By: Kevin Ruane
Former UCF stars Blake Bortles and Storm Johnson took the field in Indianapolis on Sunday for the NFL Scouting Combine. On the second day of the event, Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers took the field to showcase their abilities.
Storm Johnson is trying to make the most of a draft class that is thin when it comes to running backs. On Sunday, Johnson’s best 40 yard dash time was 4.50 seconds. Even though he recorded the same time as the notoriously quick Oregon tailback D’Anthony Thomas, this must have been disappointing since Johnson said earlier this week he was aiming for a time below 4.4 seconds.
The former UCF halfback is projected to be a 6th or 7th round draft pick, but his 35.5 inch vertical and 118 inch broad jump were better than many backs projected to go before him. These measurements surpassed the likes of Carlos Hyde from Ohio State and Ka’Deem Carey from Arizona, both top backs in this year’s class.
Blake Bortles may have been the most talked about prospect on Sunday. Bortles’ draft value has risen faster than anyone else’s this year, and that trend continued this weekend. Bortles was the only top Quarterback to throw at the Combine, and he once again helped his draft stock by doing so. The AAC Offensive Player of the Year felt the need to prove himself even more than he did this past season at UCF.
“I believe that I can compete with any guy here, and that’s why I’m doing everything I’m doing,” Bortles said. “That’s why I’m throwing, that’s why I’m running, doing all this stuff. Why wait till pro day when you have an opportunity to make your first impression here in Indianapolis? I grew up watching this as a kid and dreamed of competing in it. Why would I sit anything out and do any of that kind of stuff?”
There is much debate as to who will be selected first overall by the Houston Texans come May 8th. The top candidates seem to be Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, Bortles, and Jadeveon Clowney. Although the Combine didn’t make the selection any clearer, Blake Bortles definitely came away as the biggest winner for QBs on Sunday.
Since Manziel and Bridgewater didn’t throw, Bortles had the potential to drastically help his cause with a great outing, or hurt it with a subpar performance. The former UCF quarterback risked more than any other top QB in this year’s draft class, and the risk seemed to pay off. Scouts and puntdits around the league were impressed both by the competitive nature and pure football ability displayed during the limited passing drills.
Other teams that have a need at the quarterback position and have interest in Bortles are the Jaguars, Browns, Raiders, and possibly the Buccaneers with picks 3, 4, 5, and 7.
Unless a quarterback isn’t taken until the Browns with the 4th pick, Bortles seems to be a near lock to be a first round pick. Johnson has drawn interest from several teams as well, but he isn’t expected to get picked until the third and final day of the draft. Johnson has the frame and potential to be a big back in the NFL, but lacks ball security, solid pass protection, and breakaway speed.
