Although not the end-all be-all for player evaluation, the NFL Combine provides teams with the opportunity for a closer assessment of the incoming draft class through testing, on-field drills, and team interviews. Over the weekend, 8 players represented the Fighting Irish in Indianapolis.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
QB Riley Leonard, WR Beaux Collins, TE Mitchell Evans, DT Howard Cross III, DT Rylie Mills, LB Jack Kiser, CB Benjamin Morrison, and S Xavier Watts made the trip to Lucas Oil Stadium, roughly 2.5 hours from where they spent their college careers. Riley Leonard, Mitchell Evans and Jack Kiser are the only players that took part in the on-field drills, with Evans being the only one to also participate in testing. The rest of the group was limited to team interviews for various reasons, but most of them will be gearing up to show NFL coaches and GM's some of what they can do at their pro days. I wanted to look at the performances of the players that took the field in some capacity at the combine, and how they may have helped their stock.
Best Combine: Mitchell Evans
It would be hard to not pick Evans by default simply because he partook in the most drills, but even so, there were some things that he did on the field that would garner this ranking regardless. Evans' 10-yard split time was tied for first with Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson. For reference, Ferguson had the fastest 40 yard dash time among the position group, which tells you the type of athlete Evans kept pace with. The 10-yard split is so critical because it measures a player's ability to be explosive and accelerate off the line of scrimmage. In Evan's case, it was a great sign to teams that may have been concerned about how his late season ACL tear in 2023 would affect his athletic ability. Evans also had a 4.40 20-yard shuttle, which is designed to test lateral agility and change of direction.
None of his other testing numbers were eye-popping, but his on-field work also earned him some praise. Evans effortlessly tracked the ball over his shoulder during the first catch drill. On the sled block drill, he showed good leg drive and effort. He probably should have gotten a tad lower to simulate playing with a good pad level, but his ability to block should not be a question mark for teams. During the gauntlet, Evans showed natural catch ability and good eye discipline, looking each pass into his hands while working down the line. On the in-cut drill, Evans did a good job getting out of his break, getting eyes back to the QB quickly and making a clean hands catch.
All in all, Evans had a solid performance and should cement himself even more as a prospect on Notre Dame's pro day.
Jack Kiser
Kiser skipped out on testing at the Combine, but did participate in the on-field linebacker drills. Kiser's biggest question mark was always going to be whether or not he can provide 3-down versatility or if he is more of a 2-down thumper in the run game. That question can not be answered at the combine, but I thought he did a very nice job in the drills designed to test lateral quickness and change of direction, which are important when being asked to drop into coverage. He executed the back pedal and react drill to perfection, which earned an audible buzz from the other participants.
Kiser had a nice day overall, and I think when teams combine his extensive playing experience, with what he showed on the field, he will end up on a lot of front offices' draft boards.
Riley Leonard
Similar to Jack Kiser, Leonard chose to not do any on-field testing, but he did take part in the quarterback drills. It was a bit of a mixed bag for Leonard on the day. Leonard showed solid ball placement on in breaking routes and threw with some anticipation on corners and out routes, which is important at the next level. Leonard did not have a whole lot of zip on the ball, missing some lower body torque when delivering passes. His accuracy was not as sharp on the second level throws but during the "go ball" portion of the drills, I thought he showed some good arm strength on two of the three passes and working on his lower half mechanics will continue to help him in this area.
Leonard is not a perfectly polished passer, but the intangibles he possesses such as leadership, competitive toughness, and work ethic will make teams more willing to help him develop as a thrower knowing all the mental stuff is there.
Overall, I think all three of these players are likely to come off the board some time on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7). It has not been announced if any of them will be testing at their pro days or simply doing on-field work for NFL coaches and GM's, but I don't get the sense that their likely draft positions would skyrocket either way. I look forward to seeing where all of Notre Dame's players land and the roles they can carve out at the next level.
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