The countdown to the 2016 Draft continued with the annual NFL combine as the best prospects in the country got the opportunity to showcase their skills and improve their draft stock. NFL scouts and executives continue to look for the perfect balance between what those players did on the football field in college and what their measurable were when they worked out at the combine when it comes to evaluating where they should be on their big board and there is no doubt that a number of players improved their stock over these past couple of weeks. Here is a look at the five biggest winners from the NFL combine on the offensive side of the football.
Carson Wentz, Quarterback
North Dakota State Bison
The consensus top quarterback prospect on the board faced question marks about how he would fare at the Senior Bowl and scouting combine following a very productive college career at a small school. It’s safe to say those questions have been answered. Wentz followed up a strong Senior Bowl performance by showing off his arm strength and accuracy at the NFL combine and making it clear that he deserves to be the top passer on the board. A strong combine performance solidified Wentz’s position ahead of Jared Goff and the other quarterbacks as the top passer available and there is a very good chance he will go at No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns.
Will Fuller, Wide Receiver
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Fuller was considered a borderline first round pick heading in to the scouting combine with concerns about his size at just 6’0’’ and 184 pounds, but a strong performance has solidified his position as one of the top receivers on the board. Fuller ran an outstanding 4.32 40-yard dash and his quickness and fluidity was highly praised by scouts. Fuller also recorded a 33.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-6 long jump to help erase concerns about his lack of size. There is no doubt that he dramatically improved his draft stock with the strong NFL combine performance.
Josh Doctson, Wide Receiver
TCU Horned Frogs
At 6’3’’ and 195 pounds, there was no doubt about how Doctson’s size would translate at the next level following a productive college career at TCU. However, there was some concern about whether or not he had the speed and quickness to excel at the NFL and those concerns were addressed at the combine. Doctson ran a 4.50 40-yard dash and showed good burst, acceleration and quickness in the other drills. That strong performance should be enough to solidify his position as a first round pick with a good chance that he is taken somewhere between 20 and 30.
Keith Marshall, Running Back
Georgia Bulldogs
The debate about how high running backs should be taken in the NFL Draft rages on and a big part of the debate is how strong this year’s class looks at the position. Ezekiel Elliott is undoubtedly the top prospect on the board at running back, but Marshall might very well have been the running back that improved his stock the most at the combine. The highlight was a ridiculous 4.31 40-yard dash that was the fastest time recorded by any offensive player at the combine. Although running backs have been a forgotten commodity, they’ll be higher on people’s radar after the St. Louis Rams gamble on Todd Gurley paid off last year.
Marshall did carry a heavy workload at the college level and he isn’t a workhorse back, but his elite combination of speed, quickness and elusiveness could result in him being picked on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
Jack Conklin, Tackle
Michigan State Spartans
No tackle improved his draft stock more than the Michigan State graduate, who posted excellent times in the speed and agility drills in addition to his raw power measures. Conklin impressed with a 5.0 in the 40-yard dash and did an excellent job moving very smoothly and naturally in the lateral drills. Conklin was already considered a projected first round pick, but he may very well have solidified his position as a top-20 pick with the strong combine performance.
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