NFL Combine 2024 winners & losers: Michael Penix, Xavier Worthy among those who impressed ahead of draft

Jacob Camenker

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NFL Combine 2024 winners & losers: Michael Penix, Xavier Worthy among those who impressed ahead of draft image

The 2024 NFL Combine presented many prospects an opportunity to prove themselves within a fluid 2024 draft class, and nowhere was that truer than at the skill positions.

The top three quarterbacks in the draft — Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye — opted out of working out at the NFL Combine. That opened the door for Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy to stake a claim to the QB4 mantle.

The 2024 running back class lacks a consensus No. 1 player, so a contingent of Day 2 players were expected to battle for the RB1 designation. Blake Corum, Trey Benson and Audric Estime were among those expected to thrive at the event.

And at receiver, neither Marvin Harrison Jr. nor Malik Nabers worked out in front of scouts. That presented Rome Odunze a chance to establish himself as a top-10 talent while players like Xavier Worthy and Brian Thomas Jr. looked to cement themselves as first-round picks.

Not every player could take advantage of the opportunities posed to them, but several will find themselves trending up as the 2024 NFL Draft draws nearer.

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Here's a look at Sporting News' winners and losers from the 2024 NFL Combine.

NFL Combine winners

Michael Penix Jr.

Penix got his combine off to a good start by posting some eye-popping measurements before his workouts. He measured in at just over 6-2 and 216 pounds — as expected, but his 81-inch wingspan of 81 inches, 33 5/8-inch arms and 10 1/2-inch hands created some "buzz," per NFL Network's Peter Schrager.

Add in that Penix's medical exams came back looking "good" and the Washington product checked all the boxes needed during the off-field portion of the 2024 NFL Combine.

He did the same thing on the field, showcasing the consistent ball placement that highlighted his tenure at Washington.

Penix threw tight spirals all day long and threw with great anticipation. He didn't always connect on his deep balls, but he threw several at least 55 yards in the air that his receivers were positioned to catch.

Penix looked like the most consistent quarterback on the field Saturday, and that could allow him to sneak into the end of the first round. At a minimum, his strong workout and clean bill of health could turn him into a second-round steal.

MORE: Grading the QBs at the 2024 NFL Draft, from Bo Nix and Michael Penix to Sam Hartman

Joe Milton

Milton was one of the stars of the NFL Combine's throwing session. He showcased Josh Allen-like arm strength in the downfield passing drills and uncorked a few passes of more than 70 yards.

Milton connected with Lideatrick "Tulu" Griffin and Anthony Gould on his deep-ball passes. The throw to Griffin traveled about 73 yards and perfectly fell into the hands of the Mississippi State speedster.

Milton's strong performance wasn't limited to that portion of the workout. He showed an ability to throw with touch downfield and put catchable balls in front of his receivers for the most part. On occasion, his passes came in a bit too flat, but for the most part, he was solid.

Notably, Milton posted the fastest throw among the first quarterback group at the NFL Combine. His mark of 62 mph was just 1 mph faster than his former teammate J.J. McCarthy.

Milton won't be a first-round pick, but his performance at the combine may heat his stock up enough to make him the first passer selected after the draft's top-six quarterbacks come off the board.

Isaac Guerendo
(Getty Images)

Isaac Guerendo

The race to be the No. 1 running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft is wide-open, but Guerendo staked his claim to it with his NFL Combine performance. The Louisville product posted the fastest 40 time of the group at 4.33 seconds and showcased his athleticism in the on-field drills as well.

Guerendo's athletic skill set will endear him to NFL teams. He posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.99 out of 10, the second-best mark ever by a running back, trailing only Justin Fargas.

And Guerendo is one of just three running backs to record a top speed of 24 mph during the 40-yard dash over the last two combines. The other two? Dolphins running back De'Von Achane and Ravens back Keaton Mitchell, who both emerged as key weapons during their rookie seasons.

That should put Guerendo in the running to be the top back selected in 2024.

Xavier Worthy and Keon Coleman

Worthy and Coleman come from opposite ends of the spectrum, but both enjoyed stellar combine performances.

Worthy's greatness was on display during the 40-yard dash. The Texas product broke the all-time NFL Combine 40-yard dash record by blazing a 4.21-second 40-yard dash on his second run. He clocked an unofficial 4.25 on his first run.

Worthy was expected to be fast at the combine, but this blazing number should help him state his case to be a first-round pick. He was productive at Texas, recording 75 catches for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns during the Longhorns' College Football Playoff season, so his production and athleticism should make him a coveted asset come April. 

Comparatively, Coleman may seem like a strange choice given that he ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, good for the slowest among the first group of receivers to work out.

That said, Coleman was among the fastest receivers during the on-field drills. Notably, he reached a max speed of 20.36 mph in the gauntlet drill and reached a speed of 21.71 mph while running his go routes.

