NFL Combine Winners and Losers

The 2023 NFL combine is now behind us and the full ramp-up to the draft is now in a full sprint. After the league's annual cattle call in Indianapolis, certain things came into clear focus. The top quarterbacks performed well, the cornerbacks were blazing fast and some outstanding college football players turned in shockingly bad workouts. It was quite the weekend.

Here's our look at the winners and losers from the 2023 combine.

Winners

Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia

I mean, wow. Nolan Smith measured in at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, then went absolutely wild. He posted an incredible 4.44 40-yard dash, in which his 1.52 10-yard split was the fastest ever for an edge rusher at the combine. If that wasn't enough, the former top recruit posted a 41.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-8 broad jump. Despite a lack of overall production at Georgia, Smith proved himself to be an insane athlete and might have punched his ticket to the first round.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Richardson exploded at the combine. He measured in a hair above 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds with 10.5-inch hands. Then he ran the 40 in 4.43 seconds. He's big and fast. He also set a modern record for quarterbacks with a 40.5-inch vertical leap. He also had a 10-foot-9 broad jump that is the best mark for a QB since 2003. On top of that, he added a solid throwing session in which he displayed easy arm strength.

Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

Banks displayed good size at 6-feet and 197 pounds, then turned in an incredible workout. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, added to it with a 42-inch vertical and 11-foot-4 broad jump. Everyone expected speed from the Maryland corner this weekend, but his all-around athleticism could see him sneaking into the back of the first round.

Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

Scott had a great workout to elevate himself on draft boards. While he measured in at 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, the Cincinnati product put his next level athleticism on display. He ran a 4.44 40-yard dash, broke out a 39.5-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-1 broad jump.

DJ Turner, CB, Michigan

Turner was absolutely flying during the 40-yard dash, clocking a 4.26, one of the fastest times in history. At 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds, he's a little undersized, but his workout displayed top-level athleticism that could help make up for it. He added a 38.5-inch vertical, and a 10-foot-11 broad jump. He certainly jumped up on scouts' radars with that performance.

Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois

Martin's 44-inch vertical was the best at the combine this year and a 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds he also ran a 4.46 40 with a smoking fast 1.47 10-yard split. His 11-foot-1 broad jump was icing on the cake. Martin is explosive on film and his workout reinforced that.

Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

Freeland made himself some money on Sunday, leading the way for the offensive linemen in the vertical (37 inches), and broad jumps (10-foot), and he was third in the 40-yard dash (4.98). As a reminder, he measured in at 6-foot-8 and 302 pounds. That's some crazy athleticism for a guy that big. While NFL teams will want him to add weight to his frame, Freeland is a prototypical tackle.

Losers

Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

This one was pretty obvious. When you're perceived as the top player on most draft boards and a warrant is issued for your arrest mid-combine it's a rough look. Carter already wasn't going to workout at the combine and was instead going to focus on Georgia's pro day. But when you show up to the event solely to do the press conference and they can't do that because you were allegedly involved in a fatal car accident and never told anyone, that's a pretty bad day at the office. Carter flew back to Georgia, was charged with two misdemeanors then returned to the combine for what I'm sure was a few awkward conversations. A player ticketed for the top five now could see his stock in free fall.

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Much was expected of Mayer's workout and it didn't live up to the hype. The Notre Dame tight end was solid, nothing more. He measured in just above 6-foot-4 and 249 pounds, but ran a 4.7 40. His 32.5-inch vertical was below what was expected, as was his 9-foot-10 broad jump. Mayer's film is great, so that may carry him. But his combine workout wasn't great.

Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah

Phillips (no relation) measured in at 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, much smaller than he plays. With that lack of size he needed to show big-time athleticism. That didn't really happen. He turned in a 4.51-second 40, a 33-inch vertical jump and a 4.32-second 20-yard shuttle. His 18 bench press reps were solid for a cornerback but the rest was disappointing from a player whose film I really like.

Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

Boutte really struggled in testing when he probably needed a huge performance to boost his stock. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he ran a 4.5 40, turned in a 29-inch vertical and a 9-foot-10 broad jump. All his numbers were pedestrian at best, while other guys soared past him.

Jarrett Patterson, OL, Notre Dame

Patterson had a forgettable workout, turning in results near the bottom of the offensive line group. At 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds, he displayed very little in the way of explosive athleticism. He ran a 5.33-second 40 with a glacial 1.82-second 10-yard split. His vertical leap of 29.5 inches wasn't great, neither was his 8-foot-10 broad jump. His 3-cone drill (7.96 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.73 seconds) were also not great.