The thirst for football is real. After the Super Bowl, NFL fans are left to wait for months before the first snap of the regular season is made, but the news cycle for this league is non-stop. This week, the NFL Combine takes over the headlines from February 17-23 in Indianapolis. Below, we’ve listed 10 of the biggest and most interesting storylines in the upcoming NFL Combine.
If the Combine interests you, it’s a safe bet you’re interested in checking out our look at the fastest 40-yard dashes in NFL Combine history. Otherwise, read on for more on this year’s event, and the many prospective NFLers who stand to make a name for themselves.
[sc:Football ]Ten Storylines to Watch at the NFL Combine
1. How Jameis Winston will fare in his first taste of the NFL spotlight
The NFL Combine’s biggest draw has always been the quarterbacks. And for this edition of the annual event, Jameis Winston will finally get his first full taste of the intense scrutiny coming from the league’s scouts, coaches, and of course the media.
Given his series of off-the-field issues, plus his high stock in the upcoming draft, expect the media to go after him non-stop. Teams like the Jets and the Bucs will be on the lookout during these media-sessions, as they would like to see whether Winston’s maturity at this point of his career has improved or is still in the same level with a guy who shoplifts crab legs from Publix.
2. The Philadelphia Eagles eyeing Marcus Mariota
Another guy who’ll likely be a media magnet come the NFL Combine is Chip Kelly. He’s going to be pestered in media sessions particularly because of swirling rumors that the Eagles are willing to trade up for a higher chance of bringing Marcus Mariota to Philly. If that’s the plan, will Kelly and the Eagles front office engineer a bold trade, one that will likely involve Nick Foles and/or a number of future picks?
3. The search for the third “It” quarterback?
[sc:NFL240banner ]Last year’s batch had Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, and even Derek Carr. Today, we have Winston, Mariota, and basically just the rest of the field. Beyond those two Heisman Trophy-winning players, it seems that this class of quarterbacks lacks someone who we can discuss in the same sentence as those guys.
However, there are quite a few names out there that could emerge from the NFL Combine with improved draft stocks. Brett Hundley, for example. The UCLA product is a gifted athlete and a dual-threat signal-caller that finished the 2014 season in the college ranks with 3,155 passing yards and 22 touchdowns to go along with 644 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. If he can put in a strong performance across the combine, teams picking later in the draft could find themselves clamoring for Hundley.
4. Shaq Thompson the linebacker or Shaq Thompson the running back?
He’s strong, he’s fast, and played two positions for the Washington Huskies. Scouts have been high on Shaq Thompson, who suited up as a linebacker-running back hybrid in college. He even won a Paul Hornung Award in 2014, proving that he’s an elite player in both positions.
Thompson has expressed his intent on playing just one position—linebacker—starting at the NFL Combine, and the young man’s performance could significantly effect where in the Draft he is selected.
5. Nick Marshall the quarterback or Nick Marshall the cornerback?
Like Thompson, Nick Marshall is in a bit of positional quandary. The former Auburn quarterback has been practicing as a cornerback in preparation for the Indianapolis trip.
“I’m planning on doing defensive back drills at the combine,” Marshall said in an interview with NFL.com early this month. However, in a later interview with AuburnUndercover.com, Marshall did not sound too sure about his earlier decision, saying “I’m not sure yet. I’m going to do what they want me to do. It will make me more valuable to do both.”
The NFL regular season is months away, but you can create a betting account now and start laying action on the league’s future odds.
6. Which running back will set himself apart from the rest of the field?
Even with Todd Gurley (ACL injury) missing the workouts in Indianapolis, don’t think for a second that this NFL Combine lacks depth in the running back position. In fact, this class of backs is arguably one of the deepest in years with the likes of Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson, and Tevin Coleman all joining the drills. It’s a competitive group, one that should generate substantial interest with regards as to who among them will break away from the rest of the pack in the 40-yard dash.
7. The wide receivers
A quick peek at early NFL 2015 mock drafts would reveal that at least four wide receivers are going to be taken in the first 20 picks. Alabama’s Amari Cooper is the early favorite to be the first wideout to be selected, but things can change depending on how he and the other wide receivers will perform at the Combine.
Cooper will face serious competition from projected top five receivers in Kevin White, DeVante Cooper, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Devin Funchess.
8. Leonard Williams
Every year, people go nuts over the quarterbacks in the NFL Combine. With the Winstons and Mariotas out there, this year is no different. But if you take a moment to look at other talents from the opposite side of the field, you’ll probably notice Leonard Williams. Williams is projected by many experts to be among the top three picks in the next NFL Draft. He’s the top-rated interior defensive lineman by NFL.com, someone a team like the Tennessee Titans might select as the second overall pick.
That said, Williams’ performance at the combine would be closely followed by teams who want to find out if there are any lingering effects left on him by previous shoulder injuries.
9. The under-the-radar players
Let’s not overlook some of the names coming from less-stellar programs, those unassuming players who might just be the breakout stars of the NFL Combine. Take for example Bryan Bennett, a quarterback from the Southeastern Louisiana Lions of the FCS. Bennett was originally an Oregon Duck, playing for two seasons in Eugene before Marcus Mariota beat him out for the starting position. Like Mariota, Bennett is a dual threat quarterback, which is very evident from the numbers he put up for the Lions. He finished his two-year stint with the Lions with 5,522 passing yards and 39 touchdowns and 1,715 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns.
There’s also J.J. Nelson, a wide receiver from the now-defunct football program of the Alabama Birmingham Blazers. Nelson stands just 5’11 and weighs around 160 pounds, pretty small for a wideout. However, it’s his speed that will turn the heads of NFL scouts. Back in his Blazers days, he led the team in receiving touchdowns (4), receiving yards (655), and yards per catch (18.7). As a testament to his speed, Nelson has previously won state titles in 100 and 200-meter dashes.
10. The next 40-yard dash champion
Speaking of which: are we going to see Chris Johnson’s record in the 40-yard dash fall this time? Johnson ran 4.24 seconds in the 2008 combine and that time has since been unmatched. Last year, Marquise Goodwin nearly set a new record, finishing with a time of 4.27 seconds. Among the favorites to become the fastest man in the combine in Indianapolis are Philip Dorsett, Devin Smith, and Sammy Coates.
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