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2023 NFL Combine: Winners from Day 4 of OL, RB workouts

WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 4 of the 2023 NFL Combine.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 22 Northwestern at Maryland Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine saw its last workouts conclude on Sunday, as offensive linemen and running backs took the field in Indianapolis.

Now, things really start to heat up. Rumors surrounding the offseason — especially regarding the Bears — started swirling like crazy, and teams will use the information gathered from the Combine to formulate their draft plans. It figures to be a chaotic few weeks.

To wrap a bow on our Combine coverage, here are my biggest winners from Day 4 of workouts.

Note: All Relative Athletic Score (RAS) measurements come from Kent Lee Platte. He has been doing incredible work during the Combine these last few years.

Offensive linemen

  • Braeden Daniels, Utah

Daniels was a notable top performer both in athletic testing and in positional drills. Athleticism is a calling card of his game, and he backed that up with a 1.71 10-yard split that placed second among offensive linemen.

  • Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

For my money, Skoronski had the best on-field workouts of any blocker at the Combine. His footwork was smooth and incredibly polished, and his body control was on full display. His 1.75 10-yard split was also quite respectable, and he placed second in both the vertical and broad jumps.

  • Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

Tying for the second-best 40 time at 4.98, Harrison looked like the athletic big man he looked like at Oklahoma. His footwork and agility stood out in drills, solidifying that he’s pound-for-pound one of the most athletic offensive linemen in this draft.

  • Earl Bostick Jr., Kansas

Bostick, who’s listed as a tackle but could also be a fit at guard, impressed with a 5.05 40 and had one of the better 10-yard splits at 1.74. These Combine workouts really emphasize athleticism, and he has it in spades.

  • Darnell Wright, Tennessee

Wright is a bigger offensive tackle prospect at 333 pounds, but he was still one of the top athletic testers among linemen on Sunday with an impressive 5.01 40. For a player whose biggest strength is his powerful anchor, he looked quite nimble in drills, too.

  • Broderick Jones, Georgia

Jones had the best 40-yard dash among offensive linemen at 4.97, and he tied for fourth in the 10-yard split. He looked fluid and coordinated in positional drills, where the athleticism he displayed on tape showed up in workouts.

  • Jon Gaines II, UCLA

Gaines tied for sixth in the 40-yard dash and tied for third in the 10-yard split, and he led all offensive linemen in both the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle. He’s a player I’m going to have to watch more of in the coming weeks.

  • Blake Freeland, BYU

Freeland was decent in drills but simply dominated athletic testing. He led offensive linemen in the vertical jump, broad jump and 10-yard split, and he placed second with a 4.98 40-yard dash. Oh, and he did all that at 6-foot-8.

Running backs

Anybody who watched Achane at A&M knows how fast he is, so it wasn’t surprising to see him lead all running backs in the 40-yard dash. Still, it’s nice to have that 4.32 solidified to his name.

  • Bijan Robinson, Texas

Long speed was arguably the only real concern with Robinson heading into this weekend, but his 4.46 40-yard dash and his play speed in drills did a good job of silencing those concerns. He’s an absolute machine who should make a difference from Day 1 for a team.

  • Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Gibbs wasn’t too far behind Achane in the 40-yard dash standings, placing second at his position with a 4.36 official time. He’s another twitchy back who used the nature of Combine workouts to make the case for him to be a late first-round pick.

Vaughn also didn’t run the 40 or partake in agility drills, but his on-field workouts were electric. He showcased the tremendous spring in his step that made him arguably the most agile runner in college football in 2022.

  • Chase Brown, Illinois

Brown led all backs with a 40-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7 broad jump, and his 4.43 40-yard dash was among the top performers at his position. His brother Sydney excelled with the defensive backs earlier in the week, so it only made sense that Chase had a strong Combine outing of his own.

  • Evan Hull, Northwestern

Hull ended up with a 9.18 RAS once the workouts on Sunday wrapped up, and he was one of only two running backs to run agility drills. In workouts, he looked explosive and carried a muscular build.