NFL Combine Primer: Who's going to impress, and who needs to

The NFL Combine is a funny thing.

Scouts and analysts watch these players for years on the field, then comes the combine where the real decision makers get to see the draft crop in full and inevitably are influenced heavily.

Luckily the Denver Broncos already got a look at the top seniors while at the Senior Bowl, but they, too, will still be influenced by the results in Indy. In fact, the Broncos haven’t shied away from drafting workout warriors, a trend that continued last year as future first rounder, Garett Bolles, tore up the combine with his insane athleticism.

The combine also has an interesting divide amongst the prospects in Indianapolis. Some are known athletic phenoms who simply have to show those skills off, while others have serious questions that need answering. With that in mind, here’s what we expect to see next week and what we’ll be looking for.

The most freakish athletes in Indy

OFFENSE

Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

Jackson remains a controversial figure in draft circles, but the Heisman winner could flip the combine on its head if he shows off the type of athleticism that made him impossible to stop in college.

The passing drills will also be important for Lamar in showing he is an NFL worthy quarterback. Especially when put side by side with the other top prospects at the position.

The speed backs

This group is pretty loaded and if they all show the speed that we saw on tape during their college days, prospects like Ronald Jones II of USC, Georgia’s Sony Michel, Miami’s Mark Walton, or Tennessee’s John Kelly could consolidate their status, and all be top-50 candidates.

Local kid, Kalen Ballage is far from a mere speed-back with his 220-pound frame. Regardless of that, Ballage still has the speed of a much smaller RB, and if he flashes the way he did at the Senior Bowl could really help his stock tremendously.

Receivers with return ability

There are plenty of receivers with return ability and impressive speed, but none more than Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk, who after a down year, could really impress during the Combine’s tests.

Here’s a list of other receivers who should show off their speed and athleticism this week:

Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA

Josh Rosen’s favorite target, Lasley has the deep speed that’ll entice the NFL.

D.J. Chark, WR/KR, LSU

A standout at the Senior Bowl, Chark is a playmaker with burners and length.

Dante Pettis, WR, Washington

The NCAA’s punt return touchdowns record holder is fast and has good size.

D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland

Moore might be quicker than fast, but he’s a special one with the ball in his hands.

Keke Coutee, WR, Texas Tech

The diminutive Coutee is a dangerous returner with great speed.

Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida

Callaway is as dangerous a speedster as there is in this class, but off-field questions will determine his stock.

Dancing bears who could be the next Bolles

This class of tackles might be a bit underwhelming at the top, but like Bolles did a year ago, there are several candidates who could see their stock rise with impressive measurements and athletic tests.

Pitt’s Brian O’Neil is one such candidate, as he’s still inconsistent on tape but has great feet for a big man. Louisville’s Geron Christian can be a bit sloppy with his technique, but he has great length and will be an interesting mover.

Small school stud Desmond Harrison out of West Georgia is only 288 pounds, but moves really well, his stock could skyrocket. The same goes for Ohio State’s Jamarco Jones who has impressive upside given his size and movement skills.

DEFENSE

Tackles to dream on

If you follow the draft closely, you’ll find there are often players who are better collegiate producers but will get overlooked for lesser performers with better upside. Three such prospects at defensive tackle—or defensive end in the Broncos 3-4—are Florida’s Taven Bryan, USC’s Rasheem Green, and Georgia’s Trenton Thompson.

Not one of them is perfect or polished, but all three have great athleticism and could soon be wrecking NFL backfields with a little coaching.

The speedy SEC edge rushers

A lot of these kids have already gone through similar athletic tests coming out of high school. One such prospect is Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter who back in high school—while weighing only 234 pounds—ran a 4.60 40-yard dash and jumped 40 inches in his vertical, elite numbers. If he can reproduce that in Indianapolis, expect his hype to be off the charts.

Auburn’s Jeff Holland was one of the SEC’s best pass rushers last season and could also see his stock rise significantly, if he can simply show the athleticism we saw on tape, in workouts.

A corner to watch

Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

Oliver is a decathlete who ran the 100-meters in 10.7 seconds only a year ago for CU and in 10.5 back in high school. Given how he’s had to train in all different athletic disciplines, expect him to be a big riser at the combine after a few injuries slowed him down last season.

Oliver, has the size, ball skills and athleticism the NFL covets in No. 1, lockdown cornerbacks. If he can confirm the athleticism portion, expect him to become a top 15 contender in the 2018 Draft.

In need of a big week

Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

Allen could really benefit from looking more smooth and more consistent with his mechanics, during the passing drills at the combine. If the Wyoming quarterback can also show more consistent accuracy against air, that could go a long way in quieting some of the concerns the NFL has with him.

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA 

So much has been made of Rosen dropping in recent weeks due to off-field personality concerns. Until teams actually sit down and interview him, that’s all smoke, which means Rosen will have to impress when he’s one on one with teams.

Maybe more important for the Bruins QB, is how his medical evaluations go, as he missed the majority of 2016 with a nasty shoulder injury and has already suffered multiple concussions.

WRs with something to prove

Alabama’s Calvin Ridley hasn’t been very productive the last two seasons, in large part because of the run-first offense he played in. However, when watching the tape, it’s clear he creates separation regularly due to his great route running ability. Given that he’s not the tallest receiver, he’ll have to run fast and prove he’s a burner at the combine to justify a top 15 selection.

SMU’s Courtland Sutton is a big-bodied wideout, but his ability to separate from NFL level corners is the one thing holding him back. Showing explosiveness with his vertical jump and running a 4.5 or lower will be paramount for him to be considered in the first round.

The great edge debate

LSU’s Arden Key will have some big off-field questions to answer in interviews relating to his leave of absence this past offseason. Given that he’s put on weight this year, he’ll also have to prove that his elite first step and agility are still there in workouts.

North Carolina State’s Bradley Chubb has become a consensus top three picks in most mocks, but the combine could lead to him falling off a bit as he’s not an elite athlete.

Harold Landry out of Boston College was a supremely productive college pass rusher, though with his production declining in 2017, he’s not seen as a top-10 prospect anymore. A big showing in Indy could help restore his status.

UTSA’s Marcus Davenport is a small-school product with big upside. How he does in Indianapolis will be big in proving his potential and establishing him as a top 10 contender.

Hercules Mata’afa, DL, Washington State

Mata’afa was one of college football’s best pass rushers the past three seasons, as his 23 career sacks and 47 tackles for a loss can attest.

However, it’s where he was rushing the passer from that could scare off the NFL. At only 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Mata’afa mostly was doing damage from the interior. To prove he can transition to a stand-up edge he’ll have to show out at the combine. If he does, expect him to rise up draft boards all the way into the first-round conversation.

Corners with something to prove

Maybe no position is more reliant on combine results than cornerback and this year will be no different.

Just about every CB’s draft stock depends on having a good showing in Indianapolis. However, two corners, in particular, have athletic questions to answer, and their showings in Indy will be huge for their draft position.

First is Iowa’s Josh Jackson, whose ball skills are proven, as is his ability playing off-coverage facing the action. The big question with Jackson is if he can turn and run after NFL receivers to be a stud man-cover corner. The combine will make or break him.

Florida State’s Tarvarus McFadden came into the year with big expectations and wasn’t his best like most of FSU’s squad. He’ll have questions regarding his speed and stiffness to answer in Indy.