The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman updated his Top 25 Freaks list ahead of this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
These draft prospects are going to be something else in the NFL. At least on paper they will. If teams capitalize on these players and their raw athleticism, you have a lot of franchise players.
Let’s dive into Feldman’s top 25 freaks of this year’s NFL Draft ahead of the combine.
1. Chop Robinson, EDGE – Penn State
Robinson logged 4.5 sacks in 10 games last season and managed to get 7.5 sacks. As Feldman pointed out, there’s speculation if he’s actually a first round talent.
However, his size is immaculate. He’s bigger than Micah Parsons and nearly as fast in the 40-time. Don’t forget his bench press of 400 pounds. Robinson is a certified freak.
2. Quinyon Mitchell, CB – Toledo
Mitchell’s been rising up draft boards and is a popular choice for a first round selection. Feldman has him on his freaks list with his 21 bench press reps at 225 pounds and ran a 4.3 twice in the 40 yard dash.
His speed and ball hawking skills make him stand out among most defensive backs. He’s one of the top “freaks” in this draft class.
3. Byron Murphy II, DT – Texas
Murphy isn’t as big as his teammate T’Vondre Sweat but he’s a menace up the middle of the defensive line. If you can be that disruptive at the pro level, you’re going to play for a long time.
Based on Feldman’s reporting, Murphy might run pretty fast when it comes to the NFL Scouting Combine. We’re talking about this man running around a 4.8 in the 40 yard dash!
4. Payton Wilson, LB – NC State
This is a guy who should be getting more buzz according to Feldman. He’s a former standout lacrosse player and state champion wrestler. Not bad.
He won the Butkus and Bednarik awards this past season and can run under a 4.5 in the 40. He’s a freak of nature when it comes to strength, size and speed. Not to mention he’s a tackling machine.
5. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR – Ohio State
Oh yes, we know all about Harrison Jr. Regarded as the best receiver in the draft class and one of the top pass catchers coming out of college in recent memory, he’s a freak.
It’s not easy being the son of a Hall of Famer, but Harrison Jr.’s excelled. He’ll easily be a top five pick in this draft, if not top three.
6. Roman Wilson, WR – Michigan
Wilson feels overlooked despite his production. A first round talent? Maybe, maybe not. The wide receiver class is loaded this year.
But Feldman loves Wilson’s attributes. He clocked out at a 4.33 40 last offseason and has a 3.77 shuttle time. That’s speed defined. He could make one NFL team very happy.
7. Jaylen Wright, RB – Tennessee
Wright finished the season with over 1,000 yards rushing and shouldn’t be overlooked. You want to talk about athletic freaks? Wright is one of them.
He’ll be one of the fastest guys at the combine, according to Feldman. The former Tennessee ball carrier clocked in at 23.6 miles per hour before.
8. Kingsley Suamataia, OT – BYU
A massive tackle and he’s a freak athlete according to BYU coaches. This big human being his 21.5 MPH last season when he was a 318 pound freshman.
Could he run below 5.0 in the 40? According to Feldman’s reporting, it’s a distinct possibility when it comes to the NFL Scouting Combine.
9. Nate Wiggins, CB – Clemson
Wiggins is a pretty big corner coming into the draft. He measures at 6-foot-2 but is just 185 pounds. But hey, being below 200 means he can really accelerate.
Feldman reported Wiggins clocked in at 22.6 MPH at his top speed last year. If you need someone to track down a player in open space, Wiggins is your guy.
10. Kris Jenkins, DT – Michigan
Jenkins helped Michigan win a national title, so that should be a big plus on his resume. Even Jim Harbaugh called him the “mutant of all mutants.”
Not only can he move a lot of weight (Jenkins can do a Turkish get up with 170 pounds), he is very fast. He ran a 7.16 3-cone and a 4.33 shuttle.
Bruce Feldman’s Freaks No. 11 to 25
11. Brian Thomas Jr., WR – LSU
12. Olu Fashanu, OT – Penn State
13. Troy Franklin, WR – Oregon
14. Trevin Wallace, LB – Kentucky
15. Rome Odunze, WR – Washington
16. Tyler Owens, DB – Texas Tech
17. Bub Means, WR – Pitt
18. Malachi Corley, WR – Western Kentucky
19. Cam Hart, CB – Notre Dame
20. Anthony Gould, WR/KR – Oregon State
21. Chris Braswell, EDGE – Alabama
22. Ricky Pearsall, WR – Florida
23. Javontae Jean-Baptise, DL – Notre Dame
24. Myles Cole, DL – Texas Tech
25. Carlton Johnson, CB – Fresno State
The freaks are not always the best players and sometimes they are. Either way, these 25 players will definitely make teams think about their positioning in the draft.
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