Miami Hurricanes K.J. Osborn among top WR performances at NFL Combine

Wide receiver K.J. Osborn who led the Miami Hurricanes in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2019 performed exceptionally well during drills at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Wide receiver K.J. Osborn led the Miami Hurricanes in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2019 after moving to Coral Gables from Buffalo as a graduate transfer. Osborn performed well compared to his peers at wideout at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

Osborn finished in the top 15 among WRs in almost every event he participated in Indianapolis. The Michigan native ran 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had 18 reps in the bench press, 37.5 inches in the Vertical Jump,123.0 inches in the broad jump, seven seconds in the three-cone drill and 4.35 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle.

Among wideouts, Osborn was 18th in the 40-yard dash, sixth in the bench press, 14th in the vertical jump, 15th in the broad jump, 10th in the shuttle and fifth in the three-cone drill. Osborn is ready for his NFL Career. He showed at Miami that he is a hard worker, great teammate and can be a locker room leader.

NFL Draft analyst Lance Zeuerlein of NFL.Com projects Osborn as a slot receiver in the NFL whose speed, quickness and size will not distinguish him in the NFL. The decision by Osborn from Buffalo to Miami put on film his ability to play against better competition than he went against in the MAC with the Bulls.

"“Osborn played mostly from the slot at Buffalo and mostly outside at Miami, but Buffalo likely had it right. His size, quickness and speed fail to stand out and he’s not fully equipped to get away from tight man on the pro level. From the slot, his instincts in space and overall toughness could serve him well, but are still garden variety at best.However, Osborn has been a consistently productive punt returner for three seasons and is able to cover kicks and punts if asked. The special teams work gives him a shot if he can be functional as a backup receiver.”"

Osborn might have better athleticism than Zuerlein is giving him credit for. The Hurricanes leading receiver was graded as the fifth most athletic wide receiver in the Class of 2020 according to Pro Football Focus. Osborn scored ahead of projected first-round picks at WR like Jerry Jeudy of Alabama.

Osborn should be able to make an NFL roster. The versatility that Osborn brings in the return game and potentially covering kick and punt returns will be critical trying to earn an NFL roster spot. Osborn was an adept punt returner for the Miami Hurricanes this season and nearly broke a few for TDs.

Osborn has outshined his Miami Hurricanes teammate Jeff Thomas at the NFL Combine this week. Thomas had some impressive numbers at the combine but has been criticized by several experts who stated that Thomas did not perform as well as he should have in Indianapolis.