NFL combine risers 2022: Who is climbing the board after big performances? Jordan Davis and nine other prospects who improved their stock

What a week at the NFL scouting combine. Top prospects in the 2022 NFL draft class impressed during workout sessions on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night in Indianapolis, and many reportedly had fantastic interviews with interested teams. And wow, did we see some blazing speed across the board. Eight receivers ran sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash, and 12 offensive linemen came in under 5 seconds. A defensive lineman registered a ridiculous 4.36, and a pair of Georgia big men shocked scouts with their quicks. Then two defensive backs turned in all-time top-five times to cap it all off.

Beyond the 40, a lot of what we saw on tape for the top names was validated with strong workouts, from Malik Willis' arm strength to Aidan Hutchinson's burst to Boye Mafe's explosion. It's important to remember that the combine is just one piece of the pre-draft evaluation puzzle. But with that said, there are absolutely prospects who see their stock rise coming out of the event.

So who climbed draft boards after their impressive workouts this year? Which players made themselves money in Indy, and whose testing numbers were strong enough to open a few more scouts' eyes? We looked at 10 who caught our attention and will be moving up the Scouts Inc. rankings coming out of the combine. We start with an obvious one.

Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

How wild was Davis' workout? I'm still trying to process what we all saw. My Mount Rushmore of all-time combine performances has long been Calvin Johnson, Vernon Davis and Adrian Peterson. Now there's finally a fourth. How are Davis' testing numbers even possible at 6-foot-6 and 341 pounds?

ESPN Stats & Information has tracked combine results since 2006, and in that time, only two players weighing in at 330 pounds or more have run the 40-yard dash in under 5 seconds: Greg Robinson (4.92 at 332 pounds) and Dontari Poe (4.98 at 346 pounds). Davis blew them both away with a 4.78-second run. In fact, that is actually the fastest time for any player 310 pounds or heavier since at least 2006. Consider that 4.78 is faster than Patrick Mahomes -- who has some scrambling ability -- ran it in 2017 (4.80). Imagine rolling out of the pocket and having a 341-pounder chasing you ... and gaining?

But it didn't stop with the 40. Davis' 10-foot-3 broad jump set the combine's all-time record for 300-plus-pounders, and his 32-inch vertical jump ranked second among the defensive tackles in Indianapolis this weekend. We saw a truly complete performance from him, as he demonstrated elite-level speed and explosiveness for his frame. Oh, and he measured in with 34-inch arms, which is outstanding length in the middle of the line.

Davis is an immovable object in run defense, despite seeing plenty of double-teams, and he can be a powerful bull rusher when turned loose. But some teams might wonder if he's just a 25-snap-per-game guy. If he is, the team that uses a first-round pick on him isn't getting appropriate value. So the question will be whether he can keep his conditioning up. Look at what he did after trimming down from 360 pounds to 341. If he stays in that range, whichever team takes him -- now almost undoubtedly in the top 20 picks -- will be getting a special player. -- McShay

Amare Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech

Barno is a 3-4 outside linebacker prospect who ran the 40-yard dash faster than all but six receivers and all of the running backs. His 4.36 surpassed Montez Sweat's 4.41-second time for the fastest among defensive linemen since at least 2003. And his 37-inch vertical and 10-foot-11 broad jump were outstanding results that provide more evidence that the explosive burst you see on tape is legitimate.

Barno is undersized at 246 pounds, but he has long arms (34 inches), and he has added seven pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame since the Senior Bowl. He arrived in Indianapolis as a late Day 2 pick and leaves a potential second-rounder. -- Muench

Travon Walker, DE, Georgia

Walker never received the attention that Davis or linebacker Nakobe Dean got on that Georgia defense, but he will be drafted ahead of both on April 28. First, he measured in at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, with 35½-inch arms. That's exceptional length for an offensive tackle, let alone an edge rusher. Then he came out and ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Again, he weighed in at 272 pounds. That's faster than a lot of the defensive backs ran on Sunday.

His 6.89-second three-cone drill was in elite territory, and Walker's 35½-inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump demonstrated the explosion that we see on tape. Few guys that I've ever evaluated can generate the kind of power he does from the ground up.

Some will argue that the sack production isn't there. It will come. Walker wore a lot of hats on the Bulldogs' front, and if given more of a chance to rush the passer and used more as a wide rusher, I think he can get home more often. That's especially true if he develops smoother countermoves. I've been all-in on Walker's game for a while now, and his workout definitely put him in good position to be a top-10 pick. -- McShay

Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State

For reference, 4.62 seconds or quicker is considered an outstanding short shuttle time for an offensive tackle prospect. I wouldn't have predicted it going into the combine, but Lucas' 4.40 time was the quickest among all the offensive linemen. That's impressive.

