TCU sent six players to this year’s NFL scouting combine.
Wide receivers Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee made the biggest impression on the scouts. Also turning in stellar performances were quarterback Trevone Boykin, safety Derrick Kindred, place-kicker Jaden Oberkrom and offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
Individual Results:
Josh Doctson:
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’2 Arm Length: 31 7/8 Weight: 202 Hands: 9 7/8
Doctson’s physical attributes are pretty good when compared to the average receiver. His above-average height and big hands help him go up and win jump balls. However, he is right about NFL average for both his hand size and weight, but that shouldn’t lower his stock after his performance during the individual drills.
Doctson ran a 4.50 official 40-yard dash, and his lower body strength was put on display when he posted a 41-inch vertical jump and 131-inch broad jump, ranking first and second among receivers.
Doctson’s 2015 season was cut short after injuring his wrist Nov. 7 during the Oklahoma State game, making him miss his final three collegiate games. The injury also kept him out of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and a lot of pre-draft media buzz.
However, NFL scouts loved what they saw on tape. Doctson drew comparisons to Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and San Diego Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen. Bleacher Report columnist Michael Whitlow wrote “Josh Doctson can be the biggest steal of the 2016 NFL draft.”
Whitlow compared Doctson to New York Giants pro bowler Odell Beckham Jr. Doctson is projected to be the third receiver off the board, just like Beckham was back in 2013. Doctson made well of that comparison in the combine.
We 👀 you, Josh Doctson. #NFLCombine https://t.co/7DrlPu4UgL
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2016
Doctson’s performance turned heads all over Twitter.
TCU WR Josh Doctson (6-2, 202): 4.5 40, 41" vertical jump, 10'11" broad jump + he stood out in positional drills. Great workout.
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) February 27, 2016
Josh Doctson might have worked his way into the first round with his 40 time and his work in drills today. #money
— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) February 27, 2016
Doctson had arguably the best performance of the combine and greatly improved his chances of getting drafted in the first round. Scouts believe he could be a solid number two wide receiver and eventually grow into a number one guy.
Kolby Listenbee:
Position: Wide Reciever
Height: 6’0 Arm Length: 31 3/8 Weight: 197 Hands: 8 1/4
Listenbee’s physical attributes are on par with most NFL wide receivers, but his speed is what sets him apart. His biggest strength is his ability to get downfield and beat his man deep.
Listenbee has great ball tracking skills and routinely showed the ability to make adjustments on deep balls throughout his TCU career.
Listenbee went into the combine with very high expectations in the 40-yard dash. He was one of the favorites to break Chris Johnson’s record of 4.24 and win $1 million from adidas.
Line up to light up.
Who you got winning the $1 Million?@List10bee_Swagg or @KingTutt_chdown#teamadidashttps://t.co/GkdndbCUsp
— adidas Football US (@adidasFballUS) February 24, 2016
However, most people did not know he was still recovering from a groin injury. Listenbee ran a 4.35 official 40-yard-dash and finished second overall in his position group. Unfortunately, he didn’t threaten Johnson’s record.
Listenbee told reporters after the combine that he only ran because he wanted to break the record.
“That’s the reason why I ran so I could break the record,” Listenbee said Saturday. “I’m a competitor. I wanted to go out there and break the record.”
Listenbee went on to tell reporters he believes he could run a 4.2 or even a 4.1.
“Right now I’m hurt,” he said. “I’m still running a good time.”
Overall, Listenbee had a good combine and should be a late round draft pick. He will have to prove in training camp that he is more than just a deep threat if he wants to make an NFL roster.
Trevone Boykin:
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6’0 Arm Length: 31 5/8 Weight: 212 Hands: 9 3/8
Trevone Boykin came into the combine with a lot of unanswered questions: What position will he play? Is he a true quarterback? Can he be trusted as the leader of a franchise after “that night” in San Antonio?
Boykin says he wants to play quarterback, but NFL scouts believe he’s best suited as a wide receiver. Boykin has been working out with IMG Academy quarterback coach Rick Bartel.
https://twitter.com/RBquarterbacks/status/702172372946780160
https://twitter.com/RBquarterbacks/status/701971895340683264
https://twitter.com/RBquarterbacks/status/697934651755782144
Bartel and Boykin have been working hard to prove to teams that Boykin can play quarterback at the NFL level.
Boykin ran a 4.77 official 40-yard-dash, which surprised a lot of people. Most scouts thought he would run faster, but it still clocked as a solid time for a quarterback. However, that time does hurt Boykin if a team is looking at him as a wide receiver.
Still, Boykin’s tapes speak for themselves.
As one of the most elusive quarterbacks in college football, Boykin is by far one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the draft. He can routinely escape pressure, get out of the pocket and make defensive plays.
The bottom line is that Boykin is a tremendous athlete, but undersized. He will have to prove to scouts that he can play quarterback at the professional level. Boykin will be a late round draft pick as he provides versatility to a team’s roster.
With most NFL teams only wanting to carry two quarterbacks, Boykin could go to a team to provide them with an athlete that can play wide receiver and also perform backup quarterback duties.
Derrick Kindred:
Position: Safety
Height: 5’10 Arm Length: 31 1/4 Weight: 207 Hands: 9 3/8
Derrick Kindred was one of the few TCU defensive players who didn’t miss games due to injury in 2015. Actually, he just played through an injury. Kindred broke his collarbone three days before the season started and played the whole season with the injury.
This type of toughness will bode well for Kindred in the NFL. A small yet compact player, Kindred was not afraid to drop huge hits on ball carriers.
Kindred ran a solid 40-yard dash for a safety, clocking in at 4.5 seconds. His vertical jump came in at 37.5 inches. During his career at TCU, he also played special teams. This will most likely help him in his NFL career, as he can play early on as both a special teams player and a back up safety.
He needs to work on wrapping guys up rather than going off big hits all time, since he missed 26 tackles over the past two years. Kindred should be a late round pick and could even go underrated. But he plays with a big chip on his shoulder and will definitely compete for a roster spot.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai:
Position: Offensive Tackle
Height: 6’6 Arm Length: 34 1/4 Weight: 320 Hands: 10 5/8
Halapoulivaati Vaitai had a good combine, excelling in the broad jump with 113 inches and running his 40-yard dash in 5.26 seconds, which is pretty good for his size.
Vaitai showed a lot of versatility at TCU being able to play both left and right tackle, which should increase his draft stock. He is a good athlete for his size, but scouts say he needs to get stronger.
Vaitai was great at TCU, but he needs to impress coaches in order to make an NFL roster. He will definitely go to training camp and have a shot to make a team.
Jaden Oberkrom:
Position: Place-kicker
Height: 6’2 Arm Length: 31 3/4 Weight: 186 Hands: 8 1/2
None of those physical attributes really matter for most kickers, as NFL teams just want to see consistency – and Oberkrom has it. While at TCU, he made 99 percent of his extra point attempts and 79 percent of his field goal attempts.
Oberkrom made seven of eight field goals from over 40 yards, and he is three-for-three on 50-plus field goals. His career-long was a 57-yarder.
He has the leg to succeed at the next level and just needs to add power and accuracy to his kickoffs.
Oberkrom might not get drafted, as many kickers usually go undrafted, but he will be at an NFL training camp competing for a job.
