2023 NFL Scouting Combine

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NFL.com's prospects whose stock rose at Combine

Mar 07, 2023 at 05:55 AM

Giants.com

It's been an eventful week as over 300 of the top draft prospects from across the country, along with representatives from all 32 teams, ascended to Indianapolis for the 2023 NFL Combine.

While some players chose not to participate in all of the athleticism tests, many did take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium and impressed scouts with their performances.

From several players breaking the Combine record at their respective position in the 40-yard dash, to others wowing with their explosiveness in the broad and vertical jumps, it really was an eye-opening week.

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter released his list of players whose draft stock rose due to their performance at the Combine.

Here are Reuter's top performers from Indy.

Day 4 - OL/RB

Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

"Chase Brown ran even faster than his brother, Sydney, a safety prospect who did quite well on Friday night with the combine defensive back group. Chase's 4.43-second 40-yard dash exceeded my expectations. He led all combine running backs with his 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-7 broad jump. Brown was solid during on-field drills, making cuts and catching passes with more fluidity than some of his fellow combine RBs. He's not going to break a lot of ankles in the NFL but I believe he displayed the speed and just enough shiftiness to be picked on Day 2 of the draft."

Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

"Freeland is still filling out his 6-7 7/8, 302-pound frame. He literally jumped into the spotlight by recording a 37-inch vertical jump, the best mark for a combine offensive lineman since at least 2003. He also posted a 10-foot broad jump, ran a 4.98-second 40 with an excellent 1.68-second 10-yard split and recorded a nice 7.46-second three-cone time. Freeland's work in on-field drills was a bit uneven, with his agility shining through at times but his narrow base causing issues when he was asked to cover ground in pass protection drills. He does not look like a top-50 pick to me, but the athleticism he showed off on Sunday should land him a spot later on Day 2 of the draft."

Jon Gaines II, G, UCLA

"Gaines' athleticism stood out during his Bruins career, mostly from the right guard spot but he took snaps at the four other positions on the offensive line, too. The 6-foot-4 lineman has good length for the guard position (33 5/8-inch arm). His 1.73-second 10-yard split, 5.01-second 40, 32 1/2-inch vertical and 9-foot-6 broad jump at 303 pounds matched up with what he showed on film. Gaines led all of this year's combine offensive linemen with a 7.31-second three-cone drill and 4.45-second 20-yard shuttle. He moved as fluidly as any lineman, with a low center of gravity that should entice NFL O-line coaches looking for interior blockers."

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

"Gibbs weighed in at 199 pounds, which is satisfactory for the type of rushing/receiving role he's projected to play in the NFL. His 4.36-second 40 confirmed his straight-line speed, and his fluid movement during position drills was impressive. Gibbs caught nearly every pass thrown his way, showing the flexibility and footwork to quickly turn upfield. He couldn't quite bring in one deep throw but got another chance and took advantage. I believe he completed the task of locking up the RB2 spot in this year's draft, behind Texas' Bijan Robinson."

Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

"Jones surprised on Sunday by measuring 6-foot-5 3/8 despite being listed at 6-4 on the Georgia football website. He weighed in at 311 pounds, ran the fastest 40-yard dash among this year's combine offensive linemen (4.97 seconds) and posted solid results in the jumps (30 inches in the vertical, 9-foot broad jump). Also, he met NFL left tackle standards with his other measurements (34 3/4-inch arm, 10 5/8-inch hand, 82 3/4-inch wingspan). On the field, he popped out of a three-point stance and showed plenty of mobility. Teams should like his combine performance and the nasty attitude he displayed playing left tackle for the reigning national champions."