Tag: scouting combine

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) drops back to pass against the Iowa State Cyclones in the first quarter during the Pop Tarts bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Miami QB Cam Ward not taking field at combine, will throw March 24

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INDIANAPOLIS — Top-ranked quarterback Cam Ward came to the NFL Scouting Combine to interview with teams but will not participate in on-field workouts with the position group on Saturday.

Ward could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and met with the Tennessee Titans this week. Tennessee has the first overall pick but general manager Mike Borgonzi said the franchise is interested in trading the selection to accumulate draft picks in the top 100.

“Whether I go first round or second round, at the end of the day, that draft pick doesn’t mean nothing,” Ward said. “It’s all about establishing yourself once you get the opportunity.”

Ward plans to throw for scouts at the Miami pro day on March 24.

Ward threw an NCAA-record 158 touchdown passes. He had a total of 18,184 yards in five seasons at three different schools. He started his career at FCS program Incarnate Word (2020-21), transferred to Washington State (2022-23), then headed to Miami (2024).

“It’s a positive that he has that grit and determination to prove other people wrong,” Borgonzi said. “Every place he was at, he performed at a high level — that’s something you certainly take into account when you see someone that plays with that chip on their shoulder.”

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is another contender to be the top quarterback selected in the 2025 draft. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, he threw 37 touchdowns and completed 74 percent of his passes. He also won’t throw for scouts and coaches in Indianapolis this weekend.

Ward, 22, said he had nothing to gain taking the field at the Scouting Combine. His five seasons of production in college tell teams everything they need to know about him as a player, he said.

“The tape says everything,” he said. “I think just what separates me from everybody is the way I approach it, the mindset I have going onto the field each and every game.”

Ward said he watched multiple Titans games last season and found the route concepts and general framework of the offense to be so familiar that he believes he’s a “plug and play” fit for Tennessee.

“They’ve got unbelievable players. So I just hope that God puts me, you know, in the situation,” Ward said.

Sanders, 23, made two college stops and won big at Jackson State and Colorado playing for his dad, Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. He said NFL teams know he was a driving force in turnarounds at both college programs and should not hesitate to invest in him to do the same at the next level.

“I’ve done it over and over and over, so it should be no question why an NFL franchise should pick me,” he said Friday.

Overall, Sanders was 36-15 as a starter — 13-12 at Colorado — with 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He said he respects all of the quarterbacks in this draft class but views himself as the best option, even if NFL teams see it differently.

“The number where you (are picked in the draft) don’t matter,” Sanders said. “I reference Tom Brady, because he is the best of the best in all categories. He ain’t go first. So, the number you get picked don’t matter. I wasn’t the top-rated quarterback coming out of high school, because there are a lot of things that people will like and don’t like about me. I’m realistic, and I’m realistic about my family and everything that people say that comes with it.”

–Field Level Media

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) runs a drill during practice on the University of Texas campus in Austin, Dec. 27, 2024 ahead of the second round playoff game against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on the New Years Day.

Ex-Texas WR Isaiah Bond targets 40 record: ‘Might run a 4.1’

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INDIANAPOLIS — Isaiah Bond is ready to run down records and fly past another former Texas Longhorns wide receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Bond said Friday morning at the Indianapolis Convention Center he is ready to make headlines when wide receiver workouts begin across the street at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

“I’m going to break the record tomorrow, for sure,” Bond said. “I anticipate running 4.20 or possibly, if I’m feeling great, I might run a 4.1.”

The standing mark of 4.21 seconds was set last year by Kansas City Chiefs first-round pick Xavier Worthy, another Texas wide receiver.

Bond, 20, transferred to Texas before the 2024 season after starting his college career at Alabama. His track background long has been evident on the field, but his hands aren’t always as reliable as Worthy’s. In 2024, he caught 34 passes for 540 yards with five touchdowns and touched 22 mph on a 51-yard TD catch against Texas-San Antonio. Two of his five touchdowns last season came against UTSA.

“I’ve been running my whole life,” Bond said. “I’ve been one of the fastest my whole life so I’m going to go out there and when practice meets preparation, greatness is achieved. So I’m just going to trust my training and put on a show.”

Bond was a track star and high school All-American wide receiver in Georgia. He won the Georgia 6A 100-meter (10.51) and 200-meter (21.19) state titles as a junior and has personal bests of 10.48 (100 meters) and 21.05 (200 meters).

