Finding Broncos: NFL Combine Athletic Testing Risers & Fallers | QBs, WRs, TEs

The Combine saw several prospects separate and plummet after the on-field athletic testing.

The Denver Broncos are sure to have many takeaways from the NFL Scouting Combine. The Broncos are looking to turn things around and aim to do so by executing another great draft haul. 

While the Broncos have access to the medicals and player interviews, there is a lot to glean from the athletic testing. It started on Thursday with the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. 

Who were the biggest risers and fallers from that group's athletic testing? 

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40-Yard Dash: Risers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Ridder | QB | Cincinnati

With an official 4.52 40-yard dash, Ridder was the top dog at quarterback. He looks fast on tape when he uses his legs, matching the time.

Tyquan Thornton | WR | Baylor

Thornton is a speedy deep threat, and he challenged the record with an unofficial 4.21, but it ended up a 4.28, which is still plenty fast.

Velus Jones Jr | WR | Tennessee

At the Senior Bowl, Jones was one of the fastest players, and with an official 4.31, he showed he has plenty of speed.

Calvin Austin III | WR | Memphis

While Thornton and Jones were the two fastest, Austin was not far behind them with a 4.32 and showed off his playmaking speed on tape.

Sky Moore | WR | Western Michigan

While Moore wasn't one of the fastest with a 4.41, there were some doubts about his long speed, and he showed he still has plenty of it.

Chig Okonkwo | TE | Maryland

In a slow tight end group, Okonkwo ran faster than a good number of receivers with a 4.52. However, his athleticism was never in doubt, but it is good to have official numbers.

Jelani Woods | TE | Virginia

Woods helped himself and should find himself a top-10 tight end that hears his name called pretty early on day three of the draft. 

40-Yard Dash: Fallers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Coan | QB | Notre Dame

Coan came in with a 4.9, and some expected a little bit faster.

David Bell | WR | Purdue

Bell was moving down the order before the combine, and he did nothing to help himself. His 4.65 was below expectations and just part of a terrible day for his draft stock.

Makai Polk | WR | Oregon

Polk is tall and decently built, hoping he would have a good time, but just under 4.6 with a 4.59 wasn't good enough.

Slade Bolden | WR | Alabama

A fast time wasn't expected for Bolden, and a 4.66 is still solid, but his tape suggests somewhere in the 4.5 times, and he ended up being the slowest receiver.

Austin Allen | TE | Nebraska

For tight ends, the time to beat is 4.7, and it was believed Allen would be near that mark. Instead, he came in with a 4.83, well below the standard.

Jake Ferguson | TE | Wisconsin

Ferguson was in the same situation and barely posted faster with a 4.81, and expectations were higher than that. 

Vertical/Broad Jumps: Risers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Ridder | QB | Cincinnati

Ridder was the best quarterback with both jumps as he posted a 36-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump as part of a great day.

E.J. Perry | QB | Brown

Perry wasn't far behind Ridder with how he jumped with a 34.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-3-inch broad jump.

Christian Watson | WR | North Dakota State

Watson jumped out of the building with an 11-foot-4-inch broad jump and put up a remarkable 38.5-inch vertical as well.

Calvin Austin III | WR | Memphis

Austin measured at 5-foot-8 tall and broad jumped 11-foot-3 and a 39-inch vertical. That is ridiculous for his size.

Alec Pierce | WR | Cincinnati

Peirce broke 40 inches with his vertical by getting to 40.5, and his 10-foot-9-inch broad jump was also good.

Isaiah Weston | WR | Northern Iowa

Weston has one of the better days as a jumper with the second-best vertical of 40 inches and tied second-best broad jump at 11-foot-3. 

Vertical/Broad Jumps: Fallers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kaleb Eleby | QB | Western Michigan

With the vertical jump, there wasn't much from Eleby, who barely broke 25 inches, and his broad jump was the second-worst of the group. There was hope he would test a lot better athletically than he did.

Bailey Zappe | QB | Western Kentucky

Zappe was the worst with the broad jump at 9-foot-1 and had the third-worst vertical jump. This isn't a major surprise as he wasn't expected to test well, but this was worse than expected.

Tre Turner | WR | Virginia Tech

While explosion isn't his strong suit, Turner showed a worse explosion in both jumps than you'd think he had when watching his tape.

Reggie Roberson Jr | WR | SMU

Robinson has dealt with multiple knee injuries already, and with his poor explosion testing, one wonders how much those knee injuries affected him.

Wan'Dale Robinson | WR | Kentucky

While Robinson had a fine 34.5-inch vertical, his broad jump of 9-foot-10 was less than expected and doesn't match the tape.

David Bell | WR | Purdue

Not much to say. Bell had a bad day all-around and was near the bottom for both jumps. 

Biggest Risers Overall

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Risers:

Malik Willis | QB | Liberty

While Willis didn't do the athletic testing, he did throw and was easily the most impressive quarterback of the bunch.

Desmond Ridder | QB | Cincinnati

Ridder had a great day with the athletic testing and measurements, but his fieldwork was hit or miss, mainly due to his placement. However, he has the tools that are going to attract multiple teams.

Calvin Austin III | WR | Memphis

Easily one of the biggest winners once the prospects took the field. Austin was consistently at the top for athletic testing and put on a good showing during drills.

Skyy Moore | WR | Western Michigan

Moore likely cemented himself as a top 64 pick in the NFL draft with good measurements, remarkable testing, and good fieldwork. There are plenty of comparisons to Elijah Moore out of Ole Miss last year, who went 34th overall to the New York Jets.

Jelani Woods | TE | Virginia

Woods was viewed as a borderline top-10 tight end before the Combine, but he tested well enough and did enough with the drills to put himself firmly in the top-10 at tight end.

Chig Okonkwo | TE | Maryland

Okonkwo is a raw tight end, and he showed he has the athleticism, but his drill work showed some reasonable foundation in technique, which likely moved him up some boards. 

Biggest Overall Fallers

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Matt Corral | QB | Mississippi

Corral couldn't do anything due to his injury, and it is putting him behind the rest of the other quarterbacks.

Carson Strong | QB | Nevada

Strong didn't do the athletic testing but did some drill work, and while he showed a strong arm, his placement was hit or miss.

David Bell | WR | Michigan State

Bell probably had the worst showing of anyone at the Combine. It was a rough day for Bell, and he has to improve on multiple aspects when his pro day comes around.

Tre Turner | WR | Virginia Tech

Turner was viewed as a Day 3 prospect, but he failed to meet multiple thresholds with his testing. That could drop him to being an undrafted free agent.

Curtis Hodges | TE | Arizona State

Hodges has good size at 6-foot-8, but he is rough around the edges as a blocker and didn't do nearly good enough with the athletic testing.

Cole Turner | TE | Nevada

Turner's tape is good, but he did not match it with any of his testing at the Combine. As a result, there will be some going back over his tape to find the issue.

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