The second day of workouts was as busy as the first.
Friday saw the defensive back prospects take the field at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. This year's position group is a "really good one" according to NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, and Day 4 gave everyone their first look at what is a very athletic class.
The Main Thing
Whether it's Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, Oregon's Christian Gonzalez, Penn State's Joey Porter, Jr. or any other defensive back, this class has a little bit for everybody.
Witherspoon, who sits atop Jeremiah's and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s position rankings, did not participate in on-field workouts on Friday. Still, it was the first chance to see both Gonzalez and Porter in drills.
Gonzalez was apart of the first group of defensive backs to workout, and posted an official 4.38 40-yard dash. He also showed his athleticism during the afternoon with a 41.5" vertical jump and an 11'1" broad jump — both impressive at his position.
Porter, who has previously been mocked to the Bolts in the latest Mock Draft Tracker, measured in with 34-inch arms, which would put him in the 99th percentile according to Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema. He also ran an impressive 4.46 40-yard dash.
Another defensive back who has been mocked to the Chargers is South Carolina's Cam Smith, who was able to top Gonzalez in the broad jump with a measure of 11'2".
Tweet of the Day
There were many impressive displays by the defensive backs on the second day of workouts, but one that stood out was the 40-yard dash by Michigan defensive back DJ Turner II.
Turner had an official time of 4.26, which would put him tied for the fourth-fastest time in the history of the Combine and tied for second-fastest by a defensive back.
A Peek Ahead
After the first two days saw the defense go, the next two days will be the other side of the field. Saturday will be one of the more highlighted days of the Combine, as quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends will all do on-field training.
A lot of eyes will be on the quarterbacks, as some are expected to go high in the draft. But, there will also be a lot of excitement around the tight ends, as this year's class has received high praise all-around.
"I think the tight end group is as best I've seen in the last 10 years," Jeremiah said. "It's outstanding."
The Combine will wrap up on Sunday, as offensive line and running backs are slated to be the last position groups to workout.
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