SportsMap's Cody Stoots details what he saw and heard that will stick with him from the 2019 NFL Combine

Stoots: 11 favorite things from the NFL Combine

Stoots: 11 favorite things from the NFL Combine
D.K. Metcalf is a physical freak. Getty Images.

It was my first trip to Indianapolis and my first trip to cover the combine. These are my 11 favorite things from the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine.

1. Washington tackle Kaleb McGary has one of the best journeys to the combine and one of the best personalities.

"Fair warning – it's basically a country song, so get ready," said McGary.

His family lost their farm. His father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Girlfriend leaves him. Dog dies. His family lives in an RV in his grandparent's yard. Get second RV to have some space. Get room cleaned in grandparent's house. Second RV catches fire. Burns house. Parents almost die. Jump through hoops to get GoFundMe cleared with NCAA. Use all of the money quickly. House work stops. He has a heart arrhythmia that requires surgeries in college.

All of that plus the heartbreak of multiple Huskies seasons not going their way. Then he did this at the combine.

And he did it all with a smile. Great perspective. Great dude. Easy to root for Kaleb McGary.

2. Big people aren't supposed to move like Andre Dillard did.

Read more about Dillard and his fit with the Texans.

3. Justice for all, or at least one team in a couple of months. The Oklahoma State Cowboys back was a freak. He came in without a lot of buzz and left with almost all of it.

4. It ain't the luck of the Irish when you have these skills. Notre Dame wideout Miles Boykin found himself with the same type of combine Justice Hill had. Showed up, was a freak, left with the hype.

He can go up too.

Oh, and he ripped off a 4.42 40-yard dash as well.

5. Speaking of really impressive athletes, how about D.K. Metcalf? At 6 feet 3 inches, 228 pounds and 1.6% body fat he did this

And this.

And most impressively to me, this.

Oh and he called his family after that blazing fast run and despite looking like a monster had a very human moment.

6. Washington Redskins strength coach Chad Englehart deserves props. He oversaw the bench press for I believe every player. His energy was the same for every guy. He encouraged them. Gave them tips. He even got them hype when they wanted it or needed it.

It was awesome watching the bench press. It was even more awesome watching these athletes root each other on, with some directing from Englehart in the process. They're all competing against each other essentially but they were sure to root for each other here. Made me want to get out there and lift.

7. The Millionaire Mouth. Hakeem Butler was the best draft prospect on the microphone at their media availability. Here are some of his highlights.

His favorite route? "I guess just 'go' because like a lot of people here, ya'll gonna sleep on my speed. Once I get up on ya, it's too late."

What does he make of the buzz around him? "You think there's been a lot of buzz about me? I disagree with that. I don't think there's been enough buzz. But we're gonna fix that soon."

What makes you the best wideout prospect? "I'm 6-6, first of all. Nobody here is 6-6. I'm the biggest. I'm gonna run good. So … I just know me. It's up to you to believe who you are. I believe I'm the best."

What advice did he get from Calvin Johnson? "That the man across from you is trying to take your head off so you have to take his head off first."

The he did this the next day.

8. Ed Oliver is ready to invest his NFL money. The Houston defensive lineman grew up with horses but he might have other livestock in mind when he has NFL money.

[ia_video https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F9340-IMG_9661%2B%25281%2529.MOV source="https://s3.amazonaws.com/roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/runner%2F9340-IMG_9661%2B%25281%2529.MOV" caption="Ed Oliver on bulls" videoControls=true shortcode_id=1551766450075 expand=1 ]

Maybe if he gets some of those wagyu cows and turns them into steaks maybe he could pass them along to...

9. I believe I have found football Ron Swanson. Washington State quarterback Gardner Minshew was awesome talking to the media. He has quite the reputation as a rambunctious character but he was a cool customer at the podium. The mustache is here to stay. Outside of football he does woodworking and likes to cook.

"Man, throw me on the grill, that's my specialty. Steaks, burgers, however you like it, I'll make it for you."

Washington State QB Gardner Minshew aka Football Ron SwansonCody Stoots of SportsMap

He also had maybe one of the best answers about his ability playing quarterback.

"I'd say elevating the guys around you," he said. "That's what it's all about playing this position. Taking this team, going 11-2, 11 wins for the first time in school history. That's what it's all about, making the guys around you better, that's how you come to work every day and how you lead."

10. "Do you have both your testicles?" That was the question asked to Texas cornerback Kris Boyd.

I have no idea why they would ask him that but that was one of the only out there questions I heard about all week.

11. The best tacos in the world? They are in Indianapolis according to one of my drivers at the combine.

Unfortunately I didn't get to try them. Maybe next year.

I did try the local favorite. Indianapolis is famous for this shrimp cocktail.

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The Jets host the Texans and their scary defense on Halloween night! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

Houston (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6)

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Amazon Prime

BetMGM NFL odds: Jets by 2.

Against the spread: Texans 3-4-1; Jets 2-6.

Series record: Jets lead 7-3.

Last meeting: Jets beat Texans 30-6 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 10, 2023.

Last week: Texans beat Colts 23-20; Jets lost to Patriots 25-22.

Texans offense: overall (9t), rush (18), pass (8), scoring (14).

