INDIANAPOLIS (The Sports Xchange) —
Measurements are just part of stacking up against the
competition for 2014 NFL Draft hopefuls this week at the annual Scouting
Combine.
There is much to gain — or lose — for nearly all 335 of the
participants in a class with enough depth and drama to keep fans
peeled through the extended period leading up to the first ever May
player draft.
Here are 10-plus players with the most on the line this week.
10. TE Colt Lyerla, ex-Oregon
The former Oregon Ducks' star recruit should thank his lucky stars
he received an invitation, considering all the baggage he brings
with him to Indianapolis. And yes, that's in the figurative sense.
Lyerla was arrested for unlawful possession of cocaine and
interfering with a police officer in October 2013, just a few weeks
after he left the team and dropped out of school.
He is a fantastic talent with fluid athleticism and natural
receiving ability, but trouble seems to follow him with a laundry
list of other off-field issues. The interview process at the
Scouting Combine will be the first step for Lyerla to prove he is
worth the risk in the later rounds of the draft, something former
Tennessee problem child Da'Rick Rogers couldn't do last year.
9. WR Martavis Bryant, Clemson
For most, Sammy Watkins is the top wide receiver prospect this class
has to offer, but he's not the only junior pass-catcher from Clemson
who will hear his name called on draft weekend.
Bryant more than doubled his career production as a junior with 42
catches for 828 yards and seven scores, showing more consistency
catching the ball.
Listed at 6-4, 200 pounds, he is a terrific athlete with the
speed/size combination to create mismatches at all levels of the
field. Similar to Stephen Hill a few years back, Bryant could launch
himself into the top-40 discussion with impressive agility numbers,
including a sub-4.4 40-yard dash.
8. CB Bradley Roby, Ohio State
After almost jumping to the NFL a year ago, Roby had a forgettable
season in 2013 with some poor performances in big games for the
Buckeyes. He appeared to be reading his own press clippings and
struggled to stay alert in coverage, allowing a number of productive
plays for opposing offenses.
But Roby's athleticism and physical nature are two areas that keep
him in high regard for many NFL scouts and the Combine is an
opportunity to show the league why so many rated him a first-round
lock.
If he doesn't run his 40-yard dash in the 4.3-second range and
register low numbers in the short shuttle and three-cone drill, it
will be considered a disappointment. Roby's height-weight
measurements will also be important.
7. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
An impressive athletic specimen for his frame and build,
Seferian-Jenkins has the size of a tight end, but the speed and body
control of a wide receiver.
Despite winning the 2013 Mackey Award as college football's top
tight end, it was a mediocre season for the former Huskie as he
battled focus issues and wasn't a large part of Washington's
offense.
Seferian-Jenkins leaves you wanting more on tape, but if he tests as
well as expected, teams will be more willing to take a chance on him
earlier than his on-field play might suggest. Also, his 2013 DUI
arrest will most certainly come up during his team interviews.
6. Notre Dame DL Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt
Due to injury and inconsistency, Nix and Tuitt went from a
terrorizing tandem destined to be high picks to a disappointing duo
hoping to stay in the first-round conversation.
Tuitt is built well for the NFL with the impressive size and
athletic tools, but played more like a third round draft choice on
tape in 2013. He needs to test well during the on-field and agility
drills to remind teams why he was so highly thought of entering the
year.
Nix had better in-game consistency than Tuitt and boasts a skill-set
that is in high demand by 3-4 defenses, but his lingering knee issue
is the elephant in the room. His medical results will likely cement
Nix's top-20 status or drop him down draft boards.
Arguably the top collegiate cornerback in the country this past
year, Dennard won't have the fastest 40-yard dash in Indianapolis,
but if he runs in the 4.42-4.48 range, the whispers that he lacks
NFL speed will start to quiet down. He is able to be effective with
his quick, coordinated feet to mirror and the physical demeanor to
match up against anyone on the football field.
Right or wrong, many evaluators in the NFL believe cornerbacks need
break a certain speed threshold in the 40-yard dash to crack the
top-20 picks. A number in the 4.5 range won't kill his draft status,
but a 4.4 — anything near what Alabama's Dee Milliner posted to
hush footspeed chatter and be the ninth overall pick in 2013 — would really help.
4. Physical marvels: OT Greg Robinson, DE Jadeveon Clowney
Based on tape, these two prospects are worthy of a spot among the
top-three picks in the draft. So if Robinson and Clowney arrive in
Indianapolis and perform like they're capable, both could easily be
first non-quarterbacks drafted in May.
If something were to go wrong, either during the interview process,
medical evaluation or agility drills, some doubt could start to
creep into the minds of decision-makers. Realistically, the
possibility of that happening is slim, but because they are such
physically-gifted specimens, much is expected. And when the
expectations are high, it's sometimes tough for prospects to answer
that hype.
3. DT Dominique Easley, Florida
If health wasn't a concern, Easley would be talked about as a
potential top-10 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. But after two ACL
tears, both on non-contact plays, the long-term durability is a red
flag that could knock him into the third day on draft weekend.
Easley has exceptional get-off quickness to be in the backfield
before the center sets up shop, constantly playing on the other side
of the line of scrimmage. But after the doctors and trainers are
done poking and prodding, their medical report on Easley will likely
be the determining factor in his draft projection.
2. WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M
Johnny Manziel will probably be drafted in the top five and ahead of
Evans, but he owes a good amount of his collegiate success to his
Texas A&M teammate, another projected first-rounder.
Combine workouts will correlate with draft position for Evans.
Everyone seems to have a guess as to what Evans will run in the
40-yard dash, some think he'll get in the 4.4s, while others
forecast a number in the 4.7 range. But regardless of his timed
runs, Evans is most dangerous when he can box out defenders and use
his strong hands to highpoint and come down with tough grabs in
traffic. A 40-yard dash in the 4.52-4.58 range would just be icing
on the cake.
1. All 19 quarterbacks
From Teddy Bridgewater's hand size to Derek Carr's accuracy during
passing drills, every quarterback invited to the Combine has a lot
to gain or lose this week.
Manziel won't throw, but his interviews are paramount, whether the
questions are football-related or not. Central Florida's Blake
Bortles will compete in every exercise and needs to show accurate
ball placement during passing drills.
On the training table, LSU's Zach Mettenberger and Georgia's Aaron
Murray are both in the midst of rigorous rehabs, battling back from
ACL injuries — how close are they to returning to the field? And
then of course, the exact height-weight measurements for the
underclassmen: Will Manziel get above six-foot? Will Bridgewater
come in over 210-pounds? Just how tall is Bortles? Above all, the
Combine is an opportunity for quarterbacks to perform on the big
stage — who will separate himself?
