Whew… THAT was a heck of a Combine, Flockers.
On one hand, I’ve come away feeling significantly better about the upside of some of these position groups (“there are plenty of fish in the sea!”) On the other hand, some of our combine crushes may have priced themselves out, and I’m dreading the idea that they may be “the ones that got away.” Ok, enough fish chatter. Let’s talk about how the landscape has changed now that we can look at it all in retrospect.
I’m going to start with the bad news to get it out of the way: Derek Arnold touched on it in yesterday’s Out to Lunch piece, but the prospect of Sauce Gardner being available at pick #14 is dwindling rapidly.
Sauce Gardner 4.41 official 💨💨
CB1? 👀
pic.twitter.com/EjaD6ZZyBo— PFF (@PFF) March 6, 2022
Could a CB be the top overall player in this Draft? It’s possible. That’s the word on Sauce , who interviewed incredibly well all week. https://t.co/C6ZUTY0xbv
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) March 6, 2022
Sauce’s metrics and college resume have come together to make him a top-10 staple in mock drafts from now until April 28th. NFL’s Next Gen Stats currently has him listed as the top CB available in the class. Despite it all, I was holding out hope of a future for us. But the moment I knew Sauce wasn’t meant to be was when he arrived at the combine like this.
Just when I thought I had Sauce Gardner rated high enough, he showed up to his Combine workout with a massive “Sauce” diamond chain 📈📈📈 pic.twitter.com/vbscy1JIVf
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 6, 2022
I mean… how does anyone live up to that??
A great philosopher of our time, Gucci Mane, once said, “If you ain’t got no sauce, then you lost. But you can also get lost in the sauce.” I fear that I may have been lost in the sauce, friends. I can cope with the heartbreak; I think it’ll just take some time.
Fear not, though, as the rest of the corner group graded out pretty well in terms of metrics. Sauce’s 40 time didn’t even crack the top 10 in the position group.
Baylor's Kalon Barnes set the combine record for DBs with a 4.23 40-yard dash 💨 pic.twitter.com/FrGBIvfpUx
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 7, 2022
Don’t get me wrong, CB definitely feels like a two-horse race between Gardner and Derek Stingley, Jr, but there’s value in prospects like Trent McDuffie and Andrew Booth. There’s also buzz circulating that Stingley’s recovery from Lisfranc surgery might scare some teams off.
Just talked to a scout who said he wouldn’t be surprised if Derek Stingley dropped “closer to 20” due to injury concerns and lack of “impact play” last two years.
Just something to file away.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 6, 2022
I’m with Kevin Oestreicher on this one. Sign me up.
If I'm the Ravens and either one of Derek Stingley Jr. or Sauce Gardner is available at No. 14, I'm running the card up without hesitation
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) March 6, 2022
Derek Stingley Jr. vs Ja’Marr Chase 🔐 pic.twitter.com/7Wx8uvrSqH
— PFF (@PFF) March 6, 2022
Elsewhere in the defensive secondary, if you were like me and hoped that Maryland safety Nick Cross was going to fly under the radar and fall into our open arms…
Fastest Safety
Fastest Tight End @TerpsFootball speed!! pic.twitter.com/Z5ckE0Lqvs— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) March 7, 2022
Nick… come on, man. You couldn’t have taken the foot off the gas just a little bit? Based on Cross’ performance, he’s going to be worth a serious look with one of Baltimore’s picks on day 2, but he’s likely improved his draft stock to earlier on day 2 rather than later.
Onto what might be the deepest position group in this draft class, and one that I’d view like the Bachelor: someone is getting that rose and coming to Baltimore.
Draft a pass rusher this year.
If you need one, draft two. If you think you’re set, still take one.
Deepest group I’ve ever evaluated
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) March 6, 2022
The current apple of my eye, as some of you know, is Michigan EDGE David Ojabo, who absolutely showed out during the combine. Not only would drafting Ojabo mean a reunion with DC Mike McDonald, of whom Ojabo has spoken very highly, but it would also mean becoming a bookend opposite his high-school teammate, Odafe Oweh.
You ever look at someone and just know it’s the right fit?
Combine workout for @DavidOjabo 🇳🇬#NFLCombine #NFLAfrica #NextIsHere #Naija pic.twitter.com/mkA7clrm89
— NFL Africa (@NFLAfrica) March 6, 2022
Who will be the third edge defender taken in the 2022 NFL Draft?
It could be Michigan's David Ojabo or Georgia's Travon Walker, who both rank among @MoveTheSticks' top 20 prospects.
Both Ojabo (4.55o) & Walker (4.51o) hit key speed thresholds in the 40-yd dash. pic.twitter.com/DrVDYFimat
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 6, 2022
Unfortunately, as you can see, the Ravens aren’t alone in their feelings for Ojabo, and there has been speculation that Philadelphia could pursue him by trading up if they felt it was necessary.
Loudest #Eagles whispers so far are trading up to make sure they get David Ojabo and #Texans S Justin Reid in free agency which is the type of player that fits their MO
— John McMullen (@JFMcMullen) March 7, 2022
Look, Philly, I know that we’re all looking for our happiness in life, but YOU BACK OFF, HE’S OURS!
Sorry. Matters of the heart can be sensitive.
Finally, have you ever had that person in your life that you were convinced just wouldn’t work with you? You’ve thought about it, and you said to yourself, “We’d both be happier if we weren’t together.” But something keeps pulling you back. They tug at your heart strings when you think about what could be.
In this draft class, that person for me is Jordan Davis.
This is the last thing you see before you die pic.twitter.com/KgtI55WsvF
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) March 5, 2022
I know, I’ve heard it all before, interior D-lineman aren’t worth spending an early pick on, but COME ON.
Georgia DI Jordan Davis at the NFL Scouting Combine (w/ pos percentile historically)
6'6" (98th percentile)
341 (97th)
34 arm (80th)
10.75 hand (86th)
4.78 (94th)
1.68 (86th)
32 vertical (77th)
10'3" broad (98th)freak.
— Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) March 6, 2022
Pictured in that last photo is Jordan Davis running away with my heart.
