Winners from Day 1 of 2022 NFL Scouting Combine

The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine began in primetime at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with tight ends, quarterbacks, and wide receivers taking the field.

Here are a handful of prospects who helped their draft stock during Thursday’s testing and on-field workouts.

QB Malik Willis, Liberty

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Despite choosing to opt out of the 40-yard dash, Willis raised eyebrows with the ball in his hands. With arguably the strongest arm in this class, Willis made his deep passes look effortless, with plenty of arc on them. Even though he did have a couple of overthrows on some short passes, the zip on football and how quick it got into the receiver’s hands is what stood out.

TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA

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I highlighted Dulcich as the tight end I expected to blow up the Combine, and he lived up to his billing. After posting an impressive 4.61 40-yard dash, Dulcich took the field, where he flashed his pass-catching ability. Dulcich was very fluid in his movements with plenty of speed and did a nice job of plucking the football from the air. Further, he looked powerful on the sled.

TE Jelani Woods, Virginia

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Woods started his day off on a strong note, literally, cranking out 24 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press with 34 1/2-inch arms. He carried that momentum onto the field, where he posted a blazing 40 time of 4.61. Keep in mind, Woods is 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds. In the pass-catching drills, Woods demonstrated smooth feet with long strides and glue-like hands.

TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland

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Despite putting together a nice 2021 season for the Terps, Okonkwo still flew under the radar. However, after running the fastest 40 time among all tight ends (4.52), the nation is well aware of the dynamic playmaker, who is a threat with the ball in his lands. No matter the role he plays at the next level, look for him to use that speed to his advantage to outpace linebackers and safeties, and pick up plenty of yards after the catch.

WR Chris Olave, Ohio State

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There’s been plenty of debate about the top receiver in this year’s class, and Olave made his statement on Thursday night. While his official 40 time came back as 4.39 after posting an unofficial of 4.26, it was still plenty of impressive to go along with his 32-inch vertical and 10-4 broad jump. Arguably one of the best route runners, Olave was smooth as butter during the positional drills, with sticky hands to catch everything, short or deep.

WR Calvin Austin, Memphis

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At just 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, Austin is a prime example that size does not matter. On the field, Austin has defensive backs compromise with quickness and savvy with his releases and top-end speed to generate large gaps of separation vertically. That explosion and athleticism translated to the testing, where he recorded a 39-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot-3 broad jump, and then proceeded to post a blazing 4.32 40.

WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State

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Talk to any diehard Bison fan, and they will tell you that they’re not surprised Watson is dominating the pre-draft process. Checking in at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, Watson ran the 40 in a whopping 4.36 seconds. Prior to that, he jumped out of the gym with an 11-foot-4 broad and 38.5-inch vertical. During the positional drills, he was crisp with his routes. Don’t be surprised if Watson is gone within the first 40 selections.

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