2015 NFL Combine: WR / TE Recap

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The most popular day of the combine is over and the offensive players have finished all of their measurements, drills, and interviews. I’ll be going through each position breaking down which players helped and which hurt their draft stock at this year’s combine. Below is a recap of how the wide receivers and right ends did in Indy over the last week.

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Combine recaps:

OL | QB/RB | WR/TE | DL | LB | CB

Draft Stock Rising:

WR Kevin White, West Virginia (6’3 | 215 | 4.35): At his size a 4.35 40-time is outstanding and over a tenth of a second faster than most thought White would run. With his ability to go get the ball at it’s highest point and be a weapon in the red zone, the added facet of deep speed is going to boost White into the top 10 range.

WR Kenny Bell, Nebraska (6’1 | 197 | 4.42): One of the surprises of the receiver group in my opinion. Bell played in a run first offense with run-first QBs, so wasn’t given many chances to show his deep speed. His 4.42 time and solid performance in the drills (3rd highest SPARQ) bumped Bell from the 6th-7th round range to the 4th-5th area. Bell is also an excellent blocker and has showed natural hands in the drill portion of the combine.

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

WR Jaelen Strong, Arizona St (6’2 | 217 | 4.44): Living a block from the ASU stadium, I’ve seen Strong live more than any other combine player. He goes and gets the ball at it’s high-point consistently, has reliable hands, and the size to be a red zone threat. If there was a question mark on Strong it was his deep speed, but he answered that at the combine with a surprising 4.44 40-time. At his height, that is first round speed and I’d be shocked if he isn’t drafted somewhere in the 20-32 range overall.

WR Chris Conley, Georgia (6’2 | 213 | 4.35): The biggest surprise of the combine’s offensive players with a 4.35 40-time, 45″ vertical, 81.25″ wingspan, and 11.5″ broad jump. On tape Conley doesn’t look like that type of athlete, but his 2013 tape was more impressive playing with a legitimate QB (Aaron Murray).  I had Conley graded as an undrafted free agent, but with that type of athleticism, he’s draftable as just a special teams athlete regardless of his receiver potential.