2020 NFL Scouting Combine Winners and Losers: Wide Receivers

Ray Garvin Posted On February 28, 2020

As the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine provides us with more information about this year’s draft prospects, we are taking a position-by-position look at the winners and losers from Indianapolis.

WINNERS

Justin Jefferson, LSU

He had an outstanding overall Combine performance. Coming out of high school, Jefferson was timed at 4.88 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Many were hoping for anything sub 4.6 in the event. Jefferson not only went sub 4.6, he smashed expectations tying for the eighth fastest time with a 4.43. This time was faster than Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Reagor, and Laviska Shenault.

Combined with an outstanding junior season, Jefferson should be a first-round lock in rookie drafts and has the potential to go round one in the NFL Draft.

Denzel Mims, Baylor

Mims might have had the performance of the day for the wide receivers. At 6’3″, 207 pounds, he ran 4.38 seconds in the 40, had a vertical leap over 38 inches, an eye-popping 6.66 three-cone time, and a 131” broad jump. For comparison purposes, Christian McCaffrey’s three-cone time was 6.57.

Mims was impressive at the Senior Bowl, has a very good collegiate analytical profile and destroyed the Combine. Look for his stock to skyrocket over the coming weeks.

Chase Claypool, Notre Dame

The narrative all week was Claypool needed to move to tight end; and at his size, he could probably make the move and be a dominant force as a move tight end at the next level. All he did was silence the critics and smash the event testing as one of the top, if not the top size-speed specimen at his position. At 6’4”, 238 pounds, he ran 4.42 seconds in the 40, jumped 40 inches in the vertical, and had a 129-inch broad jump. Claypool is a riser no matter what position he ends up playing.

Antonio Gibson, Memphis

Is he a running back, is he a wide receiver? We still don’t know but what we do know is that he is very explosive. At 6’0” and almost 230 pounds, he ran a 4.39 in the 40 and performed solidly in the explosion drills. Gibson had 71 total offensive touches last season at Memphis (38 reception and 33 carries). He had 1,104 combined yards and 12 touchdowns. Make sure you get him on your dynasty rosters.

Michael Pittman Jr., USC

Pittman Jr. should be firmly in the early second-round rookie draft consideration after a quiet yet fantastic Combine. The 6’4” 223 senior was fantastic during the week. He was polished with the media, smooth on the field and tested like an above-average athlete. While the 4.52-second 40-yard dash time is outstanding, the 6.96 three-cone is even more impressive. Pittman made himself some money, and for those looking for the “big boy” wide receiver, he just might be your guy.

LOSERS

Tee Higgins, Clemson

Higgins didn’t participate at the Combine while every other top-rated wide receiver did. Was it an injury that prevented him from competition? How about we let Tee tell us why he didn’t want to perform.

“We had a long season and I only had four or five weeks to prepare for this, and I feel like that’s not enough time to compared to all these other guys who had two months,” Higgins told Colleen Wolfe and Andrew Hawkins as part of NFL Media’s Scouting Combine Today.

“I just feel like I need to be more prepared to run the 40 and all the other drills.”

Not good.

Laviska Shenault, Colorado

There’s no denying Shenault’s talent. When he’s on the field and playing he’s dominant. Again, when he’s on the field and playing. Shenault apparently came into the Combine hurt, ran one poor 4.59 40-yard dash, and in true Laviska fashion limped off and his day was over. Most still have him as a top-ten dynasty rookie, and based on our ADP, he’s right there at the ten spot. I have serious concerns about his future availability.

I’ll say it one more time: when he’s on the field, he’s dominant… when he’s on the field.

Jalen Reagor, TCU

This pains me because he did not have a bad Combine, but it was not what most everyone was expecting. Reagor started the week checking off every single box: his weight, strength, how he carried himself in interviews all received rave reviews. He jumped 42 inches in the vertical, 11’6” in the broad jump both were outstanding feats placing him second overall at his position. Then his much anticipated 40-yard dash disappointed. Reagor was projected to challenge Henry Ruggs for the fastest man crown and he didn’t even come close. While a 4.47 is nothing to turn your nose up at, it was definitely disappointed based on expectations.

He looked smooth in on-field work, but then posted a 7.31 three-cone time and a 4.46 20-yard short shuttle; both near the bottom of his position group. Reagor was well on his way to serious first round NFL Draft consideration, he still may get that draft capital. The more likely outcome at this time is a second-round grade which is still more than enough draft capital to matter for fantasy purposes.