This means Coleman's play speed is elite despite his straight-line speed seemingly lacking, much like the fastest gauntlet-runner from last year's combine, Puka Nacua. That comparison should ensure Coleman a spot among the top 50 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

MORE: Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill react to Xavier Worthy's record-breaking 40 time

Braden Fiske

Fiske weighed just 292 pounds at the NFL Combine. That's undersized for a defensive tackle, so he had to post strong athletic testing numbers to climb draft boards.

Mission accomplished.

Fiske ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.78 seconds with a 1.68-second 10-yard split. That is fast for a defensive tackle, and his performance in the on-field drills matched that play speed. He came screaming around the corner with pace and power in the pass rushing drills and showed easy movement in the four-bag agility drill.

That said, the best number of Fiske's day was the 4.37-second mark he posted in the short shuttle. Comparatively, Aaron Donald — another undersized defensive tackle who developed into a high-end pass rusher — posted a mark of 4.39 in that drill.

So, suffice to say that Fiske helped himself a lot with his NFL Combine performance. He cemented his status as an early Day 2 pick and may be able to climb into the first round thanks to his unique combinations of burst and athleticism.

Byron Murphy II and T'Vondre Sweat

Both of the Texas defensive tackles showed well on the first day of the NFL Combine. Murphy weighed in at 297 pounds yet managed to run the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.87 seconds. Add his 28 bench press reps — third-most among defensive tackles — and Murphy's measurables were among the best of the group.

But Murphy also shone in the on-field drills. He ran a picture-perfect wave drill to showcase his movement in space and followed that up by showcasing his strength, power and motor across the other defensive tackle drills.

There's a reason that Murphy ranks as the 17th overall player on Sporting News' big board for the 2024 NFL Draft. He should only continue to rise given his NFL Combine performance.

Sweat should be on the rise after his workout as well. His numbers might not jump off the page like Murphy's do, but it's important to note that Sweat clocked a 5.27-second 40 despite tipping the scales at 366 pounds.

Sweat showed strong movement skills for his size and should be a powerful presence at the NFL level. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 4.10 might not excite many, but Sweat proved that he should be able to play at 366 pounds. That was the biggest question he had to answer entering the combine.

Chop Robinson and Laiatu Latu

Robinson put together a great all-around performance at the 2024 NFL Combine. He ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash among edge rushers (4.48 seconds) and looked excellent during the on-field drills.

Robinson showed particularly well in the hoops drill, which is designed to measure how well pass rushers can bend and change direction to get by offensive tackles. He demonstrated great body control and made a near-perfect figure-8 while running the drill.

Latu had similar success in the on-field drills, looking poised, polished and smooth across all of them. He wasn't quite as fast as Robinson — Latu logged a 4.64-second 40-yard dash — but like the Penn State product, Latu was excellent in the hoops drill and showed fluid movement skills when performing the four-bag drills.

Latu also demonstrated great character and stayed past his session at the NFL Combine to cheer on his teammates and counterparts participating in the linebacker drills. That will endear him to talent evaluators trying to break ties between himself, Jared Verse and Robinson in the middle portion of the first round.

Both Robinson and Latu established that they should be first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. They have the athleticism and technique needed to thrive early during their NFL careers, and that was on display during their workouts on Thursday.

(Getty Images)

Dallas Turner

Turner was an explosive playmaker during his time at Alabama, and that carried over to his combine workouts. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds — the best among the edge players at the 2024 combine — and recorded a 40 1/2-inch vertical jump.

Turner's burst showed up during the pass-rushing drills, as he rounded the corner and hit the bags with power when he was on the field. He also looked good in space during the linebacker drills and demonstrated that he could change directions quickly with ease.

Turner has established himself as the best defensive player in the 2024 NFL Draft and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him become a top-10 pick in this offense-heavy draft.

Payton Wilson

Wilson plays a different position than Turner — the NC State product is an inside linebacker — but he similarly starred during his workout at the combine.

Wilson blazed a 4.43 40 time and was nearly flawless in the on-field drills. He moved very well and looked like a potential three-down playmaker whose nose-to-the-ball instincts should translate to the NFL.

Wilson would be a sure-fire first-round pick if not for his injury history. As it stands, he shouldn't last long if he makes it to the second day of the draft. 

Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold

Mitchell was expected to blow up the 2024 NFL Combine. He didn't disappoint. The Toledo prospect blazed a 4.33-second 40-yard dash — the second-fastest mark among cornerbacks — and demonstrated great ball skills in the gauntlet drill.

Mitchell also recorded 20 bench press reps, the best among the nine cornerbacks who participated in that drill, to show that he can fit well in a press-man system that might require more physicality. In short, his well-rounded performance could help make him the No. 1 cornerback off the board; and at the least, he looks like a top-20 pick after his performance.

The only one preventing Mitchell from being the consensus No. 1 cornerback at this stage in Arnold. The Alabama product ran a respectable 4.51-second 40-yard dash, but his top speed of 18.40 mph during his 10-yard split showed that he should be able to keep pace with NFL receivers, especially in the short game.

Arnold also was one of the smoothest players in the on-field drills. He flipped his hips and transitioned out of breaks with the best of the defensive backs, so his strong technique should further establish him as a true, No. 1 cornerback prospect for the NFL.

