The 2023 combine took place on February 28 and went until March 6th. The combine is an invite only event that happens every year that allows NFL teams to see prospects before the draft. There are about 319 prospects that compete in different events. Some examples include: 40 yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, and three cone drill. 

USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees tore his ACL which could force him to miss his rookie NFL season. This occurred at the combine while competing in drills. This will be a major setback to start his NFL career, but showed resilience when setting a combine record by bench pressing 225 for 38 reps the next day. FOX Sports college football analysis Joel Klatt stated, “We put lineman through some of these drills that, quite frankly, don’t translate at all.” He said this hoping they could change the combine so lineman compete in drills that are more translatable to game scenarios. Unfortunately, Vorhees was competing in one of those drills.

The combine showed many talented quarterbacks ready to compete in the league. According to CBS Sports analysts Chris Trapasso and Josh Edwards, Anthony Richardson, quarterback out of University of Florida, was dominant during the combine. They believed it was an intelligent decision to show off his throwing skills and talent. Bryce Young, a talented quarterback from Alabama, opted out of the combine and only got measured and met with coaches. He will display his talents on March 23rd during his pro day. Some players choose not to compete so they do not risk injury, and allow themselves to be evaluated through their college film. A disadvantage to this would be that they didn’t perform as well in their final season. Another star quarterback, CJ Straud, had a “near perfect” event according to Detroit Lions analysis. He was accurate on all levels and was fluid with his mechanics. It is projected that the NFL will give these young quarterbacks an opportunity to play at the next level.

A dominant skill player at the combine was a tight end from the University of Georgia, Darnell Washington. He measures in at 6 foot 7 and 264 pounds with a hand size of 11 inches. He started as a true freshman and dominated college football during the 2020 season. According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, he shows great size and power but needs to work on his technique. He proved he is able to move a defender when he is centered on his block and would be effective when softening defensive edges. He has a lot of potential and is projected to be a first round pick.

Overall, The 2023 combine showed lots of talented players who are looking to compete in the NFL. Some of these players were given the opportunity to prove why they should be drafted on April 27th.