NFL Combine for ND players
Not much activity overall... A lot of the guys are opting out of the physical drills either due to injury (Mills, Morrison), or by choice (Watts).
Mitchell Evans:
40 time: 4.74 sec
10 yard split: 1.55 sec
Vertical: 33"
Broad: 9' 7"
3 cone drill: 7.25 sec
20 yard shuttle: 4.4 sec
No bench press numbers
Howard Cross:
Vertical: 29"
Broad: 8' 8"
Some will participate in the position-specific drills, such as Riley Leonard throwing.
Replies to: NFL Combine for ND players
Riley Leonard's throwing workout
He probably helped his draft stock a bit, but calling him a 2nd round pick is rather overly optimistic.
Link: https://fightingirishwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/fighting-irish/football/2025/03/01/riley-leonard-notre-dame-nfl-combine-draft-throwing/81008416007
(rolflmao)
We all watched him and there is no way Leonard is a day 2 pick. He just doesn't have the passing skills for the NFL.
If he gets picked at all it will by 6 or 7, even in a league desperate for qbs.
I noticed at least 2 throws that were behind the receivers.
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You didn't watch many games then
Don't get me wrong, Leonard did a great job for us this year. He is a key reason why we played in the NC game.
But he just isn't a high-quality passer in college much less ready to be a NFL QB.
You misread his post.
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I'm talking about his Combine throwing video. After just a few short throws, he was
throwing behind his receivers. Not a great look in front of scouts.
my bad....
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He would all but need a situation like Steve Young had
Steve Young (after Tampa Bay and the USFL) stumbled upon a nice situation, where he could backup Joe Montana, and learn how to be a pocket passer. In 1994, he finally became one.
It took a while, though, and for a moment, it looked like he would never break out of that "run first" mode, which pissed off Jerry Rice to no end. There were many times in 1991-1993 where Jerry Rice or John Taylor was about to break wide open in their routes, when Young would simply take off running. While some were happy with a 5 yard scramble, he missed many a 20+ yard passing opportunity, and that really showed its ugly face against the Cowboys in the playoffs.
After he got the crap beaten out of him against Philly in 1994 (big time ugly loss, and he was benched), that finally knocked some sense into him.
I pretty sure today's teams are going to be nearly that patient with run-first QB's. If anything, I'm surprised that Anthony Richardson is still even on the Colts' roster.
free agent and unlikely he’ll ever throw meaningful snaps in the nfl
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Are those good numbers?
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Not bad
Evans' numbers are about average, some slightly above, some slightly below, for a TE, although he did place 1st in the 10 yard split drill.
Given his size, at 6' 5", 258 lbs, though, those numbers actually end up being better.
Cross' numbers are around the lower end of being average, but in his case, because he's a smaller interior DL, that works against him. He's going to do the rest of the drills at ND Pro Day, after getting a bit more time to heal up (he wasn't anywhere near 100% during the playoffs, and even now at the Combine).
He's definitely going to be slated to play either 3 technique tackle (DT) or strong side DE in the pros. The days of a 285 lb nose tackle in the pros are long gone (been that way since the early 90's).