INDIANAPOLIS — Ten things from the NFL scouting combine:
1. If LSU’s Devin White continues the momentum he created Sunday, he may not be available to the Broncos with the No. 10 pick. White ran a blazing 4.42 seconds on his first attempt of the 40-yard dash, fastest among the linebackers. If teams in the top five stay put and don’t go quarterback, White may not make it past Tampa Bay at No. 5.
2. How about Quinnen Williams as the best player in the draft? At 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, Williams ran the 40 in 4.83 seconds, fastest among the interior defensive linemen. It was the fourth-fastest by a D-linemen of 300-plus pounds since 2003. He redshirted at Alabama in 2016, was a backup in 2017 and had 70 tackles last year as a starter. That included a 10-tackle, 3 1/2-sack game at LSU. “A year ago, I was getting ready for spring practice not even knowing (if) I was going to start or what position I was going to start in,” said Williams, who ended up at nose guard but could play a 3-4 end spot.
3. If Arizona opts to keep quarterback instead of drafting Kyler Murray, Williams should be in its conversation for the top pick.
4. Wyoming edge rusher Carl Granderson will not attend the Cowboys’ pro day Thursday. Last month, he was charged with third-degree sexual assault (a felony) and sexual battery (a misdemeanor) by two victims after an incident in November. He was allowed to go through the full combine routine, because he has not been convicted of a crime.
5. Asked if it has been difficult to concentrate on his combine preparation because of the legal issue, Granderson said: “No. I’ve just been focused on training and looking forward to the NFL.” He added of the charges: “As of right now, itap still an ongoing investigation and I’m not allowed to talk about it.”
6. TCU’s Ben Banogu posted a broad jump of 11 feet, 2 inches, longest by a defensive lineman at the combine since 2003. Banogu, who said he was scheduled to meet with the Broncos, weighs 250 pounds and projects as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Banogu started his career at Louisiana-Monroe before transferring to TCU and posting 17 sacks in two seasons.
7. Mississippi receiver D.K. Metcalf did just about everything right at the combine. At 228 pounds and nearly 6-4, Metcalf led the receivers with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and was tied for first with Iowa State N’Keal Harry with 27 presses of the 225-pound bar. The question for teams: Can Metcalf stay healthy? He played three years for Ole Miss — two (foot), 12 and seven games (neck) and had 67 catches.
8. Good question/comment/idea from loyal reader Sam: “Trade Von Miller and a third-round pick to the for the third overall pick. Take Dwayne Haskins at 3 and Greedy Williams or Byron Murphy at 10.” This shows some Broncos fans are thinking outside the box … and in reality. Why not try to deal Miller to kick-start a build? That is not in the Broncos front office’s DNA, though.
9. A couple of points on Miller. It makes zero fiscal sense to move him this year. The Broncos would have a $19.375 million “dead” salary cap hit (guaranteed money already paid to Miller but spread out over the life of the deal). Per Spotrac, that would represent the third-biggest dead cap since 2011, behind Buffalo’s Marcell Dareus ($24.9 million) and Dallas’ ($19.6 million). If the Broncos traded Miller before the 2020 draft, the Broncos would have an $11.75 million “dead” cap charge and save $13.875 million.
10. This year’s salary cap will be $188.2 million, slightly lower than one NFC executive thought earlier in the week — they were projecting a $190 million cap. It marks the fifth consecutive year the cap has increased by at least $10 million.
“I never quarrel with a man who buys ink by the barrel,” former Indiana Rep. Charles Brownson said of the press. But we need your help to keep up with the rising cost of ink.
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