5 Winners from Day 3 of the NFL Combine
The on-field performances at the NFL Combine continued on Saturday.
After the defensive linemen and linebackers took the field on Thursday as well as the defensive backs and tight ends on Friday, the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers took the field on Saturday. Here is a look at four winners from the third day of the combine. All measurements were found via NFL.com.
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
J.J. McCarthy has seen his draft stock rise a lot since the conclusion of the college football season, but there was still one item that worried many folks prior to the NFL Combine: his size. McCarthy was listed between 200-205 pounds throughout his playing days at Michigan, thus causing some to wonder if he would be able to hold up at the NFL level.
Many of those questions can diminish after the combine, though. McCarthy not only performed well on the field with a number of very good throws, but he weighed in at 219 pounds. Any concerns with durability due to his size should go by the wayside.
QB Michael Penix, Washington
Michael Penix is a very talented passer with a strong arm and an ability to spread the ball all over the field. Because of this, he has long been in consideration for a first-round pick. However, he has a long injury history throughout his collegiate career which could have caused some concerns for NFL teams.
Penix suffered season-ending injuries in every season from 2018-2021, including a pair of ACL tears and two shoulder injuries. However, those concerns should be far less after the combine in which he passed every medical test.
RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
In a running back class that doesn’t have a clear RB1 right now, the combine was a great opportunity for some of the mid-tier prospects to rise up the board and approach that top group. Isaac Guerendo spent his first four seasons as a backup with the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring to Louisville in 2023 and putting together 810 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs.
Guerendo proved to have one of the more diverse athletic profiles at the combine this weekend. He paced the position in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.33 seconds, had the second-longest broad jump at 10′ 9″, and the highest vertical at 41.5″. He did all this while measuring in at an even 6 feet tall and 221 pounds.
WR Brian Thomas, LSU
Brian Thomas is a very intriguing receiver with incredible length and size at 6’3″ and 209 pounds. That alone makes Thomas a mismatch for many cornerbacks regardless of the level of play, but his 40-yard dash of 4.33 seconds (second-fastest among all WRs) along with a 10-yard split of 1.5 seconds (third-fastest among WRs) means he also has elite speed and explosion.
Thomas tied for the most touchdowns in the entire FBS on passes of 20+ yards (12), per PFF, and it’s no surprise that he’s considered among the top of this year’s WR class after his performance on Saturday afternoon.
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
The wide receiver class in 2024 is absolutely loaded, meaning it was always going to be hard to make headway towards the top of group without a strong showing at the combine.
Well, Xavier Worthy put in a historic performance by breaking the record for the 40-yard dash, clocking a truly ridiculous time of 4.21 seconds. He was one of two players in the class (joining CB Nate Wiggins) to get under the 4.3 threshold. He also leapt 41 inches in the vertical, showing off some elite explosion. Size could limit Worthy to being a slot receiver in the NFL, but it’s been confirmed that he has historic speed heading into the NFL.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus and Sports Reference CFB.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.