fell well below expectations in every metric.
On the brighter side, there were some pleasant surprises at WR who helped their draft stock considerably. Nebraska’s Trey Palmer ran the fastest 40 on the day with a blistering time of 4.30 seconds.
The size-adjusted award for athleticism at WR goes to Shrine Bowl attendee Bryce Ford-Wheaton from West Virginia. The 6-foot-4, 221-pound monster of a receiver clocked in with an impressive 4.38 in the 40, along with a 41-inch vertical jump. He reminds me of a more-polished Christian Watson at this stage.
Among the top four WRs on most draft boards, only two ran the 40. Both Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison ran their 40s in under 4.5 seconds and looked incredibly polished in route-running drills.
Quentin Johnston from TCU showed his incredible leaping ability with a 40.5-inch vertical, but was also an explosive force in receiver drills.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba also passed on running the 40, instead recording elite times in the 3-Cone and 20-yard shuttle. The Buckeye technician also took our breath away running routes and flashing great hands.
Tight Ends
The tight end group wrapped up the day in style. All of the most coveted in this group was plenty athletic during testing. Consensus top TE Michael Mayer from Notre Dame ran a 4.70 in the 40 and held serve with above-average jumps. He is a savvy route runner with vice-grip hands.
Miami’s Will Mallory and Old Dominion’s Zach Kuntz showed off their speed to press the seam with 40 times in the 4.5 range. Kuntz also somehow sprung his 6-foot-7 frame into a 40-inch vertical jump.
At just a hair under 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds, the most impressive TE performance on Day 3 goes to Darnell Washington from Georgia. He was overshadowed by all-world TE Brock Bowers in 2022, but today was his day to shine. Washington was moving on his 4.64-second 40 and set the top mark in the 20-yard shuttle among TEs. The best blocker in this group put a cherry on top in receiving drills with a one-handed leaping grab on the sideline where it looked like he harpooned the ball out of the air.
Beyond our fantasy football content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – which optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football draft season.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
