Welcome to the Vendetta 2020 NFL Scouting Combine notes. Buckle up, we have a big one coming. It’s a LOADED wide receiver draft. We’re going to dive into lochness monster. It’s one of the most talented groups of receivers to ever come out. You will find studs in the 4th and 5th round. It’s similar to last year. Here we go. Let’s dive into wide receiver notes from the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
*Side Note: This is the most difficult combine article I’ve ever written. There’s 800 receivers here and half of them look the same. Good luck seperating these guys from one another. There are SOOOOO many of them. I got a headache from this one.
*No Van Jefferson in this one. Broken foot. I don’t care. He was so good at the Senior Bowl I know what I’m getting. Scratch that, it’s a good thing he didn’t work out. We don’t need him climbing up the boards any further. This is a star.
*KJ Hamler benched 15 reps but no on field work. Tee Higgins didn’t workout either.
Tight End
I put out my tight end post. Chase Claypool would have been my number one tight end. Claypool played wide receiver at Notre Dame, but I’ve said multiple times this is a tight end. It looks like teams agree with me. There’s a lot of buzz he’s going to be a tight end. Having said that, Claypool is a HUGE winner. 6-foot-4, 238, running a 4.42. It was probably the most impressive time of the day. Match up nightmare.
Claypool is TE one for me. He was flawless in the gauntlet. Imagine running this guy at tight end up the seam? 40.5 inch vert is crazy. This guy might be a real game changer.
A lot of people are going to throw Juwan Johnson into this category. I think it’s totally fair. I thought his 40 time of 4.58 was good for him. I was worried he would have a disastrous time. Really big dude with strong hands. When he becomes a tight end, someone will get a steal. I also think he can stick at receiver.
Top Of The Class
Good luck separating Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb. This is what the combine is supposed to try to do. Now, they aren’t similar in terms of skill sets.
Jerry Jeudy will kill you with route running. 4.45 speed is about what we saw in college. Nobody can cover him. I think you’re looking at a rich man version of Calvin Ridley. Guys who are this dominant with route running and adequate speed don’t fail.
Then you have CeeDee Lamb. I change my mind on this every day. The more I think about it, the more I think Lamb is WR 1. This is what DeAndre Hopkins looks like. Not uber fast but he changes the whole game. Brilliant with the ball in his hands. High points it at an elite level. Oklahoma would have been screwed without this guy. I think you’re looking at the type of receiver that changes outcomes. Maybe not high end Julio but I think Lamb is special. He does things that blow you away.
I think after today, you have to put Justin Jefferson in this class. I don’t want to compare him to these guys but Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham just put on clinics during drills. Jefferson did the exact same thing. Flawless. Catches everything, great speed, and explosive. Check out his gauntlet. It’s perfect. He exploded on slant routes. 4.43 speed is a great time. I thought his explosion was off the charts. Jefferson looked as good as anyone at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
Burners
Jalen Reagor was much slower than the buzz that he was going to run. Wasn’t impressed at all. Track guy that doesn’t run like a track guy and won’t bring much else to the table? EHH.
Henry Ruggs III ran a 4.27. Then he got hurt and didn’t perform on the field. It was flashes of John Ross who did the same thing. Now, I think Ruggs is a much better player. Still super disappointing to not see him run routes.
Slot Guys
Devin Duvernay put on a good showing. Duvernay was a big HS recruit and a former track star. More importantly, I think he is really quick in and out of breaks. I don’t love Duvernay, but I like him.
Contested Catch
To me, Brandon Aiyuk just reminds me of N’Keal Harry. Everybody tells me how he is this great deep ball guy. I didn’t see him separate at an elite level. For a guy who people are claiming is a round one guy, he didn’t blow me away. He’s got a great wingspan but his speed was just ok at 4.50. He looks like Harry to me. 40 inch vert is solid. Again, I think he can win with the ball in the air. Separating is still king.
Michael Pittman was great in the gauntlet. His dad is the former Cardinals running back. He’s so physical and wins dep balls. I thought he moved very well. Really controlled and has quality speed with
Same with Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Michigan product jumped out of the gym with a vert of 44.5, 11-7 broad, 4.48 speed. Bad quarterback play hurt him.
SLOW
Quintez Cephus is a big body physical receiver. I’m not sure a 4.73 is cutting it. 23 bench press reps shows he’s a hard worker and can get after it.
Jauan Jennings wasn’t much different. Only difference is I know he’s not nearly as strong. Slow 40 time.
Texas A&M
Quartney Davis had a good day. Straight down the line in the gauntlet catching things. I did see him with a drop in another drill. I can’t believe Kendrick Rogers declared. WTF. Health is his problem. Didn’t show enough on tape. I think Rogers has talent but he’s not refined enough yet. He does have great size and can move well with his frame.
Ohio State
Good luck trying to figure out the difference between Ben Victor and KJ Hill. Add in Austin Mack to the group. All 3 ran a 4.60. Seriously, not a joke. All of them. They all sort of blend in to me when watching the Buckeyes.
Other Notes
I don’t know what to do with Gabriel Davis. He converted a ton of deep balls at UCF. A 4.54 is more than fine but maybe not the burner I thought he was. How many receivers are in this draft? I have a headache.
Denzel Mims had a great day. Height, weight, speed demon. Nothing we didn’t know already. 4.39 is probably maybe better than I anticipated.
Omar Bayless not the fastest guy but really looked under control and smooth. Caught the balls thrown his way.
Laviska Shenault did little to impress me. I tried to tell everybody he wasn’t fast. 4.58 isn’t that fast. Limited route running, gadget player. You think this dude is Deebo? GTFO.
Don’t ask me to break down Antonio Gandy-Golden. No idea what he is. No idea if he’s good or bad.
Vendetta Top 10 Wide Receiver Rankings
1: CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma)
2: Jerry Jeudy (Alabama)
3: Van Jefferson (Florida)
4: Justin Jefferson (LSU)
5: Henry Ruggs III (Alabama)
6: Tee Higgins (Clemson)
7: KJ Hamler (Penn State)
8: Donovan Peoples-Jones (Michigan)
9: Michael Pittman (USC)
10: Devin Duvernay (Texas)
*I know I missed some guys. Who the hell put this on at night instead of the morning like the way it used to be? I’m going to bed. If there is someone I missed that you want me to add, comment, reply, or something. 3 more days.
