NFL Combine 2019: Draft prospects who stood out

Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

In a murky cornerback class without a clear order among the top five guys or so, Murphy made a case for himself to be the first one selected in late April. The former Washington corner might not have stood out with that 4.55 in the 40-yard dash, but considering that he added 14 pounds since the end of the season and with that outstanding field workout he had, I thought he really helped himself.

Murphy displayed clean footwork and loose hips in the pedal & turn drills, on the M-drill and those 90-degree turns. He showed the ability to plant and drive with great short-area burst and he caught every ball thrown his way away from his body with confidence in his hands.

Some of those longer press-man corners such as Greedy Williams and Isaiah Johnson ran really well, but I think Murphy has cemented himself as the number one guy for a zone-based defense, where he can continue to make plays on the ball the way he did for the Huskies, having put together four interceptions and 13 pass-breakups last season.