The wide receivers have wrapped up their on-field work at the 2016 NFL Combine, and the buzz is that it was a fairly slow group during the 40-yard dash. Will Fuller led the way, running a 4.32 40, and finishing ninth in the broad jump. Mississippi State wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson had one of the worst performances in recent memory, struggling in the various drills. He ran a 4.85 40, and finished near the bottom in both the vertical and broad jumps. These are not exactly skill-specific drills, but performances that bad will not sit well with scouts.
Analysts are calling this one of the slower wide receiver classes recently, with Adam Schefter reporting that this is the slowest wide receiver class in the last 11 years. Generally speaking, analysts are not fans of the group as a whole. Of course, one wide receiver who has had plenty of debate about what he can do in the NFL got a nice little plug via an anonymous scout.
Talked to a WRs coach on his way back from the workouts. On Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell: "He's a lot like Dez Bryant."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 27, 2016
I think we'll probably need to wait and see before we start calling Treadwell Dez Bryant. Not running the 40 probably did not go over well with a lot of folks, but given how poor some of the times were, it might just make sense for him to work up to his Pro Day. When asked about not running earlier this week, Treadwell had this to say:
Well I just didn't have enough time ... well I had enough time to prepare, but I was training at one facility. I switched facilities in the mid-training process, just wasn't getting the work I needed to run my best time. Now I'm just getting comfortable at the new spot and learning my techniques. I figured if I have enough time to work on it I'll get the time I want.
Ole Miss has their Pro Day on March 28, so that should be plenty of time for him to get things figured out.
40-yard dash
1. Will Fuller, Notre Dame - 4.32
2. Kolby Listenbee, TCU - 4.35
3. Trevor Davis, California - 4.42
4. Ricardo Louis, Auburn - 4.43
5. Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia - 4.45
5. Charone Peake, Clemson - 4.45
7. Cody Core, Ole Miss - 4.47
7. Jordan Payton, UCLA - 4.47
9. Marquez North, Tennessee - 4.48
9. Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma - 4.48
Vertical jump
1. Josh Doctson, TCU - 41"
1. Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma - 41"
3. Corey Soleman, Baylor - 40.5"
4. Trevor Davis, California - 38.5"
5. Ricardo Louis, Auburn - 38"
6. Jalin Marshall, Ohio State - 37.5"
7. Chris Moore, Cincinnati - 37"
8. Keyarris Garrett, Tulsa - 36.5"
9. Devon Cajuste, Stanford - 36"
9. Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia - 36"
Broad jump
1. Ricardo Louis, Auburn - 11'
2. Josh Doctson, TCU - 10'11"
3. Chris Moore, Cincinnati - 10'10"
4. Corey Coleman, Baylor - 10'9"
4. Kolby Listenbee, TCU - 10'9"
4. Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia - 10'9"
7. Keyarris Garrett, Tulsa - 10'8"
8. Geronimo Allison, Illinois - 10'7"
9. Will Fuller, Notre Dame - 10'6"
9. Michael Thomas, Ohio State - 10'6"