{"id":784870,"date":"2026-03-01T18:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T18:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/784870\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T18:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T18:14:20","slug":"dallas-cowboys-2026-draft-risers-and-fallers-on-day-3-of-the-combine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/784870\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Cowboys 2026 draft: Risers and fallers on Day 3 of the combine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The third day of testing at the combine had the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers take to the field. Although Dallas aren\u2019t in a hurry to draft any of these positions, it is important to take note as prospects showing out here raises their value, meaning defensive players slide and help the Cowboys capitalize on players that will help solidify a much needed overhaul on defense. So let\u2019s get into the risers and fallers from the third day of testing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas <\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">At 6\u20191\u201d, 223 pounds, Washington produced an official 4.33s forty time, plus a 1.51s 10-yard split, with a 39\u201d vertical jump, and 10\u20198\u201d broad jump. That is the kind of power back with a true long-speed profile that forces teams to re-evaluate his value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame <\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Love backed the top-of-the-class buzz with a 4.36s forty yard time and then looked impressive in the skill work. He showed quick feet, sudden lateral cuts, and the easy elusiveness that shows up on tape. He firmly cemented a top-five value with solid testing and a positive persona.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The stopwatch headline is huge because it changes how evaluators have to treat him. His 4.26s forty yard time put him on the short list of the fastest humans in the class. Even for smaller speed receivers, that kind of verified vertical speed creates a real role in the NFL, which is enough to spike his draft value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Branch\u2019s value is easy separation and elite hands, and he looked like the best receiver on the field in his group by making confident catches outside his frame, and produced a workout that made it easy to project an NFL role.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Bell stacked explosive numbers in the jumps and a drill session that was professional. He tracked and finished, even if the ball fought him a bit at times. That combination is exactly how you sell top-100 prospect value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma <\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">He put legit juice on paper with a 4.30s forty time and a wide receiver-leading 42.5\u201d vertical jump, and that\u2019s the kind of explosiveness that tends to show up in routes as sudden acceleration. When a receiver tests like that, teams will live with some polish work because the athletic ceiling creates a real winning path.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Purely as an athlete, it was absurd. He registered a 43.5\u201d vertical jump, 11\u20192\u201d broad jump (setting combine records at the position), and a 4.36s forty time (99th-percentile). The throwing session was the reminder he\u2019s still raw when the tempo sped up, his feet and arm timing drifted and balls sailed and arrived late, but the tools are loud enough that some team will justify an investment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Simpson helped himself by looking steady and consistent relative to the group, which is good enough to keep the second-best quarterback talk behind Fernando Mendoza. He didn\u2019t have to be spectacular, he just needed solid reps, and he largely delivered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The 4.61s forty time hit the exact concern evaluators already had, and the on-field portion didn\u2019t hide it. His subpar stop-start speed showed up by arriving late to spots, plus some drops in the gauntlet. This was the kind of session that forces teams to reframe him as a ball-skill role player, not an early-round separator.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The testing didn\u2019t match the quick speed on tape. He was the slowest running back on the day with a 4.56s forty time, an ugly 7.32s three-cone (29th percentile), and then in drills he wasn\u2019t as fluid as anticipated and hesitated in space. For running backs, when both the numbers and the movement look ordinary, you lose the selling point to warrant interest to be drafted in any of the first four rounds. That 6.16 Relative Athletic Score for a position that\u2019s all about athleticism will kill his draft stock.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The issue wasn\u2019t that his forty yard time of 4.53s is unusable, it\u2019s that it\u2019s average for a 192-pound receiver who needs to threaten vertically to justify top of the draft talk. Without the on-field drills to offset the time, the day ended with more questions than answers, and that\u2019s invited a slide.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Tyson didn\u2019t get to answer the biggest question on durability because he wasn\u2019t able to do the on-field work due to injury. That\u2019s not a bad workout, but in a class where others banked verified speed and clean drill tape, missing the opportunity will create a value drift.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The third day of testing at the combine had the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers take to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":784871,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2066],"tags":[230,229,257,437,2461,7,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-784870","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas-cowboys","8":"tag-cowboys","9":"tag-dallas","10":"tag-dallas-cowboys","11":"tag-dallas-cowboys-draft","12":"tag-dallascowboys","13":"tag-football","14":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116155283473734624","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=784870"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784870\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/784871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=784870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=784870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=784870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}