Bond started 12 games and played in 27 at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide with 48 receptions for 668 yards in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn looks on Philadelphia Eaglesduring the second half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Dan Quinn plans to expand Commanders’ contender culture

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INDIANAPOLIS — More than half of the 53-man roster in Washington is eligible for free agency, which makes maintaining the team’s identity a top priority for second-year head coach Dan Quinn.

“Culture is how we get down every day: that’s the identity of our team, our behaviors, our habits,” Quinn said. “I wanted to make sure that type of identity and team, we could do that, but it had to be through the team. Because you put something on the wall, doesn’t mean that’s who you are. It’s how you live and how you get down. The play style. The identity.”

Quinn led a 10-win turnaround of the Commanders, who played in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991. Along with general manager Adam Peters, the charge this offseason is vastly different than it was a year ago. Quinn’s purpose is largely the same this week.

“At the very front of the line, man, are we looking for the competitive spirit in a player,” Quinn said. “Guys who absolutely love ball. They’re willing to show that connection with their teammates. Some of that shows up in meetings like it does here — leadership, tell me some examples.”

No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels and the rookie class helped turn “hope into belief” in the second half of the 2024 season, when Quinn saw his team begin to peak. He credits Daniels with not being a rookie but a leader chasing constant improvement. He said Daniels will have specific areas of improvement the team wants to work on, but Quinn said he knows the quarterback carries a “never arrived” mentality to being a pro.

Washington stepped out of rebuilding mode and into contention in the NFC East, closing as runner-up to the Philadelphia Eagles in the division and conference. Given the noted success in roster-building, Philadelphia isn’t likely to fade in the race in 2025.

Quinn is determined to continue elevating the Commanders by leaning on the same principles that guided the first steps in 2024.

“We had a helluva draft class. We’re looking forward to following up on that this year,” Quinn said. “Especially now that we know who we are even more clearly. Our rookies played real time and had significant roles for us last season. We counted on them as teammates not as rookies.”

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL scouts during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A to Z guide to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine

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INDIANAPOLIS – TV cameras and plastic neckwear media nametags are plentiful around Lucas Oil Stadium already as the Indianapolis Convention Center transitions into ground zero for the NFL Scouting Combine.

Prized prospects go through a series of tests on and off the field to measure their NFL stock.

But the biggest news of the week develops away from the lights and cameras.

You might venture into a chance encounter with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at St. Elmo Steakhouse after dark or see a collection of assistant coaches inside Steak N Shake on the wrong side of midnight.

There are multiple planes for every team to land in the next two months as priority swings between free agency and draft targets.

Every agent in the business representing 329 draft prospects and soon-to-be NFL free agents a few weeks from paydays are in town. Some coaches have opted to stay home recently, but all 32 NFL teams are heavily represented with scouts, assistant coaches and front office personnel.

Indy transforms into a football information superspeedway that sets the stage for marquee headlines in free agency all the way through Green Bay and the 2025 draft in April.

Here’s our A-to-Z guide of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, which kicks off Tuesday:

A: Abdul Carter.
The Penn State pass rusher should be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. He’s elite at a marquee position and gambling on high-risk quarterbacks is better left to the Browns and Raiders.

B: Big bucks.
Using a rough projection of $275 million for the 2025 salary cap, there are four teams rolling into Indiana with $75 million or more to spend when the light goes green on free agency in just over two weeks. The Patriots lead the NFL with $123 million and the Raiders ($92.6 million) and Commanders ($79.5 million) need not shake the couch cushions to sign a marquee free agent or three.

C: Champions Sports Bar & Grill.
Forget the 3.7 stars on Open Table, this is a 10-star setup during Combine week because of the proximity to convention center skywalk entrances and exits and the nearby accommodations utilized by NFL club personnel and prospects. Pull up a seat around 9 p.m. It’s more than Jerry Jones’ personal bus at the curb.

D: Defensive line.
This is the draft to have a hole to fill on the D-line, which we expand to include “pass rushers” or edge defenders. If 15 total defensive end, defensive tackle or edge players came off the board in the first round it would not be a surprise.

