April 1, 2023
By Abdallah Mustafa
Staff Writer
The 2023 National Football League Combine took place from Feb. 28-March 6. Although the approximately 300 players at the combine did their best, only 250 will get drafted into the NFL.
The Combine consists of a total of 13 categories: 20-yard shuttle, 40-yard dash, 60-yard shuttle, bench press of 225 pounds, board jump, Cybex Test, drug screening, physical and injury evaluations, position-specific drills, three-cone drill, vertical jump, Wonderlic Test and conferences where each team interviews players it is interested in.
The fastest time in the 40-yard dash was by Anthony Richardson, who played quarterback for the Florida Gators. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds on his second attempt. The Seattle Seahawks will most likely be the team that drafts Richardson because they are one of the few teams that are desperate for a good quarterback.
The second fastest time went to Max Duggan, who played quarterback for Texas Christian University. He ran a 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds. The Detroit Lions should draft Duggan because they will improve their offense.
With a time of 4.53 seconds, the third fastest runner for the 40-yard dash was Malik Cunningham, a quarterback for the Louisville Cardinals. The North Carolina Panthers should draft Cunningham because they need a good starting quarterback to prepare their team for the next season.
The Seattle Seahawks will most likely be the team that drafts Richardson because they are one of the few teams that are desperate for a good quarterback.
The bench press category tests how many reps of 225 pounds a player can do.
Andrew Vorhees, an offensive guard who played football for the University of Southern California, got a total of 38 reps and had the most reps in the combine. The Jacksonville Jaguars should draft Vorhees because their offensive line is one of the worst in the league.
Defensive lineman Mazi Smith, who played football for the University of Michigan, had a total of 34 reps on the bench press. The Houston Texans should draft Smith because he will strengthen their defense.
Jovaughn Gwyn, who plays football for the University of South Carolina, placed third in the bench press category with a maximum of 34 reps. The New York Giants should draft him because he would be an excellent blocker for the team.
The NFL Draft will take place at Union Station Kansas City from April 27-29. There are a minimum of 225 draft picks. Hopefully, the next generation of NFL players will be as good as the past players.
