The 2020 NFL Combine officially got underway a littler earlier this week, but Thursday saw the start of the on-field testing for the first group of players at the annual event. Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends all ran through the 40-yard dash and showcased their leaping ability in both the vertical leap and the broad jump.
Three of the five Vols who were invited to the 2020 NFL Combine went through drills on Thursday, and we have their full results for you below.
Wide receiver Marquez Callaway, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, and tight end Dominic Wood-Anderson all participated in the on-field testing on Thursday. Linebacker Daniel Bituli will go through the same drills on Saturday, while linebacker Darrell Taylor will not participate in in any drills or on-field workouts as he recovers from offseason surgery he had in January to address a stress fracture in his shin.
It’s also worth noting that none of Tennessee’s participants at the 2020 NFL Draft did the bench press at this year’s event. All of UT’s NFL prospects will wait to do the bench press at Tennessee’s Pro Day.
Here are the results from Thursday’s testing for the three Vols who participated in the 2020 NFL Combine.
Marquez Callaway
Height: 6’1 1/4″
Weight: 205 lbs
Hands: 9 3/8 inches
Arms: 32 3/8 inches
Wingspan: 6’6 7/8″
40-Yard Dash: 4.55 seconds
Vertical Jump: 38 inches
Broad Jump: 126 inches
While Callaway’s 40-yard dash time was a little slower than expected, the rest of his measurables and on-field testing results were fairly impressive and should stand out to NFL scouts.
Callaway’s broad jump of 126 inches tied with Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool for the 10th-best among wide receivers at this year’s NFL Combine, and his 38-inch vertical leap finished tied with Virginia’s Joe Reed for the 11th-best at the combine.
Callaway showed off great leaping ability as a jump ball/deep threat for Tennessee throughout his career, but especially as a senior. Callaway finished his Vol career with 92 catches for 1,646 yards and 13 touchdowns. He finished 16th in program history in career receiving yards, and his 13.6 yards per return on punts in a career ranks fourth in school history. His three punt return touchdowns are second all-time.
Jauan Jennings
Height: 6’3 1/8″
Weight: 215 lbs
Hands: 9 inches
Arms: 31 5/8 inches
Wingspan: 6’4 1/4″
40-Yard Dash: 4.72 seconds
Vertical Jump: 29 inches
Broad Jump: 119 inches
The NFL Combine was never going to highlight Jauan Jennings’ strengths, and as a result, he had a fairly sub-par performance on Thursday when compared to other receivers.
Jennings’ vertical leap was the second-lowest among the wide receivers at the combine this year, finishing ahead of only Rhode Island’s Aaron Parker’s 26.5-inch leap. His 119-inch broad jump tied with Colorado’s Tony Brown for the 8th-shortest, and his 4.72-second 40-yard dash was the second-slowest among wideouts, finishing just better than Wisconsin’s Quintez Cephus (4.73 seconds).
But Jennings was never expected to test all that well at the combine, and his appeal to NFL scouts and coaches has been his grittiness, tackle-shedding, and ability to pick up tons of yards after contact. Jennings also has good route-running ability.
The Murfreesboro, TN native finished his Tennessee career with 146 receptions for 2,153 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished fourth all-time in school history in career receiving yards, fifth in career receptions, and tied for fifth in career receiving touchdowns. Jennings led all wide receivers in the FBS in broken tackles in the 2019 season, racking up 30 on the year.
Dominick Wood-Anderson
Height: 6’3 5/8″
Weight: 261 lbs
Hands: 9 3/4 inches
Arms: 33 1/8 inches
Wingspan: 6’6 7/8″
40-Yard Dash: 4.92 seconds
Vertical Jump: 35 inches
Broad Jump: 119 inches
Though he didn’t have as strong of a career at Tennessee as Vol fans would’ve hoped, Dominick Wood-Anderson performed well at the combine on Thursday.
Not only did Wood-Anderson impress with his hands and route running during drills, but he tested well (other than his 40 time). Wood-Anderson’s 35-inch vertical leap was the fifth-best among all tight ends at the 2020 NFL Combine, and his 119-inch broad jump tied with Arkansas’ C.J. O’Grady for the sixth-best among tight ends. His 4.92-second 40-yard dash time was the second-slowest among the tight ends who ran the 40, however, finishing ahead of only Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkney.
In high school, Wood-Anderson was a quarterback and started out as a defensive end at Arizona Western College before switching to tight end. He ended up being ranked the top JUCO tight end in the 2018 class and joined the Vols in Jeremy Pruitt’s first year as head coach. He finished his UT career with 38 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons.
