Ruggs, Claypool, Mims shine during first day of on-field work at NFL Combine

NFL Draft News
2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Henry Ruggs III is as fast as people thought he was.

Jalen Reagor? He’s fast, too – just not 4.2 40 fast.

The official 40 times from the first day of on-field drills at the 2020 NFL Combine were released Thursday night, and, just as expected, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound junior receiver out of Alabama ran the fastest 40 with a time of 4.27. The record is 4.22, set in 2017 by former Washington receiver John Ross.

Ruggs, who also had a 42-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 131 inches, had to pull out of the rest of the on-field workouts after his final 40 and was seen icing his quad. He’s still expected to participate in Alabama’s Pro Day.

Reagor, meanwhile, wasn’t slow by any means, posting a very respectable 4.47 40, but he didn’t challenge for the title of fastest receiver. Overall, it was a mixed bag for the 5-11, 206 pound TCU junior receiver. Reagor posted a vertical jump of 42 inches and had a broad jump of 11 feet, 6 inches – all outstanding numbers – but then had posted average times in the three-cone drill (7.31 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.46 seconds).

“I wouldn’t say he hurt himself, but he didn’t help himself,” an NFL Draft analyst told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about Reagor’s performance at the combine. “His jump kind of equaled the 40-yard runs out. Ridiculous explosion.”

Reagor is expected to run again at TCU’s Pro Day on March 27.

Other notable times and drills from the receivers include:

  • Baylor’s Denzel Mims (6-3, 207) and Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool (6-4, 228) were two of the big winners Thursday. Mims ran the third-fastest 40 among receivers at 4.38 seconds, while Claypool was just a tick slower at 4.42 and was the only receiver to finish in the top 10 with his 40 time and bench press (19 times, good for fifth among receivers). “There’s a lot to love on Mims’ game film, from clever head-fake releases to tough catches,” writes Mike Tanier of The Bleacher Report. “Look for him to push past some bigger names and into the first-round conversation after last night’s performance.”
  • Laviska Shenault (6-1, 227) of Colorado posted a surprising time of 4.58. “Shenault fits the profile of a Deebo Samuel-style slot receiver/reverse threat/Wildcat guy, but he came to Indy trying to break out of that mold and into the ‘go-to receiver’ category,” Tanier wrote in his Combine notebook. “In this receiver class, a specialist with iffy measurables could get lost in the crowd.”

The tight ends and quarterbacks also went through drills.

The NFL is starting to update its Combine results, including player profiles and video. You can see it here.


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