Texans defense: overall (2), rush (13), pass (3), scoring (15t).

Jets offense: overall (24), rush (30), pass (13), scoring (25).

Jets defense: overall (4), rush (17), pass (2), scoring (11t).

Turnover differential: Texans plus-4; Jets minus-3.

Texans player to watch

RB Joe Mixon. He has carried Houston's offense in the three games since he returned from an injury and could be even more important this week after wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore the ACL in his right knee last Sunday and is out for the season. Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 100.6 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing and a TD run in three straight games.

Jets player to watch

Edge rusher Haason Reddick. After ending his lengthy contract holdout early last week, Reddick made his Jets debut and played 26 snaps on defense with two quarterback pressures while working mostly on third downs. His snaps might increase a bit Thursday and he could help the Jets get after C.J. Stroud, who has been sacked 22 times this season — tied for third most in the NFL.

Key matchup

Jets offensive line vs. Texans' pass rush. New York has had issues this season with injuries, consistency and protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Jets will face a tough test Thursday night against the Texans, whose 27 sacks are third in the NFL. DE Will Anderson Jr. is tied for third in the league with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks, including at least one in his past three games. DE Danielle Hunter has 5 1/2 sacks and DT Tim Settle has four, powering a formidable defensive front for Houston. Hunter leads the league with 51 quarterback pressures and Anderson is fourth with 39, the only teammates in the top 15, according to Next Gen Stats.

Key injuries

Diggs' injury leaves Houston without its top two receivers. Nico Collins, who leads the Texans with 567 yards receiving, is out for at least one more game after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. ... S Calen Bullock was limited in practice Monday and Tuesday after injuring his shoulder Sunday. … LBs Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) both missed the Colts game, but could return this week. … S Jimmie Ward could miss a fifth straight game with a groin injury. … LG Jarrett Patterson is in the concussion protocol and is likely out. … RB Dameon Pierce missed practice this week with a groin injury. ... Jets LB C.J. Mosley suffered a stinger in his neck during pregame warmups at New England and was meeting with neck and spine specialists this week. ... RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), WR Allen Lazard (chest), DL Leki Fotu (knee) and safeties Tony Adams (hamstring) and Ashtyn Davis (concussion) all missed the game vs. the Patriots and their availability for this week was uncertain. ... K Greg Zuerlein was placed on IR. Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad, and one will be promoted for the game.

Series notes

The Jets have won the past two meetings. ... New York won the first five meetings, including the first game between the franchises in 2003, when LaMont Jordan's late 8-yard touchdown run helped lift the Jets to a 19-14 victory. ... Zach Wilson threw two touchdown passes in the most recent meeting, a 30-6 rout by New York during which Stroud left with a concussion.

Stats and stuff

The AFC South-leading Texans have won four of their past five. ... Stroud is 2-0 with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in two career starts in prime time. He had 285 yards passing last week for his ninth career game with at least that many yards passing, which is tied for second most in the NFL since 2023. ... WR Tank Dell had a touchdown reception last week and has a TD catch in two of his past three games. ... TE Dalton Schultz had a season-high 52 yards receiving against the Colts. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two Thursday night games. ... Hunter has 10½ sacks in eight career Thursday night games. … LB Neville Hewitt, who spent the 2018-21 seasons with the Jets, forced a fumble last week. … Rookie CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high three passes defended last week. … S Jalen Pitre had his first interception of the season last week. ... S Eric Murray had seven tackles and a season-high three passes defended last week. ... New York is trying to snap a five-game skid. ... Jeff Ulbrich is 0-3 as the Jets’ interim head coach since replacing the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. Ulbrich, also the team's defensive coordinator, said earlier this week he'll continue to call plays on defense. … Rodgers snapped a streak of three consecutive games with an interception. He has seven in eight games, six shy of his single-season career high set in 2008 in his first year as Green Bay’s starting quarterback. ... Rodgers hasn't passed for 300 yards since throwing for 341 against Chicago on Dec. 12, 2021 — a span of 30 regular-season games and 31 overall, including one playoff game. ... WR Garrett Wilson leads the NFL with 84 targets, 11 more than the Giants’ Malik Nabers. Wilson’s 51 receptions are second in the league behind Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, who has 52. ... WR Davante Adams had four catches for 54 yards, giving him seven receptions for 84 yards in two games since being acquired from the Raiders. ... Second-year WR Xavier Gipson caught his first career TD pass last Sunday. ... TE Tyler Conklin has a TD catch in consecutive games after not having one since catching two TD passes in Week 8 of the 2022 season against New England. ... RB Breece Hall has 316 yards receiving, the most among NFL running backs. ... Edge rusher Will McDonald has eight sacks, second in the NFL to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (nine). … The Jets have only six takeaways, ranking among the fewest in the league. Backup CB Brandin Echols has New York's only two interceptions.

Fantasy tip

Houston wide receiver John Metchie is coming off a career-best three-catch game and could see more targets — and perhaps his first NFL touchdown — with both Diggs and Collins out. Might be worth a stash as a potential WR3.

_______________________

Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Tickets are $75 for VIP and $50 for General Admission. For a limited time, we’re giving you $10 off; use code SPORTSMAP at checkout. Get your tickets now!

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