Lucas also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.92 seconds at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. A four-year starter at right tackle, he came into the combine with an early-third-round grade, but he has now given himself a chance to hear his name called sooner than later on Day 2 of the draft. -- Muench

Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

I mean, what else did you want see from Hall? His 40-inch vertical topped the running back results. His 10-foot-6 broad jump tied for third. His 4.39-second 40 time was sixth. He caught the ball well in the on-field drills and showed quick feet. On tape, he has great contact balance and a clear second gear, and that was backed up with his combine performance.

This running back class doesn't have a first-round candidate, and there has been plenty of debate about which ball carrier will be selected first in April. The 5-foot-11, 217-pounder made a statement on Friday with a complete workout, and I think he's a second-rounder and the first running back taken. -- McShay

Pierre Strong Jr., RB, South Dakota State

Strong tied Rutgers' Isaih Pacheco for the fastest 40 time among the running backs, clocking at 4.37. And his 36-inch vertical and 10-foot-4 broad jump were both borderline outstanding results.

Strong led the FCS in rushing yards and ranked second in rushing touchdowns in 2021 but didn't make a big impact as a receiver. But he started to ease concerns about his ability to contribute as a receiver in the NFL by turning a short catch into a 65-yard touchdown in the East-West Shrine Bowl and further helped his cause by catching the ball well in Indianapolis. He is smooth between the tackles, flashes the ability to make defenders miss at the line of scrimmage and plays with strong contact balance.

Strong entered the late-Day 2/early-Day 3 conversation after coming into the combine with a fifth-round grade. -- Muench

Troy Andersen, ILB, Montana State

Andersen caught my eye at the Senior Bowl, and he kept increasing his stock with a phenomenal workout in Indianapolis. His 4.42 paced all the linebackers in the 40-yard dash, showing the sideline-to-sideline range and closing burst he can bring to a defense. His 36-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump showcased great explosion. The 6-foot-3, 243-pounder is a name to watch in the second round after coming to Indianapolis as a midrounder. And I think Andersen is a day one starter in the NFL.

Despite also playing quarterback and running back in college, Andersen is one of the top off-the-ball linebackers in the class. He flies all over the field and is always around the ball. -- McShay

Daniel Bellinger, TE, San Diego State

Bellinger rumbled for 73 yards after a catch against Arizona, so he has flashed long speed on tape. But I didn't expect him to run as well as he did in Indianapolis. He posted a 40 time of 4.63 seconds at 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds. That's a faster time than the one posted by 243-pound Greg Dulcich (UCLA), who is arguably the best big-play threat in this year's tight end class.

Bellinger also had the best broad jump (10-foot-5) and tied for the third-highest vertical (34½ inches) among the tight ends. He has great hands, and he has shown the potential to develop into an effective blocker and reliable pass-catcher. He's moving into the early Day 3 mix after coming into the combine with a fifth-round grade. -- Muench

Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA

Woolen has a unique combination of size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds), length (33 5/8 inches), speed (4.26 seconds in the 40) and explosion (42-inch vertical jump). And as a former receiver, he has decent ball skills. His 40-yard dash time tied for the fourth fastest ever at the combine, and his vert tied for the best among all participants over the combine's four days. You just don't see cornerbacks that tall and that long move that fast and that sudden.

Now, Woolen has played only two seasons as a defensive back, so he's still learning on the job. He improved as a wrap-up tackler this past season, and he already reads the QB and diagnoses routes very well. At this point, I'd be shocked if he didn't come off the board before the end of the second round. A team could even maybe try to grab him at the end of Day 1, but I think early Day 2 makes more sense given his need to still develop a bit. Either way, Woolen made himself some money this weekend, building off a great Senior Bowl with a huge combine performance. -- McShay

Nick Cross, S, Maryland

Cross not only ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.34) out of the safeties this year. He also ran one of the fastest 40s for a safety in the history of the combine -- and the fact that he did so at 212 pounds makes it that much more impressive. He posted the third-best broad jump (10-foot-10) and fourth-best vertical (37 inches) for the safeties in Indianapolis, too. He also looked smooth and played the ball well during position drills.

I'm excited to dig into the true junior's tape more and can see him going from a Day 3 pick to a potential Day 2 selection following this workout. -- Muench

Honorable mentions

• Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

• Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan

• Kellen Diesch, OT, Arizona State

• Kevin Austin Jr., WR, Notre Dame

• Tycen Anderson, S, Toledo