Theo Johnson

Johnson's NFL Combine workout was superb. The Penn State tight end ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash (4.57 seconds) and did so despite carrying 259 pounds on his 6-6 frame. That established him as the most athletic tight end prospect since 1987, per RAS.

Johnson also thrived in the on-field drills, showcasing fluid movement skills and an ability to use his 6-6 size to the advantage of his catch radius. That will draw the attention of tight-end-needy teams that miss out on Brock Bowers in 2024.

MORE: Live updates, highlights from NFL Combine workouts

NFL Combine losers

Quarterback evaluators

If you came to the NFL Combine hoping to learn everything about the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, chances are you were disappointed.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye are expected to be the first three quarterbacks off the board in 2024. Williams decided not to work out and didn't provide teams with medical information. Daniels also declined to participate in the event and also opted to be measured at his Pro Day rather than in Indianapolis. And Maye didn't take the field for workouts either.

If that wasn't bad enough, J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. — the three other signal-callers vying to be first-round selections — didn't run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. McCarthy is nursing a hamstring injury, so it makes sense that he would wait to run, but those decisions prevented NFL personnel from learning each player's top gear.

NFL teams will have plenty of time to fill the remaining holes in their quarterback evaluations at pro days and top-30 visits with each prospect. That said, fans who were hoping to see their future franchise quarterbacks in action at the NFL Combine have to be disappointed with the number of opt-outs among the top passers in this year's draft.

JJ McCarthy
(Getty Images)

J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, and his combine workout demonstrated exactly why that's the case.

The good: McCarthy showed off his arm strength and proved that he has a bigger arm than some realized. He logged a 61 mph throw — trailing only Milton for the fastest speed among any quarterback in 2024 — and notched some nice 60-yard completions during the go-ball drill. He also weighed in 10 pounds heavier than expected as he continues to fill out his frame.

The bad: McCarthy struggled with his accuracy, especially during the early stages of his workout. He missed a few throws high and had inconsistent ball placement when throwing to his left.

Of course, McCarthy was working with unfamiliar receivers, so that may have played a part in some of his misfires, but the bigger issue was that he didn't separate himself from the second-tier quarterbacks. Both Bo Nix and Michael Penix were more consistent than him and showed enough arm talent to challenge McCarthy for the QB4 label in this year's draft.

That makes the combine a missed opportunity for McCarthy. While he had bright moments, he didn't dominate the way that he could have to pull away from Nix and Penix and potentially challenge for the QB3 mantle.

Audric Estime

Estime entered the NFL Combine with concerns about his top speed. He did nothing to quell those after running a 4.71 40-yard dash, good for the worst mark among running backs to compete in the drill.

Estime was much better in the on-field drills, but in a top-light running back class, the Notre Dame product missed a chance to establish himself as arguably the top running back in this year's draft class. He could still be an effective pro — much like his fellow Notre Damer Kyren Williams, who ran a 4.65 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine — but he is probably moving down draft boards rather than up them due to his speed concerns.

Nate Wiggins and Tyler Owens

It may seem strange to list Wiggins as a loser at the NFL Combine given that his 4.28 40-yard dash was one of the fastest at the event, but he suffered an injury during his run that knocked him out of the rest of the event.

Wiggins is competing with Arnold and Mitchell to be the first cornerback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Both the Alabama and Toledo products shined in the on-field drills with Wiggins out, so he now has ground to make up in that race.

Wiggins had the potential to blow up the NFL Combine, so he has to be disappointed that he couldn't finish his workout.

The same can be said of Owens, who posted excellent numbers in the jumping drills and was favored to run the fastest 40. The Texas Tech product never got the chance to showcase his speed, as he pulled up with an injury while running the 40-yard dash.

Owens' day was done after that, so the lasting impression he left among most NFL fans will be his strange comments about outer space not being real.

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Kalen King

The fast defensive backs had bad luck at the NFL Combine, but King had a combine to forget. The Penn State product had a down year in 2023, so he needed to test well to prove he could be a successful cornerback in the NFL.

Instead, King logged a 4.61 in the 40-yard dash — the second-slowest among the cornerback prospects —and was a bit stiff in the on-field drills. That indicates that he will probably need to transition to safety at the NFL level, and that will almost certainly drop him down draft boards.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

Brock Bowers opted out of workouts at the 2024 NFL Combine, so Sanders had a chance to establish himself as the consensus No. 2 tight end in this year's draft class. He failed to take advantage of that opportunity.

Sanders ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.69 seconds, good for ninth-best among tight ends. That mark was OK, but considering that he checked in just under 6-4 and at 245 pounds, it was expected he would run better.

Sanders made up for his athletic shortcomings by faring well in the on-field drills and showing good pass-catching skills. The issue is that some of the more athletic testers like Theo Johnson, Tip Reiman and Ben Sinnott also performed well in the drills.

Sanders is now less certain to be the second tight end off the board come draft day because of the performances of his counterparts. That won't give him a major stock decline, but it feels like a squandered opportunity for him.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.