Young’s height, Richardson’s 40 are all the rage BRUINS GET SWEEP OF RANGERS
Bertuzzi assists in debut, Kane remains scoreless as NHL-best Boston takes season series
INDIANAPOLIS — Bryce Young provided one answer Saturday at the NFL’s annual scouting combine: He stands 5-foot-10 inches and weighs 204 pounds.
Next question: Will his small frame hurt his draft stock?
On a day Anthony Richardson put on an impressive show at Lucas Oil Stadium, Young’s numbers will create debate among scouts and team decision-makers about whether Young should be the first player — or the first quarterback — selected on April 27.
Richardson certainly made his case with a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, the fourth-fastest by a quarterback since 2003. The former Florida quarterback also broke the modern combine position record with a 40 ½-inch vertical jump, and his 10foot, 9-inch broad jump tied Matt Jones of Arkansas for the best mark by a quarterback since 2003.
Young’s numbers, meanwhile, could have the opposite effect.
Typically, teams want franchise quarterbacks to be a little sturdier to remain healthy. Young’s measurements would make him one of the league’s smallest quarterbacks.
He doesn’t believe it’s a big deal, though he was listed at 6-0, 194 in college.
“I’ve been this size my whole life. I know who I am, I know what I can do,” Young said Friday when asked about the size issue.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama has all the other prototypical tools that franchises seek — strong arm, quick release, good accuracy, mobility and a knack for making big plays, even on the move.
The closest comparisons might be to Kyler Murray, whom Arizona took with the top overall pick in 2019, and Russell Wilson, a thirdround pick in 2012 who led Seattle to its only Super Bowl title before landing in Denver last season.
And while the quarterbacks, tight ends and receivers were scheduled to do their on-field drills Saturday in Indianapolis, Young had said he wouldn’t join them. The next time scouts will see Young will be at Alabama’s scheduled pro day.
Many draft analysts believe Young, former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama are the four players vying to be selected No. 1 overall.
Stroud performed well in the passing drills and another highly regarded quarterback, Will Levis, showed his arm strength. But Anderson is sticking with his ex-teammate.
“I would say Bryce played in the SEC, one of the best conferences in college football,” he said. “Big defensive tackles, big defensive linemen, big pass rushers and took a lot of hits during his years there. I have all confidence in Bryce Young. If I was in the position to take him, I’m taking him.”
MORE WORKOUT NUMBERS
Trey Palmer of Nebraska logged the fastest 40-yard dash time among receivers, 4.33, narrowly outperforming Derius Davis of TCU (4.36).
Four receivers posted vertical jumps of at least 40 inches — Bryce Ford-Wheaton of West Virginia (41), Rashee Rice of TCU (41), Quentin Johnston of TCU (40 and Jalin Hyatt of Tennessee (40). Hyatt was tops in the broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches), just ahead of Johnston and Demario Douglass of Liberty, who both logged 11-2.
Former Utah cornerback Clark Phillips III had 18 bench reps, tops among his group. Joey Porter Jr. of Penn State and Cory Trice Jr. of Purdue were tied for second at 17.
Will Mallory of Miami (4.54), Zack Kuntz of Old Dominion (4.55) and Sam LaPorta of Iowa (4.59) had the fastest 40s among tight ends. Kuntz led the position with a 40inch vertical jump and broad jump of 10-8.
Offensive linemen and running backs work out Sunday.
THROWING DARTS
Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State is ranked as one of the top offensive tackles in this year’s draft. But occasionally, he makes a mistake, and he acknowledged Saturday that he made one during an interview with the Bears.
Chicago officials have been asking players whether they’d rather putt golf balls or throw darts. Johnson figured he’d be better off with the dart board. That’s when the problems began.
He watched someone in front of him throw three darts — two nearly hit the bull’s eye and the third did. Johnson’s turn didn’t go quite as well.
“The first two hit like some snacks in the corner and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re going to end this meeting,’” Johnson said before describing the third shot. “It hit the board, so I was happy. I should have probably chosen golf.”
BOSTON — Tyler Bertuzzi set up a goal in his Boston debut and Linus Ullmark made 24 saves, helping the NHL-leading Bruins beat Patrick Kane and the Rangers, 4-2, on Saturday.
Charlie Coyle scored off Bertuzzi’s feed and set up Tomas Nosek’s short-handed goal in Boston’s 10th straight win. The Bruins improved 26-2-3 at home and increased their total for the season to 103 points.
“For us, it’s the Stanley
Cup. That’s all that matters,” Ullmark said of the Bruins’ shot at an NHL record for total points. “Records are meant to be broken, but once you have the hardware it can never be taken away from you.”
Boston stars David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron each scored in the third period. It was Pastrnak’s 44th on the season, and No. 23 for Bergeron.
Playing his first game since posting a club-record 54 saves in an overtime win at Calgary on Tuesday, Ullmark increased his record to 32-4-1.
Alexis Lafreniere scored both goals for the Blueshirts, and Igor Shesterkin stopped 20 shots. The Rangers have lost six of eight.
“They’ve got a great squad and they acquired some great players,” Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said. “They’re at the top of the league right now and that’s where we want to be. I think we can skate with them and we can play with them and I think we gave them a good run (today). I’m excited for us to get clicking . ... I think we can give them a good run for the money.”
Kane, acquired in a trade with Chicago on Tuesday, is scoreless in two games with the Rangers.
After becoming the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points in their last game, the Bruins completed a three-game season sweep of the Rangers.
Acquired in a trade with Detroit on Thursday, Bertuzzi collected the puck behind the net and sent it out to Coyle, who one-timed it past Shesterkin to make it 1-0 at 18:07 of the opening period. The new Bruins forward raised his stick and pointed at Coyle after collecting his first point with the club.
The lively matchup — with fans breaking out in chants for each team — featured two teams that bolstered their rosters for the postseason before Friday’s trade deadline.
The Blueshirts picked up three-time Stanley Cup champion Kane from Chicago and four-time All-Star Vladimir Tarasenko from St. Louis, while Boston also got defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway from Washington before reeling in Bertuzzi, who scored 30 goals last season.