E: Elmo’s.
St. Elmo is the Indy institution at the heart of a walkable downtown with options for every appetite. I can tell you from experience it’s feasible to find Jon Gruden at Hooters, John Fox at Steak N Shake or stumble into a rapt agent-front office conversation at Bee Coffee Roasters — Honey Bee Latte for the win. No, really. But there’s nothing like grazing prime cuts of meat, the flammable shrimp cocktail starter and perusing the gangster-era décor to find tables full of prospects, NFL brass and a Who’s Who of football on your periphery at St. Elmo. Reservation recommended.

F: Free agency.
No pens hit paper this week but the framework of contracts are on the table. Some free agents and players facing a decision on their current contract status will be in town, others are content to wait for their agents to offer guidance.

G: Garrett, Myles.
Perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Myles Garrett wants a trade, mostly because he’s sick and tired of losing in Cleveland. He’s the biggest potential trade chip on the market, easily exceeding the No. 1 overall pick held by the Titans in a draft pool without a prevailing consensus top prospect. But only if the Browns actually put him on the trade market.

Recency offers a reasonable comp for the level of nonsense it would take to trade Garrett, but in another sport. Luka Doncic being unloaded by the Dallas Mavericks while at the top of his game and the face of the franchise offers a close parallel. Garrett is a Yellow Jacket Guy without a doubt, a foundational player no matter where he plays next season. It would be overwhelmingly irresponsible to trade Garrett unless GM Andrew Berry takes offers built around multiple players and picks.

H: Hunter the Heisman.
Is he a cornerback? Wide receiver? Can he keep up the dual-position stardom as a 100-snap-per-game All-American and Heisman Trophy winner at Colorado? We won’t know the answer anytime soon. Travis Hunter did commit to being primarily listed as a defensive back this week. That’s insignificant in the grand scheme other than his personal schedule of media sessions and workout times with that position group. No matter the position decision, Hunter is the most talented prospect in the 2025 draft because of an instant burst and maybe the most consistent — arguably best — hands in traffic in a decade.

I: Interior linemen.
If guard Tyler Booker (Alabama) and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (Oregon) are in the top 20, there’s a chance for seven total interior linemen to be selected in that range. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham is being discussed in the top five and teammate Kenneth Grant (6-foot-3, 345) could rise because he fills a need for virtually every defensive scheme. Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams and offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, a left tackle for some teams, could also join this group depending on how the board falls.

J: Jeanty, Ashton.
Even with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, Jeanty was runner up to Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. There wasn’t much more the Boise State running back could have done in his college career, but timing is on his side. Given the re-emergence of running backs as the centerpiece of successful offenses – see Philadelphia and Baltimore – Jeanty is one player we expect to be drafted higher than currently projected.

K: Kaleb Johnson.
The Iowa running back might not be a blur in spandex this week, but he’s one of our favorite prospects because of a physical, downhill running style and relentlessness to the whistle. A bit upright is the only knock for zone-based running teams and he still averaged more than 4.4 yards per carry after contact.

L: Luther Burden III.
Missouri wide receiver Burden could be a first-rounder and is competing with SEC counterpart Matthew Golden (Texas) and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan to be the top wideout selected. Burden was insanely productive as a sophomore with five consecutive 100-yard games and three in a row with 10-plus receptions. McMillan had three 10-catch games in 2024 and put up performances with 161, 202 and 304 receiving yards.

M: March 12
It’s the first day of free agency on the 2025 calendar and agents can officially negotiate two days and four hours prior. With full transparency, agents are having those conversations in Indianapolis if not before. A player rep with almost 100 existing contracts holds a briefcase full of hypotheticals for this year, next year and further beyond that. An agent such as Tory Dandy of CAA could talk to teams about current free agents and find out they are ready to peek into possibilities with trade target Deebo Samuel (Dandy’s client) or another part of his portfolio of 58 active player contracts.

N: Nick Emmanwori.
The South Carolina All-American sonic missile is one part safety, one part linebacker and all speed. At 6-3, 225, he’s likely to run a double-take kind of time at Lucas Oil Stadium. Production and testing intersect in Indy, and Emmanwori wowed with a pair of pick-6s for the Gamecocks. Emmanwori hits like an anvil and his tape says the quickness, explosiveness and speed testing will favor the two-time leading tackler.

