NFL Draft prospects are now through the college all-star games and combine, meaning that pro days, private workouts and meetings are all that is left before commissioner Roger Goodell calls the first name from a stage in Kansas City on April 27. Before moving on to what remains for draft prospects in the coming months, CBSSports.com takes a look back on the biggest overall winners and losers from the past week in Indianapolis.
Winners
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
Adebawore would have been the most impressive performer at the combine had it not been for Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. At 282 pounds, Adebawore ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds after vertically jumping 37.5 inches and broad jumping 10-feet, 5-inches. For comparison, his 40-yard dash time matched that of Houston wide receiver Tank Dell, who weighed 117 pounds lighter than Adebawore. The Florida native also put 225 pounds up 27 times on the bench press. Teams will need to have a plan in place for his size, but he checked a lot of boxes athletically.
Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
It is unclear if Campbell's numbers came in late or they just got overlooked, because he did not receive deserved buzz as his combine performance was happening. At 6-foot-5, 249 pounds, the linebacker ran the third fastest 3-cone drill (6.74 seconds) among all combine participants and the 13th fastest among linebackers since 2005. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds with a 1.59 seconds split. In the vertical jump, he tested 37.5 inches and also leapt 10-feet-8-inches in the broad jump.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
With Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon sidelined due to an injury, Gonzalez made the most of his opportunity to assert himself as the draft's top cornerback, and that could equate to a top-10 selection. Gonzalez ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds. He jumped out of the gym with 41.5 inch vertical and an 11-feet-1-inch broad.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Richardson measured 6-foot-4, 244 pounds and then proceeded to test in the 99th percentile. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds with a 1.53 seconds 10-yard split. The Gainesville native also jumped 40.5 inches vertically and 10-feet, 9-inches broadly. Coming into the NFL Combine, the narrative surrounding Richardson is that he is a terrific athlete with ample space to grow as a passer. There was no simulated rush, but Richardson presented himself nicely during the throwing portion of the event as well.
Nolan Smith, EDGE/LB, Georgia
Smith is an undersized edge rusher who wins with speed and quickness, so he needed to test well in those metrics. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds with a 1.52 seconds split. The Georgia native also jumped 41.5 inches vertically and 10-feet-8-inches broadly. Teams will need a more specific plan to allow him to reach his full potential, but he can be really effective.
Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
When watching Van Ness on film, he is a young player who is winning with power and an unrefined pass rush plan. His performance in Indianapolis really offered some insight into his capabilities as an athlete. The 6-foot-5, 272 pound edge rusher ran a 4.58 seconds 40-yard dash with a 1.64 seconds split. His 7.02 seconds 3-cone drill was the eighth fastest among all defenders.
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Washington played second fiddle to Brock Bowers in Athens but the spotlight was on him in Indianapolis. The tight end, who measured 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds with a 1.57 seconds split. His 20-yard shuttle of 4.08 seconds was particularly impressive. It is a deep tight end class but Washington has differentiated himself a bit. He was considered more of the blocking tight end for the Bulldogs, but the Las Vegas native looked comfortable contorting his body making catches.
Losers
Andre Carter II, EDGE, Army
Carter has been pitched as a long edge rusher capable of winning with his quickness and athleticism until he adds mass and learns how to turn speed to power. However, the service academy prospect did not stand out from an athletic standpoint. He had a 30 inch vertical jump and a 9-feet-1-inch broad jump. Meanwhile, others from his position group rose to the occasion.
Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame
The 2023 safety class is relatively weak and Joseph did not stand out. The Northwestern transfer posted a pedestrian 4.62 seconds 40-yard dash. He had a 30.5 inch vertical jump and a 9-feet-10-inch broad jump. Joseph tested a bit better in agility drills but delivered an overall underwhelming performance.
Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia
For modern day running backs, the NFL outlook not kind to those who have run the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds or slower, as McIntosh did. There are plenty of role players among that group, but it offers grim prospects of becoming a starter. Many other running backs used the combine to improve their stock, but McIntosh now needs to put up a strong performance at his pro day.
Jaquelin Roy, DL, LSU
At 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, Roy ran the 3-cone drill in 8.01 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 5.0 seconds. Those are concerning numbers for a player who is not going to be asked to play a traditional nose tackle role and eat blockers and space. He did show good strength racking 30 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press, but did not fare as well in other testing.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Young won the weight room measurement but did no testing. That is not to say that his performance, or lack thereof, hurt him, but the performances of Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson should have helped them. It is too soon to tell whether that will cost Young his place in the pecking order but it certainly did not help. For what it's worth, he is still the top quarterback prospect on my personal board.