Hello everyone and welcome to the latest installment of this TWSN NFL Combine series. After covering the defensive players for the first couple of days, we can now finally dive into the players that will be relevant in fantasy leagues. The quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends were all tested yesterday and there were some huge surprises.

An important thing to keep in mind though is nothing is more important than these players’ performance on the actual field. Nonetheless, the combine is still great for showing us the actual measurements of these players and the hard work they have put in throughout the offseason. With that, here are some of my 2023 NFL Combine biggest winners and losers. 

 

2023 NFL Combine Winners

Bryce Young – Quarterback – Alabama

This list of NFL Combine winners and losers is all relative to the expectations we had coming in. Bryce Young, measuring in at 5’10 ⅛” and weighing 204 pounds should be looked at as a victory. While it may not matter on the actual NFL field, anything less than 5’10” or 200 pounds would have been disastrous for his fantasy value. 

It is all about perception at the NFL Combine, and Bryce Young’s measurements were just enough not to warrant serious concern. It should be noted that Bryce Young likely packed on weight for the combine and isn’t at an actual 200 pound playing weight yet. 

While he may be closer to 185-190 pounds naturally at the moment, no fantasy analysts know how his body will develop in the NFL. He remains a large outlier though, as very few historically have been productive quarterbacks at his size.

Anthony Richardson – Quarterback – Florida

Anthony Richardson stole the show at the 2023 NFL Combine and was the clear star of the day. We knew Anthony Richardson was going to be impressive, but he managed to exceed even those high expectations. A 6’4” 244 pound player simply shouldn’t be able to run a 4.44 40-yard dash.

That is exactly what he did though, and he was impressive in the rest of his testing too. In the throwing drills, he made a couple of “wow” throws that solidified his day as the big winner. However, Richardson also missed some throws, showing that he will need to continue developing as a passer.

His athletic measurables have analysts drawing comparisons to Cam Newton, and he obviously has the highest fantasy ceiling of any quarterback in the 2023 draft class. Nonetheless, there are still significant concerns about his passing ability that shouldn’t be ignored. Let draft capital guide your decision here, and if he’s a top 10 pick, he will have an argument being the 1.02 in superflex rookie drafts. 

 

Will Levis – Quarterback – Kentucky

While a lot of the analysis in this article is centered around the athletic testing of these players, Will Levis impressed with a number of great throws instead. He showed outstanding touch and ball placement on some deep throws in the early afternoon yesterday. There were some of those “wow” plays that show why many have him as a projected top 10 pick.

After the athletic freak show that Anthony Richardson put on yesterday, Levis is likely the QB4 in this rookie class. Regardless, he showed out yesterday at the NFL Combine and is one of the more charismatic players in this year’s draft class. His floor is very low, but his arm and athletic measurables give him a top 15 quarterback ceiling in fantasy leagues. 

Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Wide Receiver – Ohio State

By doing less, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was doing more at the NFL combine. Nearly every other receiver projected to go in the first round either hurt, or at the very least didn’t help their draft stock. After much speculation, Smith-Njigba elected not to run the 40-yard dash.

He competed in most of the other drills, though, suggesting he likely knew he wasn’t going to test fast. This was a smart play, and it might have solidified him as the WR1 in the 2023 draft class. His shuttle was one of the best in recent memory, and he was very impressive in the receiver drills, particularly in the gauntlet.

This is a weak class at receiver, but his production in his first two seasons playing alongside Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave is hard to ignore. There are concerns about his straight line speed and ability to play on the outside. However, there are a number of flaws with most of the receiver prospects in this class. He’ll certainly be a first round pick and likely a top five player in dynasty rookie drafts.

 

Luke Musgrave – Tight End – Oregon State

Luke Musgrave is arguably the most athletic tight end in this class and was very impressive at the NFL Combine this past Saturday. He measured over 6’5” tall, weighed 254 pounds, and still ran a 4.61 40-yard dash. This time was actually slightly disappointing as many expected him to come in the 4.55 range. 

Most importantly, his knee checked out medically after being limited to just two games in his final season at Oregon State. His athletic measurables alone will assure he garners plenty of interest in the NFL draft and could go in the first round. For fantasy purposes, he has one of the highest ceilings in the class with his receiving ability.

 

Darnell Washington – Tight End – Georgia

Washington is the player giving Musgrave a run for his money as the most athletic tight end in the class. He is an absolute freak, standing 6’6” and weighing over 264 pounds. Washington was equally impressive in his drills as well, running a 4.64 40-yard dash, and he recorded the second-highest shuttle time of any receiver or tight end. 

Adjusting for size, these numbers were absolutely off the charts, and he should hear his name called early on draft day. He was also one of the best blocking tight ends in the nation last year too, which should get him on the field early. While production in college was modest, he took a big step forward as a junior. Washington will certainly be someone I’m targeting in the late second round of rookie drafts. 

 

2023 NFL Combine Losers

Jordan Addison – Wide Receiver – USC

Jordan Addison’s play was always going to speak for itself, but he certainly didn’t help himself at the NFL Combine yesterday. He measured in at 5’10” and weighed in at 174 pounds. Neither of these was surprising as his most common player comparison is Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver, DeVonta Smith. 

Like Smith, Addison didn’t run a particularly fast 40-yard dash yesterday, with a 4.49 official time. While this is still very fast, it isn’t particularly great for a player his size, as you’d like to see someone with his frame show more speed.

Nonetheless, his skills are undeniable, as he has been one of the best receivers in college football over the last two years. He is still my WR2 in the 2023 draft class too, behind Smith-Njigba, and an argument could certainly be made to have him as the WR1. While the NFL is becoming more accommodating to smaller receivers, I would still be more comfortable with other players with the first few picks of a rookie draft. 

 

Nathaniel “Tank” Dell – Wide Receiver – Houston

After an outstanding Senior Bowl, Nathaniel Dell had one of the more disappointing NFL Combines of the day. We knew he was going to be extremely small and he officially measured in at 5’8” and 165 pounds. What sunk his day though was his 40-yard dash time, like most of the receivers yesterday.

A 4.50 for a player his size is very disappointing and will likely significantly lower his draft stock. After many thinking he could be a second round NFL draft pick come April, this performance could see him fall back into day three. 

As a result, his stock in fantasy football drafts should lower quite a bit as well. His size and speed combo make him too big of an outlier to take before the late third round. He will still be an intriguing target there though, as his skill on a football field is obvious.

 

Jalin Hyatt – Wide Receiver – Tennessee

If I had a mini-loser section, Jalin Hyatt would belong in that category. His overall athletic scores would be outstanding for almost any other receiver, with an 11’3” broad jump and 40” vertical. However, after some people speculated he would run the 40-yard dash in the 4.2 range, he also didn’t live up to expectations. 

A 4.41 was still one of the best at the NFL Combine for a receiver, but it wasn’t what many were expecting coming into today. Hyatt still has a great chance of seeing his name called in the first round come draft day, and is one of the best wide receivers in the class. He’s my early WR7 in my dynasty fantasy football rookie rankings.

 

Kayshon Boutte – Wide Receiver – Louisiana State

Kayshon Boutte was another one of the biggest losers at the 2023 NFL Combine. We knew he wasn’t going to be one of the best athletic testers, but he failed to meet even those lower expectations. Boutte’s vertical was in the second percentile among receivers, and his broad jump was in the 32nd percentile. 

His 4.50 40-yard dash time wasn’t impressive either, as he certainly didn’t improve his draft stock. Boutte could have used a boost as well, coming off a disappointing junior season at LSU. He was terrific as a rookie at LSU, though, which should keep him as an early day two pick.