O: Offensive line.
The collection of offensive line talent in this class has potential to be special. Field Level Media projects three blockers in the top 12: Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly, LSU left tackle Will Campbell and Missouri guard-tackle Armand Membou.

P: Pearce Jr., James.
A fierce edge rusher with burst and arm length to win consistently, the Tennessee outside linebacker will intrigue the likes of the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts.

Q: Quarterbacks.
It happens every year. One of the perceived “fringe” first-rounders proves to be anything but, rising into the top 10 or top 15 with little warning. Those moves typically come not long after the combine and during the whirlwind of pro days next month when team brass will be represented for workouts. It happened last year with Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix. And two years ago when Anthony Richardson jumped into the top five, to a lesser extent in 2022 when the Steelers selected Kenny Pickett at No. 20; and how could we forget BYU’s Zach Wilson (No. 2, 2021) jumping with a strong throwing session in Indy and the 49ers mortgaging their future for barely tested North Dakota State prospect Trey Lance (No. 3, 2021).

R: Raiders.
The Las Vegas franchise has cap space and a chronic weakness for drafting quarterbacks. Perhaps adding the GOAT, minority owner Tom Brady, to the decision-making process can change fortunes in Las Vegas.

S: Shedeur Sanders.
Deion’s son and one of the reasons Colorado is relevant again, Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders might be the most polarizing player in the draft class. He’s not fast, overly agile and there won’t be a scout within 50 miles of the Colts’ home field with a plus rating on Sanders for arm strength. Even though he won’t be working out, he’ll be the talk of the town because there are scouts and GMs considering Sanders as a top-10 pick. Worth debating still is whether that standing is a reflection of the tough-as-nails and heady Sanders or a supply-and-demand quandary for QB-chasing teams like the N.Y. Giants and Jets.

T: Tetairoa McMillan.
Atypical is the best way to describe McMillan, who is in the running to be the No. 1 wide receiver off the board. He’s tall, 6-5ish, with the catch radius of a Gronkowski and the agility to be a major problem for cornerbacks in the red zone. Arizona produced a first-round draft pick in 2024 for the first time since Antoine Cason in 2008, but offensive tackle Jordan Morgan did not make an impact because of a shoulder issue that forced him to injured reserve. McMillan gives the Wildcats a likely top-20 pick that would give Arizona back-to-back first-rounders for the first time since cornerback Chris McAlister (10th, 1999) and running back Trung Candidate (31st, 2000).

U: Underdog stories.
There are a couple that stand out from the 2024 college football season but none better than UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. The redshirt junior went from walk-on to All-American and arrives at the Scouting Combine as a likely top-40 pick.

V: Va Tech.
Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten stands out as a potential riser this week because of his bundle of athletic ability and track background. Tuten’s combination of initial burst, agility and long speed are made for this stage.

W: Will & Ward
Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is the top defensive back in the draft. Cam Ward is the top quarterback in the draft. Neither designation is particularly close.

X: As in 10.
The No. 10 spot should be a significant draft position again, with a chance the top two safeties, top two tight ends, and possibly the top cornerback or wide receiver — depending on the Travis Hunter scenario — still on the board. Historically the 10th pick has produced noteworthy NFL players including Patrick Mahomes (2017), Terrell Suggs (2003), Rod Woodson (1987) and Marcus Allen (1982). The Chicago Bears hold the No. 10 pick entering the draft.

Y: Youth group.
There’s a strong current of youthful prospects in this class. Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams is 20 and two months younger than another 20-year-old, Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell turned 21 on Monday. On the other end of the spectrum, teams won’t be as excited to check Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough’s birth certificate (turns 26 in September) as the leading candidate for the Brandon Weeden Award.

Z: Zybek.
America’s stopwatch. For 13 years, the official timing partner of the NFL Scouting Combine, the ubiquitous athletic testing platform brings the data teams desire to complete prospect grades and stack draft boards the next two months.

–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) during the first quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

On the defense: Travis Hunter to work out as DB at combine

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Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who starred at Colorado at both cornerback and wide receiver, will work out with the defensive backs at the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins later this month.

Hunter’s name was among the list of 329 prospects invited to the attend the combine, which runs from Feb. 24-March 3.

As a wide receiver, he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown. As a cornerback, the All-American and national Player of the Year had 36 tackles, 11 pass breakups and four interceptions in 13 games.

