NFL Combine Player Spotlight

DJ Harding –

With Friday in the books and two days left at the NFL Combine, there are a lot of players to highlight and perform during workouts these past few days.

I personally got to ask Demario Douglas questions during his press conference. The Liberty Wide Receiver spoke on how excited and how much it meant to be in Madden (The Football Video Game) next year and when I asked him about what his overall should be he said “89 overall with 97 speed” Douglas will be working out on Saturday at 1pm.

Brayden Willis a Tight End from Oklahoma University was another athlete who had a press conference in which I spoke to him about what tight ends he watches he mentioned Mark Andrews and George Kittle and said “You can’t be a Tight End and not watch Travis Kelce” Willis will also be working out Saturday at 1pm

The workouts that have taken place over the last two days have seen some notable performances.

DJ Turner II the Defensive Back from Michigan is believed to improve his draft stock on the day with the fastest 40 yard dash to this point with a 4.26 which is tied for 5th all time with Dri Archer (2014), Tariq Woolen (2022), and Jerome Mathis (2005). Turner also had the best 10 yard split with 1.47 seconds.

Deonte Banks also had a showing off his athleticism with a 4.35 second 40-yard dash along with a 42-inch vertical, which are both 3rd best by far. He would place 2nd to this point in the broad jump with 11’4 inches. Even though there’s more to the combine than athletics, Banks probably climbed some boards.

Nolan Smith had a Thursday to remember as the Edge Rusher out of Georgia became the heaviest player (238 lbs) to run a sub 4.40 40 yard dash with a 4.39 and have over a 40 inch vertical with 41.5 inches.

Calijah Kancey, a defensive tackle out of Pittsburg, would make a little history himself when his 4.67 40-yard dash would become the fastest 40-yard dash by a defensive tackle since 2003.

Coverage continues tomorrow with the Running Backs and Offensive Lineman having press conferences in the morning, and the quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, Tight End will work out at 1pm.