The NFL‘s annual scouting combine is now over for 2016, as draft prospects went through track drills, medical evaluations and team interviews. Here are 10 players who boosted their draft stock at this year’s combine.
10. Notre Dame WR Will Fuller
Getty ImagesAmong a group of wide receivers that lacks elite speed overall, Fuller's 4.32 40-yard dash at the combine stood out. He's a potential fist-round pick, if concerns about his size and drops can be set aside by teams.
9. Washington OLB Travis Freeney
Getty Images
Freeney led linebackers in the vertical jump (40 inches), with the second-best broad jump (10 feet and 10 inches) and the second-fastest 40-yard dash (4.50 seconds). He's not just a workout warrior (17.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks last season), so Feeney could be a Day 2 pick.
8. Florida State CB/S Jalen Ramsey
Scott Cunningham Getty ImagesRamsey was already considered a top-10 pick, but his combine showing (4.41 40-yard dash, 41.5-inch vertical jump) has boosted him a bit further. At this point, he won't last past the top five with a few teams in that area having a need in the secondary.
7. California QB Jared Goff
Tom Pennington Getty ImagesIt's hard to raise your draft stock when you could be the first quarterback drafted. But Goff's good showing on the field, and on the white board (per NFL.com's Bucky Brooks), probably locked him in as a top-10 pick come April.
6. Oklahoma DE Charles Tapper
Getty ImagesTapper led all defensive lineman at the combine with a 4.59 40-yard dash, at 271 pounds, which makes a switch to outside linebacker in the NFL potentially viable. Draft analysyt Tony Pauline has suggested that Tapper improved his stock "almost a full round" with his combine performance, which makes him a possible mid-round pick.
5. TCU WR Josh Doctson
John Weast Getty ImagesThe most important thing for Doctson and the combine was setting aside concerns about the wrist injury that ended his senior season early. He apparently did that during medical evaluations. His athletic display, highlighted by a 4.5-second 40 and a 41-inch vertical, boosted his stock.
4. Houston CB Wiliam Jackson
Bob Levey Getty ImagesJackson is the kind of bigger corner NFL teams like, and he ran a 4.37-second 40 at the combine while reportedly looking good in position drills. He's a likely second-round pick, and Jackson should not last past the top-50 overall.
3. Alabama RB Derrick Henry
Christian Petersen Getty ImagesHenry, at 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.54 seconds at the combine, along with top showings in the vertical and broad jumps. Peter Schrager of Fox Sports has suggested the reigning Heisman winner is now a potential first-round pick.
2. Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah
Getty ImagesOgbah had not remained highly regarded among this draft class' pass rushers, fairly inexplicably. But a 4.63 40-yard dash, a good vertical jump and a good broad jump at the combine has put him back in the first-round conversation.
1. Indiana OT Jason Spriggs
Brian Spurlock USA TODAY SportsSpriggs ran the fastest 40 among all offensive lineman at the combine (4.94 seconds), along with the best broad jump and good marks in the bench press (31 reps) and short shuttle. Coupled with a good Senior Bowl, Spriggs is now a virtual lock to go off the board in the first round.