While Hunter, 21, has expressed an interest in playing both position in the NFL, scouts generally see him as a cornerback.

In recent mock drafts, NFL.com projects the New York Giants to select Hunter with the No. 3 overall pick, while Pro Football Focus sends him to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 pick.

Also among those with invited to the combine are Hunter’s college teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is expected to be drafted early in the first round.

In all, national champion Ohio State leads the way with 15 combine invitees.

Georgia and Texas tied for the second-most invitations with 14 each.

–Field Level Media

Banners featuring images of running back Bijan Robinson (left) and receiver Zay Flowers at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Indy keeps Scouting Combine through 2026

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Indianapolis booked the NFL Scouting Combine through 2026 in an agreement with the league, extending a partnership that dates to 1987 — the year Miami Hurricanes quarterback Vinny Testaverde went No. 1 overall.

The combine hosts more than 300 college football players over multiple days in late February for medical testing and evaluation, physical measurements, timing and strength testing, and on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium as a collective central peg in the scouting process for pro prospects.

Other cities, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Phoenix, have been discussed as possible hosts. But after the Colts announced the agreement on Thursday, the NFL appears to be committed to sticking with the decades-old plan for now.

“Indianapolis is uniquely designed and built to host an event as complex as the NFL Combine,” Pete Ward, chief operating officer of the Indianapolis Colts, said in a statement. “Efficiently moving prospects, team owners, coaching staff, medical personnel, and national media is seamlessly done in Indy, and the Colts are proud to be part of the team keeping the event in our city.”

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine is scheduled for Feb. 27-March 2. The draft is being held in Green Bay from April 24-26.

Top 40-yard dash times, vertical leaps and position drills attract viewers and create headlines from Indianapolis. But team officials consistently cite medical evaluations — a fraction ahead of the in-person, 15-minute interviews with prospects typically conducted at team hotels — as the chief priority at the combine. Indianapolis has the ideal downtown setup with multiple hotels in near proximity to the Colts’ home stadium and convention center, which connects via skywalk to a number of locations in the immediate area.

Prospects generally fly into Indianapolis one day before the combine following a schedule set up by position group before running the gauntlet of the off-site medical evaluation, cognitive testing, drug testing, height-weight-arm-hand measurements, on-field testing, strength and agility tests, 15- to 20-minute media sessions and position drills.

Among the top prospects in the upcoming draft are Colorado cornerback-wide receiver Travis Hunter, a number of quarterbacks — Hunter’s teammate Shadeur Sanders, Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Georgia’s Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers of Texas — and top-end secondary talent. Georgia safety Malaki Starks is the headliner.

But the most coveted talent might be the crop of defensive line or edge prospects. Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham and Georgia’s Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams are among blue-chip prospects.

The NFL confirmed the site of the combine through 2026 on Thursday morning.

“Indianapolis and the NFL Combine have a proud history together, so we’re thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Colts, and the local community for this 2026 event,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said. “Our partners in Indy have successfully hosted the football evaluation process for decades, and recently, we’ve collectively worked to grow and evolve the in-person fan experience, bringing tens of thousands of fans closer to the league’s future stars.”

–Field Level Media

Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The marquee sign at the Indiana Convention Center, the site of the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Scouting combine reaches 5M viewers over four days

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The NFL Scouting Combine drew more than five million viewers on NFL Network, making it the most watched combine since 2018.

According to the NFL, Day 3 — quarterback, wide receiver and running back drills — of the combine was the most watched ever. The day averaged 399,000 viewers on NFL Network’s TV and digital platforms.

The 2024 NFL Draft is April 25-27 in Detroit.

–Field Level Media

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Clemson defensive back Nate Wiggins (DB42) talks to the media during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Clemson CB Nate Wiggins injured running blazing 40-yard dash

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INDIANAPOLIS — Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins ran a blazing 40-yard dash but suffered a potentially serious leg injury that ended the projected first-round pick’s day on a down note.

One of the top-rated cornerbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft class, Wiggins posted an unofficial 4.29-second 40 but hobbled to the sideline moments later.

He talked to NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales before going to the locker room in Lucas Oil Stadium. Wiggins told Dales he felt a “pop” in his groin and his leg was on “fire.”

Wiggins weighed a very light 173 pounds at official measurements.

