Cheese Curds, 3/3: Recapping the best Combine workouts of 2020

With the 2020 NFL Combine now firmly in the rear-view mirror, NFL fans and analysts alike can begin to draw conclusions about the week-long event, particularly regarding the players’ workouts. There are a few mitigating circumstances that make that analysis a bit difficult this year, but we can still identify some winners at each position by looking at the numbers and the workout tape.

Those issues with analyzing the numbers, however, have a great deal to do with injuries, including those that players suffered during their Combine testing. One common complaint from agents over the last week has been the updated schedule, which pushed workouts into prime time to try to draw television viewers. That also adjusted the workout schedules of each position group, forcing players to have more down time between drills.

Some agents have argued that this causes a bigger risk of injury, and there were several notable players who pulled up on 40-yard dash attempts with muscle pulls. Among those were top linebackers Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen, plus offensive tackle Mekhi Becton.

This also had the effect of driving many players to skip agility testing, whether because of injury or in fear of it. With so few agility numbers to rely on and NFL teams — particularly the Packers — seemingly prioritizing those times, it’s tough to determine exactly which prospects fit the team’s traditional cutoffs. Still, it’s worth a close look through the numbers that we do have to find out who helped themselves the most this week.

2020 All-Combine Team: Which NFL draft prospects owned Indy? - NFL.com
CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs got some pub here, but Denzel Mims is the real winner among the wide receivers. Meanwhile, the linebacker winners consist of Isaiah Simmons, Zack Baun, and Michal Divinity, the latter being a bit of a surprise.

Picking a combine star for the Packers at every need position | Packers Wire
While the NFL.com article above did not list the Packers once as a "best team fit" for any of their top players, let's take a closer look at a few of the top players at the team's needs.

NFL CBA proposal - What players are voting on in the deal, plus the biggest changes | ESPN
Here's a close look at the basic tenets of the proposed CBA. The 17-game schedule would not kick in until 2021 at the earliest, while rosters would expand to an effective 55 due to some added flexibility with practice squads.

Five young Packers to watch in 2020 | Packers.com
Jace Sternberger, Chandon Sullivan, and EQ St. Brown are among the list of second- and third-year players who will have to be major contributors in 2020.

For Tramon Williams, decisions on football and playing for Packers await – The Athletic
Williams said that returning for a 14th NFL season would be an easier decision if he knew he'd come back to the Packers. As it stands, he'll be an unrestricted free agent and it's not hard to imagine the Packers wanting to get younger at corner.

Penn State in Mourning After Taco Bell Closes – NBC10 Philadelphia
As a college student in Madison, I was a very frequent patron of the Taco Bell on State Street. I can imagine students being bummed that their Taco Bell is closing down, but holding a candlelight vigil is a special kind of dedication to their chalupas.