–Field Level Media

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams talks with USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the first half of the game against No. 6 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

USC QB Caleb Williams opts out of medical testing

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INDIANAPOLIS — Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams continues to make waves with contrarian decisions at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he made the call to opt out of standard medical testing.

“I’m doing the medical stuff,” Williams said in a packed media session at the combine on Friday morning. “Just not here in Indy. Not 32 teams can draft me. There’s only one of me. So the team that I go to for my visits, those teams will have the medical and that’ll be it.”

Williams is the top player on the draft board for many teams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who starred at Oklahoma as a freshman before following Lincoln Riley to USC. But rejecting the protocol of the pre-draft process will raise red flags for some of the other teams.

National Football Scouting oversees most elements of the annual combine in Indianapolis, and the goal of being a one-stop shop for scouts and general managers includes a routine physical and medical testing to give every team access to a universal medical evaluation of each player. All 321 prospects invited to the combine are informed of the schedule of events directly and through their certified player representatives.

But Williams doesn’t have an agent and instead will be communicating with prospective employers through his father and a hand-selected support staff.

Williams said declining the medical testing was a personal decision. For reference, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was still tied up with doctors on Friday morning when his required interview with media was scheduled. Players who undergo extensive MRI exams and X-rays because of past injuries have spent more than eight hours at the hospital in Indianapolis where prospects are poked and prodded.

There are no known significant or long-term injury concerns with Williams. He played with a hamstring strain in 2022 and injured the pinky finger on his right (throwing) hand last season.

After meeting with the Chicago Bears for a formal interview, Williams said not to read into the decision as an indication he knows where he’ll be drafted, but “I don’t think that I’m not going to be No. 1,” he said.

“They were awesome,” Williams said of his first in-person talks with the Bears. “I spoke more about ball and things like that because the interviews are so short. It was more about them getting to know me.”

Williams is one of four quarterback prospects with firm first-round grades from Field Level Media. From that group, only Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy will participate in Saturday’s on-field throwing session.

It’s common for top quarterbacks to delay at least the throwing portion of their workouts to the more-comfortable, well-scripted pro day setting on their college campuses. Williams, who passed for 10,082 yards and 93 touchdowns in three college seasons, is scheduled to be the featured attraction at the USC pro day on March 20.

LSU’s Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are considered likely top-10 picks and could compete with Williams to go No. 1 overall. Neither quarterback plans to participate in on-field testing or throwing at the combine.

Speculation the Washington Commanders are considering moving up in a trade to get Williams, who grew up in the D.C. region, continues percolating after owner Josh Harris sat in on interviews with multiple prospects in Indianapolis this week.

Daniels said he met with Washington in a meeting that included head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Harris.

–Field Level Media

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Cooper DeJean (3) reacts during the second quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa DB Cooper DeJean running, not ready to test for scouts

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INDIANAPOLIS — Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean resumed running full speed last week and his recovery from a broken fibula in November is on schedule.

But DeJean said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday that he’s not ready for athletic testing or on-field position drills and plans to hold a workout for scouts “sometime before the draft.” He’s unlikely to be ready to participate in Iowa’s pro day scheduled for March 18.

DeJean played cornerback at Iowa but NFL teams are discussing a hybrid role with him that could intertwine responsibilities of a safety, cornerback and slot cornerback.

“I feel like I have the ability to play multiple different positions on the back end,” DeJean said.

Speed and suddenness are trademarks that made him one of the top playmakers for the Hawkeyes, and scouts expect him to test very well eventually in events such as the 40-yard dash, vertical, short shuttle and broad jump.

Where he goes in the 2024 NFL Draft might be dependent upon how the top of the draft shakes out. DeJean said he has met with the Arizona Cardinals, who have multiple first-round picks and another unique secondary weapon in Budda Baker, and the Pittsburgh Steelers among several others.

DeJean peppered Green Bay Packers 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness and another former Iowa teammate, Broncos cornerback Riley Moss, about what to expect this week.

But Big Ten seasoning as a leader of a dominant defense at Iowa might have DeJean ready to step into a starring role immediately. He said the conference delivered big tests every Saturday, but one stands out as the most difficult.

“Marvin Harrison Jr.,” DeJean said of the Ohio State receiver and likely top-5 pick. “The name speaks for itself.”

–Field Level Media